Heroes Gather in Great Ming

After a while, Su Yu came to his senses. The "Fire" divine character had advanced! A Tier-3 divine character! This character had little offensive capability, but advancing to Tier 3 brought Su Yu many insights, including into the application, transformation, and outlining of divine character battle techniques, as well as a deepened comprehension of divine characters themselves. Opening his eyes, he glanced at Wu Lan. Wu Lan was looking at him too, wearing a calm, composed expression. "What are you staring at? I succeeded in outlining mine—twenty divine characters! Impressive, isn't it?" Su Yu nodded with a smile. "Impressive! Is it the first Manor Head's divine character template?" "I don't know!" Wu Lan's head instantly drooped. "Anyway, it's just a battle technique with a whole lot of divine characters. How am I supposed to know if it belonged to the first Manor Head? I have to outline some characters first and see. I haven't figured it out yet." Having said that, she quickly grew excited again. "Never mind! Whether it is or not, it's amazing!" Twenty divine characters! That was incredible, wasn't it? "Su Yu, how many characters are in your divine character battle technique?" "Two nines!" "..." Wu Lan stared at him in confusion. Why put it like that? What did two nines mean? Ninety-nine? Eighty-one? Eighteen? "How many is it, really? Don't tell me it's only eighteen? That's not even as good as mine!" Su Yu chuckled. "Never mind how many I have. You outline all twenty divine characters first before bragging. If you can't fill it out, it's just a useless battle technique." "It can be disassembled!" That seemed true! Su Yu was speechless. Indeed, the current disassembly art gave everyone a chance; even if one couldn't outline every character, it was no longer a major issue. Wu Lan said gleefully, "Su Yu, what do you think—should I wait until I reach the Tengkong Realm before outlining the divine characters? I'm in no rush anyway. Outlining divine characters now is too troublesome, and I'd still have to open divine apertures." "Once your divine apertures are open, do whatever you like." Su Yu chose not to interfere with her path of cultivation. How she walked it was her own business, and Wu Lan was not ignorant either. "Then keep cultivating on your own. I've got my own work to do." Su Yu beckoned with a hand, shrinking the Divine Character Battle Technique Stele and taking it into his grasp. The next moment, the stele vanished, entering his sea of will. This item could actually be stored inside the sea of will. Only now did Su Yu truly realize just how precious it was. "By the way, it's best not to disclose your divine character battle technique to outsiders. Even if word gets out, just say you learned it here in Great Ming Prefecture." "Okay!" Wu Lan nodded. She understood; that was a small matter. ... Leaving the study, Su Yu entered the cultivation chamber once more. He felt a faint sense of urgency. His body casting was too slow! Even using the vitality-stimulating method, it was still slow. Moreover, using it increased his consumption. Not much Heaven Yuan Qi was left, enough at most for Su Yu to complete two or three more castings. Out of his two hundred thousand merit points, Su Yu still had a little Mountain-Breaking Ox blood essence remaining, but even if he used it all up, at best he would only reach around the sixth or seventh casting. A single casting of the flesh cost nearly thirty thousand merit points. Seventy-two castings would require at least over two million merit points. To say it was a lot, it wasn't excessively so—Su Yu could actually afford it. But to say it wasn't much was utter nonsense. Over two million merit points could support an army of ten thousand Tengkong cultivators for nearly a year. "And if I want to speed it up, I'll have to waste even more. Time is more precious than money!" In the cultivation chamber, Su Yu acted decisively, releasing all the remaining Heaven Yuan Qi and laying down a shadow barrier. The "Fire" divine character blazed as he channeled the vitality-stimulating method, speeding up his body casting. Shan Xiong? Since he was coming, he shouldn't think of leaving. Toward Shan Xiong, he harbored an intent to kill. Physically, he was stronger than Shan Xiong, but not necessarily by much. In terms of divine characters, Shan Xiong had swept through his peers in the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, so he was surely formidable as well; Su Yu didn't actually believe his own divine characters could crush him. His characters were numerous and his divine apertures were plentiful, but if that could crush Shan Xiong, then Shan Xiong would be far too weak. The current Su Yu was at most on par with Bai Feng back then, perhaps just a tiny bit stronger. Did Shan Xiong compare to Bai Feng? Although Su Yu felt bad about calling his teacher weak again, in sheer martial prowess, Bai Feng was most likely inferior to Shan Xiong, especially now that the latter had reached the ninth stage of Tengkong. If they were evenly matched in willpower, then he had to crush him physically. Golden radiance spread across his flesh! Belittle the opponent in attitude, but take him seriously in battle. Not only take him seriously, but defeat him with the utmost speed, leaving him no chance to turn the tables. ... While Su Yu went into seclusion once more, at the city gates of Great Ming Prefecture, geniuses arrived from all directions under the lead of various experts. "This is Great Ming Prefecture?" "Feels no different from our place!" "Master, Great Ming Prefecture isn't that strong, right?" "..." Elderly figures arrived with young men and women. Others led very young students toward the gate. The residents of Great Ming Prefecture didn't mind. Someone riding a mount gave a few of the youngsters a good scare before trotting off in high spirits. *Little punks, who knows what backwater you came from? Our Great Ming Prefecture killed five Sun Moons! Just a few days ago! Not that strong? You've got to be kidding!* Shan Xiong fighting Su Yu was huge news: a clash between the foremost Tengkong geniuses of the Single and Multiple Divine Character Factions. Tengkong was hardly weak, and geniuses of this caliber drew even more experts. At this moment, Lingyun and Shanhai cultivators were everywhere. Not only that! Right at that moment, an enormous dragon flew through the sky, riding upon clouds and mist. At the same time, atop the city walls of Tiandu Prefecture in Great Ming Prefecture, cannon muzzles swiveled to aim at the sky. A Shanhai expert bellowed, "Halt and land! State your name! Outside individuals are strictly forbidden from riding demon beasts across Tiandu's skies!" Just as the giant dragon was about to roar, a golden dragon surged into the sky from within Tiandu Prefecture! From far away, its terrifying aura erupted, spitting a stream of golden flame that burned the void. It was Zhu Tiandao's mount! At the same time, someone roared, "Insolence! Are you trying to rebel? Whether you're from the War God Hall, Quest Realm, or an Invincible family, get down on the ground!" At this moment, countless cannons along the wall surged with rich Yuan Qi power. In the air, the visiting giant dragon immediately backed down and obediently descended. From atop its back, an elderly man took flight, grumbling gloomily, "We hail from Quest Academy. According to past agreements, when Quest Academy visits, we are not required to dismount..." That was a real rule! An agreed-upon convention! Damn it! Why were they being so brutal, threatening to fight and kill? A cold shout came from the city: "That says you don't need to dismount your horse! This is a dragon! Riding a horse is fine, but flying on a dragon? What nerve!" Moments later, several Shanhai cultivators flew over, led by a Sun Moon realm expert. The Sun Moon at the front was a grand commander of the prefecture army. Glancing at the old man, then at the dozen or so students on the dragon's back, he curled his lip. "By the Manor Head's order, visitors from the two holy lands are to proceed to the Yuqiang Department to rest! As for this dragon, transform into human form. Flying through the city in dragon form is forbidden!" The grounded dragon protested in dissatisfaction, speaking up, "Manor Head Zhu also has a fellow kinsman of mine..." Even as it spoke, the golden dragon in the sky bared its fangs in a broad grin, its draconic face full of mockery! *Bastard, you compare yourself to me? I am the Manor Head's mount! Are you?* Smug and pleased with itself, the golden dragon circled through the air, posing and showing off before flying back into the Prefecture Lord Manor. The Sun Moon commander was speechless. After a moment, he said, "That is the Manor Head's mount, patrolling Tiandu Prefecture on his behalf!" The grounded dragon was helpless. Fine, a dragon under another's eaves had no choice but to bow its head. The name of the Quest Realm didn't seem to carry much weight in Great Ming Prefecture anymore. A moment later, after the students dismounted, the giant dragon shook its body and transformed into a middle-aged man, looking rather depressed. Just as the group from Quest Realm arrived, another enormous beast approached from another direction—a tiger of the Flying Tiger tribe, radiating the aura of the Sun Moon Realm. The Flying Tigers were the strongest among the tiger tribes. A Sun Moon realm expert was a top-tier powerhouse even among Flying Tigers. Upon its back rode another group of youths and several elders. Having seen Quest Academy's reception, the elders led their students down to the ground while still a distance away. An old man laughed heartily. "War God Academy has arrived! Brother Jiang, long time no see!" The Sun Moon commander smiled and nodded. "It has indeed been quite a while. For the academies of the two holy lands, War God and Quest, to visit—rare guests indeed!" Most of them were descendants of Invincibles! The students admitted by these two academies were either descendants of Invincibles or of Sun Moon realm experts. For instance, back in Great Xia Prefecture, Hu Qiusheng and Wan Mingze had both possessed the opportunity to study at Quest Academy, but had chosen not to go. As the academies from the two holy lands arrived, many surrounding elders greeted them, and the students they brought turned their gazes toward the pupils of the two holy lands. Although called students, some had already reached the Tengkong Realm. Nonetheless, all of them looked very young. Just as they exchanged greetings, another dragon flew through the sky—a white dragon! Its aura wasn't overtly overpowering, yet the moment they saw it, the middle-aged man who was the dragon from Quest Realm shrank his neck, visibly frightened. The old man who was the transformed Flying Tiger also furrowed his brows and lowered his head. Around them, whispers broke out: "Where did this white dragon come from? I've never seen it before!" "Ignorant, aren't you? That's from Great Xia Prefecture—the mount of Great Xia Civilization Academy's second Manor Head!" Hearing this, everyone understood. A top-tier powerhouse! A seventh-stage Sun Moon dragon! Great Xia Prefecture actually sent people too? Wasn't Great Xia in utter chaos? Did they really have time to watch the show? Rumor had it that Bai Feng's journey back was fraught with trouble, with massive battles breaking out multiple times. With a seventh-stage Sun Moon dragon available, instead of escorting Bai Feng, it flew to Great Ming Prefecture just to spectate? Even as everyone wondered, the white dragon landed and instantly transformed into an elderly man. He had a hunched back and leaned on a cane. "Greetings, Senior!" The Sun Moon commander from Great Ming greeted him respectfully. Toward a late-stage Sun Moon peak expert, one had to show courtesy. Furthermore, the dragon had not come alone. Students landed one after another, led by an old acquaintance: Elder Qi of Great Xia Civilization Academy, alongside Xia Huyou and several others. The old man nodded without a word. He glanced at the middle-aged dragon from Quest Realm and smiled with a slight nod. The middle-aged man looked embarrassed, lowering his head and saying nothing. Over by the Prefecture Lord Manor, the golden dragon rose into the air again, peeked in this direction, and promptly landed back down, hiding away. It had sensed a fellow dragon, but upon seeing the old man and recognizing who he was, the golden dragon hid itself once more. This dragon of Great Xia Prefecture had joined the human race early on. After the second Manor Head tamed him, he had fought across the realms for many years. While the elder appeared genial, Great Xia was a den of slaughterers, and in years past, he had slain countless experts among the ten thousand races on the All-Heavens Battlefield. For a long time, the elder had remained in seclusion; who would have thought he would come out now? Just scaring the little ones! Compared to this elder, Zhu Tiandao's golden dragon was indeed just a child. Great Xia's arrival was unexpected, yet entirely natural. As the cradle of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, it made sense for Great Xia to send people when the foremost Tengkong geniuses of the Single and Multiple factions were about to clash. The second Manor Head's mount remained silent, but Elder Qi said with a laugh, "Manor Head Wan and the others didn't have time to come. Commander Jiang, I brought a few students to broaden their horizons. I trust we're welcome?" "Of course!" The Sun Moon commander chuckled. "It's an honor! Great Xia and Great Ming have been neighbors for so many years with frequent exchanges. Dropping by for a visit is only right." While they exchanged courtesies, everyone's expression shifted slightly. In the distance, an enormous golden bird flew toward them. The Golden Peng tribe! "Great Zhou Prefecture is here!" "Didn't they say no one was coming? Only Shan Xiong himself—wait, and the little princess from Great Shang Prefecture. Why did Great Zhou send people too?" "Afraid Su Yu will kill Shan Xiong, maybe?" "I don't think Su Yu can necessarily beat Shan Xiong." "Hard to say!" "..." Spectators gathered in increasing numbers, drawn by the spectacle. Great Zhou Prefecture had sent people as well! This surprised those who had thought Shan Xiong would be riding solo. Moments later, the Golden Peng touched down. It transformed instantly into a handsome young man clad in golden robes, carrying even more imperial bearing than the seventh-stage Sun Moon old dragon. He was exceptionally powerful—a fifth-stage Sun Moon. Behind the Golden Peng stood a long-haired, bearded middle-aged man wearing yellow robes, who smiled and said, "Old Jiang, long time no see! Has my junior brother arrived?" Whispers broke out once more. "Zhou Polong's eldest disciple, Jiang Tao, peak Shanhai! On the verge of entering the Sun Moon Realm!" "Shan Xiong's eldest senior brother!" "Even he came. Great Zhou Prefecture is taking this seriously." "Looks like even if Su Yu wins, he might not be able to kill Shan Xiong. With this man here, plus that Sun Moon Peng..." Commander Jiang, the Sun Moon expert, raised an eyebrow. They really took this seriously! Jiang Tao had come in person! Though not yet in the Sun Moon Realm, he was Zhou Polong's personal eldest disciple; his presence carried significant weight. In terms of strength, Commander Jiang was inferior to the several Sun Moons present. He felt faintly stifled under the pressure of so many Sun Moons. Just as he thought this, the pressure bearing down on him evaporated. A moment later, an old man walked out. Niu Baidao carried the air of an immortal daoist, laughing loudly from afar: "So many little friends have arrived! Rare guests, rare guests! The Manor Head is occupied and couldn't come in person to welcome you, so my old bones volunteered to receive everyone. That fellow Old Hou ran off to fool around somewhere and hasn't returned, leaving the Yuqiang Department completely unattended!" "Is this little Jiang Tao?" Manor Head Niu glanced at Jiang Tao and laughed merrily. "In the blink of an eye, you've grown so big! I met your father back in the day—I even held him while he peed when he was a toddler! And now here you are, all grown up!" "And this is little Qi, grown up too!" "And this is... little Xie from Quest Academy? You're Xie Daofu's son, right? In the blink of an eye, you're all grown up too—look even older than me!" "And that's... little Dai from War God Academy? I knew your grandfather. How do you look so ancient already? Time spares no one!" "..." Total silence fell over the crowd! Niu Baidao had arrived! With a single appearance, he suppressed the entire gathering. Not through strength, but seniority. He was from the same era as the founding kings who established the prefectures—even older than some of them. He had simply lacked luck and failed to secure an Invincible relic back in the day. A five-hundred-year-old man! Nowadays, among those who hadn't reached the Invincible Realm at that age, there were hardly any still roaming around out in the open. People like Hu Qi were roughly of the same era, but were now near the end of their lifespans and rarely showed their faces. Niu Baidao, on the other hand, had actively served in Great Ming Prefecture for 351 years straight! Up to this day, the academy head had never been replaced, and he still held the post. Not only did he appear frequently, but the man often drank at brothels and looked after young, blooming wives—a fact known to many. The older he grew, the more energetic he seemed; with seventh-stage Sun Moon strength, he acted just like a grandpa focused on health and longevity. Chuckling, Niu Baidao soon turned to the old dragon, who was also at the seventh stage of Sun Moon, and said with a chuckle, "Little Dragon, you've grown so old too." Great Xia's old dragon was speechless. Back then, he had been the second Manor Head's mount, and the second Manor Head... well, just listen to the title: one generation lower by default! The second Manor Head had to call Niu Baidao "Martial Uncle," making him lower by a generation as well. "Greetings, Manor Head Niu!" The old dragon stopped coughing. Although he was technically older in years, dragons and humans reckoned age differently; a five-hundred-year-old human was equivalent to a five-thousand-year-old super ancient dragon in dragon years! He wasn't that old! Coughing in front of this man felt inappropriate, and even his cane vanished unnoticed. Niu Baidao looked around and chuckled. "So many people have come, so many young ones. Your talents look quite fine and your strength is decent—truly the elites of our human race! "It seems everyone knows about Shan Xiong challenging Su Yu. The main challenger hasn't even arrived, yet a whole crowd has gathered to watch the fun!" Niu Baidao continued with a grin, "Everyone, pleasantries aside, our Great Ming Prefecture was breached by the All-Races Cult not long ago, so the current situation is rather tense. We suffered heavy losses last time and still haven't rooted out all the cultists. Therefore... spectating is fine, but do not fight within Tiandu Prefecture. "With so many Sun Moons here, we're frightened too. If someone gets hurt accidentally, that would be terrible! "Also, it's best not to hide your cultivation. If someone conceals their strength out in the open like this and we discover it, we might think you harbor ill intent and are trying to sneak into Great Ming. If so, my apologies, but don't say Great Ming didn't warn you." Niu Baidao chuckled. "Great Ming is far too weak. We barely have any Sun Moons. In the late stages of Sun Moon, there are only the Manor Head and myself right now, so we always feel uneasy. Please refrain from rash actions. Regardless of personal grudges, don't settle them in Great Ming. Take it outside!" At this point, Niu Baidao added with a chuckle, "Furthermore, Shan Xiong hasn't arrived yet and hasn't officially issued a challenge. Even if he does, Su Yu might not accept. He's been in seclusion lately, so don't take this too seriously. Elder Su Yu has been busy with research, closed-door study, and so many tasks..." Elder Su Yu! At those words, many froze. The elder surnamed Xie from Quest Academy asked in surprise, "Manor Head Niu, what do you mean by..." "Huh?" "About him being an elder." "Oh!" Niu Baidao laughed. "Hasn't Great Ming always had this rule? An honorary elder, just in title. Exchanging the Primordial Spirit Cultural Art, Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art, and Double Wu Aperture Fusion Art for an honorary elder title is no problem at all!" The crowd fell silent, feeling an unpleasant taste in their mouths. An elder! Fuck! That meant if Su Yu were standing here, his status would be equal to anyone below the Sun Moon Realm. Anyone below Sun Moon had no right to throw their weight around before him. Su Yu wouldn't even need to bow or salute. Students seeing Su Yu would have to salute him! The elders from Quest Realm couldn't say anything either. Great Ming had always had honorary elders. Of course, Quest Realm hadn't officially recognized it, so it didn't count as an official elder, but Great Ming's recognition was enough. By now, more and more people gathered near the city gate. Niu Baidao chuckled, "Well then, let us enter the city. No need to stand here like monkeys in a circus for people to gawk at. These Great Ming brats haven't seen much of the world; whenever there's excitement, they swarm to watch..." Someone muttered under their breath, "We know. Great Ming Prefecture, the capital of gossip—a show must be watched!" Some stifled laughs. That was indeed Great Ming's style! Dangerous or not, watch the spectacle first, disperse after watching, discuss after dispersing, and gossip after discussing. Otherwise, in any other prefecture, with dragons, golden pengs, and flying tigers descending, people would have fled far away. Great Ming was the opposite; citizens inside the city were rushing over, afraid the show would end before they got a glimpse. Niu Baidao didn't care. Leading the crowd, he said, "With so many people, we won't lodge you separately. Everyone, come along to the academy. Near Baidao Pavilion, there happen to be several vacant courtyards where you can stay for a few days. The environment is quite nice." The students were curious about Baidao Pavilion, but the elders knew this was a deterrent. Baidao Pavilion was a peak Heaven-grade cultural weapon! It could spontaneously unleash Sun Moon power! If anyone tried anything, it would strike like thunder. On its own, Baidao Pavilion could unleash the power of a first- or second-stage Sun Moon, but once wielded by a top Sun Moon expert, that expert's strength could increase by a sub-stage. For example, if Zhu Tiandao took control of Baidao Pavilion, he might possess peak Sun Moon strength rather than his current early ninth-stage Sun Moon realm. In the crowd, no one refused. To Baidao Pavilion it was, then! Someone smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I challenged Baidao Pavilion. Perhaps I can give it a try..." Niu Baidao laughed. "Try it if you like, but don't go shearing our sheep. Baidao Pavilion's consumption has been rather heavy lately. If the juniors want to try, just pay a token fee of five hundred merit points. Those above Shanhai, give a token thousand merit points. The consumption is simply too huge." "..." Speechless! Is Great Ming Prefecture really so short on money? Wasn't it free before? Usually outsiders got one free run, but now they were charging fees! Niu Baidao didn't care what they thought. There was no helping it; the consumption had indeed been massive—slaying Sun Moons, and then getting fleeced by Su Yu. They were running at a loss right now. The group entered the city. Tiandu Prefecture was bustling. At this moment, people packed the streets, leaving only the central thoroughfare clear. Yet the people on both sides stared eagerly at them, as if watching animals at a zoo. "Look, quick, look! That's that huge flying bird from earlier!" "Shut up, keep your voice down! That's not a bird, that's a Golden-Winged Peng!" "Is a Golden-Winged Peng not a bird?" "Shh, quiet! If it hears you, those birds are ferocious!" "..." "Where are the dragons from earlier?" "That one, the one in the green robe—that's a dragon!" "Where, where? I want to see too!" "And the tiger, the giant tiger, that really big one, which one is it?" "..." Some couldn't take it anymore. Jiang Tao coughed lightly and said, "Manor Head Niu, should we just fly over?" How far would they have to walk like this? Damn it! The whole way was packed with seas of people, staring at them like zoo animals. Who could endure this? People in Great Ming Prefecture were too damn idle! And their guts were ridiculous too—weren't they afraid of getting struck down for gawking at powerful experts? Niu Baidao laughed. "Heading to the academy already? Won't you take another look at Great Ming's local customs? Our people are very hospitable!" Niu Baidao chuckled to suppress their arrogance, preventing them from causing trouble in Great Ming. If trouble arose, handling it would be a headache since these were all experts from major prefectures. The moment Great Zhou arrived, their presence was overbearing. Now that Su Yu was in Great Ming, he was under Great Ming's wing; how could they let Great Zhou dominate in momentum? They had to be brought down a peg! Seeing that the point was made, Niu Baidao smiled and said, "Then let us head to the academy. The academy has prepared fine wine and delicious food. Great Ming might lack other things, but wine and dishes are plentiful! The Manor Head is busy these few days; once he's free, he will receive everyone!" Nobody said a word. Soon, the group quickened their pace without taking flight, moving much faster. Before long, they vanished from the public's sight. The citizens of Great Ming were a bit disappointed. *They left so fast! We didn't even get to see their true forms. Honestly, they should have transformed back for everyone to see.* ... Meanwhile, not long after that group departed, a small party of riders came galloping toward the city gate on horseback. Leading them on the foremost horses were a young man and woman: the man handsome, the woman pretty and striking, drawing eyes. The gate guards glanced over and quickly recognized their clan emblem. People from Great Shang Prefecture! Looking at the two riding at the front, they swiftly deduced their identities. After taking another look, a guard politely asked, "Might you be Teaching Assistant Shan from Great Zhou Prefecture and Her Highness the Little Princess from Great Shang Prefecture?" "I am Shan Xiong." Shan Xiong smiled. The guard quickly replied, "Manor Head Niu gave instructions: once Teaching Assistant Shan arrives, you may rest at the Yuqiang Department or proceed to the Civilization Academy. Elder Jiang from Great Zhou Prefecture arrived not long ago." "Senior Brother Jiang is here as well?" "Yes." Shan Xiong gave a slight nod. Just as he was about to ride forward, the guard smiled. "Everyone, you must dismount. In Tiandu Prefecture, all outsiders must dismount..." Shang Tianjiao looked somewhat displeased, but Shan Xiong said nothing. Dismounting from his horse with a smile, he led it into the city on foot. Once their group had gone, the gate guard looked at his colleagues and clicked his tongue. "Quite graceful and composed. If he and Su Yu really fight to the death... it'd feel like a waste no matter who dies." "Great Zhou sent people, and we're the hosts here. How could someone die that easily?" Another guard chuckled, "What I admire more is how this guy hooked the Shang family's little princess. Look at her, completely obedient to him. She probably didn't want to dismount, but the moment Shan Xiong did, she dismounted without a word. Tsk, tsk... In this regard, he's better than Su Yu. Su Yu..." "Not necessarily! Su Yu hadn't been here long—didn't you see? The miss of the Wu family from Great Xia chased after him across thousands of li!" "That's true!" The men chuckled and gossiped in low voices. People in Great Ming loved romantic rumors. As for the clash between the single and multiple divine character factions... that topic was far too heavy; it was much better to discuss which beauties, noble ladies, and princesses pursued these geniuses. Since ancient times, beauties have favored heroes; female descendants of Invincible families generally chose to unite with peerless geniuses. "Speaking of which, our Eighth Princess isn't young anymore. Who does she fancy? I heard the Manor Head intended to betroth her to Su Yu, but there hasn't been any movement!" "Who knows! Maybe she took a liking to someone among the Eight Steeds?" "By the way, over in Great Xia Prefecture, didn't the Xia family princess have some gossip with Su Yu too?" "I don't think so, did she?" "I heard she did! A caravan from Great Xia told us last time. You don't know? Rumors about them spread all across Great Xia! Before coming here, that young miss from the Wu family beat up the Xia princess! Tsk, tsk, when they fought, pulling hair, tearing clothes, scratching faces... all that was missing was rolling around on the ground! Supposedly whoever won got to come find Su Yu... and the second miss of the Wu family won!" "There was such a thing?" The guards instantly got fired up with gossip. This was huge news they had never heard before! Meanwhile, near the city gate, several passing old men couldn't help laughing. Pure nonsense! The culture in Great Ming Prefecture truly gave people headaches. Instead of discussing serious business, they chattered about these trivial things—so damn idle! As the old men walked past, the soldiers seemed not to notice them at all, paying them no heed. One old man smiled and said, "We old fellows haven't met in many years. Now that we've run into each other, how about getting a drink later and calling Old Niu along?" "Sounds good! Old Niu has plenty of good wine!" "Watch out, or he'll find you a few young wives off the street and put you on the spot." "Hahaha! What do I have to fear? I'm all on my own. As for you, watch out for that fierce wife of yours—it's been centuries, and she still keeps you on a tight leash!" ... As they chatted, at that moment in the Prefecture Lord Manor, Zhu Tiandao looked toward the city gates, stroked his chin, and raised an eyebrow. Why had these old ghosts arrived together? Had Old Niu summoned them? They were people with one foot in the grave—could they have come for Su Yu's cultivation art? But there wasn't even a result yet! Teacher Hu hadn't even come out of seclusion! "A bunch of idle people. And they say Great Ming is idle with nothing to do! With so many Sun Moons having free time, wouldn't it be better to go hunt down the All-Races Cult? Why must they all rush to Great Ming?" Zhu Tiandao sighed. *I hope you don't make trouble for me. While in Great Ming, keep a low profile!* Su Yu had been relatively low-key lately. Shan Xiong had nothing better to do than come challenge him? No, it was Zhou Polong who had nothing better to do, deliberately shifting the spotlight onto Great Ming Prefecture. "To draw attention away from Great Xia Prefecture? Or to plot against Great Ming? And probe our depth in passing... Don't tell me that fellow is coming too?" Zhu Tiandao curled his lip. Damn it, if he came, Zhu Tiandao might not actually be his match. If a fight broke out here, would he have to call for his father? His old man wasn't even in the Human Realm! What a headache!