Anomalies Appear

February 24th. Tiandu Prefecture, Dragon Battle Platform. From early morning onward, people streamed toward the grounds in an endless flow. Today, Su Yu was scheduled to lecture on the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art here, while also casting his physical body to break through into the Tengkong Realm. Legend had it that King Daming had once clashed with an Invincible of the dragon race right here at the Dragon Battle Platform, routing the dragon expert before establishing Great Ming Prefecture on this very land. As for how true the tale was, only the elders of the founding generation likely knew. The Dragon Battle Platform was a colossal raised terrace. At this moment, it was ringed by soldiers of the Tiandao Army, with even the Iron Cavalry Guards stationed in force. Several Shanhai experts were thoroughly inspecting the sky above and the ground below to ensure no traps had been laid. Along the perimeter, the crowd grew denser by the minute. Except for a single corridor kept clear, every inch of space surrounding the Dragon Battle Platform was packed to capacity. The crowd buzzed, a steady din echoing all around. "Su Yu hasn't arrived yet?" "What does he actually look like? I couldn't get a clear look at his face in the recording last time." "Is the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art going to be expensive?" "What kind of blood essence is he using for his body casting? Does anyone know?" "It has to be god or demon blood essence at the very least!" "Is he advancing his willpower as well, or just his physical body?" "Who knows!" Conversations buzzed ceaselessly. Watching spectacles and novelties was practically second nature to the people of Great Ming Prefecture. The gathering included both the elderly and children; seasoned onlookers had even brought their own folding stools, fully prepared to hold their ground for the long haul. Every time a genius broke through, it turned into a festival, a grand gathering. Of course, watching some geniuses break through in the past had actually offered very little spectacle; they would just breeze through with no real fireworks to show for it. Still, that didn't matter. What mattered was joining in the excitement. After another sweep of the perimeter, a commander of the Tiandao Army shouted at the top of his lungs, "Everyone, standard rules apply! Do not push toward the Dragon Battle Platform! Researcher Su is a top expert in the field of research, and the All-Races Cult wants nothing more than his head! If anyone gets close, the danger is immense. Do not breach the cordon, or else... the Tiandao Army will take action!" "Don't worry, who doesn't know that? Anyone who pushes in is a bad apple!" "Exactly! Lord Liu, are you well-acquainted with Su Yu? Researcher Su belongs to Great Ming Prefecture now. Why don't you have a word with him and ask for a discount when the cultivation art is released here? We're all family, after all, right?" The commander looked utterly exasperated and barked, "Cut the chatter! Isn't it cheap enough already?" "Cheaper is always better!" A chorus of laughter and banter rippled through the crowd. Who wouldn't want to save a little money? If it could be even cheaper, so much the better. Just as they were bantering, a clear, booming laugh echoed from the distance. "What everyone says makes sense! I actually overlooked that point. Now that I have joined Great Ming Prefecture, it is only right to give back to the region and my fellow townsfolk. Starting today, all cultivation arts from my Primordial Spirit Research Institute will be offered at a twenty percent discount within Great Ming Prefecture! Anyone who previously purchased them and paid more can claim a refund through the academy or exchange bureaus. I will personally subsidize the difference!" The voice resonated far and wide! Countless heads turned at once toward the corridor. There, an exceptionally eye-catching young man came riding toward the Dragon Battle Platform atop a golden demon beast. Mounted on the Suanni, Su Yu smiled as everyone looked his way. "I am Su Yu. The details of the discount will be finalized in a few days. Furthermore, having grown up under my father's influence, I hold soldiers in deep admiration. Any member of Great Ming Prefecture's military will receive a seventy percent discount when exchanging for our cultivation arts!" Only then did the crowd realize who had just spoken. A discount? A real price cut? The elderly men who had just been teasing the commander were instantly overjoyed and shouted enthusiastically, "Master Su is truly righteous!" "Researcher Su has an open heart!" "As expected of our Great Ming Prefecture's genius!" "What a good man!" "He's even refunding past exchanges! Spitting back out what he already swallowed... that is no ordinary magnanimity!" The crowd was electrified. A twenty percent discount was substantial. For instance, the highest version of the Aperture Fusion Art currently sat at an exchange price that wasn't excessively high—only fifty merit points. But fifty merit points translated into one or two million coins in actual currency. A twenty percent discount shaved off a substantial sum in one fell swoop. One old man called out excitedly, "Master Su, does the military discount apply only to active-duty personnel, or do veterans qualify as well?" This man was far older than Su Yu, yet addressing him as 'Master' didn't feel the least bit awkward. He truly was a master! Su Yu laughed heartily. "It applies equally to both! Cultivation arts aren't meant for making a fortune. Charging a fee is simply meant to establish a threshold so that people understand they spent good money on it. Only when people pay for something do they truly value it and take it to heart! Of course, research and development costs still need to be covered, so the price cannot be set too low. If it's too low, researchers won't have the motivation to continue their studies, and cultivation arts won't see further breakthroughs!" "Well said, well said!" Having received Su Yu's assurance, the old man was thrilled. Clearly, he was likely a veteran himself. By this point, Su Yu had ridden the Suanni right up to the massive platform that stood two to three meters above the ground. Just as he stepped onto the platform, several figures descended from the sky. "Manor Lord!" "Principal!" "General!" Seeing the experts appear, the onlookers cried out in awe, their eyes widening at the sight. There truly were numerous powerhouses acting as Dao protectors. Turning back to Su Yu, they couldn't help but marvel. Incredible! These veteran experts said little. After showing themselves to deter any hidden threats, they swiftly melded back into the void. Zhu Tiandao, however, remained behind. Beaming from ear to ear, he let out a hearty laugh. "I heard what Su Yu just said! It is Great Ming Prefecture's good fortune! Su Yu has already set the prices of his cultivation arts extremely low, and now he is offering Great Ming Prefecture such a tremendous discount. I hope the warriors of our Great Ming Prefecture do not let Researcher Su's painstaking efforts go to waste!" After making his opening remarks, Zhu Tiandao quickly continued, "I personally invited Su Yu to publicly preach the Dao today in order to answer questions, resolve doubts, and demonstrate his cultivation arts for all to see clearly and understand thoroughly, allowing everyone to cultivate more effectively!" Zhu Tiandao smiled. "Su Yu's personal strength might not be overwhelming yet, but he deduced these cultivation arts himself, and he has mastered them to the absolute pinnacle. I hope everyone cherishes this opportunity, and I hope more Su Yus will emerge in Great Ming Prefecture!" With that, his tone suddenly sharpened, and his voice boomed, "I know there are human traitors who cannot bear to see humanity thrive, who cannot bear to see Great Ming Prefecture prosper! Great Ming Prefecture has never involved itself in external squabbles; we mind our own affairs... but the All-Races Cult is despised by all, to be slain on sight! Recently, the All-Races Cult posted a bounty on Su Yu, with rewards reaching as high as one million merit points. I know some of these traitors might be lurking among us today. No matter. I am simply telling you: targeting Su Yu in Great Ming Prefecture means making enemies of King Daming and the Zhu family of Great Ming Prefecture, an enmity that ends only in death!" Zhu Tiandao's voice echoed in every direction as he declared, "The Zhu family has presided over this prefecture for more than three hundred years, sheltering this land so that its people may live and work in peace. No pests will be permitted to disturb the tranquility of Great Ming Prefecture! Consider today a warning. Any traitors seeking to kill Su Yu had better think carefully!" A demonstration of deterrence, a declaration of stance. The Zhu family stood behind Su Yu! If anything happened to Su Yu, it would mean relentless, merciless retribution! It was rare for an Invincible's family to take such a definitive public stance, yet Zhu Tiandao had stated it plainly before the masses. On the platform, Su Yu called out, "My thanks to the Manor Lord!" "It is only right!" After their brief exchange, the crowd fell silent for a heartbeat before erupting into deafening cheers. Wasn't it a blessing to have such rulers? Protecting geniuses and shielding the common folk. Su Yu wasted no further time. Projecting his voice across the grounds, he began, "Today, my primary topic is the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art, which opens 126 Yuan apertures. By classification, it belongs to the Heaven-rank mid-grade!" "It possesses ninety more apertures than the Qianjun Art everyone is familiar with. Naturally, upon completing its cultivation, the strength one attains is completely beyond comparison to the Qianjun Art!" "Heaven-rank cultivation arts cannot be practiced by just anyone. They are difficult. Without sufficient talent or resources, people often stall after opening twenty or thirty apertures, rendering them unable to progress further. Such arts lack universal applicability, and how can an art spread without universal applicability?" Standing upon the platform, Su Yu was in no rush to cast his body. He projected his voice loudly: "Then why do I still seek to promote the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art? Because it is simple! Its cultivation speed is fast!" He swept his gaze over the crowd below, taking in the sea of faces, both strong and weak. With a shift of his apertures, fourteen glowing points lit up along his body, shining with dazzling brightness. "Is there anyone among you who has opened these fourteen apertures? These are the fourteen apertures of the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art's first layer. None of them are particularly obscure, and I believe some of you must have opened them!" He displayed them clearly, the fourteen apertures gleaming brightly. In the Wanshi Realm, apertures could be fused or separated according to one's needs. Seeing his fourteen apertures illuminate, the crowd stirred with quiet excitement before someone shouted, "I've opened them!" With that, fourteen matching apertures lit up along the speaker's body. Su Yu smiled. "Brother, let me show you how to link these apertures and circulate the art effortlessly. Try activating the first layer of the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art through those fourteen apertures, absorb Yuan Qi, and see how your speed compares!" The man was overjoyed and quickly pushed through the crowd toward the front. Su Yu held nothing back, keeping the fourteen apertures illuminated as he linked them one by one, ensuring everyone could see clearly. He smiled and said, "There is no harm in demonstrating the first layer directly to everyone. Of course, when it comes to truly opening the apertures, it is still best to follow the text of the manual!" Below the platform, the middle-aged man mirrored Su Yu's movements, swiftly linking his apertures. This man was at the ninth layer of the Qianjun Realm. He had opened quite a few apertures, and by coincidence, he had already unlocked the fourteen required for the first layer. With Su Yu demonstrating, simply linking the apertures proved easy enough to learn. After a few minutes, the fourteen apertures suddenly flared with brilliant light. In the blink of an eye, the first layer was mastered! Su Yu smiled. "Brother, you can try absorbing Yuan Qi right now and see how opening apertures feels." Without hesitation, the man promptly began drawing in Yuan Qi. Every cultivator at or above the Qianjun Realm nearby could sense wisps of Yuan Qi instantly converging toward him. The middle-aged man's face lit up with shock and delight. "So fast! It's at least three times faster than before!" Three times? Su Yu was momentarily taken aback. How could it be that fast? He almost suspected the man was a planted shill! Then he thought it over... and understood. This fellow hadn't been cultivating a Heaven-rank art before; he had likely been using an ordinary Yellow-rank or Profound-rank art. Naturally, that was exceedingly slow. Heaven-rank arts were inherently far faster than weaker techniques. When Hu Hao of Great Xia Prefecture cultivated it, his speed had only improved by ten percent because his original art had already been potent—likely a Heaven-rank art provided by the Xia family, which made Su Yu's art roughly ten percent faster than comparable arts of the same rank. For an ordinary middle-aged cultivator, however, even a standard Heaven-rank art represented a monumental leap. The surrounding onlookers gasped in astonishment! Su Yu himself felt a brief moment of daze. He had always thought that while increasing aperture-opening speed was real, doubling it would already be considered impressive. Yet... he had overlooked one detail! Or rather, many people had overlooked it. Ordinary citizens had grown up cultivating Yellow-rank and Profound-rank arts. To them, switching to a Heaven-rank art was already a massive boost. The Body Strengthening Art had built upon a Heaven-rank foundation to push speeds even further, so for them, the increase in speed far exceeded mere doubling! Not only did Su Yu realize this, but Zhu Tiandao also froze slightly. This wasn't a plant! He knew this was an ordinary citizen. In an instant, many thoughts flashed through his mind, and clarity dawned on him. He, too, had forgotten—or rather, he had never experienced the sluggish cultivation speed of low-grade arts. Hearing the man's words, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned. Such a massive increase? Those standing at the highest levels had always viewed things from their elevated perspective. The people they interacted with had cultivated the War God Art with its seventy-two apertures at a minimum. As for arts lower than that, they had no real concept of how slow they actually were. Today, they found out! Below the platform, the middle-aged man was practically moved to tears as Yuan Qi continuously poured into him. Right at that moment, an aperture on his body that had already been close to opening suddenly shuddered, and in the next instant, it burst with radiant light. It had opened! The middle-aged man was ecstatic and shouted, "So fast! I just opened an aperture! I thought it would take at least another ten days... but it opened right now! This cultivation art... Master Su, when will it be released across the board? I'm definitely buying a copy!" The crowd erupted in sheer disbelief. Murmurs spread, and someone yelled, "Hey, that's my neighbor! Old Chen, Old Chen, you didn't take money to lie, did you?" The middle-aged man cursed, "To hell with that! Even if someone were taking money, it wouldn't be me! There must be others who've opened these fourteen apertures! They aren't that rare. Anyone who practiced the Qianjun Art, Tiger Ben Saber, and Earthshaking Fist should have them open. If you don't believe me, try it yourselves!" A commotion swept through the crowd, and someone shouted, "Old Liu, haven't you cultivated those? Give it a try, hurry!" "Old Huang, your turn!" On the platform, Su Yu smiled and let them be. Sure enough, several people below had indeed opened those fourteen apertures. They had been content just watching the show earlier, but now, thoroughly intrigued, they all began trying it out. Could it really be that formidable? Linking the apertures was not difficult. Soon, seven or eight people succeeded in linking them. The next moment, they began absorbing Yuan Qi one after another, followed by an unbroken chorus of exclamations: "Holy crap, it's actually so fast!" "Three times? I'd say it's five times faster!" "What kind of art is this? It's incredible! Doesn't this mean I can open an aperture every few days?" A complete sensation! It wasn't just one person; multiple people were saying the exact same thing. Clearly, this art accelerated cultivation at an astonishing rate. On the platform, Su Yu smiled and addressed them, "Everyone, that dramatic increase in speed is not entirely due to the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art itself. This is only the first layer. The reason it feels so fast is that it is a Heaven-rank cultivation art. In reality, the first layer is only about ten percent faster than equivalent Heaven-rank arts, the second layer about twenty percent faster... Once cultivated to the ninth layer, the speed of opening subsequent apertures is double that of comparable arts. At that point, you can begin opening apertures for the Aperture Fusion Art, quickly complete its cultivation, and swiftly step into the Wanshi Realm!" Su Yu calculated mentally and smiled. "Starting from the first layer of the Qianjun Realm, opening 126 apertures, followed by the eighteen apertures of the Aperture Fusion Art for a total of 144 apertures, should take about a year and a half to two years. Of course, it consumes a tremendous amount of Yuan Qi, so everyone must be prepared for that!" Even with his clarification, no one cared about the distinction anymore; they were all swept up in wild joy! A Heaven-rank art? We don't have one to begin with! We only have Yellow-rank and Profound-rank arts! They didn't know how fast an ordinary Heaven-rank art was supposed to be; all they knew was that cultivating this technique was blazingly fast! ... Below the platform. It wasn't just the ordinary onlookers; even several figures who had quietly tested it out were inwardly shaken. Outside the city. Several individuals received a flurry of voice transmissions: "The Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art is terrifying. Its cultivation speed is three to five times faster than Yellow-rank arts. Verified on the spot, absolutely genuine!" "Opening apertures is far easier; someone on the scene opened an aperture in an instant!" "Within one to two years, one can enter the Wanshi Realm. After completing the Aperture Fusion Art, a warrior possessing Heaven-rank strength at the ninth layer of Wanshi can be produced in just two to three years!" "My lord, this is too terrifying!" "In the future, the armies of every prefecture might consist entirely of ninth-layer Wanshi warriors cultivating Heaven-rank arts!" "My lord, once this art spreads, the combat strength of the Human Realm's warriors will skyrocket!" At this moment, those powerful figures received urgent messages from their subordinates, leaving them thoroughly shaken! One person might see things wrong or misjudge, but when all of them reported the exact same thing, it was unmistakable: the cultivation art Su Yu was promoting today was truly staggering. ... Beyond those observers, several envoys stationed in Great Ming Prefecture were frantically using voice transmission talismans to relay the news back to their respective great prefectures! Dispatch representatives immediately to negotiate! Negotiate the distribution of this cultivation art! The results were simply too extraordinary! They had witnessed it themselves; many were present on the scene, watching ordinary citizens absorb massive amounts of Yuan Qi in the blink of an eye. The efficiency and speed of this art's Yuan Qi absorption were overwhelmingly powerful! The conversion rate was exceptionally high as well! These were all individuals with sharp discernment, and they instantly recognized the immense advantages at stake. If this continued, then just as the All-Races Cult scouts had warned, the Human Realm would soon be filled with ninth-layer Wanshi cultivators who practiced Heaven-rank arts. Even if breaking through into the Tengkong Realm remained challenging, a ninth-layer Wanshi expert who had fused fourteen apertures would possess an explosive output approaching the power of nearly two hundred apertures. Such a ninth-layer Wanshi warrior would be no weaker than an eighth- or ninth-layer Tengkong cultivator who had opened only thirty-six apertures and undergone nine body castings! Everyone would be able to fight across cultivation realms! At that moment, clamorous cries rose continuously beneath the Dragon Battle Platform. "Master Su, when will the cultivation art be released?" "Master Su, try opening all your apertures and absorbing some Yuan Qi to broaden our horizons! Let us see just how fast Yuan Qi absorption can be when you go all out..." The clamor was relentless! Su Yu smiled. That was fine too; he hadn't anticipated such a tremendous response either. Without further ado, he unleashed all 126 apertures and said with a smile, "Then allow me to demonstrate for everyone!" The moment his words fell, surrounding Yuan Qi surged violently toward him! Great Ming Prefecture already possessed abundant Yuan Qi, and now vast quantities of it swept in like a tidal wave! The speed was terrifyingly swift! Su Yu did not absorb it into his body; instead, in the blink of an eye, he condensed a single drop of Yuan Qi liquid right before him! The onlookers were struck dumb! "This... if one masters this cultivation, they wouldn't even need to work! Just condensing Yuan Qi liquid every day and selling it would make them rich!" "It consumes a massive amount of Yuan Qi, though... folks, will Great Ming Prefecture be sucked dry by us in the future?" "Who knows! Either way, I'm cultivating it!" When Su Yu went all out, the speed of activating the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art was simply too rapid! Su Yu soon spoke up again: "As for the promotion of the art, if everything goes smoothly, Great Ming Prefecture will be the first to receive it next month! As a researcher of Great Ming Prefecture, I will naturally prioritize our home territory. Regarding the price, it won't be overly expensive. The Primordial Spirit Cultural Art is actually far more precious, and I only priced it at one hundred merit points. The Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art will likely be priced around eighty merit points. With Great Ming Prefecture's twenty percent discount, it should come to roughly sixty merit points!" Su Yu projected his voice clearly, "And military exchanges should be around twenty merit points!" "Additionally, various academies can negotiate buyout terms for student distribution. Many new students have limited funds, just like how the basic version of the War God Art is distributed freely because the academies bought it out. We can negotiate similar terms, all to ensure the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art spreads widely and benefits everyone!" Su Yu smiled. "This is only the beginning. I believe the Primordial Spirit Research Institute will introduce even more cultivation arts in the future to satisfy everyone's needs, helping you grow strong while spending far less time to do so!" Su Yu's voice rang out powerfully: "That includes arts for fusing divine apertures and Primordial Spirit Apertures that bypass the Kaiyuan Realm entirely. We are already deducing them, and results may arrive very soon. In the years to come, beginning cultivation at ten, reaching Wanshi at twelve, Tengkong at fifteen, Lingyun at twenty, and Shanhai at thirty will become the norm!" "In the Human Realm, everyone can reach Shanhai! Sun Moon and Eternal may be difficult to guarantee, but Shanhai will be achievable for all!" Su Yu's laughter carried far across the grounds. "Trust in me, and trust in the Primordial Spirit Research Institute! Promoting the Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art today is only the first objective. The second is that I intend to cast my physical body and enter the Tengkong Realm today! I have already caught faint glimpses of the Primordial Spirit Aperture's location, and I hope to use this opportunity to uncover it directly. Once successful... every cultivator under heaven will benefit. Manor Lord Zhu and the others have come to protect my Dao precisely for this reason. The reason I chose to cast my body publicly is also to let everyone witness whether hope truly exists!" With that, Su Yu tossed out a portable arena that rapidly expanded in size. He laughed and said, "I won't display the exact casting process for everyone to see. I wouldn't want people turning green with envy over how much god and demon blood essence I consume!" "Hahaha!" A wave of laughter rippled below. No one cared much about that detail; they only wanted to see the final outcome. Every single person was on edge with excitement! Could the Primordial Spirit Aperture truly be discovered? Just how powerful would Su Yu become after casting his body? ... Meanwhile, Su Yu stepped into the arena and activated its formation. People outside could vaguely make out his silhouette, but the finer details remained obscured. Taking a deep breath, Su Yu sat cross-legged. Without wasting words, he swiftly produced a massive sphere that enveloped him entirely. Next, he brought out several vials of god and demon blood essence. It was purely for show, lest anyone notice something amiss shortly. The next instant, Su Yu began circulating the Iron Eater 72 Castings, and a vast quantity of Heaven Yuan Qi within the sphere was drawn into his body. ... At the same time, in the shadows. Niu Baidao hurriedly sent a voice transmission to several Sun Moon experts: "Get ready! The moment Su Yu completes his body casting, activate the anomaly immediately! Make it last, and follow the original plan—let the anomaly gather bit by bit. It must look convincing; do not let anyone see through the ruse!" Niu Baidao felt a cautious thrill of excitement. They had already drawn widespread attention, and now Su Yu had brought up the Primordial Spirit Aperture. Those fellows from the All-Races Cult were probably itching to take a look right now, weren't they? Yet they would also be apprehensive and hesitant, unlikely to charge in blindly, choosing instead to watch from afar. Excellent. Time to add some fuel to the fire! ... Great Ming Prefecture was fully prepared. Su Yu, meanwhile, rapidly absorbed the Heaven Yuan Qi. By his estimate, completing the first casting would not be quick; even with abundant Heaven Yuan Qi, it would ordinarily take several days. Of course, over the past two days, he had already completed a portion of his physical casting in advance. All so he could finish a casting today! To pick up the pace, Su Yu didn't mind making a bigger commotion. Inside his sea of will, 180 divine apertures blazed with brilliant light. As he cast his body, he began linking those 180 divine apertures. He sensed that once all 180 divine apertures were linked, his Yuan apertures might undergo some changes today. The Primordial Spirit Aperture... might genuinely reveal itself. 145... 155... One divine aperture after another linked together. His 360 Yuan apertures, condensed into nine major apertures, were also radiating dazzling brilliance. Su Yu felt immense pressure! Pressure bore down on his sea of will and his physical body. As the divine apertures linked one after another, he faintly sensed that something was being breached. 179. In the blink of an eye, only one aperture remained unlinked. "My willpower won't advance to Tengkong first, will it?" Su Yu considered it. Even if it did, it wouldn't matter much. Having fewer divine characters wasn't a problem; if his willpower advanced to Tengkong ahead of schedule, it might even offer advantages, allowing his physical body to complete a casting rapidly during the breakthrough! Willpower entering Tengkong yielded substantial benefits, granting the physical body opportunities to swiftly absorb Yuan Qi. The next moment, all 180 divine apertures lit up and snapped into connection! The connection was complete! And the very instant Su Yu established that connection, the sky abruptly changed color! Winds arose! A fierce gale swept through! In the heavens above, a riot of five colors materialized. Suddenly, rain began to pour, followed closely by the rampant growth of surrounding trees. Wisps of flame flickered in the sky, and the earth trembled... Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth! The Five Elements Art unified! At this moment, the five elements formally merged into one! For the first time since the ancient era, following the Great Cataclysm, the five elemental arts had unified! Heaven and earth produced an anomaly! Forbidden, impermissible to unite. Rumble! High above, thunder roared. In the unseen depths of the cosmos, something seemed to have cast its gaze down upon this place. At this moment, every citizen felt a heavy, suffocating pressure. Looking up at the sky, they were utterly dumbfounded. What was happening? ... In the shadows. Niu Baidao blinked, sending an incredulous voice transmission: "Did you guys create this too? Buy one, get one free?" He said it half in jest, but at this moment, even Niu Baidao felt an ominous pressure bearing down from the unseen heavens. Was this... a genuine celestial anomaly? Niu Baidao swallowed hard. That couldn't be right! They had only just begun! Su Yu hadn't even finished casting his body, nor had he broken through into Tengkong yet! Besides, this didn't look right at all. He had never seen an anomaly like this! Flames billowed across the sky, appearing as if out of thin air! Rain poured down, concentrated solely over the Dragon Battle Platform. Trees continued to surge wildly in growth! Weapons trembled! The weapons carried by several people vibrated incessantly, humming with resonance. Beside the platform, Zhu Tiandao's expression shifted repeatedly as he transmitted to Niu Baidao, "Is this your doing?" "Nonsense!" Niu Baidao cursed under his breath. "I didn't do this, and I wouldn't even know how!" The gale grew increasingly violent! A howling hurricane tore through the air! Astral winds! They swirled around Su Yu, encircling that modest arena. "What on earth is this?" At this moment, the onlookers below were thoroughly bewildered. Someone clutched his vibrating weapon tightly to keep it from flying away and shouted, "Manor Lord, what's going on?" Zhu Tiandao barked, "Quiet down! Keep silent! It's nothing, just normal breakthrough phenomena..." Normal, your grandmother! Everyone was utterly speechless. What kind of nonsense was that? Who ever heard of a breakthrough into Tengkong looking like this? Are you kidding us?! ... Simultaneously. Outside the city. Powerful figures gazing toward Tiandu Prefecture frowned in silence. What kind of monstrosity was this? They could see it and feel it now: flames in the sky, flashing thunderbolts, and that faint, pervasive aura of suppression. What was this? "A celestial anomaly!" "Breaking into Tengkong actually triggered a celestial anomaly!" "It just started... he hasn't even broken through yet?" "Such an anomaly right at the start?" Shock rippled through them! What did this signify? What kind of concept was this? If the very start of entering Tengkong produced such an anomaly, wouldn't that mean... what followed would be even more violent?! And just as they anticipated, the flames blazed even more vividly, fire and water intermingling as rain and fire coexisted at the same time! Outside the city, several experts could barely contain themselves. What was truly going on? Should they go take a look? This... this was simply too staggering. That aura of heavenly might was beginning to spread outward. Was this a celestial blessing, or heavenly punishment? At that very moment, voice transmissions flew in every direction, rapidly carrying word to each of the great prefectures! "Su Yu's breakthrough has produced a celestial anomaly: wind, fire, thunder, lightning, wildly surging flora, trembling weapons..." "It has only just begun; Su Yu hasn't broken through yet, seemingly still building up momentum!" "My lord, we cannot decipher this. Multiple Sun Moon experts have begun establishing defensive lines!" Messages spread like wildfire. Outside the city, the expressions of those experts shifted erratically. What was happening? Right now, Sun Moon powerhouses were ascending into the air around Su Yu's area, laying down defensive barriers. "Should we go take a look?" Several were sorely tempted. A situation like this hadn't occurred in centuries; shouldn't they go witness it? With an anomaly like this, an even greater upheaval might follow! Observing from afar was fine if the Sun Moon experts didn't intervene, but now that they were actively erecting defensive lines, probing from a distance would easily be detected. Getting closer and watching with the naked eye would actually be far safer. "What if... we sneak in and watch from a distance? Those Sun Moon experts don't have time to bother with us right now..." Temptation took hold, and some moved immediately! They had to go see the situation for themselves!