Farewell

Primordial Spirit Research Institute. Pale-faced, Su Yu walked downstairs. Wu Lan said curiously, "A plea for help arrived from your Nanyuan City. The Mission Office just sent it over." With that, she gave him a peculiar look. "What happened to you? You look as pale as a ghost!" *From spitting blood, of course!* Su Yu muttered internally. Naturally, he had also absorbed plenty of blood essence, so it was only a matter of getting used to it. Without replying, he took the mission notice she tossed to him. Su Yu skimmed it, chuckled, and said, "Go post a mission for me to recruit a few teammates. They'll head to Nanyuan with me to slay some demons!" "Is that necessary?" Wu Lan asked, bewildered. "Just kill them yourself! You could do it in the past; are you saying you can't now?" "There's strength in numbers." "Then I'm coming too..." "No!" "Why? I want to go!" "You're too weak!" "..." Wu Lan's expression crumbled. Her upturned nose, unseen for days, flared once more. Letting out a displeased snort, she spun around to leave! That was a low blow! Infuriating! As she stormed out, she huffed, "Even if you find others, they won't be any stronger!" Her willpower wasn't weak at all—she was almost at the Tengkong Realm! And her physical cultivation had already reached the fifth stage of Qianjun. Granted, the fifth stage was somewhat low, but she was both a warrior and a Civilization Master; she would reach the sixth stage soon enough. Su Yu called out with a chuckle, "Minimum requirement: Wanshi Realm or peak Yangxing. We don't need many, around ten people will do. Both Nanyuan and the academy will provide rewards. On my part, I'll offer an additional personal reward: ten merit points per person, and whatever demon spoils they harvest are theirs to keep." "I want to go too!" "You're too weak!" "..." Wu Lan said nothing more and stomped away, deeply offended after being turned down a second time. Su Yu smiled faintly and thought nothing of it. Once she was gone, Su Yu sat on the couch and fell into deep thought. A moment later, Xia Huyou walked through the door and immediately asked, "Did you just post a mission at the Mission Office?" "You found out that fast?" "Of course!" Xia Huyou replied bluntly. How many things within the Great Xia Prefecture could be concealed from him? "Heading out right now..." Thinking back to what happened last time, Xia Huyou couldn't help but add, "I still feel it's a bit too risky!" Su Yu gestured for him to sit and asked with a grin, "Leave that aside for now. Let me ask you: are those two reliable?" "Completely reliable!" Xia Huyou nodded. "Stop joking around—how could they not be? No matter what, I'm practically the crown prince of the Great Xia Prefecture. If they weren't trustworthy, my father wouldn't let them guard me either." "What's their strength?" "One is at the seventh stage of Shanhai, and the other is at the sixth stage." "A bit weaker than I expected," Su Yu said bluntly. For a crown prince, he hadn't even secured a peak Shanhai guard. Was this really the descendant of an Invincible? Just look at the Cloud Tiger race—Xia Qing was a nobody by comparison, merely the descendant of a peak Shanhai! Yet she had a third-stage Shanhai expert protecting her path! In contrast, he was rather pathetic. Xia Huyou was speechless. "If I were leaving the prefecture, I'd naturally have Sunmoon protectors! But while I'm inside the Great Xia Prefecture, why would I need someone so strong? If any Sunmoon enters the Great Xia Prefecture, it's virtually impossible to hide from my father. What do I have to fear?" Was there any Sunmoon stronger than his father? One slash across the void would cleave them in two! "Seventh stage of Shanhai, sixth stage of Shanhai..." Su Yu fell into contemplation. In truth, that wasn't weak at all; in fact, it was very strong. His only worry was that too many enemies might show up. With that in mind, Su Yu continued, "Arrange for some Dragon Martial Guards along the route. They don't need to be exceptionally strong, but make sure there are patrols. It doesn't matter if they stay far away from me, as long as they can deter anyone from acting. They must deter any Shanhai experts from making a move before I reach Nanyuan, or at least keep the Single Divine Character Faction in check. As for the All-Races Cult, let them come!" "Fine!" Xia Huyou looked at Su Yu, frowning. "Are you certain this will really draw the snake out of its hole?" *Nonsense! Of course I'm certain!* Too lazy to explain, Su Yu casually tossed him a jade talisman. "We're even! Debts included, everything is settled." "Why keep such meticulous score?" Xia Huyou caught the jade talisman and glanced at it. His eyes flickered, and a broad smile crept onto his face. "Another thirty-six apertures, and it complements the previous set. Honestly, how many sets do you have?" He added with palpable delight, "This forms a complete system! Seventy-two apertures—enough for me to cultivate all the way to Shanhai or even Sunmoon without needing to switch cultivation methods halfway. Absolutely brilliant! If word of this gets out, a wave of experts will likely emerge among Civilization Masters in no time. You really are something!" "You are not allowed to spread it without my permission!" Su Yu said evenly. "Of course, if you truly intend to leak it, go ahead. Do as you see fit." This belonged to him! The ownership was his! While he didn't obsess over it, if the Xia family dared to distribute it without his consent, whatever goodwill they shared would vanish. "Don't worry!" Xia Huyou didn't take it to heart. Why would he spread it around? With that, he produced a pile of items. "Here's the blood essence you requested. Your appetite is getting bigger and bigger, asking even for Lingyun blood essence. What are you planning to do with it?" "Experiments," Su Yu replied perfunctorily. Xia Huyou pressed no further. Soon, his voice transmission talisman flashed. He took it out, looked at it, and chuckled. "Someone accepted your mission." "So fast?" Su Yu hadn't even received word yet. Xia Huyou smiled. "Zhou Hao took it. That fellow is interesting. Is he terribly strapped for cash, or does he just want to hunt demons outside?" Zhou Hao? Su Yu was slightly taken aback, then smiled. "It doesn't matter. Once applicants sign up, I'll filter them myself." He didn't want innocents dragged into this! Of course, if anyone from the Single Divine Character Faction dared to accept, he would consider them bold! In reality, this mission was primarily meant as bait for the all-races students. Xia Huyou said nothing more and soon rose to his feet. "I have other business, so I'll be leaving first. Let me know if anything comes up. By the way, if you truly land a killing blow on your targets, there'll be massive trouble afterward. Wouldn't it be better to just join the Xia Family Research Institute directly...?" Su Yu looked at him. Had Marquis Xia not told him? Did this fellow still not know? Was he still pondering how Su Yu could avoid retaliation after returning? There was no need! Su Yu sighed inwardly. It was no longer necessary. *** Xia Huyou departed. Within the academy, Su Yu's mission caused little stir. In most eyes, it appeared to be an ordinary assignment. As for the Single Divine Character Faction retaliating against him, many assumed they wouldn't dare do anything within the Great Xia Prefecture. How could the Single Divine Character Faction possess such gall? Even if they sought vengeance, they would surely wait until Su Yu stepped beyond the prefecture's borders. Ten merit points was no small sum, especially as an extra bonus on top of keeping the demon spoils. For a mission like this, the rewards were quite generous. At first, the task drew little notice. However, once Xia Qing accepted it, everything changed. According to academy rules, all-races students were forbidden from participating in off-campus activities or missions alone without human involvement, nor could they leave the grounds unsupervised. But with humans present, they were permitted to tag along. Xia Qing said little when accepting the mission. Soon, rumors began to circulate: Xia Qing had taken the mission partly because she was Su Yu's friend, and partly to prove to humanity that all-races students were benevolent and eager to help humans eliminate demons. Friends! The word "friends" spread the farthest! It was a way of shaping public opinion. If Su Yu truly died, it would have nothing to do with Xia Qing and her circle—after all, they were Su Yu's friends, so why would they harm him? And Su Yu made no move to deny it. If they claimed to be friends, then friends they were. *** December 25th. The final deadline for Top 100 Rankings challenges in Year 350 of the Anping calendar. Outside the Top 100 Building, beside the arena, numerous students had gathered. Nearly all the ranked students were present, and Su Yu had arrived as well. He didn't step onto the stage, nor did he utter a word. He simply stood quietly behind Wu Jia. No one spoke. Many wondered: who would dare challenge Wu Jia? Challenging her now was clearly an attempt to target her. The clash between the single and multiple divine character factions had escalated steadily since the ranking battles, culminating in Su Yu killing Zhai Feng, which drove the conflict to its peak. Time ticked away. Spars took place on the stage, yet not a single person challenged Wu Jia. With Su Yu standing there, anyone who tried would have to be suicidal. Challenging Wu Jia meant courting Su Yu's retribution right after; even if he didn't kill them, beating them half to death would be disastrous enough. This time, hardly anyone from the Single Divine Character Faction showed up. Coming would only bring greater humiliation. Silence reigned until late at night without a single challenger. Wu Jia held onto her spot on the Top 100 Rankings. It was that easy! No one dared step forward! *** Late at night. Having performed his final duty for the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, Su Yu escorted Wu Jia home before heading to a restaurant within the academy grounds. Inside a private dining room, the students who had accepted his mission had all gathered. Twelve people! Including Su Yu, thirteen students in total. Among them were eight all-races students. Quite a crowd! Part of it was due to Xia Qing's circle, while others were simply eager to venture outside; seeing Xia Qing take the task, they had followed suit. Eight all-races students, four human students. When Su Yu arrived, the two sides were starkly divided. The human students paid no heed to the foreign students. All four human students were formidable. Zhou Hao was one of them! Of the remaining three, Su Yu recognized two. One was Li Minyu, formerly ranked fourth on the Top 100 Rankings, though now second. The current first rank belonged to Jiang Mu. Su Yu's duel with Zhai Feng had been a private life-and-death match rather than an official ranking battle, so his rank had only advanced by one spot previously. After Jiang Mu came Li Minyu; the original second-place student had advanced to the Tengkong Realm on the All-Heavens Battlefield following Zhan Hai's breakthrough. The second person was Ji Xiaomeng. Su Yu was genuinely surprised to see her. This was the daughter of Director Ji! If she died along the way, things would turn exceptionally messy. Ji Xiaomeng, Li Minyu, Zhou Hao... Aside from these three, the last human student was someone unfamiliar to Su Yu. Noticing Su Yu's gaze, the youth with slightly yellowish hair stood up and smiled. "Junior Su, allow me to introduce myself. I am Chen Chen, Class of 345, ranked sixty-fifth on the Top 100 Rankings. My physical cultivation is at the fourth stage of Wanshi, and my willpower is at peak Yangxing. I hail from the Beast Taming Academy!" Su Yu was pleasantly surprised; another ranked expert. Chen Chen chuckled. "I joined this time mainly to search for suitable demon beasts. I originally planned to go alone, but upon hearing about your mission, Junior Su, I decided to take it along the way." "I appreciate your trouble, Senior Chen!" Su Yu smiled. Chen Chen smiled back and said plainly, "Junior Su, the crisis in Nanyuan isn't overly severe. Still, there's something I must say: regarding these all-races students... it might be best not to bring them along. Who knows what intentions they harbor!" At these words, several all-races students turned their gazes toward him. Shrouded beneath cloaks, their expressions were hidden, yet palpable anger radiated from them! Chen Chen was unfazed. "These fellows belong to demon races as well. We are setting out to slay demons; who can guarantee one of them won't suddenly feel pity? We must guard against that!" "Senior Chen..." Xia Qing spoke up, her voice chilling. "There is no need for you to worry over such matters. With Brother Su here, we will naturally follow his lead!" Chen Chen smiled faintly, ignoring her, and turned back to Su Yu. "Junior Su, you are a peerless prodigy of the human race. The Great Xia Prefecture has fought the myriad races for years. It pays to be cautious. There is no reason to tarnish your reputation for the sake of petty gains!" Su Yu nodded with a gentle smile to ease the tension. "Senior overthinks it. Policy in the Great Xia Prefecture has shifted. Humans and the myriad races are not universally hostile toward one another. There are countless races out there, and we must clearly distinguish our true enemies from those who are not. Turning potential allies into foes would do us no good." At this, a cloaked figure among the all-races students spoke up immediately: "Well said! Our race has been allied with humans for many years, and we have shared ties with the Great Xia Prefecture across generations. Stop trying to drive a wedge between us!" Su Yu looked over in surprise and smiled. "From the Heavenly Horse race?" "Yes!" Judging by the voice, the speaker was male. He added hurriedly, "I am of the Heavenly Horse race. Our people have been on friendly terms with the Great Xia Prefecture for generations. If Senior Chen's words were to spread, it would deeply chill the hearts of our kind!" Chen Chen held his tongue. The Heavenly Horse race... was not worth provoking needlessly. After all, the Dragon Martial Guards boasted an entire Heavenly Horse Guard regiment. They truly had been allied with the Great Xia Prefecture for countless years! Though in the eyes of many, they had simply served as mounts for generations. Su Yu was intrigued. A member of the Heavenly Horse race was here too? Were they part of the plot against him? Unlikely! The Heavenly Horse race had collaborated with humans for ages, and several of their Shanhai elders served in the Dragon Martial Guards. If treason were uncovered, death was certain! Or could it be... His mind raced as his gaze subtly drifted toward Xia Qing and her companions. *Fascinating!* Had Xia Qing deliberately brought along a few unaffiliated all-races students to share the pressure? Indeed—with a member of the Heavenly Horse race involved, even if the Great Xia Prefecture grew displeased with the foreign students, this Heavenly Horse youth could testify that the All-Races Cult had killed Su Yu. That would clear the rest of them. If the authorities punished Xia Qing and the others, would they dare punish this Heavenly Horse youth as well? If they did, would the Heavenly Horse race accept it? After spilling blood for humanity for so long, having their prodigy punished over the death of a human genius they hadn't even harmed would breed immense resentment. Neither Marquis Xia nor Xia Longwu would take such a step! *Quick on their feet, aren't they?* Su Yu scoffed inwardly. Still, he had to admit it was an effective move. Among the eight all-races students, how many belonged to Xia Qing's clique? Su Yu wasn't entirely certain! Even with the Heavenly Horse youth, he didn't lower his guard; who could say if the fellow was merely putting on a loyal act? Out of the twelve individuals present, Su Yu didn't trust a single one! That included Zhou Hao! One must never place their life in the hands of others, not even the three Shanhai demon beasts with whom he had reached an agreement. Without sufficient leverage, trusting unfamiliar faces was foolish. That went for Ji Xiaomeng as well—who knew what she was planning? As the daughter of the head of the Yuqiang Department, taking his mission smelled of foul play. Su Yu cut straight to the point: "Everyone, I speak plainly! This mission appears straightforward, and in truth, it is. However, I have been marked by the All-Races Cult. My concern is that they might seize the chance to strike while I'm outside. There will be danger; keep that firmly in mind!" Su Yu made it abundantly clear: "I don't know whether they have the nerve, but the peril is real! Of course, our all-races students surely have powerful protectors guarding their path, so I'm not particularly worried about their safety. As for the rest of you... there are no guarantees!" He looked toward the four humans. Zhou Hao grunted, "If they strike, you're their target. When they attack you, can I run?" "You may!" "That's fine, then. My wilderness survival skills are top-notch!" Zhou Hao spoke with absolute confidence. Su Yu didn't mind. The guy had grown up in the wild, so he genuinely had what it took to survive. Turning to the others, Li Minyu smiled. "I joined precisely for this reason. I actually hope to encounter some cultists; I'm looking to break through to the Tengkong Realm!" "Quite ambitious!" Su Yu replied calmly. "If they truly come for me, they will be at least in the Lingyun Realm. Are you certain that will help your breakthrough?" Li Minyu laughed. "That's only the worst-case scenario. If we encounter them, you'll be in far greater danger than me. If we don't, I'll just hunt demons and see if I can find a worthy opponent to push me across the threshold!" Leaving her be, Su Yu turned to Chen Chen. Chen Chen chuckled. "I'm from the Beast Taming faction. I have my ways of surviving in the wilderness too." Su Yu glanced at Ji Xiaomeng. She grinned playfully. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine! If real danger comes, I can teleport away. My father gave me a shift talisman that teleports me instantly. I just want to see what demon beasts look like..." Su Yu forced a smile, while Chen Chen quipped, "Why travel so far for that? You have plenty right beside you!" "You...!" Xia Qing and her cohort bristled with rage! Su Yu ignored their squabbling and stared at Ji Xiaomeng. A shift talisman... Did Director Ji have more money than he knew what to do with? If so, why not give some to him instead! He knew about shift talismans: upon coming under attack, they instantly relocated the bearer, with the distance depending on the talisman's grade. Crafted by spatial divine talisman masters, they were exorbitantly expensive! To squander one just to sightsee demon beasts? Her family was truly filthy rich! Was Director Ji embezzling funds? Since he had outlined the risks and none of them wished to withdraw, Su Yu didn't dwell on it. "I have stated the risks. That said, under ordinary circumstances, our task is simple: reach Nanyuan and slay demons. Once there, you may form squads or act independently; we will decide the details upon arrival. Our departure is set for tomorrow night!" Su Yu said coolly, "We leave under cover of darkness to keep our movements hidden and avoid unnecessary complications. No vehicles; the roads are rough, so prepare your own Cloud-Galloping Horses! Furthermore, I am the squad leader. You follow my commands on the road. If anyone objects, you may withdraw now, or I will abandon you along the way to fend for yourselves! Any objections?" "None!" Zhou Hao agreed readily. Li Minyu smiled. "Since we formed a team and accepted your mission, Junior Su, we will naturally follow your lead!" Xia Qing chimed in, "Brother Su can command us as he sees fit; we will heed your words!" Su Yu scanned the room and reiterated, "I have given my warning! If the journey goes smoothly, all the better. If we run into danger, everyone is responsible for their own lives. Do not claim I deceived you when the time comes! It is not impossible that Shanhai experts might ambush us!" The Heavenly Horse youth piped up immediately, "What's so scary about Shanhai? Between the eight of us, we brought five Shanhai and three ninth-stage Lingyun Dao Protectors! Su Yu, aren't you being far too timid?" "..." Su Yu stared at him. This fellow was either remarkably naive or plain stupid! He had blurted out the full lineup of the all-races faction in a single breath. Timid? Su Yu didn't bother arguing. The Heavenly Horse youth continued, "We're just going out for a scenic tour, helping you finish your mission along the way while broadening our horizons. If the All-Races Cult dares to show up, we'll slaughter them all! Killing them earns merit points!" He added with growing excitement, "I'd actually love for them to come! Slaying cultists piles up merit points fast. Once I join the Dragon Martial Guards in the future, our Heavenly Horse race can even serve as commanders!" Su Yu was speechless. The Heavenly Horse race was ridden by others! Since when could they become commanders? That was news to him! Glancing at the group, he asked, "Do your races have sects within the All-Races Cult?" "No!" Xia Qing replied promptly. "Only major races have corresponding sects. Minor races rarely do, as human experts wouldn't bother serving them." It was as simple as that! Weak races weren't even worthy of being courted by human traitors. Bai Ce smiled. "If such minor sects existed, they would usually just be scams to swindle resources. Some smaller races fell for it before and didn't dare dabble again." Major races were hard to trick, but minor races attempting to plant spies among humans were frequently duped. Within the All-Races Cult, entire factions specialized in pulling off such cons! "That's for the best!" Su Yu didn't utter a word about the Single Divine Character Faction; he attributed everything strictly to the All-Races Cult. Whether they understood, remained oblivious, or feigned ignorance, the premise remained unchanged. Any attackers would unequivocally be classified as cultists! If they failed to strike when they should, they would be branded traitors! *** After a brief exchange to confirm names and strengths, Su Yu dismissed the group. He remained behind. Shortly after the others departed, Xia Qing returned, accompanied by three others. Four in total, including Xia Qing. "Brother Su!" Xia Qing introduced them once more. "Bai Ce of the Fox race, Niu Zhen of the Barbarian Bull race, and Zhan Fei of the Ironwing race!" She continued, "I've already conveyed what you asked me to tell them earlier. Brother Su, is our destination strictly Nanyuan?" "No, slightly south of Nanyuan!" Su Yu didn't elaborate. Looking at the trio, he said calmly, "Just as Xia Qing told you: ten thousand merit points for escorting me to my intended location. Ask no further questions. If enemies appear, your Dao Protectors need only step in to hold them off!" He then asked, "Are the Dao Protectors of all four of you at the Shanhai Realm?" Xia Qing smiled. "Three Shanhai and one ninth-stage Lingyun. Zhan Fei's elder is Lingyun, while their Shanhai senior stayed behind. However, being from an avian race, their combat prowess is comparable to a Shanhai!" "Lingyun..." Su Yu paused briefly. "For Lingyun, eight thousand merit points. Take it or leave it!" Zhan Fei nodded. "Fair enough. Our primary aim isn't merit points anyway, but to earn your favor, Brother Su. To be frank, having you owe us a favor is worth far more than merit points!" Su Yu chuckled. "Naturally! Brother Zhan's words suit me well!" Zhan Fei smiled, yet cursed inwardly! *He swallowed the blood essence of our Ironwing Bird race again! The scent is so thick it must have happened in the past day or two. Outrageous! He deserves to die! He must die!* Su Yu added, "What about the other all-races students...?" Xia Qing explained, "They joined voluntarily. Since we aren't particularly close, we didn't try to dissuade them. If things get awkward, we can separate once we reach Nanyuan!" Su Yu nodded. Seeing this, Xia Qing added, "That Ji Xiaomeng is the daughter of the Yuqiang Department's director, isn't she? Brother Su, shouldn't we ditch her? If she finds out what's happening, it could become very troublesome." Su Yu laughed. "Of course. I'll shake her off once we reach Nanyuan, but not right now! Let her follow for now, lest turning her away draws suspicion from Director Ji." Frowning slightly, Su Yu sighed. "My only lingering concern is whether the Single Divine Character Faction might strike at me. But with so many Shanhai and Lingyun experts around, they probably lack the courage unless they mobilize seven or eight Shanhai or a Sunmoon..." At that, Su Yu chuckled. "Forget it, that's highly unlikely unless they've gone completely mad! With you all guarding me, who would dare attack aside from those lunatics in the All-Races Cult?" Xia Qing nodded with a smile. "I doubt it as well. Still, caution is key. Brother Su, you should stay close to us along the way. Our Dao Protectors generally don't stray too far from us, so if trouble arises, just stick by our side." "Much appreciated!" Su Yu cupped his hands in gratitude. "I'll be troubling you all. As for the merit points, I'll pay thirty percent upfront as a deposit, and the remainder upon our return! What do you think?" "Suit yourself!" Zhan Fei laughed casually. "To be blunt, we aren't hurting for funds. Our respective families provided ample allowances when sending us to the human domain." Su Yu smiled. "Brother Zhan is generous! Still, business is business, and favors are favors! That you are willing to lend a hand already earns my deepest gratitude!" Su Yu then made a grand promise: "Rest assured, if you help Su Yu this time, I will introduce you to my martial grandmaster in the future! When my grandmaster emerges from seclusion, he will surely reach the Sunmoon Realm. A Sunmoon expert holds immense weight among humans!" The group hurriedly expressed their thanks, both sides putting on a flawless performance. After some further banter, Su Yu paid the deposit. Over ten thousand merit points! Borrowed funds! Borrowed from Xia Huyou, the kind that never needed repayment—paid out of the earnings from that divine aperture technique. Paying upfront made the arrangement far more convincing. Refusing to pay would make it seem as though he took their participation for granted, which would look unnatural. *** Their conversation stretched late into the night before they parted, agreeing to gather the following evening! Exiting the restaurant, Su Yu walked off alone, melting into the shadows as he advanced through the night. After a long walk, he arrived before a research institute. He halted beneath a towering tree. Scanning the surroundings with his sensing jade, he confirmed no eyes were on him. Relieved, he stood quietly, staring at the building in silence. After lingering for a long while, Su Yu let out a soft sigh. *Your student will not bid farewell in person, lest it only add to our sorrow and prove I have failed your expectations!* He bowed deeply! Holding the bow for a long moment, he finally straightened and turned away. *In this vast academy, I owe nothing to anyone! Yet certain kindnesses must never be forgotten—like the elder inside that institute behind me. Expecting nothing in return, he bestowed upon me a peerless divine technique. For that, I am profoundly grateful!* *Teacher, I am leaving! Thank you for watching over me all this time!* Without looking back, Su Yu strode into the distance. *** Shortly after he left, an elderly figure materialized where he had just stood, a complex look in his eyes. "Far too stubborn..." the old man murmured softly. *If you simply left the Multiple Divine Characters Faction and joined my Forging faction, I could have shielded you. You only joined the multiple divine character lineage recently; so what if you killed Zhai Feng! You had not yet become entangled in the struggles beyond your power to withstand!* "Perhaps it is for the best... for the best." With a heavy sigh filled with boundless regret and helplessness, the elder gazed into the dark. This wretched academy was growing bleaker by the day. Leaving might truly be for the best!