Heading South

Time slipped by bit by bit. Dawn broke. December 26th. As always, nothing out of the ordinary happened in the Great Xia Civilization Academy. Life went on in its steady, unchanging rhythm. Only four days remained before the year 350 of the Anping Calendar came to an end. At the close of the month, the academy would begin a half-month break so students could return home for family reunions; classes would not resume until mid-January. Over the past few days, many students had been packing their things, preparing to travel home for the new year. As cultivators, they did not get lengthy vacations. In four days, the turn of the year would arrive. It was also the anniversary of the founding of the Great Qin Mansion. Long ago, on January 1st, the Great Qin Mansion was established, marking the beginning of the Anping Calendar. *** Inside the Primordial Spirit Research Institute. In the main hall, several people were chatting back and forth, discussing going home for the new year. When the conversation turned to this, Wu Jia grinned and asked, "Junior Brother, will you be coming back to spend the new year with us? Uncle isn't home in Nanyuan anyway, so you're not going to stay there alone, are you?" "Three or four days should be plenty to finish your mission, right?" Wu Jia looked at Su Yu as he came down the stairs. Her parents had died young, and for years, she had celebrated the new year with Chen Yong. In past years, their grandmaster would join them too, and Bai Feng—who rarely went home because the journey was simply too far—would also come to spend the holiday together. Many in the academy did the same. Those who lived far away generally chose not to make the long trip back. This was Su Yu's first year enrolled in the academy. Her martial uncle was no longer at the academy, her grandmaster was in secluded cultivation, and now her junior brother was leaving for home. She genuinely hoped Su Yu would return to celebrate the new year. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Su Yu wore a faint smile. "Senior Sister, I probably won't be back. We are cultivators; we must get used to solitude." He offered the words playfully, so Wu Jia thought little of it, though she said regretfully, "Don't be like that! If you hurry up with your mission, you can come back in no time. Nanyuan isn't that far from the Great Xia Mansion. Riding an Earth Dragon Beast, you can make the round trip in just a day." "An Earth Dragon Beast draws too much attention." Su Yu smiled and looked across at the few people in the hall. "The day the Primordial Spirit Research Institute opened, I treated everyone to a meal. Starting tomorrow, the institute will have to close its doors for a few days. You're welcome to keep hanging out here, of course, but I have to head out..." "Let's have another meal together tonight!" A farewell dinner. None of them had any objections. Wu Jia and Wu Lan promptly began discussing what good food they should have that evening. Hu Qiusheng kept silent. Jiang Mu said nothing either. Xia Huyou wasn't around, nor was Zhao Ming... *** In the blink of an eye, night fell. Dining hall, living quarters. The atmosphere was fairly lively. Su Yu raised his cup and said, "In a little while, I'll have to set off on the road back to Nanyuan for the mission. Let me toast everyone with this cup!" He raised his cup and drained it! "Thank you all for your help!" "Thank you for your continuous support!" Su Yu laughed. "When I first entered the Great Xia Civilization Academy, I was just a country bumpkin coming to the big city, completely ignorant. It was your help that allowed me to gain a firm footing here, and you taught me so much!" "My thanks to you all..." He drained another cup! Cup after cup followed. Su Yu, who rarely drank, downed one after another tonight, a smile fixed upon his face the entire time. Gradually, the others noticed something amiss. "Junior Brother..." Wu Jia looked at Su Yu. "You still have to travel tonight. You shouldn't drink so much." "It's fine. We're cultivators; this bit of alcohol is nothing." After speaking, Su Yu set down his cup and smiled. "Let's leave it at that, then! Well-fed and merry—a fine time to part. Until our paths cross again, everyone!" Leaving those words behind, Su Yu picked up a small pack, rose to his feet, and walked out. The others started to stand up to see him off, but Su Yu waved them off and strode away. *** Stepping out of the institute, Su Yu looked back; the others had all walked to the doorway. Su Yu waved once more, leaped into the air, and landed squarely on the back of the Suanni. At this moment, the Suanni's golden glow had dimmed, taking on a dusty, earthy grey hue. Su Yu slung the small pack over his shoulders. His long saber materialized in his grip. Without another word, he tapped his heels against its flanks. Without making a sound, the Suanni broke into a rapid gallop, vanishing from the spot in the blink of an eye. "Junior Brother..." Wu Jia called out, but Su Yu did not stop. In front of the Primordial Spirit Research Institute, Wu Jia watched Su Yu's departing back in confusion, then murmured suddenly, "Is he... ever coming back?" She did not know what was going through Su Yu's mind, but just now... he had said, *until our paths cross again*. Before the doors, everyone stood in silence. Hu Qiusheng said nothing, and Xia Huyou remained quiet as well. At this very moment, Xia Huyou was also wondering: was this really just drawing the snake from its hole? Perhaps not! Was Su Yu... leaving for good? In this instant, he finally realized the truth; his mind cleared. A sense of stifled helplessness washed over him, leaving him unsure of what to say. *** At this moment, atop the Xiuxin Pavilion, Wan Tiansheng looked down across the Great Xia Mansion. Watching the solitary figure traversing through the academy, he let out another soft sigh. *** At this moment, inside the Inspectorate, Old Huang wore a grim, frigid expression. Next month was the academy's grand assessment! The cancerous tumors had to be purged! *** At this moment, Zhao Li was inside his research institute, striking a weapon over and over again, sweating profusely in total silence. *** At this moment, atop the Library Pavilion, Chen Yong sat with his eyes closed, his aura churning and surging erratically several times. *** At the academy's main entrance. All twelve people had assembled. Some rode Cloud-Galloping Horses, some traveled on foot, and others rode different demon mounts. Su Yu swept his gaze over them without saying much. As the Suanni stepped forward, Su Yu sat motionless and called out in a low voice, "We hit the road! Let's go!" With that soft command, the Suanni bounded into a swift run. Behind him, the group quickly followed, moving at tremendous speed. The youth of the Pegasus race stepped forward, keeping pace beside him, and chuckled. "Impressive! That looks like a Suanni. You actually have a Suanni as a mount!" "We Pegasi run faster than it, but we aren't as strong..." Su Yu remained silent. The Pegasus youth found this rather dull, but didn't dwell on it. Glancing at the small ox hanging from the Suanni's saddle, he asked curiously, "Is that... a Mountain-Boring Ox? You brought a Mountain-Boring Ox along too?" Su Yu continued to ignore him. He hadn't brought the White Civet, leaving it to his senior sister, nor had he brought the Fire Crow, leaving it to his martial uncle. He had brought the remaining four great demons with him. And naturally, there was also the God-Devouring Fur Ball that none of the others could see, currently perched right atop Su Yu's head in an invisible state. Just like a divine character, once concealed, it was completely undetectable. The Pegasus youth was quite chatty, but Su Yu paid him no heed, keeping his eyes fixed on the Perception Jade. Inside the city beneath the night sky, pedestrians were still hurrying about. As Su Yu's party dashed past, the passersby made way one after another. Seeing the civilization academy insignia on their clothing, people assumed this was a team of elite academy students departing on a mission, and stepped aside, wondering which geniuses were heading out. The mounts moved at blinding speed, and those without mounts who dared to travel on foot were swift as well. Su Yu advanced rapidly. Before long, the boundary gate separating the inner city of the Great Xia Mansion came into view. Su Yu reined in the Suanni and looked back. In the distance, the towering Xiuxin Pavilion was still faintly visible. Faintly visible too were the brilliant, radiant lights of the Mansion Lord's Manor. *A long departure begins tonight. Until our paths cross again, take care!* Su Yu silently recited in his heart, turned around, and shouted, "Out of the city!" His white robes billowed! Tonight, Su Yu departed the city! *** "Su Yu has left the city!" "Su Yu has left the Great Xia Mansion City!" "..." Messages spread swiftly, rippling outward like wildfire. Su Yu had left the city! The prodigy who had slain a Tengkong cultivator while still in the Yangxing Realm, a monstrous genius, the creator of the aperture fusion method. At this moment, all strong members of the All-Races Cult received an updated mission notice: "Capture Su Yu alive: reward 50,000 contribution points!" "Kill Su Yu: reward 30,000 contribution points!" "Combat strength assessment: seventh-stage Tengkong! Recommended priority level: Shanhai! Danger level: Lingyun!" "Has departed the Great Xia Mansion, route: heading toward Nanyuan!" "..." The intel was updated rapidly, the bounties spiked, and the personal rating on Su Yu was raised straight to seventh-stage Tengkong, with a danger rating of Lingyun and a priority level of Shanhai. This message did not circulate within just a single cult. Instead, most All-Races Cultists throughout the Great Xia Mansion received the dispatch. In an instant, All-Races Cult members across the mansion were shaken to the core, greed surging through their veins. It was simply too exorbitant! Thirty thousand for a kill, fifty thousand for a capture! A reward of this scale had only ever been posted once before—for a Shanhai Realm expert! Yet now it was offered for a mere Yangxing cultivator, extraordinary genius though he was. A single pebble had kicked up a thousand waves! Pandemonium broke loose! Wealth moved the hearts of men. Even knowing full well that capturing or slaying Su Yu would be extraordinarily perilous, such an enormous fortune drove countless people mad with desire. From the Great Xia Mansion City to Nanyuan was a trek of over a thousand li. A substantial stretch along the way was untamed wilderness—a prime place to kill Su Yu... No one mentioned in the dispatch that eight foreign students accompanied him. Those disseminating the information deliberately ignored that fact. Of course, the true upper echelons knew, but mere cannon fodder had no need to know. Let them test the waters! Let them scout the path! It was best if they could probe just how many trump cards Su Yu had brought with him on this journey. *** Beifeng City. Not far from the Great Xia Mansion, atop the city walls of Beifeng City, two figures flickered—one man and one woman. The elderly woman was none other than Yu Hong. The elderly man hailed from the Great Shang Mansion. Gazing toward the Great Xia Mansion from afar, the old man chuckled. "Who would have thought? Ah! A mere Yangxing cultivator stirring up such a colossal storm!" For a mere Yangxing, the Single Divine Character Faction of the Great Xia Civilization Academy had cast aside all pride to seek his help directly. Yu Hong offered a cool smile. "Old Zheng, he is no ordinary Yangxing. Can a Yangxing who slays Tengkong experts still be called a Yangxing? If he rises, he will become another Liu Wenyan from fifty years ago—no, far more terrifying than Liu Wenyan. After all, Liu Wenyan failed to break through to the Tengkong Realm, whereas for him... there is practically no bottleneck at all!" "Killing him is not merely about avenging the humiliation we suffered; it is because the Multiple Divine Characters Faction cannot be allowed to have another leader! Now that word of Su Yu's deeds has spread, the Multiple Divine Characters factions across every mansion are getting restless, believing their dawn has come!" Before, Liu Wenyan had given them a sliver of hope. Now, the one reigniting their hope was neither Hong Tan nor Liu Wenyan, but Su Yu. A peerless genius was rising! In the Great Xia Mansion, the Multiple Divine Characters Faction had produced yet another brilliant talent endowed with both courage and cunning, someone fully capable of leading their faction. He had made the Great Xia Mansion's Single Divine Character Faction suffer bitter setbacks! A single spark could start a prairie fire! Killing Su Yu stemmed from selfish motives, hatred, and resentment, but one point stood above all: this fellow could not be allowed to rise and become the spiritual pillar of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. Otherwise, future turmoil was inevitable. He was already like this at the Yangxing Realm? What would happen when he reached the Tengkong Realm? What about the Lingyun or Shanhai Realms? One dared not even imagine it; thinking about it brought nothing but dread. Moreover, Su Yu's rise had already shown signs of rekindling the long-dormant Multiple Divine Characters Faction from its ashes. Continuing, Yu Hong lowered her voice slightly. "Old Zheng, this is all for the sake of the human race! The Multiple Divine Characters Faction cannot be permitted to rise, nor can it become the mainstream. Otherwise, humanity will suffer catastrophic losses. The God and Demon races—and even the Immortal race, which rarely meddles in such matters—have all stated that the Multiple Divine Characters Faction slaughters excessively to advance, provoking warfare across the myriad realms..." She declared with grave gravity, "Suppressing the Multiple Divine Characters Faction is not any single person's decision. We are only trying to buy the Human Realm more time to develop, rather than allowing their rise now to repeat past tragedies and cause Invincible experts to perish..." Her words sounded high-minded and righteous! Old Zheng nodded slightly. It was a form of self-consolation, a way to convince oneself. Some used it merely as an excuse, while others genuinely believed it: the rise of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction meant infuriating several powerful races. Even though people vaguely understood in their hearts that those dominant races were apprehensive of their potential... when weighed against an all-out war that could erupt overnight, countless people chose to suppress that thought. Drinking poison to quench a thirst—everyone knew the idiom. So what if they knew? No one wanted a war sweeping across the myriad realms to erupt right now! After more than three centuries of peace, was it not better to sacrifice the Multiple Divine Characters Faction to maintain that peace? To the God and Demon races, a century or even a millennium was nothing. Even if war was destined to break out, couldn't it wait a hundred or a thousand years? Did they really have to ignite that fuse right now? Old Zheng nodded once more and asked, "He brought along a Shanhai cultivator?" "Third-stage Shanhai!" "Quite an investment," Old Zheng chuckled. "However, those foreign students... five Shanhai and three Lingyun. That's a considerable headache." "Don't worry, they won't put in too much effort." Yu Hong said flatly, "Of course, a few need to be held back. That old fellow from the Pegasus race will definitely step in, as will the Mountain Gazelle clan... Those few races will likely intervene." Old Zheng gave a slight nod, looked back toward the Great Xia Mansion, and suddenly asked, "The ruins Su Yu inherited—tell me, are they the ruins of an Invincible, or a Sun Moon expert?" Yu Hong started slightly and turned her gaze toward him. Old Zheng said calmly, "He undoubtedly inherited ancient ruins; anyone with discerning eyes can see that! This trip of his is likely for the ruins as well. Even if you don't say it, I already know. Elder Yu, the benefits cannot go entirely to the Great Xia Mansion's Single Divine Character Faction, can they?" "What do you want?" "If the ruins lie within the Great Xia Mansion, we probably won't be able to claim much. My demand isn't high: if there is a Sun Moon Divine Pool inside the ruins, our Great Shang Mansion wants a few slots..." Yu Hong glared at him coldly. "Are you taking advantage of our crisis to rob us?" "Elder Yu misunderstands!" Old Zheng smiled. "We are all on the same side. Furthermore, acting inside the Great Xia Mansion comes with grave risks to our lives. Surely you don't expect us to risk everything for free just because we are 'family'?" Yu Hong fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Everyone wants to advance to the Sun Moon Realm. Even if there is a Sun Moon Divine Pool, it might not accommodate many people. How about this: if it can support three or more people, we will give your side one slot. How does that sound?" "Deal!" Old Zheng broke into a satisfied smile. That was enough! Yu Hong sneered internally, knowing well how greedy they were. Dropping the topic, she said briskly, "Find a way to scatter them. It's best to separate those fellows from the Pegasus race, then ambush Su Yu to flush out the Shanhai protector behind him. Up until now, we haven't found a single trace of that person..." If a Shanhai expert concealed their tracks, it was very difficult for them to spot them. Add in any specialized concealment techniques, and unless that person revealed themselves, only a Sun Moon or Invincible expert could uncover them. Right now, what they needed to do was muddy the waters! Muddy them thoroughly! Old Zheng nodded and asked, "Does the All-Races Cult on the Great Xia Mansion's side still dare to deploy on a large scale?" "There are always daring individuals looking to strike it rich!" Yu Hong smiled. "Besides, the news hasn't only spread within the Great Xia Mansion. Two days ago, the All-Races Cult in several neighboring mansions received the mission: fifty thousand contribution points, fifty thousand merit points..." Yu Hong sneered, "With that much merit, even a Shanhai expert would have a chance to take another step forward. And all they need to deal with is Su Yu. Hong Tan is in seclusion—that is confirmed beyond doubt. Without Hong Tan, do you think anyone else will frighten them?" "What about Zhao Mingyue and the others...?" "Rest assured!" Yu Hong replied quickly. "Their divine character fusion last time was incomplete; their injuries haven't even healed yet." "What of Manor Head Wan and the Xia family?" "Manor Head Wan will not leave the academy. As for the Xia family... would Marquis Xia and the others leave the mansion city? Never!" Still uneasy, Old Zheng cautioned, "We still must be careful. If we are plotting against Su Yu's ruins, others likely have an inkling as well..." Yu Hong nodded and smiled lightly. "Don't worry! We will arrange everything properly!" "That would be for the best!" After exchanging a few more words, their figures dissolved into the void. They hoped to smoke out the Shanhai expert guarding Su Yu, or uncover more hidden cards. Had Su Yu truly brought only a single Shanhai Realm escort? *** *Whoosh!* The wind howled! The Suanni sprinted swiftly while Su Yu remained on high alert, his white robes billowing through the night. "Halt!" Su Yu raised a hand. Behind him, several running students were panting for breath. The Pegasus youth looked around and couldn't help complaining, "Su Yu, slow down! Why the rush? I wanted to enjoy the scenery!" Scenery? This was running for their lives! Su Yu ignored him, scanned the surroundings, and spoke in a deep voice: "Seniors, should we encounter any enemies below the Lingyun Realm, please do not intervene. Let them through. I would like to use this chance to temper my blade, slaying a few blind fools to consecrate our banner for this journey!" Before long, a chuckle echoed from the void: "Young friend has fine mettle!" While the Pegasus youth was still looking dazed, several corpses tumbled from the void. A voice drifted down: "Likely scouts from the All-Races Cult. Quite audacious, thinking we hadn't noticed them." The Pegasus youth was delighted. "The All-Races Cult actually has idiots spying on us?" What audacity! Were they completely unafraid of death? Su Yu, however, was not surprised in the slightest. Unafraid of death? With tens of thousands of merit points dangling before their eyes, wealth moved hearts. Even if they feared death, they would still want to try their luck. With the Single Divine Character Faction fanning the flames behind the scenes and possibly concealing critical information, people were bound to be tempted. Putting himself in their shoes: if he were an All-Races Cultist, and killing a Yangxing cultivator could earn tens of thousands of merit points, even knowing it was dangerous, if he desperately needed the money, wouldn't he be tempted to take a shot? If it succeeded, he would truly strike it rich! One had to remember that someone like Su Yu, a bottomless pit who had devoured countless resources up to this point, had not even consumed fifty thousand merit points in total—not counting the heavy investments in the research institute, of course. Without lingering on the matter, Su Yu turned to face the group and said, "Since everyone came out for practical experience, we cannot shy away from all danger. When enemies appear, you handle those below the Tengkong Realm, and I will handle the Tengkong cultivators! How can one grow strong if one's blade never tastes blood?" Li Minyu chuckled. "Would anyone below the Tengkong Realm from the All-Races Cult even dare to come?" She doubted it. Su Yu had killed Tengkong cultivators before. Who below the Tengkong Realm would dare come to throw their lives away? "Fools always exist!" Su Yu dismissed the notion. There were always idiots who believed they could wait by the stump for a hare or reap the fisherman's spoils; this was hardly uncommon. In a world so vast, not everyone could be wise. After resting briefly and taking a sip of water, Su Yu surveyed his surroundings and spoke: "Beyond this point lies a stretch of wilderness. Everyone, stay alert!" With that, the Suanni resumed its advance. The others quickly followed. *** Half an hour later. Su Yu slashed out with his saber, staining the ground red. The next instant, figures burst forth from all directions. The long saber flew through the air! A single sweeping arc left dozens of corpses strewn across the ground in an instant. Su Yu glanced over them dismissively and said calmly, "Not All-Races Cultists. Local bandits!" A textbook display of courting death! Normally, they likely preyed on merchant caravans. Today, these fools had kicked an iron plate. The strongest among them was merely at the ninth stage of the Wanshi Realm. With that strength, ambushing merchant caravans was within their grasp, but facing this group, they had all been slaughtered by Su Yu before the others could even lift a finger! The others looked at Su Yu, their expressions shifting slightly. Such terrifying killing intent! Dozens of people had been wiped out in a heartbeat, and Su Yu hadn't even batted an eye. *** Up in the void. Several Dao Protectors were currently exchanging voice transmissions. "This Su Yu has immense bloodlust. The Multiple Divine Characters Faction truly produces nothing but slaughter-crazed madmen." Dozens of people killed in a single breath. Su Yu must have known they were not from the All-Races Cult, yet he killed them anyway. Even if captured, such men would not typically face execution. Someone chuckled in response: "Killed is killed. A genius can hardly mature without braving life-and-death and slaughter. Still, this kid truly has too much bloodlust. Earlier, he claimed he'd leave those below Tengkong to the others..." No one replied to that. Likely, Su Yu figured those bandits wouldn't be able to kill the students anyway, so he finished them cleanly to avoid wasting time. As they were conversing, someone suddenly transmitted, "Why have the wild demon beasts been rioting everywhere lately?" Right at that moment, a cloud of grey mist billowed in the distance. A herd of wild demon beasts, appearing agitated, charged straight toward Su Yu's group. *** Watching the demon beasts stampeding in the distance, Su Yu's eyes flickered, and he glanced at the group behind him. Beside him, Zhou Hao spoke rapidly: "Grey Rhinos! Their strength usually ranges from Qianjun to Tengkong, one of the dominant wilderness tribes, common in many regions. They've been provoked..." He added warily, "Someone might have covertly raided their nest. Be careful!" Ahead, at least seventy or eighty Grey Rhinos were thundering toward them. Enormous in size, their charge carried immense destructive force, and the leader appeared to be a Tengkong Realm Grey Rhino. A herd like this counted as a formidable force in the wilderness. After all, this was deep within the Human Realm, where human forces regularly purged threats, making the emergence of Tengkong beasts rare. Su Yu smiled, kicked the Suanni, and shouted, "Charge!" The Suanni didn't make a sound, hurtling straight toward the herd! Su Yu gripped his long saber, brilliant radiance blazing along the blade! The Suanni was remarkably fast. In the blink of an eye, Su Yu met the herd head-on. The leading Tengkong Grey Rhino, its eyes bloodshot, let out a low roar upon seeing Su Yu and crashed toward him! "Die!" A flash of blade light illuminated the world. With a wet squelch, the Grey Rhino's massive head was severed in a single strike! At the same time, Su Yu leaped into the air, gripped his saber, and plunged it fiercely into another Grey Rhino! *Pfft!* That Grey Rhino exploded, its colossal belly tearing open as a diminutive figure shot out from within, brandishing a short blade straight toward Su Yu in a surprise assault! Su Yu let out a cold snort. *Suppress Sun and Moon!* Deploying the second level of *Time* instantly, he stomped downward. With a thunderous boom, his foot drove the diminutive figure directly into the earth. The ground solidified instantly, and with a deafening crash, the diminutive figure exploded into pieces! An assassin! An assassin hiding inside the belly of an ordinary Grey Rhino. His concealment skills were impressive, but unfortunately, he grew impatient and probed Su Yu, which Su Yu sensed immediately. Crushed to death with a single stomp! A fifth-stage Tengkong assassin, one who had previously assassinated seventh-stage Tengkong experts, had been dispatched by Su Yu with utter ease! With a wave of his hand, a dagger flew into Su Yu's grasp, along with a merit card. Su Yu gave a faint smile. His long saber danced through the air, lightning erupting in all directions, electrocuting a cluster of Grey Rhinos in the blink of an eye. By then, the others had rushed forward and begun slaughtering the remaining Grey Rhinos. Several of them kept glancing at Su Yu, their expressions filled with shock. Ji Xiaomeng asked curiously, "Was that a Tengkong expert? You stomped him to death? How did you spot him?" "His belly was a bit too bloated!" Su Yu brushed her off casually. This herd of Grey Rhinos was not weak. Led by that Tengkong Grey Rhino, they could hold their own even against a seventh-stage Tengkong opponent. Paired with that assassin, an ordinary Tengkong cultivator would easily have fallen to the ambush. But he was no ordinary cultivator! "Likely from the All-Races Cult." Anyone deliberately laying an ambush like this was nine times out of ten an All-Races Cultist. Su Yu didn't even bother investigating. Enemies simply needed to be killed! His reason for having the Shanhai protectors let these people through was precisely to hone his blade! Having reached the ninth stage of the Wanshi Realm, what Su Yu wanted now was to complete aperture fusion for his multiple cultivation arts through slaughter. With enough bloodshed, advancement would follow naturally. If his cultivation arts also achieved aperture fusion, his explosive power would become vastly greater. This journey south was also a journey to forge his own strength! Su Yu could only wish for more powerful foes to arrive! Preferably eighth- or ninth-stage Tengkong experts, so he could test whether he could slay them without relying on blood essence! While the others were fighting, Su Yu took out a jade talisman and stored the corpse of the Tengkong Grey Rhino inside it. This was a single-use storage talisman he had bought; it could only store items once, and once retrieved, the talisman would be ruined. Its interior capacity was quite substantial! The corpse of a Tengkong demon beast could yield valuable blood essence later, fetching a hefty sum. Furthermore, killing it yielded merit rewards. Su Yu certainly didn't mind racking up extra merit! In addition, killing an All-Races Cult Tengkong expert came with a bounty; one only had to record the proof to claim the reward at any mansion across the Human Realm. As for those below Tengkong... Su Yu had little interest. Killing one hardly offered any merit points. Glancing around, he saw the Grey Rhino herd was nearly wiped out. Zhou Hao was fighting with remarkable speed, cutting down Qianjun and Wanshi beasts with brutal efficiency. Against Zhou Hao, those Grey Rhinos were marching straight to their deaths. *A demon beast riot...* *Charging straight at me!* A thought crossed Su Yu's mind: was this orchestrated by the assassin hiding among them, or was there another factor? Having read countless texts, he knew certain substances could incite wild demon beasts to frenzy. Could someone among their group be carrying such a substance? Was that what triggered the riot? Or was it purely an enemy plot? Were Xia Qing and her circle carrying it? Glancing at the group out of the corner of his eye, Su Yu sneered inwardly. Except for a select few, the rest were all suspicious! Among the four humans, aside from Zhou Hao, the other three bore dubious intentions. *This journey won't be peaceful. Good!* Su Yu smiled. A turbulent journey was fine too. True combat intent and murderous edge could only be sublimated through slaughter; did anyone expect to reach the Invincible Realm merely by meditating in seclusion? Around him, the blood on the ground began to vanish. Absorbed by the "Blood" divine character, none went to waste. If the "Blood" character could advance to Tier 3, though it might strain his sea of consciousness, it would be an immense boon. A Tier 3 divine character could affect even Lingyun experts, and its illusion trait was remarkably useful! After the fight, the others ceased their movements, thoroughly exhausted. They stood there panting for breath! Naturally, a few had slacked off. Ji Xiaomeng, for instance, had tangled with a Qianjun Grey Rhino for half the battle, and after finally killing it, she had squatted down to examine it curiously while the rest finished off the herd. Su Yu didn't bother reprimanding her. So long as she didn't cause trouble, she could do as she pleased. Catching his breath, his body splattered with blood, Zhou Hao said, "We're barely past the Great Xia Mansion. If things keep going like this, it might take us days to reach Nanyuan!" The expenditure was too great. They had to recover; they couldn't push forward indefinitely without rest. Su Yu laughed. "Don't worry. Slaying demon beasts was our original mission and purpose. The more we kill, the richer the rewards!" Seeing that Su Yu wasn't in a hurry, Zhou Hao said no more. He sat down cross-legged and began restoring his Yuan Qi. The others quickly began recovering as well. As for Su Yu, his consumption had been negligible. Up in the void, another voice transmission circulated: "This kid is truly terrifying. Slaying a fifth-stage Tengkong like butchering a chicken... Can he really still be called a Yangxing?" Could this still count? Watching him kill a Tengkong expert felt easier than watching others kill a Qianjun or Wanshi opponent! Of course, this was partly because Su Yu's physical cultivation had reached the ninth stage of the Wanshi Realm. Ninth-stage Wanshi, peak Yangxing. Over three hundred Yuan apertures opened! Practicing peak Heaven-grade cultivation arts! His battle techniques were also Heaven-grade! Such a Su Yu had already reached a pinnacle. "Old Ghost Pegasus, why don't you scout ahead? That fifth-stage Tengkong assassin almost slipped past my senses just now. Someone should scout the road..." "Me? If I go, and you careless lot fail to look after our young prince..." "Rest assured, there's a whole flock of Shanhai experts here. How could we fail to protect him?" "Fine, I'll go scout ahead..." Su Yu paid no mind to the Shanhai experts' exchanges, nor could he hear them. Naturally, he had never placed any hopes in this pack of Shanhai and Lingyun cultivators anyway; it would already be a blessing if they didn't stab him in the back. Furthermore, if nothing unexpected happened, these Shanhai protectors would surely be lured away and scattered one by one. That was only to be expected! Unconcerned by such matters, Su Yu stood in place, gazing out into the distance as he waited for the others to restore their strength. Beside him, the Suanni cast its large eyes toward him, its heart fluttering with dread. This monster... it had witnessed it firsthand today. Was killing a Tengkong expert really that effortless? No wonder he had always wanted to kill it. Such horrifying murderous intent—an absolute fiend!