Silence.
The extraordinary genius who had swept through the major prefectures had been defeated by Su Yu just like that.
At this moment, the onlookers felt disbelief, mingled with a lingering sense of desolation.
Shan Xiong had fallen. Did that so-called invincibility within the same realm truly exist anymore?
Could anyone defeat Su Yu?
With his physical body pulverized and his sea of will battered and fractured, would Shan Xiong perish entirely right here?
Above the lake, Su Yu reiterated, "The divine character is mine!"
Jiang Tao gritted his teeth. Right then, someone shouted in grief and fury, "Su Yu, don't go too far! Do you really have to kill him?"
In the next instant, a figure dashed out.
Shang Tianjiao threw herself in front of Su Yu, shrill and frantic. "He lost! He has been defeated! You are stronger than him, you're number one in Tengkong now! Are you still not satisfied? Do you really have to kill him?"
She looked dazed, caught in profound disbelief, unable to process what had happened even now.
Yet she knew Shan Xiong had lost!
She had always thought Shan Xiong might suffer defeat one day, but never in the Tengkong Realm. No one in Tengkong should have been able to beat him.
Yet today, Su Yu had thoroughly suppressed him from start to finish!
From beginning to end, Shan Xiong had failed to inflict any serious damage on Su Yu until Su Yu himself detonated 144 of his own Yuan apertures.
Suppression!
Total, absolute suppression!
Su Yu gazed at her impassively, his voice calm. "Victory and defeat are determined by fate, as are life and death! Had I lost, would you people have spared my divine character? Of course, had I lost, I would have yielded it!"
Anxious and frantic, a mixture of rage and grief welling within her, Shang Tianjiao gritted her teeth. "What do you want? I'll give it to you! You want divine characters? My Shang family can provide them—even Sunmoon divine characters!"
"I only want his!"
Su Yu pointed across the water. He wanted only Shan Xiong's!
He had sensed that Shan Xiong's divine character possessed something extraordinary.
As for Sunmoon divine characters, he already had some.
"Su Yu!" Shang Tianjiao fumed. "Have you truly not considered the consequences?"
"Consequences?"
Su Yu gave a faint smile. "What consequences? Tell me, enlighten me! Would King Dashang come cause trouble for me over a dead man, over a single descendant like you? What an absurd notion! Threatening me? Do you take me for your subordinate, or your vassal? Do you think you can intimidate me?"
Su Yu sneered. So what if she was the descendant of an Invincible?
He had seen plenty of Invincible descendants!
"Shang Tianjiao, step aside. If you block my path, and I take it as a provocation or a challenge, I will kill you!"
Su Yu stared at her with chilling eyes, sending a shiver coursing through her entire body.
"Your Highness!"
At that moment, several formidable experts from Great Shang Prefecture took to the air.
Every one of them was on high alert!
Su Yu glanced at the armored warriors and smiled faintly. "Accepting the consequences of a wager is only natural. Shan Xiong swept through over a dozen prefectures, and not a single person reneged on their bets. Why does it suddenly change when it's his turn?"
Shang Tianjiao ground her teeth. "No, you cannot kill him! He's different! He is the hope of the human race..."
"Pfft!"
From the walkway, Wu Lan let out a contemptuous scoff, retorting irritably, "You make it sound as if the Human Realm would collapse without Shan Xiong! If he's the hope of the human race, then I'm the ancestor of the human race!"
Shang Tianjiao had no time to spare for her, and neither did Su Yu, who flew straight toward Jiang Tao.
Infuriated, Shang Tianjiao barked, "Stop him!"
The armored warriors were all in the Shanhai Realm, and at this moment, they looked torn and nervous.
Stop Su Yu?
"Hurry!" Shang Tianjiao shouted as she spun around and flew toward Jiang Tao. "I'm taking Brother Shan Xiong back to Great Shang Prefecture..."
She wanted to seize him and make a run for it!
Otherwise, she feared Great Zhou Prefecture might surrender Shan Xiong in the end just to save face.
Ahead of them, Su Yu paid no heed to anything else, flying straight in their direction. The armored warriors hesitated for a heartbeat before gritting their teeth, preparing to block his advance.
Down below, Niu Baidao chuckled softly. "Let's talk this out civilly. For people from Great Shang Prefecture to draw weapons against our Elder right here... that would be crossing the line. Think through the consequences carefully!"
He sipped his tea in an unhurried manner, not the least bit anxious.
Su Yu had won, so what was there to be anxious about?
As for those armored guards... just let them try resorting to violence!
Did they really take Great Ming Prefecture for idle freeloaders?
Su Yu also wore a faint smile, disregarding the Shanhai experts as he sped toward Jiang Tao.
"Stop him, hurry! Are you going to disobey my orders?"
Struggle was written across the guards' faces. One of them said in a low voice, "Principal Niu, we harbor no ill intent whatsoever. Elder Su, please stay your hand for a moment. Anything can be resolved through discussion..."
"No discussion. I only want his divine character!"
Su Yu flew directly at them. The guards quickly backed away, the leading Shanhai expert feeling a chill in his heart.
They couldn't lay a hand on Su Yu!
If they struck Su Yu here, Niu Baidao would very likely eliminate them without hesitation. They did not fear for their own lives, but Her Highness was still here.
"Elder Su, there are plenty of divine characters in the world..."
They yielded step by step!
By then, Shang Tianjiao had already reached Jiang Tao's side and said through gritted teeth, "Elder Jiang, hand Brother Shan Xiong to me! I'll take him away!"
She intended to leave immediately and return to Great Shang Prefecture.
If she tried to leave, staking her own life on it, Great Ming Prefecture might not necessarily bar her way. She was King Dashang's great-granddaughter, a direct descendant of an Invincible.
Anyone else—even Jiang Tao—would find it exceedingly difficult to take Shan Xiong away.
Jiang Tao's eyes flickered with indecision. Without a word, he quickly handed over a golden sphere in his hands. He had used protective measures to preserve Shan Xiong's sea of will within it.
At this point, it was indeed hard for him to protect Shan Xiong.
Taking the golden sphere, Shang Tianjiao clenched her teeth and turned to fly out of the academy, shouting back, "Whoever stops me, I'll detonate myself right before their eyes! Su Yu, we are willing to pay the price..."
No sooner had she spoken than three Shanhai demon beasts appeared ahead, cutting off her path of retreat.
Behind her, Su Yu forced the Shanhai guards back step by step; still, none of them dared to genuinely intercept him.
From below, another expert sighed and called out, "Su Yu, remember to show mercy where possible. Both Great Zhou Prefecture and Great Shang Prefecture will compensate you. Shan Xiong is a peerless talent rarely seen among humanity..."
Unmoved, Su Yu chuckled softly. "Fine. I can spare his life. Let him kneel and kowtow in apology at every single academy where he fought against the multiple divine character faction. If he does that, I will naturally let him off. A genius naturally deserves the treatment of a genius; I won't kill him!"
The elderly speaker instantly fell silent.
That... was impossible.
Su Yu let out a sneer.
"Since he battled his way across the realm, suppressing the multiple divine character faction so severely that they couldn't hold their heads high, forcing them to dissolve schools and cancel departments, I don't think asking him to kneel and kowtow in apology is asking too much, is it?"
Jiang Tao's gaze turned sharp, and he said in a heavy voice, "An apology is acceptable, but kneeling and kowtowing... those people..."
"Are they unworthy?" Su Yu said indifferently. "He lost to me. Even if I killed him, it would be entirely justified. What's more, I only asked for his divine character; I never said I would kill him. Whether he survives or not depends on his own luck. Don't apply double standards. If he's allowed to win, is he not allowed to lose?"
Su Yu chuckled. Ahead of them, Shang Tianjiao ignored the three great demons and attempted to flee past them, but Ju Shan curled his lip and swatted a massive palm forward!
Rumble!
A deafening boom erupted. In the next instant, a powerful surge of willpower burst from Shang Tianjiao's body. An illusionary silhouette materialized above her head. The phantom glanced at the three great demons, then let out a soft sigh. "Su Yu, for my sake, could both sides take a step back? Tianjiao holds affection for Shan Xiong; their feelings are mutual..."
"My apologies, but I don't know who you are!"
Su Yu had already arrived. The Shanhai guards, overcome with guilt, bowed deeply before Shang Tianjiao and greeted the apparition with lowered heads.
"Greetings, Prefecture Lord!"
Shang Tianjiao hastily cried out, "Grandfather, Brother Shan Xiong's injuries are extremely severe..."
The silhouette above her sighed helplessly, glancing at Jiang Tao in the distance. This was Great Zhou Prefecture's affair!
Yet now...
No Great Zhou expert of stature had stepped forward.
Instead, his rash granddaughter had swept Shan Xiong away, creating a massive headache.
"Su Yu, one hundred drops of god and demon essence blood... at the Shanhai Realm!"
"I'm not a beggar!"
Having realized the other's identity, Su Yu was not surprised. "A hundred drops of Shanhai god and demon essence blood?"
Su Yu smiled. "I'm not lacking in such petty sums. I have wealth. I possess abundant god and demon essence blood, and even primordial god and demon essence blood is mere rubbish to me. Great Xia Prefecture even gifted me the complete corpse of an eighth-tier Sunmoon from the Tianyi God race, which I haven't even touched yet. Great Ming Prefecture has the corpse of a fifth-tier Sunmoon from the Blood Fire Demon race available for me to draw upon at any time. Prefecture Lord Shang, do I look like a beggar to you?
"This matter has nothing to do with Great Shang Prefecture. I hope you will not interfere."
The silhouette of the Great Shang Prefecture Lord stiffened slightly, a sense of helplessness welling in his chest.
Indeed, Su Yu truly did not lack resources.
A few cultivation methods had earned him unimaginable wealth!
Great Ming Prefecture valued him tremendously. What could he possibly lack?
He lacked nothing!
After he easily dismantled Shan Xiong today, Zhu Tiandao would value him even more.
It was a thorny dilemma!
With his divine character intact, Shan Xiong was worth investing in; but once it was stripped away, even if Shan Xiong survived, he would become a cripple. Would such a cripple still be worth backing?
Right now, a window of opportunity remained.
Just as he was about to speak, Niu Baidao sighed from below. "I say, aren't you all going a bit too far? If you want to talk, talk properly. What is all this posturing? Come down, have a seat, and discuss it. Prefecture Lord Shang, manifesting a willpower incarnation so abruptly on our academy's grounds... that's hardly appropriate, is it?"
The phantom said softly, "Forgive my intrusion. This wisp of willpower was left purely for Tianjiao's protection, with no other intent. Principal Niu, you are right; some matters can be settled around a table. Su Yu, state your terms. If Great Shang Prefecture cannot meet them, Great Zhou Prefecture can. Even if you take Shan Xiong's divine character, your own is already profoundly wondrous, so why would you need another's to study? You would be far better off exchanging it for things you actually need. You detonated your Yuan apertures, and your injuries are not light either; wouldn't it be better to tend to your wounds first..."
As he spoke, someone from Quest Academy chimed in as well. "Principal Niu, Su Yu, we are all part of the human race. This was merely a duel. Rather than killing Shan Xiong, it would be better for everyone to talk it over. There is no need to push things to such extremes."
"Indeed. Even had Su Yu lost, we would have offered the same counsel to Great Zhou Prefecture. This is not about favoring anyone; we simply do not wish to see a human talent perish in a spar between peers!"
"..."
Several figures spoke up one after another. Even now, they remained somewhat dazed.
Shan Xiong had lost far too miserably!
His physical body had been completely blown apart!
His sea of will had also been heavily battered by Su Yu, and currently relied entirely on his divine character to hold together. Once the divine character was extracted, Shan Xiong was practically doomed. Losing his physical body was manageable—after all, Shan Xiong's true strength lay in the dao of divine characters.
At worst, they could pay a steep price to reconstruct his physical form, and he could painstakingly cultivate his body anew.
He would just have to start from scratch!
Shan Xiong had paid a massive price to temper his body, and now it was all gone.
Ignoring the crowd, Su Yu said with a mild smile, "I won, so how I proceed is my business! Respected seniors, your views do not represent mine! When Shan Xiong swept through the multiple divine character factions of every prefecture, forcing them to shut down their departments, why didn't I hear any of you speak out?"
Su Yu continued calmly, "He considered himself invincible and came to challenge me. He lost, and I am simply claiming what belongs to me. Is there anything wrong with that? I am not like him. If I wished, I could sweep through the single divine character faction peers across every prefecture too. Would that make the single divine character faction close their doors? Only someone with too much free time would bother doing that. Since he chose to do it, shouldn't he bear the consequences he deserves?"
Silence fell.
No one could refute his words.
Shan Xiong's tour of challenging multiple divine character factions across various prefectures had certainly not been driven by pure motives; that was beyond dispute.
Unfortunately, he had run straight into an iron wall this time.
Niu Baidao chuckled. "Su Yu, watch your tone! Show some courtesy! And Prefecture Lord Shang, this great-granddaughter of yours... Well, she's just a little girl whose head has been turned by romance; it's understandable. Still... snatching Su Yu's spoils of war is a major taboo. Hand it over first. If this were on the All-Heavens Battlefield, stealing someone else's spoils would be a grave offense. Since she's young and this is her first offense, we can overlook it for now..."
Shang Tianjiao bit her lip, looking toward the figure solidifying beside her—her grandfather. At this moment, her only hope lay in him helping her, helping Shan Xiong survive this ordeal.
Prefecture Lord Shang was silent for a moment before speaking. "Tianjiao, hand Shan Xiong's divine character over to Su Yu first..."
"I won't!"
Shang Tianjiao was beside herself with despair. Her grandfather was actually telling her to surrender it.
Prefecture Lord Shang said calmly, "Hand it over. You can hand it to Principal Niu instead. Principal Niu, wouldn't that work?"
Niu Baidao would not rashly execute Shan Xiong.
Killing Shan Xiong brought no great benefit and would only offend both Great Zhou and Great Shang Prefectures. As for handing him to Su Yu... young people were prone to impulsiveness, and Su Yu might very well finish him off the next second.
Right at that moment, the golden sphere in Shang Tianjiao's hands began to coalesce faintly. A moment later, Shan Xiong's weak voice emerged: "Tianjiao... let Su Yu take my divine character..."
"No!"
Shang Tianjiao's eyes turned bloodshot. "You're not allowed to die!"
Turning toward Su Yu, she cried in anguish, "Do you really have to kill him? He never killed any of your people! His grandfather was even killed by your teacher, yet he never thought of killing you! Su Yu, are you truly so cold-blooded?"
Su Yu laughed. "So by your logic, this is my fault?"
"His grandfather repeatedly stirred up trouble, ambushing my grandteacher, my teacher, and my martial uncle in Great Xia Prefecture. Was getting killed not entirely expected? Everyone involved was an adult; shouldn't they bear the responsibility for their own choices?
"As for him, he lost to me. If he had the ability to kill me, I naturally wouldn't complain. But he couldn't. What, did you expect me to offer up my life instead?"
Su Yu chuckled faintly. "Why do some people always think of themselves as the innocent, wronged victims deserving of sympathy? Shan Xiong didn't have to challenge me. Did I force him to come?"
Shang Tianjiao was left tongue-tied.
Su Yu said indifferently, "If you weren't the descendant of an Invincible, you would already be dead the moment you snatched my spoils! Don't assume your family background allows you to act without restraint. Prefecture Lord Shang is right here. If you still refuse to hand over Shan Xiong and I kill you, will Great Shang Prefecture come after my life?
"This clearly had nothing to do with Great Shang Prefecture, yet you insist on dragging Great Shang Prefecture into it?
"Last time, an Elder from Great Shang Prefecture ambushed me, and I didn't even bother pursuing the matter. Does Great Shang Prefecture truly insist on making an enemy of me?"
Su Yu didn't look at Shang Tianjiao, keeping his gaze fixed on the illusionary silhouette.
Prefecture Lord Shang fell silent for a time before speaking: "Hand Shan Xiong over to Principal Niu. Su Yu, do not kill him over a momentary fit of anger. It holds little real meaning for you. Whatever you desire, Great Zhou Prefecture and Great Shang Prefecture will provide it, doing our utmost to satisfy your demands!"
As for whether Su Yu would truly kill Shang Tianjiao... it was unlikely, but if he did, could he really come and kill Su Yu in retaliation?
What a joke!
Families of the Invincible were powerful, but it wasn't as though Su Yu lacked powerful backing of his own.
Over an affair that had nothing to do with them, were they supposed to ignite a war between two prefectures?
Zhou Polong hadn't even shown his face; why should he get entangled?
If not for Shan Xiong holding some value, he wouldn't have appeared at all, let alone tried to mediate.
Right now, he could already sense multiple Sunmoon experts locking their qi onto his willpower avatar. This avatar was not particularly strong and would dissipate before long. Taking action would be meaningless and would only pit him against Great Ming Prefecture—something he had no appetite for.
Turning toward Jiang Tao, he asked calmly, "Jiang Tao, do you believe this can be negotiated?"
Jiang Tao kept his head lowered. "It can. Whatever Su Yu wants, so long as it is not too unreasonable, Great Zhou Prefecture can provide it for Junior Brother Shan's sake!"
Su Yu chuckled. "You make it sound as though you're roasting me over a fire, as if this were all my fault! Respected seniors, did I say anything? Did I ask you for anything? Do I lack resources? I lack nothing! Right now, all I want is Shan Xiong's divine character. That is all I need! Of course, if the two of you can offer a treasure that allows me to advance to the Invincible Realm, I might consider it. Otherwise... I believe reaching Sunmoon won't be a problem for me."
Silence fell!
All around, the onlookers were left dumbstruck.
His words... were actually unassailable.
Would reaching Sunmoon be a problem for Su Yu?
It shouldn't be particularly difficult!
He didn't lack money, resources, or cultivation arts. It truly seemed nearly impossible to move him.
No one had anticipated that the duel would end like this.
A total blowout!
Now, in their bid to protect Shan Xiong, both Great Shang Prefecture and Great Zhou Prefecture found themselves backed into a corner. What could they possibly offer to save him?
...
While the courtyard was locked in a standstill, at the very same moment...
Great Ming Prefecture, the Prefecture Lord Manor.
Zhu Tiandao was drinking tea with a middle-aged man. Zhu Tiandao chuckled. "That kid... strikes mercilessly! Your disciple's strength is quite impressive, though. How on earth did he forge that divine character? It looks like a single character, yet feels like it isn't. How could a single character possess so many traits?"
Sitting across from him was none other than Zhou Polong.
Zhou Polong said nothing at first. He took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Shan Xiong cannot die. Name your price. I wanted him to test Su Yu's capabilities, but the outcome... went somewhat beyond my expectations."
Even he had failed to anticipate this result—the defeat had been exceptionally swift and brutal.
"What does this have to do with me?" Zhu Tiandao laughed. "I'm not Su Yu."
Zhou Polong said indifferently, "If you refuse to intervene, I will simply take him by force. Can Su Yu stop me?"
"..."
Zhu Tiandao chuckled dryly. "Brother Zhou, that wouldn't be appropriate. It was a wager, after all..."
"Is face worth anything?" Zhou Polong murmured. "If I take Shan Xiong by force, would you have your father march into Great Zhou Prefecture to settle scores with me over this?"
"*Cough, cough!* How could that be? Impossible, my father wouldn't do that!" Zhu Tiandao laughed. "However... that breaks the rules! If you do that, and I do that, everyone might as well renege on their debts from now on. The game wouldn't work anymore, would it, Brother Zhou?"
Zhou Polong said calmly, "Which is why I told you to name a price!"
"I can't name a price. How would I know what Su Yu wants? How about this: I'll act as a mediator, and you two can talk. As I see it, Su Yu doesn't harbor such overwhelming murderous intent; he's just frightening Shan Xiong. It should be open to discussion." Zhu Tiandao smiled. "It's a trivial matter, after all. They aren't bitter rivals or mortal enemies. Once Su Yu grows a bit stronger, that disciple of yours won't amount to anything in his eyes, and he won't care much about him either."
At these words, Zhou Polong's hand paused slightly over his teacup. He smiled. "Zhu Tiandao, you certainly dare to speak your mind."
"Not at all, just speaking the truth!" Zhu Tiandao laughed. "Say, Great Ming Prefecture is truly lively today. That fellow Shang Yunchao even sent a willpower avatar over. I really feel like beating up a few Invincible descendants one by one; maybe I could draw out a few more old friends to chat and drink tea with."
Boring!
Zhou Polong couldn't be bothered to engage with his banter.
Finishing his tea, he stood up. "Does Su Yu know I'm here?"
"I wouldn't know about that."
"Interesting. Does he want me to step forward and negotiate with him personally?"
Zhou Polong smiled faintly, not moving his feet. In the next instant, both men appeared directly in the air above Su Yu.
Every gaze turned toward them.
"Greetings, Principal Zhou! Greetings, Prefecture Lord Zhu!"
Several experts bowed in greeting.
Principal Zhou was addressed first!
In terms of status, Zhu Tiandao ranked higher, but in terms of sheer strength, Zhou Polong was stronger.
An expert on the verge of the Invincible Realm!
Comparable to Xia Longwu. Naturally, rumors outside claimed he was slightly inferior to Xia Longwu, but since the two had never clashed, it was impossible to say for sure.
Zhou Polong paid no heed to the greetings, while Zhu Tiandao smiled and nodded.
Soon, Zhu Tiandao chuckled. "Old Shang, instead of coming in person, you sent a willpower avatar. That's a bit disrespectful to me! Don't do this next time, or else I'll have my boy go stir up trouble at your place, and I'll detonate some willpower to test the waters too. Old Shang, don't you agree?"
The Great Shang Prefecture Lord nodded slightly. "My apologies. In a moment of urgency... Tianjiao has been spoiled, which led to this farce. When we next meet, I will certainly make amends."
Zhu Tiandao laughed heartily. "No problem, no problem, just making casual conversation! She's just a child; who would hold a grudge against a child over something like this? Su Yu, be a bit more magnanimous. You're an Elder, after all. Strictly speaking, it wouldn't be out of place if Tianjiao called you uncle; or if you're shameless enough, even grandfather would work! You're an Honorary Elder, which puts you on the same generational footing as the Prefecture Lords and Academy Principals. Why bicker with a child?"
"..."
Silence descended over the surroundings once more.
The two great figures had arrived, and everyone had expected to hear how they would resolve the standoff. Who would have thought Zhu Tiandao would begin by roasting the Great Shang contingent?
Zhou Polong ignored the banter. Reaching out with a hand, the golden sphere in Shang Tianjiao's grasp flew into his palm. Soon, a bloody glow appeared in his hand, and the golden sphere gradually began absorbing blood qi. A moment later, Shan Xiong manifested, his face deathly pale.
His physical strength had plummeted all the way down to the threshold of the Qianjun Realm.
Having his body reconstructed meant he didn't need to cultivate through the Kaiyuan Realm again.
Of course, if he went too long without casting his body, the nine apertures would close up, forcing him to tread the Kaiyuan Realm once more and waste a great deal of time.
Manifesting, Shan Xiong lowered his head and said in a raspy voice, "Teacher, your disciple has disgraced you!"
"No matter," Zhou Polong said calmly. "Su Yu possesses formidable talent and impressive strength. He is stronger than I was in my youth, and stronger than Xia Longwu in his youth. Even had Xia Longwu or I encountered him at the Tengkong stage, our chances of survival would have been slim. To keep your life is already an achievement."
As soon as these words landed, a commotion broke out!
Zhou Polong!
He had actually said that had he or Xia Longwu faced Su Yu within the same realm in their youth, their chances of survival would have been next to none! What did that imply?
Did it mean Su Yu's talent and strength surpassed those of two quasi-Invincibles?
Opposite him, Su Yu furrowed his brows slightly, studying Zhou Polong. He didn't look old, appearing rather young. He lacked Xia Longwu's overpowering majesty, carrying a scholarly air instead; encountering him on ordinary days, one might find him easier to approach than Xia Longwu.
Yet this was the very man responsible for the suppression and persecution of Great Xia Prefecture's multiple divine character faction for so many years!
Across the entire Human Realm, it was the same!
The struggle between the single and multiple factions, and the suppression of the latter, was inseparable from Zhou Polong.
Because his father had been an Invincible who perished while rescuing the Fifth Generation. Though Zhou Polong had never personally stepped forward, the actions of Zhou Mingren and the others against Hong Tan and his peers were all tied to this man!
The demand to strip Liu Wenyan of his divine character had also originated from his intent.
Seeing Su Yu looking his way, Zhou Polong said calmly, "Su Yu, Shan Xiong lost; his strength was inferior to yours. As for your desire to claim his divine character... accepting the wager's outcome is only fair. He acknowledges it, and so do I. A divine character for a divine character. In exchange for his divine character, the Ye Batian divine character inherited by Liu Wenyan will be settled. You will not lose out."
Zhou Polong continued evenly, "Years ago, my father died while rescuing Ye Batian. Strictly speaking, Ye Batian's divine character should not have been inherited by Liu Wenyan; this has always been the crux of the issue. I have the right to inspect it, to share in it. That Liu Wenyan cannot produce it is his own problem! This point was acknowledged back then by King Daxia and the others, and even Liu Wenyan himself recognized it! Today, we use Shan Xiong's divine character to put an end to this grievance and entanglement. What do you say?"
A divine character for a divine character!
Did Zhou Polong have the right to demand and inspect the Fifth Generation's divine character?
He did!
Su Yu did not know the exact details, but he knew that Liu Wenyan and Hong Tan essentially acknowledged this right. Naturally, inspecting it was one thing, but there was never an agreement to give it to him outright; however, certain research materials left behind by the Fifth Generation had been promised to Zhou Polong.
Su Yu didn't know the full truth of that either, but no one denied or refuted that Zhou Polong's father had died trying to save him.
Now, the materials had vanished, and Liu Wenyan could not produce the divine character.
Thus, that very excuse had been used during the previous encirclement.
Now that Zhou Polong offered to wipe the slate clean, Su Yu fell into deep thought.
Was it worth it?
In his eyes, it was indeed worth it.
Yet, even if the grievance was settled, what of it?
Liu Wenyan had been suppressed for a full fifty years!
"Teacher..."
At this moment, Shan Xiong was overwhelmed with guilt. His teacher was using his father's past benevolence to trade for his life; this was a debt of gratitude he dared not accept.
From this day forward, Zhou Polong and the Zhou family would have no further justification to invoke the Zhou Invincible's sacrifice for the Fifth Generation to demand anything from the multiple divine character faction. There would be no need.
Should further conflict arise, the multiple divine character faction would no longer feel beholden or in the wrong.
Zhou Polong raised a hand, stopping him from speaking further. Looking at Su Yu, he said indifferently, "Is this not enough? If you agree, from now on, the dispute between the single and multiple factions will involve no personal grievances whatsoever. It will be a dispute of Daos, a contest for survival, unrelated to individuals. Liu Wenyan will no longer have to carry any burden. My father's death and Ye Batian's death belong to the previous generation, and will no longer involve anything else. Is that sufficient?"
No longer have to carry any burden!
What burden had Liu Wenyan been carrying?
He carried the debts incurred by the Fifth Generation—an immense debt of gratitude, the debt of an Invincible sacrificing his life in rescue. That debt was simply too heavy.
Su Yu smiled and nodded. "Agreed! With this, my teacher and my grandteacher will no longer owe the Zhou family anything! If conflict arises again in the future, if they deserve to die, members of the Zhou family can be killed just the same! Principal Zhou, am I correct?"
Zhou Polong glanced at him. "You are."
Audacious!
Very few dared to say such things to his face.
Yet Su Yu had said it!
He was also venting his resentment and indignation. Because it was difficult to strike at the Zhou family, Hong Tan had constantly yielded over the years, even avoiding direct confrontations with Zhou Mingren.
Today, Su Yu openly declared that members of the Zhou family could be killed!
And Zhou Polong had not refuted it.
Those who deserved death could naturally be killed!
And this was the finest outcome Su Yu could have attained. As for resources, treasures, or merit points, he cared little for them; such things could be acquired easily enough.
Whatever Great Zhou Prefecture possessed, Great Ming Prefecture wasn't necessarily without. He could obtain the same by asking Zhu Tiandao.
In contrast, resolving this grievance was exceedingly difficult.
Su Yu felt a wave of joy. He believed that when Liu Wenyan learned of this, he would be ecstatic, as though an immense weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He had not expected Zhou Polong to propose this himself.
Before this, Su Yu had harbored such thoughts, but never believed Zhou Polong would agree, nor did he think Shan Xiong was worth such a sacrifice in Zhou Polong's eyes. After all, when it came to the Fifth Generation's death, the Zhou family held the moral high ground.
Today, all of that was dissolved.
Otherwise, even if Liu Wenyan and Hong Tan acquired immense power one day and faced Zhou Polong with the intent to kill him, striking down the son of their master's savior would brand them as ungrateful wretches!
His father had died for their master; killing him would be unacceptable.
No matter how heinous his crimes, they would inevitably bear the stigma of infamy.
At this moment, many thoughts crossed Su Yu's mind, and his smile grew increasingly radiant. "Since that's settled, there's nothing more to discuss. Senior Brother Shan's strength is formidable, his talent remarkable, and his divine character profoundly wondrous. I wish Senior Brother Shan a speedy recovery, and I wish Senior Brother Shan and Princess Shang an early wedding, plenty of children, and a blissful life..."
His smile was bright, as though nothing unpleasant had just occurred.
His flowery congratulations left everyone in awkward silence, their breath caught in their chests. It would have been better had he said nothing at all; anyone else in their shoes would likely have been choked with fury.
After offering his felicitations, Su Yu suddenly spat a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale. "Now that the matter is resolved, I must return to nurse my injuries. Senior Brother Shan was too powerful, detonating 144 of my Yuan apertures. I fear I won't have any hope of recovery for eight to ten years... I won't trouble you respected seniors any longer!"
With those words, Su Yu took to the air, flying toward the Primordial Spirit Research Institute.
Behind him, Zhou Polong said calmly, "You possess exceptional talent and have hope of attaining the Invincible Realm. If Great Ming Prefecture is ever unable to protect you, you may come find me in Great Zhou Prefecture."
The entire courtyard fell silent once again!
This day had brought far too many shocks.
What did Zhou Polong mean?
Would he actually accept Su Yu?
Without looking back, Su Yu called out, "Thank you, Principal Zhou, but I'm doing very well right now, and Prefecture Lord Zhu is my savior! As for attaining the Invincible Realm, perhaps we can revisit that in a hundred years. For now, let me offer my early congratulations to Principal Zhou; our human race is about to gain another Invincible—a grand blessing for the Human Realm!"
After flying a bit farther, Su Yu suddenly added, "Furthermore, Senior Brother Shan concealed his true strength, so my victory was hardly fair. To dispel the hostility of certain factions, he went so far as to disguise his divine character battle technique to such an extent... truly impressive. How could humble Su Yu ever deserve to serve as Senior Brother Shan's scapegoat? It is truly an honor. Had he gone all out, I might not have been his match... To endure such a massive loss for the greater scheme, Senior Brother Shan is truly a ruthless mastermind!"
Shan Xiong froze. In the next instant, everyone's eyes snapped toward him.
Zhu Tiandao appeared astonished, muttering, "Multiple divine characters! Divine character unification? This... this... the sign of an Invincible!"
Internally, however, he cursed in awe.
*Holy shit!*
*This kid Su Yu is ruthless as hell!*
Did people suspect something?
Of course they did!
Shan Xiong's single divine character had been utterly bizarre, packed with an absurd number of traits. Could it... truly be divine character unification?
Was that why the Zhou family was willing to let go of the Fifth Generation's debt just to protect Shan Xiong?
Had Shan Xiong's defeat at Su Yu's hands been a deliberate feint?
A ploy to dispel suspicion and redirect the focus of all races onto Su Yu?
What an elaborate ruse of self-inflicted injury!
"Brilliant!"
Someone muttered under their breath. Su Yu was truly something else to see through it all. More importantly... the fellow had actually blurted it out in front of everyone.
Down below, someone curled their lip. "So that's how it is! No wonder he lost so quickly, blown apart in three moves. Turns out it was all to hide his strength and divert attention. How shameless! No wonder!"
Wu Lan curled her lip and turned to leave.
Shameless scoundrel!
Earlier, she had thought Shan Xiong possessed at least some grace in defeat, but hearing Su Yu's words, she instantly felt the man was far too insidious—and so was the Zhou family!
Everything had been orchestrated purely to pull Shan Xiong out of the spotlight!
Such thoughts arose in more than one person's mind.
Was Shan Xiong... truly that weak?
Well, not weak.
Yet Su Yu had defeated him far too easily!
Su Yu hadn't even suffered serious injury in taking him down!
He was, after all, an expert who had swept through the multiple divine character factions of over a dozen prefectures; how could the gap between him and Su Yu be so vast?
With Zhu Tiandao playing along, even Zhou Polong raised an eyebrow slightly.
He glanced at the departing Su Yu, then back at Zhu Tiandao, and smiled.
Great Ming Prefecture... was truly interesting.
Zhu Tiandao paid no heed to his reaction, sighing with a shake of his head and muttering, "That bastard Su Yu, I'll settle scores with him later. Don't take it to heart, Brother Zhou—the boy just blabbers the truth without thinking. Now... all that suffering was endured for nothing!"
What a shame!
A grand ruse of self-injury, completely ruined.
As for whether it was truly a ruse, who cared? If Great Zhou Prefecture wanted to push Su Yu into the spotlight, he was naturally going to push back. Let Shan Xiong bear the burden instead; his ambition was simply too grand, masquerading as a practitioner of a single divine character.
Now, did everyone understand why Shan Xiong was so formidable?
Did they understand why his divine character had so many traits?
Divine character unification!
Who knew how many divine characters had been fused together!
This fellow was practically closer to an Invincible Civilization Master than anyone else. Don't misunderstand and think he was useless; it was all an act put on for their benefit.
Shan Xiong opened his mouth, but for a long time, not a single word came out.
At this moment, whether he denied it or admitted it, neither would do any good.
The seed of suspicion had been firmly planted by Su Yu.
Chapter 323