Father and Son

Turmoil gripped the Great Xia Prefecture. News had spread in every direction, but at this moment, Su Yu could no longer bring himself to care. He walked into a bustling city and came to a halt. It was December 30th, and dusk had settled over the earth. Yet here, the entire city was ablaze with lanterns and torches. Laughter and cheerful chatter drifted through the air, accompanied by the crackling pop of firecrackers. It was the New Year! Today was the final day of year 350 of the Anping Calendar; tomorrow would be 351. Children played and frolicked in the streets. Su Yu walked along the broad avenue, while the Suanni and the Mountain-Boring Ox trailed behind him, looking around with wide, curious eyes. At this moment, an empty, lonely ache welled up inside Su Yu. In years past, he would have been back in Nanyuan City, celebrating the turn of the year warmly alongside his father. Tonight, however, he walked all alone through the vibrant streets of an unfamiliar land, surrounded by thousands of people without knowing a single one. How was his father doing? What about his teacher and the others? How were his senior sister and senior martial uncle holding up? Su Yu walked on, lost in thought, his mind drifting into a haze. Pedestrians hurried past him. Some cast curious glances his way, but nobody pried, quickly bustling along on their own business. After walking a long way, Su Yu spotted a small tavern that remained open for business and stepped inside. He felt a sudden wave of homesickness—he missed his father, even though he had only left Nanyuan a few days ago. *** The All-Heavens Battlefield. The garrison camp of the Second Legion of the Demon Suppression Army. Today was the New Year! Though there was no grand, elaborate banquet, the troops were gathered together for a celebratory meal. Massive roasted demon beasts crackled over fires, and laughter rang out among the men. Aside from the strict ban on alcohol, the soldiers were finally permitted to relax and enjoy a proper celebration. Though their faces were weathered by wind and frost, the soldiers were beaming with joy. Another year had passed—another year of peace. The Great Xia Prefecture had enjoyed 350 years of tranquility, and the rear remained free from war. Su Long tore into a massive chunk of meat, relishing every bite. He only wished his son were here with him. Beside him sat that familiar Centurion Liu. Su Long chuckled between mouthfuls of meat, snorting, "Old Liu, even if you begged to marry your daughter into my family now, it'd be too late! My son's a mega genius, you hear me?" Centurion Liu replied indifferently, "Are you even sure that Su Yu who invented the aperture fusion method is your son? Su Long, don't go flattering yourself. There are plenty of people who share the same name these days. How do you know it's really your kid?" "Hehe, it's definitely him!" Su Long grinned from ear to ear. "My boy's been razor-sharp since he was knee-high! Didn't you see it last time? That big shot heard people talking about it, right? A Shanhai expert! I asked around—that expert was my son's grandteacher! Hehe, so you tell me, isn't my son a peerless genius?" The aperture fusion method had already begun circulating through the army. While higher-level versions remained restricted, the basic eighteen-aperture version was now distributed freely among the troops. Masses of soldiers were already practicing it! Su Long chuckled for a while longer, though a tinge of regret soon touched his voice. "A shame I can't head home for the New Year. I wonder where my son's spending it this time… For all I know, he's spending it at his future in-laws' place." Several soldiers nearby burst out laughing. Your son's only been enrolled for half a year, and you already think he's spending the New Year with his in-laws? You sure know how to dream big! Old Liu poured even more cold water on him. "For all you know, your son's being forced to stand in the corner by his teacher right now! Besides, your son might not even be that Su Yu. Stop putting on airs, or the real Su Yu might come looking to settle scores with you for running around claiming he's your kid all day…" In truth, Old Liu simply didn't believe it. In fact, hardly anyone in the army bought it. It was true that Su Long's son was named Su Yu and had enrolled in the Great Xia Civilization Academy, which was quite a coincidence. But Su Long's son had only been there for six months. How could he just announce that this genius was his boy and expect anyone to take his word for it? They all figured Su Long was just bragging! Su Long grew anxious and shouted toward the nearby chiliarch, "Lord Hu, isn't the creator of the aperture fusion method named Su Yu? Doesn't he attend the Great Xia Civilization Academy? Isn't he my son?!" "..." Over on that side, the chiliarch laughed helplessly. "I'll grant you the first two points, but as for the last one… beats me! Su Long, stop shouting all day long. If he really is your son, you're the man. But if he's not, and you're running around claiming someone else is your kid, watch out—a Civilization Master might come looking for your neck!" "It's definitely him! Lord Hu, why don't you go ask around and see if he's a freshman?!" Chiliarch Hu chuckled. "How am I supposed to ask? Who would I even ask? When news of a genius like that reaches our front lines, we're lucky to get the barest rumors. You think I can just stroll up and ask how old he is and whether his father happens to be named Su Long?" "Hahaha!" The surrounding soldiers erupted into laughter. Su Long grumbled and took another huge bite of meat. Fine, believe it or don't. He believed it, and that was that. It was his son! Old Liu laughed and said, "Old Su, didn't you tell us that when you left home, your kid was only at the third layer of Kaiyuan? By my count, you've been here less than nine months, right?" Nobody believed this fellow! His son had been a mere third-layer Kaiyuan nine months ago! Su Long ignored him. From across the way, the chiliarch said with a grin, "That genius Su Yu doesn't seem very old either. Old Liu, don't give him such a hard time. If he really turns out to be Old Su's son, you won't even be able to butter him up in the future. Whether it's true or not, it wouldn't hurt to get on Old Su's good side first!" "Hahaha!" The chiliarch's remark triggered another round of laughter from the soldiers. Su Long felt exasperated. What did he mean by 'whether it's true or not'? It was definitely him! The moment he heard the news, he had known in his bones that it was his son. He muttered to himself, "That cultivation method is called the *Dual Wu Aperture Fusion Art*. Did my boy go and find me two daughters-in-law?" "..." "For all you know, the 'Dual Wu' refers to two men!" Old Liu bantered back, prompting another burst of merry laughter. Just then, the voice transmission talisman at the chiliarch's waist flashed. A moment later, the chiliarch said in surprise, "Quiet down, everyone! Sounds like some high-ranking officers are coming by to offer their greetings. Well, look at that—someone finally remembered our little thousand-man battalion today!" Old Liu chuckled. "High-ranking officers? Who could it be? Surely not the Army Lord?" "Are you dreaming?" The chiliarch rolled his eyes. The Army Lord was a mighty Sunmoon expert. Why would he come all the way out to greet a lowly thousand-man unit like theirs? Still, the message had come directly from a myriarch, and more than just a myriarch seemed to be on the way. Could a Shanhai expert actually be paying them a visit? "Tidy yourselves up, boys, and make a good impression on the higher-ups. Su Long, stop eating! Your mouth is practically dripping grease. If your son really did invent that aperture fusion method, the commanders might actually know. I'll ask around for you in a moment…" Su Long hurriedly wiped his mouth and grinned. "Sounds like a plan, Lord Hu! You've got to ask for me later. If it really is my son, Old Liu's going to have to get down on his knees and lick my boots clean!" "Hahaha!" Laughter filled the air once more. While they bantered merrily, a middle-aged man with an imposing, dignified aura strode forward not far away, a contingent of powerful experts trailing in his wake. At this moment, the middle-aged man's brow was deeply furrowed. His expression was frosty. As he walked, he muttered in a low voice, "What on earth is the Great Xia Prefecture playing at?! Dumping such a mess right into our laps! With the New Year upon us, how am I supposed to explain this to the brothers down below?" The man's voice carried clear indignation. "Whether it's a promotion or rewards for Su Long, none of that is an issue. But how do I say it to his face? Am I supposed to tell him that his son was ambushed and nearly assassinated, and had no choice but to flee Great Xia for the Great Ming Prefecture?!" "General…" A subordinate behind him whispered, "Before this spreads through the ranks, we must stabilize morale as quickly as possible. Su Long must be reassured. He is a veteran, and among his comrades from back then, three are now myriarchs and five are chiliarchs in the Second Legion. Even Deputy General Chen Long was one of his old squadmates…" The middle-aged man started slightly. "Chen Long was, too?" "Yes!" Even as they spoke, a figure streaked toward them like an arrow, clad in a general's uniform and followed closely by more than a dozen men. It was none other than Chen Long! At this moment, this newly risen powerhouse of the younger generation, who had just stepped into the Shanhai Realm, wore a face like ice. Landing firmly, he saluted and said in a heavy voice, "This subordinate pays his respects to the Army Lord!" Eighteen years! Rising from Qianjun to Shanhai! Through eighteen years of relentless slaughter, he had fought his way from an ordinary soldier to the post of deputy general of a legion. Chen Long was one of the most outstanding commanders the Demon Suppression Army had produced in recent years. Yet now, the man who was normally all smiles wore an expression as dark as iron. "Has the Army Lord come to see Brother Su?" Chen Long said with chilling coldness, "Have you come to arrest Brother Su? Because his son—my nephew—has defected from Great Xia, is the father to be implicated as well? Are you going to take him into custody to threaten my nephew?!" Chen Long gritted his teeth, glaring at the Army Lord he had always deeply respected, his voice thick with suppressed fury. "Eighteen years ago, Brother Su was spilling his blood on the front lines. Eighteen years later, he returned to risk his life once more for the Great Xia Prefecture! And this is the end he gets?!" "Is this how the Demon Suppression Army and the Great Xia Prefecture treat men of merit?!" Chen Long was livid. Behind him, every Tengkong and Lingyun officer glared with furious eyes. Outrage burned in every chest! For now, the news had only reached the high command, but Chen Long had already learned the truth: Su Yu had been ambushed by Sunmoon experts and forced to flee the Great Xia Prefecture. Had the Army Lord come in person just to capture Su Long? To force Su Yu to return? Or was it for something else? For the relic? At this moment, Chen Long's rage was impossible to contain. Before him, the Army Lord of the Demon Suppression Army let out a soft sigh. "I am deeply grieved by what happened to Su Yu. Xiao Chen, you know who I am. Don't misunderstand regarding Su Long. The Great Xia Prefecture has already taken action, executing several Shanhai experts. Furthermore, Su Long has been promoted to chiliarch and granted resources to help him break through to the Tengkong Realm swiftly, including an award of god and demon blood essence for body casting…" Hearing this, Chen Long's fury subsided slightly, though he still couldn't resist demanding, "And what about my nephew?!" "As for that…" The Army Lord sighed. "Do you truly believe Su Yu would ever come back? Things having reached this point, even if the Xia family asked him to return, would he? You don't honestly think Mansion Master Zhu of the Great Ming Prefecture was just passing by, do you? Do you really believe the appearance of so many Shanhai and Sunmoon experts was a mere coincidence? That nephew of yours… must have made up his mind long ago and reached out to Great Ming. Great Ming valued him enough that Mansion Master Zhu Tiandao received him in person and slew multiple powerhouses on his behalf." They were battle-hardened commanders, not gullible commoners; how could they possibly believe in such coincidences? It had been planned well in advance! What a brilliant maneuver to lure the snakes from their holes—in a single stroke, Su Yu had buried twelve Shanhai and two Sunmoon experts, shaking the world to its core. Chen Long fell silent. Just as the Army Lord had said, Su Yu would almost certainly never return. "That is the Great Xia Prefecture's own doing!" Chen Long's voice remained thick with anger and resentment. "The Single Divine Character Faction… hmph!" He scoffed, casting a sharp glare toward those behind the Army Lord. Feeling his gaze, someone couldn't help but plead, "General Chen, don't direct your anger at us. We knew nothing of this either! Once we arrived on the All-Heavens Battlefield, most of us put factional squabbles behind us. How could we have known things back in the Human Realm would degenerate into such a farce?!" There were members of the Single Divine Character Faction stationed on the battlefield as well. With matters turning out like this, many of them felt utterly speechless and demoralized. They had humiliated themselves before the entire myriad realms! A massive defection! The Army Lord of the Demon Suppression Army took a deep breath. "Enough of this. Come along. We must not allow the army's morale to waver before the news spreads. Gentlemen… I know you feel wronged and furious. But we are on the front lines. If our morale breaks and the myriad races strike, we will be gambling with the lives of hundreds of thousands of our soldiers!" After a brief pause, the Army Lord added, "When the opportunity arises for me to return to Great Xia, I will demand an explanation! But for now, our priority is to steady the troops and address the situation before rumors take hold. We must reassure Su Long. Xiao Chen, you are his old squadmate; you will need to offer him a few comforting words in a moment." Chen Long felt a knot of bitter frustration in his chest, muttering, "Brother Su doesn't need comforting—he can pull through on his own! But the Great Xia Prefecture drove Su Yu away, chilling the hearts of its people and its soldiers alike. Mark my words, this will come back to haunt them sooner or later!" The Army Lord offered no further reply. He was furious as well, but what was done could not be undone. That the Great Xia Prefecture had reached a swift resolution was already no small feat. *** A short while later. Chiliarch Hu froze in astonishment before barking out, "Subordinates pay their respects to the Army Lord!" It really was a high-ranking dignitary! Good grief! What wind had blown an entire contingent of the Demon Suppression Army's top brass over here today? From the Army Lord himself down to a host of Shanhai commanders and deputy generals, they had all arrived in force. Su Long and the others set down their food and stood at attention, saluting briskly while eyeing these mighty figures with wide, curious eyes. Why on earth had so many luminaries gathered at their modest thousand-man encampment today? As Su Long looked around in curiosity, his eyes caught sight of an old acquaintance. He glanced toward Chen Long and flashed a wide grin, only to find Chen Long's face grim and dark. Su Long couldn't help but curse under his breath, *You little brat, you made it big and now you're giving me the cold shoulder?* *Hmph!* *If you won't acknowledge me, I won't acknowledge you either!* Yet it wasn't just Chen Long. Several other old comrades stood nearby, and Su Long felt a rush of warmth seeing them. But noticing how somber and heavy-hearted they all looked, he felt a prickle of doubt. Chen Long wasn't just putting on airs—had something major happened? Su Long was puzzled, but as a mere centurion, this was hardly the time to catch up on old times, so he held his tongue. Chiliarch Hu spoke a few brief words before waiting for the Army Lord to address them. The Army Lord of the Demon Suppression Army said nothing at first. His gaze swept over the gathered men before landing on Su Long, and he said softly, "Centurion Su, step forward!" Su Long looked left and right. *Me?* He felt a sudden pang of nervousness! Stepping forward, he snapped a crisp salute and shouted, "Su Long pays his respects to the Army Lord and all generals!" The Army Lord looked at him, paused for a beat, and declared, "By order of the Great Xia Prefecture, Su Long is hereby promoted to chiliarch and bestowed ten drops of god and demon blood essence…" *Boom!* The surrounding soldiers were struck dumb! What was going on? Su Long's mind went completely blank. *What just happened?* *What did I do?!* Su Long's thoughts spun into a daze, and he failed to hear anything that followed. Only after a long while did he vaguely come to his senses, still entirely lost as to what had occurred. The Army Lord spoke no more. Chen Long looked at his former squad leader, finding the words difficult to voice, but finally managed, "Brother Su, come with me for a moment." Still in a daze, Su Long followed him off to the side, wondering what this was all about. *** A few minutes later, the haze in Su Long's mind cleared. His expression settled into a flat, strained calm as he asked hoarsely, "Ah Yu… went to the Great Ming Prefecture?" "Yes." "Is he hurt?" "He's fine. Completely safe. Mansion Master Zhu of Great Ming values him immensely and personally slew multiple Sunmoon and Shanhai experts on his behalf." Chen Long said in a low voice, "Brother Su, don't let the anger consume you. When we return, we will demand an explanation. We won't let this rest…" Su Long bared his teeth in a strained smile. "It's fine. It's fine… As long as he's safe, that's all that matters! Didn't the Great Xia Prefecture execute quite a few Shanhai experts as well? My boy… he's truly capable. Truly capable…" As he spoke, his voice grew dry and tight. "It's just… it's the New Year. Where is Ah Yu right now? Is he in Great Ming already? What is he eating tonight… does he have a roof over his head?" As the words spilled out, tears began streaming down the burly man's face, completely beyond his control. "That little rascal never left Nanyuan his whole life. He finally made it to Great Xia, and he probably hadn't even found his footing there yet. Now that he's in Great Ming, does he know anyone at all?" "Who's going to look after him?" "Xiao Chen, tell me, who's going to look after him?" Chen Long said nothing. Su Long continued in a hollow voice, "What right do I have to take this chiliarch rank, or this god and demon blood essence? It's too precious! Taking it would just be a waste on me…" "Brother Su, you… you should take it. Otherwise, once word gets out, I'm worried…" "Worried about… army morale?" Su Long bared his teeth, a bitter grimace on his face. "Comforting Su Yu's father? Did I… get these things by selling my own son?" "I entrusted my boy to the Great Xia Prefecture, to the Xia family, in one piece. And in just a few months, my boy is gone…" Su Long's lips twisted into an expression that was neither a cry nor a smile, his features tangled in an agony of conflicting emotions. "My boy was driven all the way to Great Ming, with so many people out to take his life. Xiao Chen, who did my son ever offend?" "Brother Su… I'm sorry." "What are you apologizing for? It has nothing to do with you." Su Long gritted his teeth, forcing a smile. "Fine, I'll take it! These are things bought with my son, so I have to take them. If I don't… Great Xia will think I hold a grudge. I don't. No grudge at all… I'm just wondering if that little rascal has eaten yet. It's the New Year; he ought to have a proper meal…" Su Long bared his teeth again, wiped away his tears, and let out an empty chuckle. "It's fine, really. It's just that his old man is useless. If I were a Sunmoon, if I were a Shanhai… would my boy have had to suffer like this?" "I'm just a useless Wanshi warrior who opened thirty-six apertures… I'll take it. God and demon blood essence—this is good stuff. If I can reach Tengkong, that'll be something…" He rambled on, grimacing as he turned to Chen Long with a forced grin. "Xiao Chen, I'm fine. Isn't that little rascal of mine safe and sound? That's good enough. Such an exalted figure as a mansion master values him. Great Ming is right next door anyway, and our Nanyuan was close to the Great Ming border to begin with… It's not that far." "Brother Su…" "I'm really fine!" A moment later, Su Long turned on his heel, strode back into formation, and bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Su Long accepts the decree! My thanks for the reward!" With that, he spun toward his bewildered squadmates and roared, "This is the glory my son earned for me! My son is that very Su Yu—the Su Yu who created the aperture fusion method! A peerless genius!" "The Army Lord is standing right here, so everything I said is the honest truth! Does anyone still doubt me?!" All around him, the soldiers remained completely stunned. Su Long grinned ear to ear. "He was just too brilliant, and Mansion Master Zhu of the Great Ming Prefecture took a liking to him and brought him home. Who knows, next time you see me, I might be related by marriage to the Zhu family of Great Ming! Hahaha!" Murmurs of shock rippled through the ranks. What did that mean? Some didn't understand the underlying implications and muttered among themselves, wondering if he had truly caught the eye of the Zhu family to become their son-in-law. Su Long shared the news with hearty laughter. Watching him, the Army Lord of the Demon Suppression Army sighed inwardly. Su Long… truly knew how to look at the bigger picture. By framing it this way, even when word eventually leaked out, the fallout would be significantly diminished. After all, if Su Yu's father was joking that his son had gone to become an in-law of the Zhu family, the Zhu family likely wouldn't mind the exaggeration, and the matter of Su Yu's move to Great Ming was smoothed over for now. As for what Su Long truly felt deep down, there would inevitably be lingering resentment, but the Army Lord was in no position to press further. *** Great Ming Prefecture. Inside the tavern, Su Yu took a bite of food, smiled, and poured a cup of wine for Director Hou across from him. "Director, I've caused you trouble. Keeping you here wasting time with me on New Year's Eve." Director Hou chuckled softly. "It's quite nice, actually. When you've lived as long as I have, you stop caring much about holidays like the New Year." "Director, are you in the Sunmoon Realm?" "Yes." "Incredible!" Su Yu offered an easy compliment before smiling. "Director, do you think I'll be ostracized once I reach Tiandu Prefecture?" "No." Director Hou pondered for a moment, choosing his words carefully before answering, "If nothing unexpected happens, when you arrive in Tiandu, people will crowd around to gawk at you for a bit… and then everyone will just head home." Yes, that was exactly how it would play out! Young man, don't overthink it. People would crowd around him, gasping in admiration: *Is this that Su Yu?* *Incredible!* *So strong!* *What a genius!* And then… there would be no 'and then.' Once the gasping was done, they would simply go on their way. Perhaps some instructor would be presenting his latest breakthrough today, claiming to have researched a divine character that could automatically brew wine without raw ingredients. *Incredible, I've got to check that out!* As for Su Yu… *Oh, impressive, really impressive. But how do you outline that auto-brewing character?* Hearing him describe it this way, Su Yu stared blankly for a second before nodding in sudden understanding. Indeed, the Great Ming Prefecture… was truly laid-back. He wasn't even sure if choosing Great Ming had been the right call! Just looking at this major city, the throngs of people passing by hadn't spared him a second glance. Even though he rode atop demon beasts, what of it? What did that have to do with them? With that kind of free time, wouldn't they rather do something useful? "Director, are there many civilization academies in Great Ming?" "A decent number—three of them," Director Hou said with a smile. "As for Great Ming's civilization academies, how should I put it… Let's put it this way: Niu Baidao, the head of the Great Ming Civilization Academy, is its first-generation head." Su Yu paused. "You understand what 'first-generation' means, right?" Director Hou gave a dry cough. "The academy has a lot of old-timers, and the mortality rate isn't very high. Unlike the Great Xia Civilization Academy, which has gone through six generations of heads!" *I get it!* Su Yu nodded, understanding dawning upon him. The very first academy head was still alive and kicking. He was truly impressed—did the Civilization Masters of Great Ming never set foot on the battlefield? "Director, with so many people, doesn't the demand for resources outstrip the supply?" "Not at all." Director Hou shook his head. "How could it? There are many people, but their cultivation isn't particularly high, so their consumption is modest. On top of that, they spend all day tinkering with all sorts of odd inventions and selling them, which brings in quite a tidy sum." He went on to explain, "For instance, many of the televisions and communicators you use are produced right here in Great Ming, developed by the civilization academies themselves. Furthermore, Great Ming manufactures and sells weapons; our mass-production of standard military gear is quite formidable. Even Great Xia imports from us. Great Xia consumes far too much, while we produce a massive surplus…" He continued, "Also, many of the texts of will you see on the market—the ones that feel rather weak—mostly originate from Great Ming. Some folks have nothing better to do once they hit the Tengkong Realm, so they practice hundreds of miscellaneous techniques and then churn out texts of will for sale…" "..." Su Yu was at a loss for words. Director Hou added, "Great Ming doesn't produce many overwhelmingly powerful cultivation arts, but we have an abundance of weaker ones, which rake in hefty patent fees every year. For example, of the common Yellow rank techniques on the market today, thirty percent come from Great Ming." Alright, Su Yu was thoroughly impressed. "So the Great Ming Civilization Academy can support itself?" "Pretty much!" Director Hou nodded with a grin. "Those fellows drove the research academies straight out of business. There was no helping it; Great Ming doesn't have research academies anymore. We used to, but the civilization academies swallowed them up… Well, not swallowed them up, really. Old Niu didn't even want them, but the research academies practically threw themselves at his feet, leaving him no choice but to take them in." "..." Su Yu was speechless. It made sense—if the civilization academies were already doing all the research academies' work, what did they need research academies for? "What about the war academies?" "Their leadership turns over much faster; their heads have changed five times." Director Hou said ruefully, "A war academy is primarily responsible for waging war, as the name suggests. Still, their mortality rate remains noticeably lower than Great Xia's." "Do the civilization academies have secret realms?" "They do…" Director Hou gave a somewhat peculiar look. "Quite a few, actually. We have produced a handful of Sunmoon experts over the years. And some secret realms… aren't necessarily left behind by Sunmoon experts; even Shanhai experts can manage to leave behind semi-realms." "Are there ones like the yuanqi secret realm or the Sea of Consciousness Mystic Realm?" Director Hou hesitated, giving a dry cough. "Those realms of yours are rather unique and difficult to replicate! Naturally, we have similar ones, but in Great Ming, a few other realms are far more popular…" "Could you introduce them to me, Director?" "Certainly!" Director Hou beamed. "For instance, the Ten Thousand Wines Realm. Now that's a marvelous realm! Once you step inside, you wouldn't believe it—ten thousand distinct varieties of wine materialize out of thin air. For a drunkard, it's absolute paradise…" "Then there's the Hundred Beauties Realm—hehe… cough, not the Hundred Beauties Realm, I mean the Hundred Races Realm! Inside, you can sit and converse about heaven and earth with women from a hundred different races… cough, I mean, engage in martial arts sparring…" "And the Music Bureau Realm! Entering it is one of life's greatest pleasures; you can listen to all manner of exquisite music… cough, well, it can be used for sound-based attacks, so it's not purely for enjoyment." "There's also—" Su Yu took a sip of his wine, not wanting to hear any more. Great Ming… The Great Ming Prefecture had truly broadened his horizons. Just hearing the names of those secret realms was enough to leave him floored. The Civilization Masters of Great Ming were an utter collection of oddballs! Compared to Great Xia… there was simply no comparison. It was hard to say whether it was good or bad, but one thing felt certain: if Great Ming's Civilization Masters ever got into a real fight with Great Xia's, nine times out of ten, they would be completely wiped out. "What about divine character masters? Are they powerful?" "They're decent!" Director Hou let out a breath of relief. "Great Xia's divine character masters aren't weak, but neither are Great Ming's. Our offensive power might be slightly lower, but our divine character masters possess an endless bag of tricks!" The so-called 'bag of tricks' meant their divine characters were wildly diverse. Many fellows in Great Ming outlined a bewildering variety of characters. Naturally, they were disorganized and lacked cohesive systems, yet even after reaching Tengkong, a crowd of them continued to outline characters non-stop. One character brewed wine, another played music, a third did the cooking, a fourth created a clone to help sweep the floors, and yet another gave massages… "It's only because we can't synthesize battle techniques after reaching Tengkong; otherwise… Great Ming could easily produce thousands upon thousands of Civilization Masters from the Multiple Divine Characters Faction!" Director Hou smiled, his face beaming with pride. Wasn't that impressive? Plenty of people had more than ten divine characters. Of course, their actual combat capability remained open to debate. "..." Su Yu nodded. He was thoroughly convinced!