Mingling with the Big Shots

The wind began to rise. Late in the night on the first of June, gale winds swept across Great Xia Civilization Academy. High in the void, the outline of the 107th golden inscription flickered into being. Everyone watching understood that Zhao Li would soon complete his seclusion. Everything was going smoothly! At least in the eyes of onlookers, it was extraordinarily smooth. The Great Xia Prefecture was about to gain a top-tier armamentsmith. Barring any accidents, the academy would soon welcome a new elder, perhaps even the dean of the Forging College—though Zhao Li might not necessarily accept the appointment. Just as the crowd waited with bated breath, clouds roiled across the sky. Lightning flashed, and thunder roared! *Rumble!* Bolts spawned out of empty air, and the outline of the 108th inscription officially materialized! At that very second, everyone held their breath in anticipation. And right then, the yuanqi secret realm vanished into thin air. Up in the void, Zhao Li retracted the secret realm, brandishing a colossal hammer for all to see. At that exact instant, the aura of a civilized armament surged from below! A somewhat smaller hammer burst straight through the roof. Beneath the shattered rafters, a hand reached up and caught the shaft. Across the hammer's head, sixty-six golden inscriptions flared and vanished in the blink of an eye. The onlookers froze. Sixty-six golden inscriptions? A peak Profound-rank civilized armament! Could this... have been forged by Cui Lang? While Zhao Li was forging his own armament, Cui Lang had been forging one as well? Before anyone could wrap their heads around it, someone cried out in delight, "Congratulations, Teacher!" It was Zhao Li's students. Their faces beamed with unconcealed joy as they shouted their felicitations. He had succeeded! Zhao Li wore an indifferent expression, offering little remark. He cast a glance down at Su Yu and said with a faint smile, "Little Friend Cui has finished as well. Quite a bit faster than I anticipated. A pity that retracting the yuanqi secret realm disrupted you at the very end." "No matter. Teacher Zhao has given me invaluable guidance these past days. It is merely a peak Profound-rank civilized armament. I can easily forge a few dozen more for fun when I get back." "..." A sudden hush fell over the surroundings. The next instant, Su Yu soared into the air, hovering side by side with Zhao Li. Yet... something felt subtly off. Remaining entirely composed, Su Yu channeled his yuanqi and manifested a flowing white robe over his frame. His breezy, carefree demeanor instantly put the startled spectators at ease. What a dashing young gentleman! As for Old Zhao... well, muscular though he was, his hair was white and he was well past his prime. There wasn't much worth looking at. Zhao Li paused slightly as well. Soon, chuckling, a suit of gleaming leather armor materialized over his body, shimmering with radiance. One glance showed it was a peak Profound-rank defensive armament, making several spectators' eyes light up. What an exquisite piece! "Congratulations, Master Zhao!" "Felicitations to Master Zhao!" "Great Xia has gained yet another armamentsmith grandmaster!" Voices rang out in congratulations. Several Earth-rank armamentsmiths stepped forward with praise, while Hu Qi looked at Su Yu and chuckled. "Cui Lang, not bad at all. Give yourself a bit more time to consolidate, and you'll step into Earth rank before long. Truly, the youth are formidable!" The crowd approached in groups, paying no mind to the fact that the two had been stripped bare moments earlier. After forging continuously for so many days, their clothes had shattered long ago. What was the big deal about not wearing robes? It wasn't as if they were women. Su Yu and Zhao Li carried themselves with utter nonchalance. They had simply forgotten to put clothes back on. If people wanted to look, let them look; it wasn't as though they weren't wearing undergarments. As the well-wishes poured in, the void flickered, and Zhao Tianbing appeared. Marquis Xia arrived at the same time. Both men wore broad smiles. Zhao Tianbing cupped his fists and laughed. "Congratulations, Junior Brother! You have finally succeeded! And congratulations on stepping into the Shanhai Realm and attaining Earth rank!" "Nothing special," Zhao Li replied coolly. Then he smiled. "Little Friend Cui, however, exceeded my expectations. He will certainly reach Earth rank within a year, and I hope he reaches Heaven rank within a decade to bring great glory to the Dao of Armamentsmithing!" The crowd was taken aback. Zhao Li thought that highly of Cui Lang? Su Yu, beaming with a rakish grin, laughed and said, "Teacher Zhao flatters me! I am merely at the peak of Profound rank today. Truth be told, Teacher Zhao imparted the Expanding Will Art to me and taught me the forging craft; such mentorship can hardly be repaid. Once I advance to Heaven rank, I shall certainly help Teacher Zhao forge a Heaven armament!" "Hahaha!" Zhao Li laughed. "Then I hope you make that breakthrough as soon as possible!" As the two traded flattering remarks, Zhao Tianbing shot an odd look at his junior brother. Why did he hold this fellow in such high regard? This kid was skilled enough, capable of crafting a peak Profound-rank armament, but Zhao Li was an exceedingly proud man. When had he ever admitted he could fall behind another? Could it be that both of them were utterly shameless, birds of a feather flocking together? Su Yu said no more to Zhao Li and turned toward Hu Qi, greeting her with a smile. "Senior Hu, you came as well!" Hu Qi smiled. "I came to see the spectacle of a Heaven armament being forged. A pity it is only a pseudo-Heaven armament, not a true one. Still, you took me by surprise. I expected it would take you at least five years to reach Earth rank, but now it looks like it won't be long at all." "That is all thanks to Teacher Zhao and Senior Hu's guidance." After Su Yu exchanged a few polite words, Zhao Li chimed in with a smile, "Little Friend, feel free to visit my quarters whenever you have time so we can discuss the Dao of Armamentsmithing. In this world, the truly formidable armamentsmiths amount to only a handful, like King Tianzhu. Your future accomplishments will certainly rival theirs." "Teacher Zhao, please don't flatter me to death," Su Yu said with a sigh. "With your guidance today, I am confident about reaching Earth rank, but Heaven rank will depend on luck!" "It's only a matter of time!" "..." The two bantered back and forth in perfect harmony, leaving the surrounding crowd utterly bewildered. Wasn't today supposed to be Zhao Li's breakthrough? How had Cui Lang stolen the spotlight? From the sound of Zhao Li's praise, Cui Lang was practically destined to become the premier armamentsmith under the heavens. Was he really that extraordinary? Naturally, though such thoughts crossed their minds, no one spoke up to dispute it. A thirty-five-year-old peak Profound-rank armamentsmith on the verge of reaching Earth rank was extraordinarily rare across the entire Human Realm. Perhaps only King Tianzhu's disciples could match that. Yet Cui Lang was not the disciple of a Heaven-rank master, meaning his talent in forging truly was remarkable. Knowing when to stop, Zhao Li said no more. He turned to look at Zhao Tianbing with a faint smile, which took Zhao Tianbing by surprise. *He isn't giving me the cold shoulder today? Has my junior brother had a change of heart? He actually seems to be in a good mood.* However, Zhao Tianbing soon realized he had rejoiced too soon. Zhao Li had been civil to everyone else, but the moment Marquis Xia leaned forward, Zhao Li's face hardened. Without sparing the marquis a second glance, he turned on his heel and strode straight back toward his research institute. Before stepping inside, he tossed the yuanqi mirror to Old Nie and snorted coldly. "The Great Xia Prefecture has grown far too comfortable using my yuanqi secret realm. Use it long enough, and you truly start believing it belongs to your own household? The moment this old man tries to use his own realm, someone steps in to stop me. Next time you lend me the Xia family's Heaven Cleaving Saber for a few days, will it become mine as well?" Marquis Xia was stunned. *What the hell did I do to offend you?* Understanding the context in an instant, he turned to glance at Yuan Qingdong and the others who had just arrived. His expression turned faintly dark, his brow furrowing, though he said nothing. Meanwhile, Zhao Li had already entered his institute, slamming the doors shut. Zhao Tianbing seemed to catch the gist as well. He snorted and remarked coldly, "Junior Brother, if you cannot stay in Great Xia any longer, come to the Great Zhou Prefecture! Your senior brother has established a modest foundation there. That secret realm belonged to our master, your father. Who dares take it by force?" Yuan Qingdong kept his mouth shut, pretending the barb was not aimed at him. He had only spoken up once earlier; had he known, he wouldn't have meddled. Offending two top-tier Earth-rank armamentsmiths in one breath was hardly something to celebrate. Cui Lang smiled and asked, "Senior Hu, do you think our Great Ming Prefecture could invite Teacher Zhao over for a visit?" Hu Qi smiled and said, "If Zhao Li is willing to come, Great Ming's doors are wide open for him! Brother Zhao..." Before she could finish, Zhao Tianbing coughed awkwardly from the side. "Senior Hu, back in the day, you called my master Brother Zhao as well. It would be better to change the form of address and just use his name directly. You can do the same with me, no need for formalities!" How awkward! Had she forgotten? When his master visited Great Ming back then, she had called him Brother Zhao. Now calling Zhao Li Brother Zhao as well... was entirely too awkward! Hu Qi paused. She had only been speaking out of courtesy. Hearing his comment, she cast a sidelong glare at Zhao Tianbing. *Is he... implying I'm old?* With a light huff, Hu Qi remarked impassively, "Among cultivators, the accomplished take precedence. Age is irrelevant. Don't you agree, Director Zhao?" Zhao Tianbing laughed dryly. Whatever she said went; there was no point arguing with a woman. Still, regardless of who took precedence, calling his master Brother Zhao and then turning around to call his master's son the same thing remained thoroughly awkward. The gathered crowd consisted entirely of Sun Moon experts and Earth-rank armamentsmiths. Su Yu was hardly notable in terms of cultivation, but he carried himself with easy confidence, showing not the slightest hint of nervousness. Having reached the peak of Profound rank, he naturally possessed some backbone. Dropping the subject, Zhao Tianbing cut Hu Qi off and turned to Su Yu with a smile. "Little Friend Cui's craft is exquisite. To think you have inherited my junior brother's legacy. He has an exceedingly sharp eye for people. For you to assist him and maintain the forge alongside him for so many days, I thank you on his behalf!" Su Yu smiled. "Director Zhao is far too polite. Teacher Zhao was instructing me; it was not a matter of me helping him. I ought to thank him for his guidance..." Hu Qi cut him off, scolding with a chuckle, "You little monkey, not a word of thanks for me? If I hadn't taught you the Heavenly Forging Art, could you have endured until the end? It's 'Teacher Zhao' this and 'Teacher Zhao' that—are you planning to marry into the Great Xia Prefecture? Yet when it comes to me, I'm just 'Senior Hu.' You little rascal, you've remained as mercenary as ever all these years!" Su Yu's heart stirred slightly. He laughed dryly and replied, "Teacher Hu, how can you say that? It isn't that I didn't dare call you Teacher, but with my nominal teacher back at the academy, wouldn't he be jealous if I started calling you Teacher?" "You cheeky brat!" Hu Qi scolded with a grin. "You've gained plenty from this forging session. Hurry back to Great Ming and reach Earth rank as soon as you can. We are all getting old, but you are still young. Next time you return, you might as well take over as dean of the Forging faction at Great Ming Civilization Academy!" As the two laughed and chatted, Zhao Tianbing smiled as well. "The Heavenly Forging Art? In that case, Little Friend can be considered part of Senior King Tianzhu's lineage. A pity King Tianzhu didn't come today; otherwise, upon seeing you, he would have brought you into his fold." Hu Qi replied with a smile, "In the Dao of Armamentsmithing, forging one's own path is best. Now that Cui Lang has learned the Heavenly Forging Art and the Expanding Will Art, exploring broadly rather than confining himself to a single lineage will serve his future far better!" The group stopped talking about Zhao Li. The man had an eccentric temper, and since he had already locked himself away, there was no point dwelling on him. Hu Qi continued, "It is rare for all of us to gather today. As the eldest here, let me make a suggestion. Why don't we find a place to sit down and discuss the art of armamentsmithing together? We can bring our disciples along. Cui Lang, you forged alongside Zhao Li this time. With his temper, he probably won't say much, so why don't you walk us through the details?" At those words, the eyes of the seven or eight Earth-rank armamentsmiths nearby lit up! Zhao Li was too eccentric to question easily. But Cui Lang had been present throughout! At once, even Old Chen of the Great Xia Prefecture beamed and said, "Little Friend Cui, what do you say to an exchange? In the Human Realm, beyond the Heavenly Forging lineage and the Zhao family's craft, there are many other forging paths. Let us exchange insights!" Almost every Earth-rank armamentsmith was in the Sun Moon Realm; Shanhai cultivators were rare among them. Here stood seven or eight Sun Moon powerhouses, yet at this moment, they all looked toward Su Yu with eager, expectant expressions. Zhao Tianbing laughed as well. "Little Friend, just as Senior Hu said, opportunities like this are rare. Aside from King Tianzhu and the Primordial Cult Master, nearly all the Earth-rank armamentsmiths near Great Xia are present. Why not sit down for a thorough discussion?" Hu Qi chuckled again. "Brat, why haven't you agreed yet? Do you need us to beg you? Agree, share your insights, and if any benefits come of it, we will give you a share. If you run into trouble later on, you can ask these old fellows for help. Every one of them anchors a major prefecture; helping you with minor matters will be a walk in the park!" The others laughed along in agreement. Indeed, they each served as pillars in their respective prefectures. An Earth-rank armamentsmith was treated like an honored guest wherever they went. Old Chen in Great Xia was one such figure; even Marquis Xia had to coax and flatter him. The others enjoyed similar status. As for someone like Yuan Qingdong—the descendant of an Invincible and a Sun Moon cultivator himself—these masters hardly paid him any mind. Yuan Qingdong and his peers stood on the periphery listening, yet the armamentsmiths barely acknowledged them. Why? Because the smiths possessed unmatched confidence. They commanded respect everywhere, treated as honored guests even by the Invincible kings of each prefecture. A figure like Zhao Tianbing could hold his ground before three Invincibles without the slightest unease, while King Tianzhu was known to give Invincibles the cold shoulder. After all, they were the ones asking for his help, not the other way around. If Yuan Qingdong's father—the son of King Dayuan—were here, he might have been qualified to join the conversation. Yuan Qingdong was not. Lowering his head with a smile, Su Yu understood in his heart that Hu Qi was building momentum and laying groundwork for him. Seven or eight Earth-rank armamentsmiths, accompanied by a host of Profound-rank and Yellow-rank smiths, represented the core crafting power of five or six major prefectures. If they truly offered their backing, they held sway even before Invincibles. Furthermore, these individuals were powerhouses in their own right; nearly every Earth-rank armamentsmith was a Sun Moon expert. "Then junior will humbly accept the honor. Seniors, why don't we find a venue? I will play host and seek your valuable guidance..." "Hahaha, let us go together..." The group chatted merrily. Marquis Xia watched them form their own tight-knit circle with a look of helplessness. He had wanted to win Cui Lang over, but these fellows formed a closed club and ignored him entirely, leaving him at his wits' end. Over by the side, Yuan Qingdong and his companions observed the scene. Yuan Qingdong said nothing. Being excluded, and even looked down upon, was nothing new; he had endured plenty of slights in Great Xia and was already used to it. However, the other Sun Moon cultivators found it harder to swallow. The woman smiled and suggested, "Director Zhao, why don't we join in the fun and listen as well..." Zhao Tianbing glanced back at them, but Hu Qi cut in bluntly, "Forget it. You aren't of our path; you wouldn't understand even if we told you. It's far too technical, so there's no point in you joining." "..." The woman forced an awkward laugh, burning with irritation inside. Yuan Qingdong kept his face impassive. He had already anticipated this outcome, which was why he hadn't spoken up. To lean in uninvited only invited rejection; those people clearly had no desire to converse with non-armamentsmiths. Yuan Qingdong paid it no further heed and turned to Marquis Xia with a smile. "Marquis, Elder Zhao has completed his forging. When will Great Xia proceed with the matter regarding Feng Qi?" Marquis Xia glanced at him and said coolly, "No rush. Night has fallen. Let us do it tomorrow!" "Feng Qi?" Hu Qi suddenly chimed in. "This matter has caused quite a stir. Acting Prefect Xia, you wouldn't mind if we went along to listen tomorrow, would you?" She said *we*, not *I*. She knew Su Yu would want to go, but showing up rashly would be inappropriate. In that case, he might as well go openly in broad daylight. By then, Invincibles would certainly be present. With a group of armamentsmiths in attendance, even the Invincibles would not lightly probe them. Offending seven or eight Earth-rank armamentsmiths at once was something no Invincible would be foolish enough to do. If they truly alienated them, who would forge armaments for the cultivators of their domains? Cultivators in the Shanhai and Sun Moon Realms relied on Earth-rank weapons. Even if Invincibles didn't need them, that didn't mean others didn't. Marquis Xia chuckled. "Of course. Since Senior Hu has spoken, there is no issue at all. I shall await your presence tomorrow!" He remained very polite toward these armamentsmiths. Several of the other smiths had not been interested originally, but since Hu Qi had brought it up, they didn't mind going to observe. Zhao Tianbing laughed and said, "Then it is settled. We shall converse by candlelight tonight until dawn, and then go together to listen! I know of Feng Qi; I met him several times in the past... Sigh, for things to come to this, Great Xia has truly grown more and more..." He trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished, before quickly adding with a smile, "Once my junior brother stabilizes his realm, I will see if I can coax him out to share his insights with everyone." "Director Zhao is too kind! With Director Zhao present, tonight's forging gathering is bound to be splendid!" "..." As the group chatted, Su Yu waved to Bai Junsheng in the distance and called out with a smile, "Little Bai, lead us to a fine place where we can talk. You run around all day; you must know of a good venue, right?" Bai Junsheng felt thoroughly exasperated. *Little Bai?* *Damn it!* *When we met a few days ago, you called me Junior Brother. Now it's Little Bai?* *"I'm not even familiar with Great Xia..."* he grumbled internally. Yet faced with a gathering of titans, he had no way to refuse. He offered a forced smile and replied, "I know a place, I know a place. I'll take the seniors right away." With that, he sheepishly led the way out. Whatever—he would just find a venue with plenty of space. Armamentsmiths wouldn't care too much about the specific ambiance anyway. Soon, the crowd departed. There were quite a few Sun Moon experts, along with many Shanhai and Lingyun cultivators. Su Yu was among the weakest in raw cultivation, but his status was far from low; he walked directly behind the Sun Moon experts, side by side with the Shanhai cultivators. ... Once they were gone, the woman beside Yuan Qingdong looked on with a venomous gaze, muttering under her breath, "What arrogance!" Yuan Qingdong shot her a look and said flatly, "Don't go looking for trouble! Those people are national treasures! They are honored guests of prefectural leaders everywhere. If you don't want to be blacklisted by the entire armamentsmithing community, swallow your pride. Otherwise, you might find yourself dragged in front of them by your own family's Invincible to apologize at your age, and that would be truly humiliating!" Hadn't she seen that even Marquis Xia kept his mouth shut after being brushed aside? Formidable strength provided the capital for pride. Everyone was in the Sun Moon Realm, yet they were Earth-rank armamentsmiths, naturally standing a head taller. Courting trouble with them was pure idiocy. He had learned his lesson by now: when outside the Holy Lands, it was best to keep a low profile. He had swallowed countless grievances over these past days; had anyone seen him lose his temper? Endurance was the only way! The major prefectures didn't place the Holy Lands in particularly high regard. In their eyes, only the Invincible experts of the Holy Lands commanded true respect; as for the rest, if the prefectures chose not to give face, there was nothing anyone could do. Just as Zhu Tiandao had bluntly put it: nothing more than servants! Those stationed at the Holy Lands were generally second sons or collateral branches, while the direct lineages remained rooted in the major prefectures. Strictly speaking, the Invincibles naturally leaned toward the prefectures. Clashing with them and refusing to give face would yield no benefit in the end. Having spent too long in the Holy Lands, people often assumed the two Holy Lands led the entire Human Realm. Only upon stepping outside did one realize how naive that notion was. Yuan Qingdong sighed internally. Tomorrow's public trial of Feng Qi was not something he wanted to meddle in, but he had no choice. Yet getting involved meant courting endless trouble. For one, Hong Tan was a massive problem! Furthermore, Great Xia's current stance was relatively clear: they intended to protect the Multiple Divine Characters Faction as much as possible. Doing so would offend Great Xia to the death. Unless Xia Longwu failed to attain the Dao, any success on his part would bring endless nightmares later on! Even if Xia Longwu failed, King Daxia was notoriously difficult to deal with, and things could still turn disastrous. Only after stepping into the world did Yuan Qingdong realize he had thought far too simply before. Now, the winds and clouds were gathering over Great Xia; a single misstep could see even a Sun Moon cultivator and the descendant of an Invincible perish here. The Multiple Divine Characters Faction was entangled in far too many threads. ... Elsewhere. Su Yu and the group of armamentsmiths entered a spacious estate. Upon stepping into the grand hall, the ambiance was elegant, the air filled with rich fragrance, and the courtyard sprawling... Though a smile remained on Su Yu's face, he was cursing violently in his heart! That idiot Bai Junsheng—where on earth had he brought them?! This place... was likely somewhere the real Cui Lang would love to frequent, but bringing a gathering of armamentsmith grandmasters here was utterly ridiculous! Yet he didn't expose it. He couldn't tell whether the masters realized where they were, but even if they did, they probably didn't care. Before long, the group sat down to debate the Dao. The Earth-rank armamentsmiths, joined by Su Yu, began conversing with lofty eloquence. Su Yu possessed ample experience and deep foundations by now, so he felt no intimidation when speaking with these Earth-rank masters. For a time, host and guests enjoyed themselves thoroughly. ... Meanwhile, in the Great Xia Prefecture, Marquis Xia reviewed a dossier on Cui Lang several times over before handing it to Xia Huyou with a chuckle. "Take a look. Notice anything?" Xia Huyou skimmed through the file and remarked with envy, "The people of Great Ming certainly know how to live. This Cui Lang's life is vastly more colorful than ours!" "What are you looking at? Did I tell you to read that?" Marquis Xia snapped in annoyance. Had he handed him the file to read about how Cui Lang picked up women? Xia Huyou laughed dryly and resumed reading. After a moment, he rubbed his chubby chin and said, "Nothing unusual. However, he was only a Yellow-rank armamentsmith before; this progress is extraordinarily fast. He was hunted by Senior Cheng Mo for years and didn't dare show his face—could he have gained sudden enlightenment during his seclusion?" He was already at the peak of Profound rank! Of course, according to some, Cui Lang had only been at the early or middle stage of Profound rank before, and reaching the peak was entirely due to Zhao Li's assistance. That Old Zhao would actually help an outsider upon their very first meeting was strange enough. No matter how Xia Huyou scrutinized the file, he found nothing out of the ordinary. Yet Marquis Xia remarked coolly, "Keep an eye on him. It remains unclear whether this Cui Lang has any issues, but plenty of people are watching Old Zhao's Expanding Will Art. This fellow is rather rakish and uninhibited; make sure he doesn't spread the art far and wide." Xia Huyou nodded. "Understood. The Expanding Will Art... Su Yu knows it too. I thought it was impressive before, but now it seems to be an extraordinary treasure. Elder Zhao is hard to deal with, but if I get the chance, I'll ask Su Yu if he can teach it to me." "Su Yu..." Marquis Xia paused slightly, picking up the file to look at it once more. Suddenly, he asked, "Does Su Yu know armamentsmithing?" "Huh?" Xia Huyou was taken aback, then quickly said, "No, he doesn't. When he was with Elder Zhao, he only learned the Expanding Will Art and nothing else. He only went there three or four times in total." "He doesn't know armamentsmithing?" Marquis Xia tapped the desk and asked, "Do you think Su Yu knows about Feng Qi's public trial?" "He's in seclusion recovering from injuries, so he might not know, right?" Xia Huyou replied, his expression turning odd. "Granduncle, are you suggesting..." Marquis Xia shook his head. "Just curious. The Expanding Will Art, Zhao Li, Su Yu, Cui Lang, armamentsmithing... Cui Lang suddenly emerged with startling talent, making me wonder if it might have something to do with Su Yu." Xia Huyou chuckled. "Granduncle, don't be so paranoid. Cui Lang is already a peak Profound-rank armamentsmith..." "Before this, he was only early Profound rank!" Marquis Xia said calmly. "Su Yu knows the Expanding Will Art. If he studied diligently for a time, would reaching Profound rank be difficult for someone with his talent?" "..." Xia Huyou shook his head. "That's impossible! Where would he find the time to study? It's only early June now. He has only been in Great Ming for five months, researching cultivation methods, training, breaking through realms, issuing a challenge to Shan Xiong, and then recovering from injuries..." As he spoke, his voice trailed off. There's no way that's actually possible... right? Marquis Xia said nothing more, quickly remarking, "Never mind him. Whether he is or not doesn't matter!" There was another detail he hadn't mentioned! When Cui Lang was in Nanyuan, people had died there! And the dead were directly connected to Su Yu. Back then, he had wondered whether Su Yu or Great Ming had sent someone. Looking back now... could the kid have done the deed himself? Su Yu, Cui Lang? Yet a ninth-tier Lingyun cultivator had died! A ninth-tier Lingyun! *A 'Fire' divine character, escape arts, a formidable physical body, and Shanhai-level willpower...* Recalling the intelligence regarding the culprit sent from Nanyuan, Marquis Xia let out a soft sigh and fell silent. Having a 'Fire' divine character was normal for armamentsmithing. As for escape arts, Su Yu knew them; Marquis Xia was well aware of his transformations into wind and water, and Hong Tan and the others had researched shadow techniques for years. Combined with the Expanding Will Art and divine character battle techniques, causing a misjudgment was entirely plausible. Marquis Xia closed his eyes. *Cui Lang... Su Yu!* His guts were truly colossal! And his genius was terrifying. He could hardly believe anyone could become a peak Profound-rank armamentsmith within a few short months. Truth be told, it was only a fleeting association; otherwise, he wouldn't dare connect the two either. Did Su Yu have the time to learn armamentsmithing? And could studying armamentsmithing really yield a peak Profound-rank master so quickly? If forging were that simple, Great Xia wouldn't have possessed only a single Earth-rank armamentsmith! Well, two now. Even someone like him, who understood Su Yu intimately, found it hard to believe, let alone anyone else. As of now, the others remained unaware of the common thread connecting the people killed in Nanyuan; only Great Xia held the complete list of those who had visited Su Yu's residence. With several dead individuals lacking an obvious link, many assumed someone was merely stirring up trouble. No one linked it to Su Yu—except him, who had suspected Su Yu from the start. Connecting that to Cui Lang's presence in Nanyuan at the time, he couldn't help but associate Cui Lang with Su Yu. *If Cui Lang is Su Yu, then Old Zhao's attitude makes sense. It isn't some eccentric whim; he knows Su Yu's identity and is providing cover for him, and Hu Qi is doing the same!* *In that case, Hu Qi must know his identity too. Hu Qi, Zhao Li... anyone else?* Marquis Xia glanced toward the Xiuxin Pavilion. *Did that fellow figure it out?* *Su Yu's return to Great Xia at this moment—could it disrupt certain plans?* That kid possessed a stubborn temperament and could not stomach injustice. Tomorrow, when Feng Qi stood trial, Chen Yong would inevitably be exposed, and the Human Realm would designate Chen Yong a traitor. That was unavoidable, unless evidence proving the guilt of several generals could be produced! If Chen Yong was branded a traitor and criminal, how would Su Yu react? *His strength is meager, but his ability to stir up trouble is second to none. He better not drag me into a massive disaster and ruin our good fortune!* At that thought, he looked at Xia Huyou and instructed, "Tomorrow, go win Cui Lang over. When Feng Qi is tried, stay right beside him!" "Huh?" Xia Huyou was still in a daze. What had Granduncle meant? Cui Lang was Su Yu? Hearing his granduncle's command, Xia Huyou's eyes flickered, and he nodded. "Understood! Oh, right, Granduncle, with three Invincibles holding a public trial in Great Xia while my father and great-grandfather are absent, could there be trouble?" "No!" Marquis Xia smiled faintly. "Don't worry. This is Great Xia, after all! Your great-grandfather is still alive, not dead! If they want to cause trouble here, the three Invincibles will have to weigh the consequences carefully. Rest assured!" "All right then!" Xia Huyou thought for a moment and added, "Granduncle, should we mobilize the army tomorrow? The three Invincibles might not cause trouble, but we must guard against the others. Why not mobilize the shadow guards and requisition some Sun Moon and Shanhai cultivators? If things turn sour, we can wipe them all out in one clean sweep and claim they were remnants of the All-Races Cult!" "..." Marquis Xia glanced at him, staring in silence. *Holy hell!* *You fat brat, your heart has grown vicious enough!* *Are you afraid your father won't die fast enough?* "Are you looking to inherit the position early?" he asked. Xia Huyou chuckled naively. "Granduncle, look at what you're saying. Am I that kind of person? But enduring grievance after grievance within Great Xia's borders... truth be told, the people below can't stand it either. We need to make them suffer a bit, to show them that Great Xia's blade is still sharp!" Leaning back in his chair, Marquis Xia said with a faint smile, "If our blade were too sharp, do you think anyone would still dare come to Great Xia? Starting with your father, the Xia family's blade ceased to be sharp. Now that your father is away, the Xia family's blade is a blunt blade!" "A blunt blade..." Xia Huyou fell into contemplation, asking in confusion, "What does Granduncle mean?" Marquis Xia leaned back languidly. "Ponder it yourself! When a blade is blunt, how do you sharpen its edge?" "Grind it." "Grind it?" Marquis Xia smiled without answering. Xia Huyou raised an eyebrow. After a moment, he nodded. "Understood! Granduncle, I'll take my leave first." Understood what? Marquis Xia didn't ask, and Xia Huyou didn't say. Grinding a blunt blade was a clumsy method. In truth, hacking down more people, slaughtering them by the thousands or tens of thousands, would naturally hone the blade sharp again! Among the Xia family's blades, which was the sharpest? The executioner's blade! The blade that severed the heads of All-Races Cultists was the sharpest blade in Great Xia. Before the stroke even landed, heads tumbled, heavy with murderous intent. Stepping out of Marquis Xia's residence, Xia Huyou looked up at the sky. It was pitch-black. "Heh heh..." Chuckling under his breath, Xia Huyou bared his teeth. Let the blade remain sheathed for now; sharpening it seemed a long way off. As for whether Cui Lang was Su Yu, he couldn't be bothered to guess. When they met tomorrow, a single look would tell. Still, tomorrow would hardly be a peaceful day. He only hoped that fellow wouldn't add to the chaos.