Finally Arriving at Starfall Mountain

The sun hung high in the sky as steeds galloped across the plains. After drawing close to Tianshui City, they encountered almost no further ambushes. Just as Su Yu prepared to bypass Tianshui City, a squad of soldiers appeared ahead. Zhou Hao and the others tensed with extreme vigilance, worried these were All-Races Sect cultists in disguise. Su Yu, however, recognized a familiar face. Li Yunfeng! Back when Su Yu and the others were escorted to the academy, this expert had been part of the escort—the vice commander of Tianshui City's city defense guards, a Seventh Layer Tengkong Realm expert. Su Yu spotted him, and Li Yunfeng spotted Su Yu as well. Even from a distance, Li Yunfeng could feel it. Formidable strength! A staggering presence! Above all, the beast Su Yu rode radiated an aura so overwhelming that the Cloud-Galloping Horse beneath Li Yunfeng trembled slightly. A Suanni! A member of a top-hundred race! Not only that, it was a Tengkong Realm Suanni, and at the peak of the Tengkong Realm at that. He recognized Su Yu. Only a few months ago, he had accompanied Zhao Li and the others to escort Su Yu to the Great Xia Prefecture—though back then, Su Yu had not been the center of attention. Li Yunfeng's primary duty on that trip had been to protect Hu Zongqi, the prodigy of Tianshui City. Back then, Su Yu had seemed like nothing more than an unremarkable talent from Nanyuan City. How many months had it been since then? In merely a few months, their reunion took place under such circumstances. Urging his mount forward, clad in robes white as snow atop the back of the Suanni, Su Yu radiated an aura of baleful slaughter that Li Yunfeng could clearly perceive. "Su Yu?" "Commander Li!" Su Yu cupped his fists with a smile. "Is Commander Li handling the beast disturbance?" "Yes!" Li Yunfeng nodded, looking at him and then at the students behind him. His heart stirred in surprise. Every one of them was likely a prodigy from the Great Xia Civilization Academy. There were even some peculiar beast races among them... Were those students from the all-races division? "Su Yu, where are you headed?" "Returning to Nanyuan!" Su Yu smiled. "Nanyuan also had a beast disturbance and sent out a plea for aid. I took up the mission to lend a hand!" "Do you need our help?" "You're too kind!" Su Yu cupped his fists and said, "There is no need to trouble Commander Li. By the way, we killed a number of beasts along the road. I only took a portion of the Tengkong Realm beast carcasses, leaving behind a massive number of Qianjun and Wanshi Realm carcasses untouched. If Commander Li and your men don't mind, feel free to retrieve them and consider it my treat for drinks!" Su Yu looked at the soldiers behind Li Yunfeng and added with a smile, "My father is also a military man. Seeing all of you reminds me of him. It would be a waste to leave those beast carcasses out there, and we obviously can't carry them all." Li Yunfeng remained silent for a moment, filled with sheer shock. They had killed numerous Tengkong beasts! He had heard some rumors, and at this moment, he could not resist asking, "Su Yu, have you... stepped into the Tengkong Realm?" "Not yet." Those words were even more shocking! If he had reached it, that would already be impressive enough; but slaying so many Tengkong beasts before even reaching the realm was downright terrifying. "In that case... many thanks!" Li Yunfeng did not decline. He expressed his gratitude and then offered, "Do you need to stop in Tianshui City to rest and regroup?" "No need. I can hardly wait to get back!" Su Yu smiled. "Commander Li, I won't impose any further. I'll take my leave first!" "Safe travels!" Li Yunfeng cupped his fists. As the group rode away swiftly, he let out a sigh of profound astonishment. Was this truly the same kid sent off to the Great Xia Civilization Academy just a few months ago? Standing before him now, Li Yunfeng actually felt inadequate. At the Seventh Layer of Tengkong, he was considered quite a genius in Tianshui City! With a mix of emotions, he led his squad forward. Before long, they came upon a battlefield—a bloody expanse where over a hundred massive wilderness beast carcasses lay sprawled in the wild. The soldiers following behind him broke into exclamations of amazement. As men who had seen real combat, a single glance told them that most of these beasts had been felled by the exact same person. Slain in a single strike! The corpses were remarkably intact! Judging by the distribution of the bodies, they had likely been annihilated in an instant. One soldier couldn't resist asking, "Commander, were all these killed by that student just now?" "Yes!" Li Yunfeng nodded and sighed. "Remember that name. That is Su Yu—Su Yu of Nanyuan, a top prodigy of the Great Xia Prefecture. The Soul Devour Art and the Dual Wu Aperture Opening Method currently being rolled out across the military were both developed and promoted by this very genius." With that revelation, the others finally realized who he was. A genius! A true genius! "The Great Xia Prefecture is truly blessed!" one soldier exclaimed with a laugh. "To have produced such a genius! What a pity we're too old. If we were twenty years younger and practiced the Soul Devour Art and aperture fusion, we might have become prominent figures as well!" "His father... Su Yu... He couldn't be the son of Su Long from Nanyuan, could he?" Someone actually recognized Su Long! Li Yunfeng nodded. "Yes, the very same fellow from the Demon Suppression Army. Old Chen, was he from your enlistment batch?" He looked toward a Wanshi Realm centurion in the squad. The middle-aged man chuckled. "Pretty much. I was one batch ahead of him. Su Long... that rascal really struck gold, fathering such a genius son! Once this news reaches the Demon Suppression Army, those old comrades of his will probably be thrilled out of their minds!" He chuckled again. "Su Long's luck is just too absurd! He wasn't anything special himself, but the brothers in his squad made a name for themselves, and his son turned out even more formidable. I was discharged five years after Su Long. By the time I left, several chiliarchs had already emerged from his old squad! More than ten years have passed since then—they've probably become myriarchs by now!" In the Demon Suppression Army, chiliarchs were typically at the Tengkong Realm, while myriarchs had to be in the Lingyun Realm. Hearing this, Li Yunfeng marveled once more. "Then Su Long's old squad is truly remarkable. If Su Yu joins the Demon Suppression Army in the future, with his strength and talent, he might well have a shot at becoming a general before long!" "A blessing for the Great Xia Prefecture!" The soldiers sighed in admiration, and the veterans hailing from the Demon Suppression Army grinned from ear to ear. Within the Demon Suppression Army, everyone competed fiercely with one another. Yet once outside, they were all brothers-in-arms of the same army. Now that an old comrade's son had achieved such brilliance, they shared in the glory. Next time they encountered experts from other military branches, they could brag openly: *Recognize Su Yu? That's the son of so-and-so from our Demon Suppression Army! Don't know him? The Soul Devour Art and aperture fusion methods you cultivate all came from Su Yu, which means they came from our Demon Suppression Army!* Tsk, tsk. Just thinking about it brought immense satisfaction! It immediately gave them bragging rights over everyone else! Listening to their chatter and watching them gleefully collect the beast carcasses, Li Yunfeng could not help but remark, "He is indeed a genius, but his days aren't easy either. In the Great Xia Prefecture, Su Yu joined the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. We warriors might not be familiar with the details, but anyone who knows Civilization Masters should understand the situation..." Someone well-informed among them immediately chimed in, "Commander, he belongs to the Multiple Divine Characters Faction? I hadn't paid attention to that. Their days are indeed rough. I heard that in some places, they're even trying to disband the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. But with Su Yu being such a genius, he should be fine, right?" "He should be. A genius like him, who created so many useful cultivation methods, ought to be cherished like a treasure. What trouble could he possibly face?" "..." The soldiers discussed the matter casually, not worrying too much. In their eyes, Su Yu was exceptionally talented, and the techniques he produced were overwhelmingly powerful. How could the Great Xia Prefecture ever make trouble for him? "Next time I see those other city guards, I'll make sure to tell them that the techniques they're practicing were created by our Demon Suppression Army..." "Old Chen, stop claiming 'our' Demon Suppression Army—you were discharged ages ago!" "You're in the city defense guards now, and from Tianshui City at that, not Nanyuan! Stop trying to freeload on their glory!" "..." The soldiers teased and joked with one another, all in high spirits. Not only had they met Su Yu, but they had also acquired a massive haul of beast carcasses. Even if the academy students reported these kills for merit, the physical carcasses were still worth plenty of money. Besides, judging by appearances, the students had not even collected proof for merit. Under normal circumstances, slaying beasts yielded military merit, provided one harvested specific body parts as proof. Merit could hardly be claimed on word of mouth alone! After clearing out the area, the soldiers pressed on. Sure enough, they came across more beast carcasses further down the road. Ahead, there seemed to be even more, though other people were already gathering them. A few disgruntled soldiers immediately went over to negotiate. These were a gift from Su Yu to them! He had never offered them to anyone else! Back and forth it went, and the news that Su Yu was returning to Nanyuan, having slain over a thousand beasts along the way, spread like wildfire across the surrounding major cities. The veterans from the Demon Suppression Army serving in local garrisons were eager to broadcast it everywhere: *That's a man from our Demon Suppression Army! The creator of the aperture fusion method, the creator of the Soul Devour Art—all accomplished by one of our own!* ... In just half a day, Su Yu's renown spread across the twenty-eight cities of the Great Xia Prefecture. Meanwhile, Su Yu was drawing closer and closer to Nanyuan. The All-Races Sect had gone dead silent! No one attempted any further ambushes. The fools had all been wiped out, and those above the Tengkong Realm possessed enough sense to realize that throwing more lives away was like tossing meat buns to a dog. They all retreated into hiding. ... Nanyuan City. Atop the city walls. City Lord Wu Wenhai, Old Principal Wang, City Guard Commander Zhang Yun, Wind Chaser Hall Master Zeng Hua, and Decurion Xia Bing of the Dragon Martial Guards had all gathered. Looking into the distance, Wu Wenhai sighed with emotion. "Su Yu... Old Xia, did you ever imagine this? It's only been a few months. Just now, Vice Commander Li Yunfeng of the Tianshui City guards called me and thanked me endlessly... That fellow is young, and whenever I went to Tianshui City on business in the past, he was quite arrogant!" He was genuinely moved. He knew Li Yunfeng well. A member of Tianshui City's Li clan, a genius in his own right, at the Seventh Layer of Tengkong, and barely past thirty years old. Holding a prominent position, his status in Tianshui City far outweighed that of a small border town like Nanyuan. Whenever Wu Wenhai went to Tianshui City on official business and met Li Yunfeng, he had to lower his head. Now, the man had called him proactively just to express gratitude. Xia Bing's expression was equally complex. He had known Su Yu was a genius, but never imagined he would reach such heights. Departing less than half a year ago, Su Yu was returning now in such grand fashion. Beside them, the old principal chuckled. "How about that? Pretty impressive for my Nanyuan Intermediate Academy, eh?" "Does that have anything to do with you?" Wu Wenhai teased. "Old Wang, he wasn't your student; he was Old Liu's." "It's all the same. Would Su Yu dare claim he didn't graduate from Nanyuan Intermediate Academy?" The old principal chuckled merrily. "Remarkable. When he left back then, I knew this kid was bound to make a name for himself sooner or later. Sure enough, he's forged such a massive reputation in no time!" His laughter faded slightly, replaced by a trace of concern. "It's just that he's being a bit too ostentatious. Coming from our Nanyuan, keeping a low profile would be wiser! We're not like Beifeng or those other major cities that have Shanhai City Lords backing them up. In Nanyuan, could he possibly count on Old Wu here to back him up?" "..." Wu Wenhai remained silent, looking rather dejected. That struck a painful nerve! He had no rebuttal. Nanyuan was truly weak, with hardly any Tengkong cultivators. Although listed as one of the twenty-eight cities, it was less powerful than a single district in some of the larger metropolises. As they spoke, a plume of dust rose in the distance! A flash of golden light emerged! It was the Suanni! Radiating a formidable presence! Atop the wall, Wu Wenhai gasped. "Is that the Suanni Li Yunfeng mentioned? A top-hundred race, high-tier Tengkong..." "Even his mount is stronger than you. Ah!" The old principal drove the dagger deeper. Wu Wenhai was speechless and somewhat wounded. *Must you rub it in?!* Still, he felt a jolt of shock. That kid Su Yu was truly something else—returning home atop a Suanni after less than half a year. As they watched, a city guard cried out, "Look at all those beasts!" Indeed, an immense number of beasts! All of them dead carcasses! Outside the city, Su Yu had happened upon a rampaging pack of beasts and casually slaughtered them. Since it wasn't far from Nanyuan City, he simply dragged them along behind him. Strung together in long chains, the Mountain-Boring Ox and the Suanni pulled them along, kicking up a massive trail of dust. As for damage, beast carcasses were exceedingly tough; freshly killed, they would not be easily ruined. Nanyuan! He had arrived! Su Yu gazed at the city ahead—at those weathered, dilapidated walls. Compared to Tianshui City along the way, and compared to the Great Xia Prefecture, Nanyuan was tiny and run-down. He had not felt it in the past, but the contrast now made it glaringly obvious. Yet despite its wear and its weakness, Su Yu loved Nanyuan all the more, because this was his home. Here, he had spent eighteen joyful years. Here, he had made friends, teachers, and elders. The Suanni charged forward. Approaching the foot of the wall, Su Yu stepped into the air, landing instantly atop the battlements, and called out, "Greetings, City Lord! Greetings, Principal!" "Su Yu has returned!" Su Yu announced loudly. Looking at the old principal, he felt an immediate warmth. Catching sight of Xia Bing, who grinned back at him, he felt a brief sense of nostalgia. He also saw Chen Qinghe, Chen Hao's father, who was looking at him with a wide, beaming smile full of joy. "Good to have you back..." The old principal looked at him with emotion, stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and then gave his leg a playful kick, chuckling. "Where are your manners? Your friends are all down below, and you're not even going to receive them? You're completely forgetting Nanyuan hospitality!" Su Yu laughed. The old principal seemed to have aged a bit more, yet he still appeared fairly healthy. Seeing the old principal brought back memories of the past—how he and Liu Wenyan had bickered and created chaos daily, taking the blame for countless antics until the old principal's beard was nearly plucked bare. Sadly, Teacher Liu was no longer here, having departed for the perilous All-Heavens Battlefield. After exchanging a few pleasantries with the old principal, the city gates below opened, and the city guards moved out to welcome the students who had traveled with Su Yu. Su Yu called down from the wall, "Go ahead and rest up first. There's no rush on the mission. I won't join you right away—I need to head home for a bit!" The students below nodded and followed the city guards to their assigned accommodations in Nanyuan. By now, twilight was descending. Riding through the night had left Su Yu slightly fatigued, though it was nothing serious. He descended the wall while exchanging greetings with Xia Bing and the others. After walking a short distance, the old principal looked as though he wanted to say something, but Su Yu spoke first: "Senior Ju Shan, have the others departed?" Ju Shan did not reveal himself, sending a voice transmission through the void: "They have all left. However, there seems to be a Shanhai Realm presence in Nanyuan. I sensed it, though I cannot pinpoint their exact location." Su Yu was not surprised. Most likely, it was someone from the Xia family sent to investigate the ruin. With a Xia family Shanhai—or even a Sunmoon—present, things would quiet down. Yu Hong and her cohort likely wouldn't dare approach Nanyuan. Su Yu chuckled inwardly. If he claimed the ruin was inside Nanyuan City, he wondered whether those people would launch a direct assault on the city. The old principal didn't pay much mind to the unseen presence, relieved to know someone was protecting Su Yu. He whispered, "Now that you're back, rest for a few days and take it easy. Once the new year passes, head straight back to the Great Xia Civilization Academy. Don't go stirring up trouble, you hear?" The old principal couldn't say much, but he felt that the Su Yu who returned today was starkly different from the boy who had left. The transformation was immense! Not in appearance, nor in raw strength, but in disposition. When he departed, Su Yu was a studious young scholar—polite, refined, and gentle. Even if there had been a bit of pretense, his gaze was that of a modest gentleman. Seeing Su Yu today, however, the change was striking! He looked remarkably like the Liu Wenyan of over forty years ago. Only after four decades of tempering had Liu Wenyan become the man he was today. Su Yu smiled. "Don't worry, Principal! I'm not that kind of person!" Changing the subject, he asked, "Has my father sent any letters? I didn't receive a single one while in the Great Xia Prefecture." "He did; he sent a verbal message..." Behind them, Xia Bing had stayed quiet, but now that they brought it up, he spoke: "He didn't say much. Your father asked whether you've found a girlfriend yet. If not, he wants to introduce you to one—the daughter of a centurion, said to be very pretty..." "..." The old principal snorted with laughter. Su Yu was utterly speechless, between tears and laughter. "My dad only said that?" "That's right!" Xia Bing chuckled as well. "Don't worry about the rest. The Demon Suppression Army hasn't seen heavy combat over the past six months. Soon, a batch of troops might rotate off the front lines back to the human race's main base in the rear of the All-Heavens Battlefield. Your father might be among them, which would make him much safer." He then looked at Su Yu. "With your current combat strength, joining the Demon Suppression Army or even the Dragon Martial Guards wouldn't be a problem. The Dragon Martial Guards would welcome you anytime. Your father's greatest wish was always to join the Dragon Martial Guards." Su Yu smiled. "Forget it, I haven't even graduated yet." "You..." Xia Bing was left at a loss, sighing helplessly. "You've killed quite a few Tengkong cultivators, haven't you?" "A fair few!" Su Yu smiled. "Uncle Xia, have powerful figures arrived in Nanyuan?" Xia Bing stayed silent. Su Yu smiled. "Others might not know, but you and the City Lord almost certainly do. The Dragon Martial Guards are the private army of the Xia family—could they keep it from you?" Their food, lodging, and daily arrangements would undoubtedly be handled by Xia Bing and the City Lord. They couldn't simply arrive without notifying the local officers. Xia Bing hesitated. Su Yu said calmly, "It's fine. I spoke with Marquis Xia about this matter. They came for me—for the ruin, right?" Hearing Su Yu mention Marquis Xia so casually, Xia Bing stopped concealing it and nodded. "They've arrived. They belong to the Dragon Martial Guards—specifically, the Secret Guards! The Dragon Martial Guards have both overt and covert branches. We are the overt, while they are the covert. The Secret Guards are the true core force. A commander has arrived!" "A commander? What level of strength?" "Probably Sunmoon Realm." Xia Bing shook his head. "I don't know the specifics. The Secret Guards are few in number, all top experts. That lord brought several subordinates, all of whom are Shanhai Realm experts. He himself is likely Sunmoon, but beyond that, I can't say." He added, "As for their exact purpose, I don't know the full details, but your guess is probably correct." "Uncle Xia, telling me all this—aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?" Xia Bing smiled. "It's fine. You already know anyway. If they came looking for your belongings, they ought to at least give you a heads-up. This hardly counts as leaking classified information. In the Dragon Martial Guards, the Manor Lord once stated that an individual's fortuitous encounters belong to them alone. Whoever obtains an opportunity possesses it by their own fortune. Forcible seizure—unless agreed upon willingly—violates personal rights, and the Great Xia Prefecture does not permit such things... Even if those lords find it, they'll have to negotiate with you." Su Yu smiled. "Is that so? Then coming to search without my consent or even asking me—what was the point?" Xia Bing was tongue-tied. Su Yu chuckled. "It doesn't matter. Let them do as they please." Su Yu didn't care in the slightest. Was there really a ruin in Nanyuan? He didn't even know himself! If they had the ability, they could search all they wanted. If they found something, that was their own skill. According to the rules, they'd still have to give him a thirty-percent cut. Let them search to their hearts' content. "How many Shanhai experts came?" "I saw three." Su Yu nodded. One Sunmoon and three Shanhai—they certainly took this seriously. This place was over three hundred li from Starfall Mountain, which wasn't too far. At the speed of a Sunmoon or Shanhai expert, rushing over wouldn't take long. Of course, three hundred li still required some travel time; perhaps those experts would arrive just in time to collect the corpses. Su Yu said no more on the subject. He casually drew out a merit card, handed it to the old principal, and smiled. "Principal, back when Teacher Liu inscribed the Thunder Yuan Saber for me, you told me to repay him a hundredfold in the future. Now is the time. Take this, and put it to good use!" The old principal looked at him, frowning. "That was just banter between Old Liu and me—did you take it seriously?!" "I took it seriously!" Su Yu smiled. "I must. Now that I have the means, I ought to repay it! Principal, use it to nurture more junior brothers and sisters. To me, this is nothing." "You brat... you certainly talk big." With that, the old principal suddenly chuckled. "Speaking of the Thunder Yuan Saber, there's something I ought to tell you. That bastard Old Liu only inscribed four strikes back then. The remaining five strikes were completely fake!" "..." Su Yu was caught between tears and laughter. "No wonder it felt strange back then! I thought I had damaged them through improper storage—turns out that was why!" The old principal laughed merrily, clearly delighted. *I've held that secret in for so long!* It was only because Old Liu wasn't around; otherwise, let's see if he'd have the face to stand here. Su Yu laughed for a moment, then turned to Xia Bing. "Uncle Xia, please send a message to my father. Tell him that no matter what rumors he hears, he should pretend he heard nothing. He should just live his life well. His son is grown now; the choices I make won't be wrong!" Xia Bing nodded without asking further. The old principal glanced at Su Yu, also refraining from questions. Seeing that they had nearly reached his residential compound, Su Yu smiled. "I'll head back and take a look first. Tonight, I'll set out to handle the mission and eliminate the rampaging beasts nearby. There's not much to worry about anyway—those Shanhai experts could wipe them out casually." The old principal stayed silent. *Since you know that, why did you insist on rushing back!* This kid was definitely hiding something. ... Parting ways with the old principal and the others, Su Yu entered his old residential area. Night had completely fallen. Su Yu kept a low profile and ran into no one, quickly arriving at his home. He opened the door to a faint musty smell. Uninhabited for half a year, the house had gathered a thick layer of dust. With a slight surge of origin qi, the dust dispersed, restoring the house to pristine cleanliness. Su Yu sat on the sofa, pondering in silence. After a moment, there came a knock at the door. Su Yu turned his head and said calmly, "Come in!" "Not welcoming me, Student Su?" A chuckle came from outside. Telling a guest to enter without even opening the door was hardly proper hospitality. "You are welcome. I was just too lazy to get up." The person outside chuckled. The door opened on its own, and an elderly man stepped inside with a smile. "Do I need to introduce myself?" Su Yu stood up and smiled faintly. "No need. Greetings, my lord!" Without asking, this was almost certainly the commander of the Dragon Martial Secret Guards. A Sunmoon Realm expert! Otherwise, Ju Shan would not have remained so dead quiet. "I had long wished to come and look around, but unfortunately, you were not here. Arriving uninvited in the host's absence would be no different from theft." The elder glanced around the room and smiled. "Young friend, the Marquis should have mentioned this to you. What are your thoughts?" "None in particular," Su Yu smiled. "I know nothing about any ruin. If you find it, that's your own capability. If you don't... don't ask me!" The elder gave a slight nod, then asked, "For what purpose has young friend returned to Nanyuan at this time?" Su Yu smiled. "What is my lord trying to ask?" The elder shook his head. "Do not misunderstand. I sensed that the fellow Daoist protecting you appears to carry injuries. Do you require my assistance? This is also the Marquis's intention. If young friend speaks the word, this old man can take action." "No need!" Su Yu replied calmly. "Thank you, my lord, and please convey my gratitude to the Marquis as well!" Did Marquis Xia want him to owe a favor at this juncture? There was no need for that! "So be it, then." The elder did not press the matter. He soon added, "However, the Marquis also instructed me to pass along a message: the Great Xia Prefecture may have its flaws, but they will be resolved sooner or later. Young friend need not be overly disappointed." "Understood!" Su Yu smiled. "Thank you, my lord, and thank you to the Marquis!" He said nothing more, and the elder spoke no further. Standing up, the elder vanished from the room in an instant. A moment later, Ju Shan materialized and murmured, "Why not ask for help? It seems to me the Xia family is genuinely willing to lend a hand... Perhaps if this trouble is resolved, you won't need to leave." Su Yu smiled. "No need. There is no reason to owe such a favor right before departing. Besides... is this truly a favor I should owe? Marquis Xia certainly knows how to do business, but he's clever to a fault. People from the Great Xia Prefecture have gone so far as to collude with the All-Races Sect, yet for his people to step in and fix it, he expects me to remember it as a personal favor... It seems the Marquis's business instincts have seeped into his very marrow over the years!" Was this truly a debt he should owe? No! Your Great Xia Prefecture had produced such treachery—the Single Divine Character Faction dared collude with the All-Races Sect to ambush and kill him, all to seize his ruin... Yet if your people stepped in, you expected him to incur an obligation. One could only say Marquis Xia had focused far too much on transactions and profit over the years. At this moment, had the Xia family delivered a thunderous strike, wiping those people out before he even reached Starfall Mountain, Su Yu would have held them in high esteem. As for the obstacles to attaining Invincible status: if you indulged them, would they truly remember the favor? Su Yu certainly didn't believe the Single Divine Character Faction would see it that way! The Xia family had too many misgivings! They overthought everything! Perhaps he could not understand it yet, but now, there was no longer any need to try. "Are your injuries manageable?" Not dwelling on the matter, Su Yu asked, and Ju Shan replied in a deep voice, "No matter. I can recover quickly." "That's good." Su Yu checked the time. "Sooner is better than later. We set out tonight and arrive at our destination before dawn. Everything proceeds according to my plan." "Understood!" Su Yu looked at him intently. "After this matter concludes, if you wish to leave, I will arrange an escort for your departure. I hope senior will not seek your own demise at this juncture." "Understood!" Ju Shan said no more. Just as Su Yu said, turning traitor now would be seeking death. The Zhu family and the Xia family were both Invincible clans. Both were watching right now. Su Yu had even rejected the Xia family's aid because, in his eyes, help should not have required him to beg for it in the first place. Xia Huyou was Xia Huyou; he did not represent the Xia family. The two protectors Xia Huyou had provided were a personal favor. Marquis Xia's side... truly did not count, and Su Yu would not acknowledge any debt there. ... After lingering in the old home for a short while, the night had grown completely dark. Stepping out of the old house, he closed the door behind him. Su Yu looked back and smiled faintly. He hoped that the next time he returned, someone would be living inside; if his old man didn't return soon, this house would fall into utter ruin. Leaving the compound, he made his way to the city gates. At the gates, several figures emerged. Su Yu reiterated, "Everyone, you may operate separately, or you may come with me. Coming with me... will drastically increase the danger. Decide for yourselves!" This time, Zhou Hao did not insist. He spoke directly: "I'm going to hunt beasts; I won't come with you. If I kill beasts, can I redeem them for merit directly here in Nanyuan?" "You can!" Zhou Hao grinned. "Then I'll go alone and won't tag along with you!" He had genuinely come to hunt beasts! He had killed plenty along the way. Now... even if he hadn't asked and Su Yu hadn't explained, he had sensed something unusual. Whatever came next was none of his business; his sole objective was hunting beasts. As for the rest, Su Yu could handle it himself. Su Yu smiled. "I thought you'd come along with me!" "Too dangerous!" Zhou Hao said earnestly. "I'm only at the Fifth Layer of Wanshi!" Indeed, the Fifth Layer of Wanshi. This fellow had progressed remarkably fast as well. "All right then, do as you please." Zhou Hao wasted no words. Carrying his saber, he headed straight out of the city. He wouldn't tag along; killing beasts here and earning some money was enough. As for what Su Yu intended to do... he didn't care. Previously, he had thought he could offer some help to repay a favor, but once he truly witnessed Su Yu's strength and the Shanhai ambushes, he understood that staying as far away as possible was the wisest choice. This was not something he could get involved in! "Ji Xiaomeng, what about you?" "And Senior Brother Chen, what about you guys?" Su Yu looked toward the others. "We'll go together!" Su Yu nodded. If they wanted to come, so be it. He had warned them repeatedly. If they still insisted on coming along even after reaching Nanyuan... then so be it. "Let's go!" Mounting the Suanni, Su Yu set out once more as the city gates swung wide. The others switched to Cloud-Galloping Horses and quickly followed. Galloping at full tilt, they sped toward Starfall Mountain. Shortly after their departure, several figures appeared atop the city walls. "My lord, should we follow?" "No need!" the elder said softly. "We wait! Ahead lies the boundary of the Great Xia Prefecture. Entering another prefecture without cause violates regulations!" The Shanhai experts said nothing. Wait? Wait for what? The elder said no more, drawing a soft breath. *Marquis, you wanted to offer a favor... but it seems it wasn't accepted!* This was likely a first! ... As for Su Yu, he paid none of that any heed. Nanyuan City receded into the distance! He no longer waited, nor did he maintain his guard. Right now, no one would dare strike at him. Starfall Mountain, here he came! After galloping relentlessly for over two hours, an immense mountain range unfurled before his eyes. Starfall Mountain—they had arrived! Starfall Mountain, the place where stars fell. Legend had it that in ancient times, a massive celestial star had plummeted here, blasting out a gigantic valley and thrusting up the surrounding subterranean leylines, thus earning the name Starfall Mountain. "The Place of Fallen Stars—what a fine name!" Su Yu let out a soft laugh. Indeed, a fine name. "Enter the mountains!" With a low shout, Su Yu surged rapidly toward the colossal mountain range. They had reached their destination!