Infamy for Ten Thousand Years

Great Ming Prefecture. Inside the cultivation chamber, Su Yu continually forged his body. Heaven Yuan Qi was steadily consumed as golden light shimmered across his skin. He had not examined the ten Invincible manuscripts for now. Over these past few days, it was not the time to study them—contemplating divine characters could sometimes consume far too much time. After cultivating for a while, Su Yu exhaled, stood up, and walked out of the cultivation chamber. He headed upstairs. On the third floor, Wu Lan had dark circles beneath her eyes. She let out a yawn with no regard for elegance and, not caring in the least, spoke listlessly. "I've organized the list. Long-lived ones, those with strong regenerative abilities, those whose flesh and blood have healing properties, those adept at medicine... A total of seventy-four species. I discussed it with Senior Brother Wen and the others, and these are what we found for now. Take a look yourself." As she spoke, she yawned again. "Also, some races excel at divine characters, and certain divine characters possess special healing properties. That kind of information is difficult to gather. If you need it, I can go look into it further." "Mm, thank you for your hard work," Su Yu said with a smile. "Go get some rest. We can handle the rest!" "All right, then!" Wu Lan replied, stifling another yawn. "By the way... my grandaunt sent word earlier. She said your father has been pulled back from the front line and is now at the rear base camp, in the area where King Daqin and the others are stationed. She said not to worry about your father or Curator Chen—they'll both be fine. Also, there's some minor unrest in Great Xia Prefecture lately, so she told you not to even think about going back." Finishing her sentence, she muttered, "She told me not to go back either!" Su Yu froze slightly. Minor unrest? Several Sun Moons from the All-Races Cult had been slain, and Great Xia Prefecture was hardly afraid of the cult. Could the Single Divine Character Faction be stirring up trouble again? That shouldn't be! Yuan Qingdong had barely shown his face lately, so what trouble could he cause? Strictly speaking, Great Xia Prefecture had been relatively peaceful recently. Where was this unrest coming from? Though puzzled, Su Yu still nodded. Once Wu Lan left, he thought for a moment, took out a voice transmission talisman, and quickly transmitted a message: "Brother Zhang, has anything unusual been happening in Great Xia Prefecture lately?" ... Great Xia Prefecture. The Civilization Academy. Zhang Hao walked through the academy grounds, sensing an air of lifeless gloom. Lately, the academy had constantly felt rather dreary. Wan Tiansheng was no longer managing affairs, and many senior elders had entered seclusion. Resources had been slashed, a portion of the instructors had gone to the All-Heavens Battlefield, and many genius students had recently headed out on missions. Upon receiving Su Yu's transmission, Zhang Hao quickly replied, "Unusual things... Quite a few. The academy is somewhat lifeless, like it's lost most of its vitality. I'll be heading out on a mission soon, too. Oh right, my grandfather said that next semester, Great Xia Prefecture might make even greater concessions to pave the way for the manor lord's Dao attainment." "Concessions?" Su Yu was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly replied, "What concessions?" "I don't know the specifics. Rumors have been circulating that Marquis Xia sent envoys to contact the myriad races, including some god and demon races. They want to sign armistice agreements, make concessions, and seek their support. They even... want to open the academy to gods and demons, allowing their scions to enter and study, and are even willing to cede a portion of the slots for the Star Space Mansion. It's completely insane!" Filled with worry, Zhang Hao quickly added, "I can't confirm whether the news is true yet—nothing is finalized. But if they truly do this, Great Xia Prefecture will earn the hostility of several major prefectures... My grandfather said that since internal support can't fully back the manor lord's Dao attainment, the Xia Family's current intention is to seek outside help." ... Su Yu's expression changed! Seeking outside help! Have they gone mad?! Has Marquis Xia lost his mind?! To aid Xia Longwu's Dao attainment, was he going to cede territory, pay reparations, and even snap Great Xia Prefecture's backbone? Even though he had fled Great Xia Prefecture, to say he had no feelings for it was impossible. It was his homeland. What he was proudest of was Great Xia's blade—it had never gone soft! Kill! Slaughter on the All-Heavens Battlefield, slaughter in the All-Races Cult. Aside from showing some leniency toward the Single Divine Character Faction, Great Xia's blade had never wavered! Yet today, Zhang Hao was telling him that Great Xia Prefecture... might be putting down that blade! If it laid down that blade, what would be left? What was the point of everything Great Xia Prefecture had stood for over the past several centuries? "Brother Zhang, is this true?" "I'm not sure... My grandfather only heard Chief Hu mention it in passing and didn't dare probe deeper. The marquis might truly be desperate. I heard Manor Lord Xia can barely suppress his breakthrough anymore and will soon need to attain the Dao, but right now, few Invincibles in the Human Realm have explicitly declared their support for him..." Zhang Hao, having heard this from his grandfather, was deeply troubled. "Brother Su, you're a prominent figure in Great Ming Prefecture now. Could you contact King Daming to fight for a sliver of hope for the manor lord? People in our Great Xia Prefecture might have wronged you, but... the manor lord... I don't know how to put it. All I know is that if the manor lord falls, Great Xia Prefecture might never recover its vigor." Su Yu fell silent. Soon, he transmitted another message: "I will do what I can. Keep an eye on things lately and ask around. If anything changes, contact me immediately." "Understood. Oh right, recently, the radiance of the Sun and Moon has frequently spilled over one of the academy's secret realms. People say either Elder Hong or Director Zhou might be emerging from seclusion. Once out, they might already be at the Sun Moon Realm!" "Grandmaster is coming out of seclusion?" Su Yu was surprised, followed by a wry sense of helplessness. Finally! From the time Su Yu enrolled to when he fled and up until now, Hong Tan had only returned once midway, staying for less than a month before hurrying back into seclusion. Who knew what he would feel once he came out now. "All right, I understand. Thank you, Brother Zhang. By the way, how is your cultivation of the Yuan Shen Aperture Opening Art going?" "I've opened forty-eight apertures. It cost me quite a fortune! You rascal... next time, don't tempt me with such amazing stuff..." Zhang Hao smiled. To compensate the members of their Mutual Aid Society, Su Yu had made some of his cultivation arts available to them in advance. Now, Zhang Hao had switched to cultivating the Yuan Shen Aperture Opening Art, having opened over forty apertures, and he had opened more than thirty divine apertures as well. The Zhang family was supporting him unstintingly, hoping he could swiftly finish opening all seventy-two apertures, step into the Tengkong Realm, and then quickly advance into Lingyun. "That's good. When there's a chance later, I'll send some good stuff your way." Su Yu said no more and quickly cut off the transmission. In his heart, though, he pondered: what was the motive behind Great Xia Prefecture's moves? Great Xia Prefecture was going to bow its head! To bow its head to the myriad races! Ceding territory and paying reparations might be an exaggeration, but the rumors spreading about Marquis Xia pointed toward seeking truces with the myriad races, even making concessions and paying a price to persuade them to ease their interference with Xia Longwu's Dao attainment. Was that possible? Su Yu thought it impossible! Would the Xia Family... truly do this just for Xia Longwu to attain the Dao? Su Yu felt deeply conflicted. Did Xia Longwu agree? If he knew and acquiesced, would he still be the Xia Longwu people revered? "The Xia Family..." Su Yu murmured. Such a Xia Family was not the Xia Family he had envisioned. He could understand their difficulties, including their forbearance toward the Single Divine Character Faction, but those were fellow humans. Now, were they going to yield to humanity's greatest foes, the mighty races of gods and demons? If Great Xia laid down its blade, the only sharp edge left on the All-Heavens Battlefield would be the blade of Great Qin Prefecture! For Xia Longwu's Dao attainment, was it worth it? Su Yu did not know! All he knew was that such a Xia Family and such a Great Xia Prefecture might no longer be the Xia Family he admired. ... He walked down the stairs and headed toward the City Lord Manor. He needed to see Zhu Tiandao to ask for the required materials, including the necessary blood essence. Along the way, he would also ask whether Zhu Tiandao had heard anything about the Xia Family. ... In Great Ming Prefecture nowadays, Su Yu's safety was well-guarded whenever he traveled. Three Shanhai great demons were secretly protecting him at all times. A batch of people had just died in Great Ming Prefecture; not that many Sun Moons were tired of living and eager to throw their lives away here. At the City Lord Manor. Su Yu met Zhu Tiandao and handed over the materials Wu Lan had prepared, saying, "Manor Lord, for the blood essence of these races, I need at least three drops from each. It would be best if they came from the Tengkong or Lingyun Realm. If not, weaker ones will do as well." Zhu Tiandao opened the booklet, took a look, and nodded slightly. "Blood essence from life-prolonging races and healing races... I'll take care of this as soon as possible. However... a few of these races rarely appear, and some are neutral races. I'll arrange for people to gather them." "Thank you, Manor Lord!" Su Yu expressed his thanks, then asked, "Manor Lord, I heard that Great Xia Prefecture plans to recruit some god and demon students next semester?" "..." Zhu Tiandao chuckled. "You even know about that? I just received word myself. Xia Xiao'er only let slip a few hints. It's not just the god and demon races. What the Xia Family means—including what Wan Tiansheng means—is that they could make some concessions at this time, temporarily pulling back some troops and shifting from offense to defense on the All-Heavens Battlefield. Of course, that's not all. I heard the Xia Family intends to yield several minor realms they conquered previously, all to reduce outside interference..." Su Yu frowned. "Is the Xia Family truly going to do that?" "I can't say for certain." Zhu Tiandao shook his head. "However, if the Xia Family does this, it will certainly incur widespread dissatisfaction, and Xia Longwu's Dao attainment will inevitably face harsh condemnation! Of course, if the Xia Family truly insists on it, the probability of success isn't low. Unless every Invincible explicitly steps forward to declare their full support for Xia Longwu's Dao attainment, everyone will simply have to acquiesce if the Xia Family persists." "They would even acquiesce to inviting wolves into the house?" Su Yu was disgruntled. Zhu Tiandao smiled and said, "It doesn't quite count as that. In war, you don't execute envoys! These student exchanges can be viewed as envoys. Naturally, the major prefectures will impose restrictions; they wouldn't allow the other side's powerhouses to enter the realm!" Zhu Tiandao added, "Still, if the Xia Family does this, they'd better watch out for internal trouble first. You know how people in Great Xia Prefecture are—they despise the myriad races. Now, even their greatest enemies, the gods and demons, will be allowed to enter the realm. In my view, doing this will lead to trouble sooner or later!" Su Yu nodded and gritted his teeth. "I'm from Great Xia Prefecture, so I know the temperament there. Great Xia takes pride in military service and honors slaying enemies. Fighting across the heavens, dying isn't terrifying—being a deserter is what brings shame! By acting this way, the Xia Family is essentially playing the deserter! The Xia Family's prestige will undoubtedly plummet!" Zhu Tiandao sighed. "Plummeting... might be the only way to convince the gods and demons. If your Xia Family remained as awe-inspiring as ever, striking wherever you pointed, they wouldn't dare let Xia Longwu attain the Dao. But if your prestige plummets, perhaps... they will! The Xia Family would become the standard-bearer for the faction seeking peace, or even surrender. Look, even the iron-blooded Xia Family has compromised; the gods and demons are here to help us, and we can coexist in peace after all! That is what's truly terrifying!" He let out a sigh! Su Yu frowned. "Could the Invincibles not step forward and declare their support for the Xia Family?" "It's not a matter of declarations..." Zhu Tiandao shook his head. "Right now, it's blatantly obvious that many people want to use Xia Longwu as a target. Let me ask you: if two people from the Zhou family are attaining the Dao, will King Dazhou protect his own descendants or protect Xia Longwu?" "When Qin Zhen of the Qin family attains the Dao, will King Daqin protect Qin Zhen or protect Xia Longwu?" "When a descendant of King Dahan attains the Dao, how will he choose?" "Human nature can be selfish at times, and there's no blaming them for that. Using Xia Longwu alone to trade for several successful Dao attainments—and for their own bloodlines at that—how would you choose? You can't call them cold-blooded, but no matter how you look at it, none of them can bring themselves to abandon their own flesh and blood just to secure Xia Longwu's success." "Then why not refrain from attaining the Dao at the same time..." Before Su Yu could finish, Zhu Tiandao said exasperatedly, "Because it's a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity! If it were me, attempting to attain the Dao on an ordinary day would mean nine deaths to one life. If Xia Longwu is attaining the Dao and I follow along, my chances become fifty-fifty. Tell me, when would be the best time for me to make the attempt?" Su Yu inexplicably felt a surge of sympathy. He felt a profound sorrow for Xia Longwu! Could he blame those Invincibles? Asking himself honestly, if he had to choose between protecting Xia Longwu and protecting his own kin, what would Su Yu do? If his father were attempting to attain the Dao and Su Yu possessed the strength to protect only one person, whom would he protect? His father, of course! Even though he deeply revered Xia Longwu! That reverence wouldn't prevent him from making that choice. Likewise, other Invincibles would do the same. Being an Invincible didn't mean being devoid of emotion. Family was still family, while outsiders were outsiders in the end. Su Yu thought for a moment and asked again, "Since everyone is counting on Manor Lord Xia to serve as the target, why did the Single Divine Character Faction and Great Zhou Prefecture stir up so much trouble in Great Xia Prefecture? Weren't they afraid the manor lord would throw in the towel?" "Do you want the truth or a lie?" Zhu Tiandao asked with a smile, "Which one do you want to hear?" "The truth!" Zhu Tiandao said softly, "If the Xia Family can make concessions, why can't the Zhou family? Trading the suppression of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction by the Single Divine Character Faction for certain benefits is entirely normal! Why did the Eight Great Families acquiesce? Do you really think they're fools? The gods and demons are wary of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction—do you think everyone is blind and couldn't see that? Did they really believe the pretexts? But... if the gods and demons promised that suppressing the Multiple Divine Characters Faction would allow your clan to produce several more Invincibles, how would you choose?" Su Yu was shaken to his core! Zhu Tiandao said coldly, "As the saying goes, those who accomplish great things do not quibble over minor details! How many people are there in the Multiple Divine Characters Faction? At the cost of suppressing a few individuals like Liu Wenyan, humanity gains three to five Invincibles. How would you choose?" Su Yu was struck speechless for a long time! He had thought he saw through everything! Today proved that he had seen through nothing at all! The Single Divine Character Faction suppressing the Multiple Divine Characters Faction might well involve a far deeper transaction. Yes, a transaction! Zhu Tiandao stepped down from the raised platform, walked up to Su Yu, and stared intently into his eyes. "Su Yu, I am telling you these things today, but the moment I step out this door, I will deny every word! Let me ask you: at the cost of suppressing a few individuals like Liu Wenyan and Hong Tan, humanity ultimately gains five Invincibles. Tell me, is this trade worth it? Don't look at it from the perspective of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. Look at it from the perspective of the entire Human Realm. Do you think it's worth it or not?" Su Yu's mouth felt parched; he remained silent. "Does everyone not know how important the Multiple Divine Characters Faction is? They do! But some are thinking: once we have several more Invincibles, we can turn around and support the Multiple Divine Characters Faction again. Tell me, would that be worth it?" "Are people like the Yuan family and the Zhou family traitors? In my view, they aren't. They have their own plans, their own calculations. What they think is that Liu Wenyan and the others are too weak, so suppressing them is enough. No one killed them; they simply suppressed them. At the cost of suppressing a few geniuses, they secure several tangible Invincibles. Is it worth it?" "The one who actually tried to kill Liu Wenyan was just that single individual lurking in the shadows, perhaps driven by a personal grudge. The other Invincibles simply chose to stand by and watch!" He gazed at Su Yu. "Su Yu, you belong to the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, so you despise this deeply! But if you weren't, and trading a few past-their-prime geniuses could gain humanity several more Invincibles, would you find it reasonable?" "Just like me earlier. When nine civilians died, I was relieved that you, Su Yu, were unharmed. Do you think that was right?" "Yet in my eyes, your value far exceeds those nine ordinary citizens. So I believed you couldn't die, while they could. Tell me, was I, Zhu Tiandao, being cold-blooded and realistic, or did I betray the people of Great Ming Prefecture?" Su Yu's throat felt dry and tight. After a long while, he spoke: "You mean... in truth... everyone knew, but everyone silently condoned the Single Divine Character Faction's suppression. It wasn't a simple factional dispute, nor was it out of fear that our growth would provoke a war... It was... to seek a path to attain the Dao!" "You could say that!" Zhu Tiandao said calmly, "People like King Dahan aren't blind! Nor is my father. But why did none of them speak out before? Liu Wenyan remained dormant in Nanyuan for decades, and Hong Tan was suppressed to the point where his faction nearly went extinct. Why did no one step forward to say a word?" "Because... the Multiple Divine Characters Faction wasn't valuable enough. It is just that realistic. Even someone like the Fifth Generation, even though he slew an Invincible, could he slay five Invincibles?" Su Yu gritted his teeth. "I understand! This time, I understand! Everyone has been silently accepting this outcome! The only one who truly resisted was the Xia Family, wasn't it? But now, even the Xia Family can't hold out anymore and wants to compromise, don't they?" Zhu Tiandao nodded. "Perhaps!" Zhu Tiandao said evenly, "There are some matters, some words, that I could have kept to myself. But after thinking it over, I felt it was better to tell you. Let you understand that certain matters are far more complex than you anticipated! At the cost of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction vanishing from humanity, in exchange for producing several more Invincibles and losing fewer Invincibles in the future, it is worth it no matter how you look at it. As for the Xia Family... the reason they refused to compromise and insisted on holding out is that the Multiple Divine Characters Faction... was founded by the Xia Family!" "The Xia Family was unwilling to accept it, unwilling to let the Multiple Divine Characters Faction disappear. That is why this stalemate and resistance dragged on for several decades until today. Now, for the sake of Xia Longwu attaining the Dao, the Xia Family might make concessions. Whether they will use the Multiple Divine Characters Faction as a bargaining chip, I don't know. But if the Xia Family truly yields, your grandmaster might be abandoned next!" He continued calmly, "Not just your grandmaster; your teacher Liu Wenyan might soon be summoned back to Great Xia Prefecture as well. Because on the All-Heavens Battlefield, with King Daqin present, the Xia Family cannot use Liu Wenyan to secure support. But once he returns to Great Xia Prefecture... the Xia Family can choose to stand by and watch!" Su Yu's mind was in turmoil! After a long while, he asked, "Manor Lord, what if my teacher and grandmaster come to Great Ming Prefecture...?" Zhu Tiandao went silent for a moment. "I can allow Hong Tan to come, but not Liu Wenyan. He inherited aspects of the Fifth Generation Ye Batian's legacy and is a thorn in the eyes of the myriad races. If Liu Wenyan comes, Great Ming Prefecture will soon descend into chaos! Besides, Liu Wenyan might not even come. His master was Ye Batian; he will not leave Great Xia Prefecture." "I... understand!" Su Yu gave a self-deprecating smile. "I never imagined the Multiple Divine Characters Faction was so important, that it was the very source of the turmoil. So... everyone's objective is to make the Multiple Divine Characters Faction vanish." With a sigh, Zhu Tiandao nodded. "Just how important the Multiple Divine Characters Faction is, we can vaguely deduce. It likely relates to the suppressive power of the Human Realm. But Ye Batian's failure back then, the wariness of the gods and demons, and the unusual movements of the Immortals all tell us that we cannot act rashly! Additionally, the Multiple Divine Characters Faction hasn't gone completely extinct. I suspect not every practitioner of the faction poses a threat; it must be certain things Ye Batian left behind that made people feel pressured." "That was why the upheaval of years ago took place!" Zhu Tiandao pondered for a moment, then said, "Ye Batian must have uncovered some secrets to truly advancing to the Invincible Realm—the secrets of an Invincible Civilization Master! And all of that might be reflected in his divine characters." Su Yu fell into deep thought. According to Bai Feng, it was because of the lack of an innate divine character, and divine character battle techniques were the embryonic form of an innate divine character. A divine character battle technique paired with human divine characters, sketched entirely from human divine characters, might be able to break that barrier, form an innate divine character, and enter the Invincible Realm. Was Bai Feng's deduction correct? Could a divine character battle technique truly form an innate divine character? Bai Feng had only shared this with a select few. As of now, only five people in the entire Human Realm knew about it: Su Yu, Bai Feng, Liu Wenyan, Hong Tan, and Chen Yong. At most, others only knew about the disassembly art, or knew that god and demon divine characters possessed mutual repulsion. Furthermore, the Fifth Generation's research materials had been stolen. Had the hidden Invincible discovered something from those materials? That person had tried to kill Liu Wenyan and Su Yu; both strikes were aimed at their lineage. Was that person afraid that Liu Wenyan and Su Yu had peeked into certain secrets? What about Martial Uncle Chen... who was currently being pursued by the Six-Winged Cult? Was that hidden Invincible orchestrating that as well? Silencing witnesses! One question after another surfaced! Trading the Dao attainment of several Invincibles—was that the promise the gods and demons had offered? "Manor Lord, you mentioned unusual movements from the Immortal race fifty years ago... Did the Immortals take part as well?" Zhu Tiandao went silent for a moment before replying, "I can't say for sure. However, the Invincibles who ambushed and blocked the path back then had mysterious identities that couldn't be distinguished. Tell me, when several Invincibles suddenly pop up in the myriad realms, which race do you think they belong to? The gods and demons don't bother concealing themselves, while smaller races like to hide their identities, but Invincibles from minor races might not have had that kind of strength. So where do you think those Invincibles came from?" "The Immortals!" Su Yu gritted his teeth. Zhu Tiandao smiled. "Hard to say. In any case... I suspect it was the Immortals. So it wasn't just the gods and demons suppressing us; the Immortals shared that intention. It's just that they are allies on the surface, so it wasn't convenient for them to show their faces directly." "Hmph!" Su Yu spat through clenched teeth. "Those kinds of people are even more despicable!" Zhu Tiandao chuckled. "It's merely mutual exploitation; you can hardly call it betrayal. If we had the chance, we would hit them while they're down just the same!" At this point, Zhu Tiandao smiled. "All right, let's not discuss this any further! The moment I step out this door, I won't acknowledge these words either! If you truly want to demand justice, wait until you reach the Invincible Realm. In addition, don't display too much of your talent as a Civilization Master. Right now, what you've mostly revealed are warrior methods, which is actually very good. The gods and demons aren't afraid of you becoming an Invincible through the warrior path; what they fear is the path of a Civilization Master! If someone can truly activate the Human Realm's suppressive power, it won't just be a matter of one or two Invincibles. In the Human Realm, one Invincible could match ten. You can imagine how terrifying that effect would be! If humanity had fifty Invincibles, they could be wielded like five hundred. Tell me, is that terrifying or not?" "Furthermore, various Invincible powerhouses might have secretly nurtured some Multiple Divine Characters Civilization Masters in private. You are in the light, but there might be others in the shadows, living under assumed names or cultivating in minor realms. So... don't assume that these few are truly all the Multiple Divine Characters Civilization Masters left in the world." Su Yu replied sullenly, "What I care about isn't single or multiple characters, nor is it the faction. What I care about is just those few people, not the entire faction!" People like Zhu Tiandao still didn't understand him well enough. If he truly cared about the faction, there were plenty of Multiple Divine Characters students and instructors in Great Ming Prefecture as well—why had he barely interacted with them? That wasn't what he cared about at all! Soon, Su Yu exhaled. "I understand. Once I return, I'll put this out of my mind! So, at this stage, the disassembly art cannot possibly be popularized, right?" "Indeed!" Zhu Tiandao nodded. That was true; it could not be popularized! He then smiled and added, "Teaching it secretly to a few people isn't a big problem, but it cannot be spread on a large scale." "Understood!" Su Yu said no more and quickly turned to leave. Once he was gone, Zhu Tiandao shook his head and looked toward the north, in the direction of Great Xia Prefecture. Had the Xia Family compromised? Would Liu Wenyan be summoned back? Would Hong Tan be betrayed? Was this a ruse of self-injury, or had the Xia Family truly abandoned the Multiple Divine Characters Faction? Was this Xia Xiao'er's doing, or... was Wan Tiansheng secretly manipulating everything from behind the scenes? "And the objective?" "Xia Longwu's Dao attainment?" "Xia Longwu has practically become your scapegoat ancestor. Any blame can be dumped on his Dao attainment. Impressive, truly. I suppose when you've got too many lice, you stop itching, eh?" Zhu Tiandao chuckled. Indeed, a few more scapegoat duties wouldn't hurt Xia Longwu. Nor would they hurt Xia Xiao'er. Meanwhile, Wan Tiansheng remained, to this day, a weakling, a coward, an academy head who had suffered a blow. ... While Su Yu buried his head in researching life-prolonging methods, winds of change began to stir in Great Xia Prefecture. "Next semester, more students from the myriad races will be enrolled!" "The Demon Suppression Army on the front lines will retreat three thousand li!" "..." Great Xia Prefecture was instantly shaken. Word coming down from the higher-ups left many citizens of Great Xia Prefecture thoroughly outraged. They were actually going to continue enrolling students from the myriad races?! And god and demon students at that! As for Immortal students, the hatred wasn't as deep, so people didn't bother complaining much. But gods and demons were bitter blood enemies—did they not know that?! The army retreating three thousand li—what was the meaning of this?! "Down with Xia Xiao'er! Return our Great Xia Prefecture!" "May Manor Lord Longwu emerge from seclusion and restore order!" "..." Such cries echoed repeatedly across Great Xia Prefecture! Xia Xiao'er was meddling recklessly again! It was all because of that Xia Xiao'er! It was all that scoundrel, blindly making a mess without the slightest clue how to govern! ... Inside Great Xia Prefecture. The Xia Family residence. Listening to the cries outside, Marquis Xia ate his food in silence, finding little appetite. In the past, he had taken the blame for minor matters that carried no great moral weight. Now... he had truly become an object of universal condemnation! His reputation was thoroughly ruined! Sinner! Traitor! Race betrayer! The destroyer of Great Xia Prefecture, the vermin of the Xia Family, leaving an infamous name for eternity... The outside world had pinned countless epithets upon him. Marquis Xia continued eating. Across from him, Xia Chan and Xia Huyou wore troubled expressions. Xia Chan, suppressing her fury, demanded, "Grandfather, why recruit god and demon students?" "And why order the front-line army to retreat? In the past, you said funds were tight, but now, resources for the academies have been slashed, and the aperture fusion method brought in huge amounts of merit points. Could that still not cover military expenditures?" Xia Chan was furious. "Grandfather, everyone outside is cursing you right now!" "I know. I'm not deaf!" Marquis Xia said indifferently, "All right, once you're done eating, go to the academy. What are you making a fuss about?" "Grandfather..." Beside herself with anger, Xia Chan stood up and stormed off. She was seething with rage! Once she left, Xia Huyou let out a sigh. "Second Grandfather... does my father know about this?" "He doesn't." Marquis Xia said indifferently, "What use would it be if he knew? If he knew, all he'd do is slash, slash, slash. What good does slashing do? Can he slash an Invincible to death? Your father attaining the Dao and becoming an Invincible is what matters; nothing else does. Once the Xia Family has two Invincibles, I can retire behind the scenes, and your father can step forward to restore our domain." Xia Huyou said bitterly, "Second Grandfather, I know you certainly have no intention of betraying humanity. But if this continues, your reputation will be completely ruined. The public's opinion of you in Great Xia Prefecture has hit rock bottom. Unlike before, when people brought you up, they would at most joke that you were greedy for money..." His reputation had truly hit rock bottom! "Can reputation put food on the table?" Marquis Xia was nonchalant. Xia Huyou felt an inexplicable sorrow. Reputation couldn't put food on the table, but as a member of the Xia Family and a marquis of Great Xia Prefecture, being loathed and spat upon by the people of Great Xia, and even cursed to his face by old friends—could Second Grandfather truly feel no heartache? "If my father... truly can't attain the Dao, Second Grandfather... let's give it up!" "Unfilial brat, get lost!" Marquis Xia flew into a rage and bellowed, "Get out! If you truly had any capability, guarding your father through his trial would be better than anything. Having no skill and only knowing how to wail like it's a funeral—what are you wailing for? Get out!" Marquis Xia was furious! It was the first time he had ever lost his temper at this grandnephew! Helplessness written all over his face, Xia Huyou stood up, bowed slightly, and said, "Second Grandfather, perhaps I was wrong to say that. But I believe... even if the Xia Family must die standing, we cannot live on our knees like this. More than three hundred years of sacrifice... cannot be destroyed in an instant just for my father!" Marquis Xia was dazed, lost in thought for a long while before shouting, "Get lost!" Xia Huyou sighed, turned, and walked away. Once he was gone, Marquis Xia's upright back slouched slightly. He muttered, "What do you know? Who the hell is living on their knees?!" With that, he glanced toward the Great Xia Civilization Academy. He muttered a few words that no one could hear. I, Xia Xiao'er, have done everything humanly possible! Now, if I walk outside, people will probably spit on me. Those bastards in Great Xia Prefecture are just that rash. Ah, this life... there's no living it! Leaning back in his chair, rocking gently, Marquis Xia suddenly chuckled softly to himself. On the day I die, how will people evaluate me? He suddenly felt a flicker of anticipation, truly wishing someone would write him an epitaph: *Xia Xiao'er, second son of King Daxia. Exceptionally gifted from youth, unrestrained and romantic, pursued by ten thousand admirers, an elegant young master... In middle age, obsessed with commerce, black-hearted to the extreme, known as the Black-Hearted Marquis... In his twilight years, he invited wolves into the house, colluding with gods and demons; later, he turned over a new leaf and fell in battle on the All-Heavens Battlefield...* *Creak, creak...* The old wooden chair rocked back and forth. Marquis Xia yawned, stretched his limbs, and smiled. Forget it. How much is a reputation worth anyway? Little Longwu, don't you die on me. Your second uncle will live longer than you. When you were little, your second uncle doted on you the most. Don't go throwing your life away.