Even a Sun-Moon Has to Scram

"Hyah!" Outside Great Xia City, Su Yu galloped forward at full tilt. *Forgive me, but I have to leave the Great Xia Prefecture once more.* *There is nothing I can change. I cannot take part in your plans, nor can I meet with you. As things stand today, far too many eyes are fixed on Master and the others.* *I am too weak!* *Did I ever regret it?* *Never.* Joining the multiple divine character faction might have been somewhat reluctant at the beginning, but later on, Bai Feng had taught him all manner of secret techniques: the disassembly art, the memory extraction art, the blood essence manufacture art... Chen Yong had gifted him the Annihilation Beast skull and pointed him along the path of cultivation. Because of these people, he had no regrets. Then there were Liu Wenyan's years of guidance, Hong Tan letting him make free use of those demon beasts... Every deed, every scene was unforgettable. When Su Yu finally left, Chen Yong had given him the multiple divine character battle technique stele. Only now did Su Yu understand that back then, Chen Yong was likely already preparing to leave the academy. With his master and junior brother away, giving that final keepsake to Su Yu had seemed the right thing to do. When others asked for it, he refused; when Su Yu had not sought it, he gave it to Su Yu anyway. To some, it was a priceless treasure; to Chen Yong, it was perhaps simply the last glimmer of hope. Su Yu would never forget his half-year in the Great Xia Prefecture. The Cloud-Galloping Horse surged forward with incredible speed. Su Yu rode straight toward the Dajin Prefecture to cleanse his blood aura and enter the All-Heavens Battlefield. He wanted to slaughter! Yet at this moment, he could not. He could not act with wanton abandon in the Human Realm, because he was Su Yu, and he was supposedly in closed-door cultivation in the Great Ming Prefecture. "The All-Heavens Battlefield!" Su Yu accelerated once again. In the darkness of night, hooves pounded rhythmically. Up ahead was a caravan, campfires burning brightly against the night. Su Yu galloped right past them in a flash, showing no intention of slowing down. In the caravan, someone grumbled, "Where'd that reckless youngster come from? Galloping through the wilderness in the dead of night—isn't he afraid of drawing out demon beasts? Even if there aren't demon beasts, he ought to watch out for the All-Races Cult or bandits. He didn't even stop when we called to him. Don't let us run into his corpse on the road tomorrow." A seasoned veteran in the convoy puffed on his pipe, watching the direction where Su Yu had galloped off, and chuckled. "Don't worry about others. Our road tomorrow might be a bit smoother. Galloping a horse in the dead of night requires a fair bit of confidence." "He didn't look very old..." "Experts rarely look old." "He was riding a Cloud-Galloping Horse. Could someone like that really be an expert?" "Hard to say. Have you ever seen a Cloud-Galloping Horse run so fast it practically flies?" "..." The caravan members murmured among themselves for a moment and then paid it no more mind. The wilderness was dangerous; it was best not to meddle in other people's business, nor to make contact with lone travelers. Those traveling alone were rarely weak, usually possessing formidable strength. ... Up ahead. Su Yu rode onward. In the distance came the howl of wolves, making the Cloud-Galloping Horse hesitate timidly. Su Yu gave a soft snort, bolstering the steed with his "Battle" divine character. Instantly, the mount's fear vanished; its aura surged like a rainbow as it picked up speed. *Thwack!* A wild wolf lunged out. Just as it prepared to pounce, a hammer descended, shattering it to pieces. Flames flared! The wild wolf vanished from the spot in an instant. A gentle breeze swept by, leaving nothing behind. Only a trace of spilled blood remained to prove that something had bled there just moments ago. Without looking back, Su Yu continued to urge his horse forward at blistering speed. The All-Heavens Prefecture lay to the north. Going north all the way to the end would bring him to the All-Heavens Prefecture. From there, one could pass into the All-Heavens Battlefield. The Dajin Prefecture also lay along this route, not far from the Great Zhou Prefecture. It would take roughly two to three days to reach the Dajin Prefecture, and around five days to reach the All-Heavens Prefecture if everything went smoothly. Aside from the major prefectures, vast swathes of wilderness and mountain forests lay between them in the Human Realm. Those places typically harbored concentrations of demon beasts, bandits, or cultists of the All-Races Cult. Prefectures like Great Xia and Great Qin were relatively safe; few cultists lingered nearby, and those who did had to keep an exceptionally low profile, not daring to show their faces. Other major prefectures, however, barely bothered to manage such elements. As long as the cultists kept to themselves and caused no trouble, certain prefectures couldn't be bothered to intervene. This resulted in bandits running rampant around some major prefectures, making travel far from safe. Under normal circumstances, reaching the Soaring Realm was enough to travel the Human Realm, but when real danger struck, being in the Soaring Realm was hardly sufficient. ... Su Yu rode at extreme speed. Under the cover of night, he never slowed down. Along the way, people in the wilderness watched him pass, but seeing him gallop alone in the dead of night, the more cautious ones quickly abandoned any thought of making a move. Lone travelers were either desperate outlaws, powerful figures, or reckless fools. Usually, it was one of those three. Except for the last category, neither of the first two was easy to provoke. Even reckless fools were rarely weak. For bandits surviving in the wilderness, they would rather target caravans than pick a fight with a lone traveler; the risk simply wasn't worth the reward. Su Yu traveled north, covering a thousand li in a single night. By daybreak, he had already reached the border of the next major prefecture. The Dawu Prefecture. Bordering the Great Xia Prefecture, it had once been a powerful territory. Later, after the King of Dawu fell in battle, its power sharply declined. With an Invincible dead and no other Invincible watching over it, the prefecture had begun to show signs of decline. It lacked backbone! This had also been the ancestral homeland of Wu Lan's clan before they migrated to the Great Xia Prefecture over a century ago. And it was here that Chen Yong had likely killed someone recently. No, he had definitely killed someone here, though where he had gone now remained unknown. Xia Huyou had provided Su Yu with a considerable amount of intelligence, including a list of names—all of which could be Chen Yong's next targets. At the border of Great Xia and Dawu. The moment Su Yu entered the territory of the Dawu Prefecture, an arrow shot forth with a piercing whistle, the explosion of Yuan Qi echoing in all directions. Su Yu's expression remained unchanged. Reaching out, he snatched the arrow out of the air. With a *bang*, he caught it in his palm, reversed his wrist, and flung it straight back along its original trajectory. Several hundred meters away, a Soaring Realm cultivator's expression shifted slightly. Just as he tried to dodge the returning arrow, a hammer descended soundlessly. With a thunderous boom, his sea of will shattered instantly! *Squelch!* The arrow pierced clean through his skull. Su Yu's gaze turned chilling. Scanning the surroundings with a cold snort, he spurred his horse and vanished once more. Not long after he departed, several figures descended, landing beside the slain Soaring cultivator. After inspecting the corpse, they drew in sharp breaths. "So ruthless! Is this the Expanding Will Art? Shattering a sea of will in a single strike... We'd better not provoke this Cui Lang. He kills without batting an eye. The bounty on him is only a thousand merit points—it's not worth the risk. Even a Lingyun might not beat him!" "Are blacksmiths all this strong?" "Don't underestimate blacksmiths. When they fight, they aren't any weaker than the multiple divine character faction, and Civilization Masters have no shortage of tricks. Withdraw! Don't throw your lives away for a mere thousand merits!" "..." The group quickly retreated. Cui Lang was considered a notable figure now, and the All-Races Cult maintained a bounty list. Now that the cults had unified, their lists had merged as well. Cui Lang wasn't ranked very high, but a thousand merit points was still decent. Someone had recognized him and wanted to make a quick fortune, but clearly, the risk far outweighed the reward. The price was simply too low! A thousand merits was the bounty for killing an entry-level Lingyun, but against a genius blacksmith like Cui Lang, it was nowhere near enough. As the group retreated, they did not forget to chat about the big shots. Someone remarked with a sigh, "Killing someone like Cui Lang is pointless. If we're talking about real value among weaker targets, killing Su Yu is where the money is. His bounty is a staggering eight hundred thousand merits now! Terrifying! Anything over a million is reserved for top Sun-Moon figures!" "Tell me about it! The problem is, who dares go after him? Haven't enough Sun-Moons died already? That jinx—how many Sun-Moons have fallen because of him?" The group flew swiftly through the air. Soon, however, one of them frowned. The next moment, a figure flickered ahead. The surrounding environment shifted, throwing them into utter panic! The Soaring cultivator who had been killed earlier was still lying right beneath their feet. "Th-this... an illusion..." *Bang!* The Mind Expansion Hammer crashed down. Su Yu reached out, and with a crisp *snap*, he twisted a neck. In the blink of an eye, three of the four Soaring cultivators were dead, leaving only one alive. Staring at the sole survivor, Su Yu murmured coldly, "Amusing, isn't it? Do you have that bounty list? If so, show it to me. Am I, Cui Lang, really worth only a thousand merit points?" *Looking down on me?* *A peak Xuan-rank blacksmith should be worth at least ten thousand merits, if not tens of thousands.* *Offering a thousand—who are you looking down on?* "My lord... I..." With a *bang*, a kick shattered the man's skull. Su Yu quickly searched the bodies, incinerated everything, and let the gentle breeze sweep away the ashes, erasing every trace of their existence. In Su Yu's hand, a jade talisman appeared. Sending his willpower inside to inspect it, he found that there truly was a bounty list, complete with portraits. Did every cultist carry one of these? *Sun-Moon Must-Kill List:* *Xia Longwu: Peak ninth stage Sun-Moon, Quasi-Invincible, Heaven-Cleaving Blade...* *Bounty: 3,000,000 merits, 100 drops of Sun Moon Xuanhuang Liquid, one Heaven-rank weapon, one Eternal legacy, one Heaven-rank cultivation art...* Su Yu's eyes turned red with envy! *Damn!* Xia Longwu was absurdly valuable. His bounty started at three million merits, along with Sun Moon Xuanhuang Liquid, which was immensely beneficial to the Sun-Moon Realm. Ranked first on the must-kill list! Whoever managed to kill Xia Longwu wouldn't have to worry for the rest of their life. Of course, they would most likely be dead, so they wouldn't need to worry anyway. Xia Longwu took first place, followed by Zhou Polong in second, also carrying an exceedingly high bounty. Third was Qin Zhen of the Great Qin Prefecture... Not all thirty-six Manor Lords were on the list, but seven or eight of them were. Su Yu looked through it and shook his head; those listed still held some face, while those omitted had truly lost face. The myriad races didn't even care to kill them! Zhu Tiandao of the Great Ming Prefecture was on the list as well, though... the reason for his inclusion was not that he posed too great a threat, but that he had recently orchestrated the deaths of five Sun-Moons; this was retaliation against him. The list was quite detailed, though looking at it was merely an indulgence in fantasy; for the All-Races Cult to kill a Manor Lord was far too difficult. Su Yu continued scrolling down, and his eyes shifted slightly. *Xia Yunqi: High-stage Shanhai, fluctuating strength uncertain* *Bounty: 100,000 merits, 3 drops of Sun Moon Xuanhuang Liquid, one Earth-rank weapon, one Heaven-rank secret art...* *Zhao Mingyue: High-stage Shanhai...* Zhao Mingyue, Xia Yunqi, and Hu Ping were all on the list. Needless to say, Hong Tan and Liu Wenyan were included as well. Chen Yong was there too! His bounty was far from low, surpassing even Xia Yunqi's. The assessment of his strength was high-stage Shanhai, actual power unknown, possibly possessing the strength of a peak Shanhai. That deduction had been made based on the people who had recently died. As for Chen Yong having only recently broken through to Shanhai, who knew what the truth was? Perhaps he had been concealing his strength all along. Continuing down to the Soaring Realm Must-Kill List, Su Yu saw his own name right at the very top! *Su Yu: Ninth stage Soaring, combat strength comparable to seventh stage Lingyun* *Bounty: 800,000 merits, 30 drops of Sun Moon Xuanhuang Liquid. Bounty doubled for live capture!* Su Yu grinned. Now that was giving him face! With the bounty doubled for live capture, he was worth a fortune—only slightly below the likes of Xia Longwu, placing him in the second tier right beneath the Quasi-Invincibles, on par with Manor Lords like Zhu Tiandao. The second person in the Soaring Realm was actually Shan Xiong. His bounty was also substantial. While incomparable to Su Yu's, it exceeded that of quite a few Shanhai experts: a hundred thousand merits for his head, and up to three hundred thousand merits if his divine character was provided! Terrifying! *Shan Xiong...* Su Yu chuckled inwardly. That fellow probably didn't dare show his face right now either. With a bounty like that, someone was bound to be tempted. At the very bottom, he even spotted Bai Feng. *Bai Feng: Seventh stage Soaring, combat strength near Lingyun* *Bounty: 30,000 merits, doubled for live capture!* *If Master saw this, he'd probably want to sell himself alive for sixty thousand merits. Quite the handsome sum!* Su Yu thought to himself with a sigh. Soon, he put the talisman away and looked ahead toward the Dawu Prefecture, sighing softly. Demons and monsters running rampant! After an Invincible fell, the All-Races Cult had indeed grown far bolder. The moment he stepped into the Dawu Prefecture, several Soaring Realm cultivators had appeared! To Su Yu, the Soaring Realm was nothing, but in truth, reaching it was no simple feat. Back when the Heavenly Archer Cult attacked Nanyuan, they had only deployed a few Soaring experts. Yet here, he had already killed five Soaring cultivators right after entering the border. His "Kill" divine character stirred restlessly; clearly, slaughter benefited it greatly. Erasing all traces, Su Yu quickly mounted his horse and departed. Without entering any cities, Su Yu skirted the wilderness outside the major settlements. Compared to the Great Xia and Great Ming Prefectures, the Dawu Prefecture was noticeably more chaotic. Along the way, caravans traveled in large convoys numbering in the hundreds. Whether a region was secure could be judged simply by observing its caravans. Although the Great Xia Prefecture had its share of unrest, caravans traveling within its borders historically needed only seven or eight people led by a single Soaring expert to feel safe anywhere. Sometimes, they were led merely by Wanshi Realm cultivators, facing only petty thieves. Large-scale congregations of cultists simply did not exist there. They had been hunted to the point of scattering in all directions; who dared assemble in large numbers within the Great Xia Prefecture? As for the Great Ming Prefecture, its Invincible remained alive, and the administration exercised strict control over its borders. Coupled with the recent return of tens of thousands of brawny soldiers, its territory was exceptionally safe. Cultists dared not show themselves; after five Sun-Moons were slain, the Great Ming Prefecture had practically become a forbidden zone for the All-Races Cult. ... Su Yu rode without pause, maintaining a blistering pace. Taking a little over a day, he traversed the Dawu Prefecture. Ahead lay another major territory: the Dayuan Prefecture. This was another formidable power, and once within its borders, banditry dropped sharply. Su Yu still refrained from entering cities. He knew that anyone tracking his movements might find this suspicious, but he had no desire to waste time. Given Cui Lang's typical temperament, entering a city meant staying for several days. Spending three months in a single prefecture was normal for him; at that pace, reaching the All-Heavens Prefecture would take roughly a year. That was how Cui Lang had traveled in the past, wandering outside for years and often remaining in a single prefecture for six months to a year. Su Yu had no time to squander like that! Let them suspect what they wanted! There were no Sun-Moons tailing him in secret. If there were, it would be an Invincible. If an Invincible wanted to kill him, suspicion hardly mattered. Only three Invincibles currently remained in the Human Realm, and all of them had likely guessed his identity. If they wished to end him... he had no way to resist anyway. ... Having set out on the night of the eighth, Su Yu approached the border of the Dajin Prefecture by the night of the eleventh. Three days had passed. The Dajin Prefecture was nearly upon him. Located here was the Calm Heart Spring, which Su Yu had investigated beforehand. The spring was a natural mystic realm formed by heaven and earth. It possessed no extraordinary purpose, though it did offer certain benefits: cleansing the mind and washing away blood aura. Many soldiers and generals who had engaged in extensive slaughter on the battlefield liked to visit the Dajin Prefecture upon returning to the Human Realm. The Dajin Prefecture opened the Calm Heart Spring to the public, drawing numerous experts and giving rise to Jingxin City. It served as one of the prefecture's primary revenue sources. Entering the spring typically required a fee of ten merit points—a steep price for ordinary folk, even if it seemed trivial to Su Yu now. Over the course of a year, the Calm Heart Spring alone generated hundreds of thousands of merits. Factor in lodging, dining, general spending, and those who chose to purchase property, and the spring brought the Dajin Prefecture nearly a million merit points annually. Its value was immense! The youth Su Yu had killed first back in Nanyuan happened to be the son of the Dajin Prefectural Army's Commander-in-Chief—an only son born to a Sun-Moon. ... Late at night, Su Yu arrived at Jingxin City. It was a tranquil city of modest size, yet even at night, it remained brightly illuminated. At the city gates stood experts who had traveled from all directions, some of whom reeked of blood even from afar. Entering the city also required a fee. One merit point! Naturally, this applied only to outsiders—practically highway robbery—yet it did nothing to deter travelers. Riding his Cloud-Galloping Horse, Su Yu did not particularly stand out. A Cloud-Galloping Horse was merely a common mount; true experts typically flew on their own or rode exotic beasts. Just as he reached the city gate, he heard the guards shout, "Orders from above! Everyone else is permitted entry, but those arriving from the Great Xia Prefecture are barred from entering for three days! None may enter the Calm Heart Spring!" "What's the meaning of this? Discriminating against the Great Xia Prefecture?" At the gate, someone who had traveled from the Great Xia Prefecture snapped angrily, "You've got some nerve! Does the Dajin Prefecture dare look down on us from Great Xia? Who gave you the audacity!" "My lord, you misunderstand!" The gate guard replied helplessly. The Great Xia Prefecture was hardly a weak power and could not be provoked lightly, so he could only explain, "These are orders from above. News arrived a few days ago that the Commander's son was killed in the Great Xia Prefecture. The Commander has personally rushed over and may use certain methods to track down the killer. Within the Human Realm, the easiest place to wash away blood aura is the Calm Heart Spring..." "Nonsense!" Someone cursed, "The Calm Heart Spring is right here in your Dajin Prefecture! Would the killer be so reckless as to come wash away blood aura on your home turf? Hide anywhere, and after enough time, no secret art will work, nor will anyone be able to track them! It's been days already; even if they did come, they'd have finished washing it away by now. Closing it now—are you out of your minds?" The burly man from the Great Xia Prefecture, a ninth stage Soaring cultivator, was thoroughly infuriated. What kind of garbage rule was this? Barring entry just as his turn came? Discriminating against him? Behind him, Su Yu's brow furrowed slightly. *Tracking?* *Did they possess such capability?* When he killed the man, he had taken nothing and left nothing behind. Could a Sun-Moon truly track him through residual traces? He found it hard to believe! Of course, he could not rule out the possibility that the other party had some secret art using his son's relics to uncover something. But days had passed; tracking him now was a pipe dream. Still, his sudden appearance here, combined with his earlier presence in Nanyuan, might raise suspicion. For a blacksmith to visit the Calm Heart Spring was indeed somewhat unusual. However, Su Yu quickly settled his mind. When his turn came, just as the guard was about to question and register him, Su Yu said flatly, "Someone fetch an escort to take me to Master Chen's residence!" "Master Chen?" The guard froze. Su Yu frowned. "Is Master Chen Qizhong not in Jingxin City?" "He is, he is..." Hearing Su Yu's words, the guard hurriedly said, "Master Chen is in the city. Has my lord come to seek Master Chen for weapon forging?" This Master Chen was also a blacksmith. A peak Xuan-rank blacksmith! He had settled near the Calm Heart Spring because many battle-hardened killers gathered here, creating substantial demand for weapons. It was an ideal place for smithing. While there were several other blacksmiths in the city, Chen Qizhong was the most skilled. Su Yu smiled faintly. "No, just visiting a friend. Enough chatter—hurry up and have someone lead the way!" Su Yu glanced around and waved toward a Soaring cultivator atop the city wall. "Captain, come down here and lead the way!" The Soaring battalion commander hesitated briefly before flying down, cupping his fists. "May I ask your esteemed name..." "Cui Lang!" Su Yu replied with a beaming smile. "Recognize me? Captain, let's skip the pleasantries. I have urgent business with Brother Chen. I haven't slept properly for days over this matter. Could we hurry?" "Cui Lang..." The man paused. After a moment, realization struck, and he said hurriedly, "Master Cui, please follow me. Master Chen may have already retired for the night, but he mentioned you when he returned two days ago. He will surely be delighted by your arrival..." With that, he personally took the reins to lead Su Yu's horse into the city. As for inspections or questioning, none were needed. This was Cui Lang, the genius blacksmith from the Great Ming Prefecture! The city's masters had returned only a couple of days ago and spoken of him constantly; how could anyone not know who Cui Lang was? As for him arriving from the direction of the Great Xia Prefecture... what did that matter? Even if the Manor Lord were present, upon learning that a peak Xuan-rank blacksmith had arrived, there would be no reason to bar him. Cui Lang's standing was high, not inferior to an ordinary Shanhai's. Blocking such a blacksmith risked offending the entire smithing community. ... Ten minutes later, in a large courtyard within the city. An elderly man with white hair looked on with surprise and delight. "Little Friend Cui, what brings you here?" "Is Brother Chen not pleased to see me?" Su Yu gave a laugh, then grumbled, "You left too quickly, Old Brother. It wasn't until the next day that I remembered I needed your help. The thought haunted me so much that I galloped through the night to catch up! For days on the road, I couldn't eat or sleep properly, passing several major cities without even stopping!" "Help? This..." The old man asked hurriedly, "Little Friend Cui, what difficulty have you encountered?" Su Yu replied helplessly, "When I forged weapons a few days ago, Grandmaster Zhao Li told me my forging harbored too much fiery vigor. If this continues, reaching Earth rank will take another three to five years. It's too aggressive, boiling with fire—and what is too rigid easily breaks. I didn't think much of it, but Grandmaster Zhao advised that I should cleanse myself to quell the fiery vigor. The best place in the Human Realm for that is the Calm Heart Spring." Su Yu sighed. "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't bother asking for help; owing favors is uncomfortable. But this time, I hope to forge weapons inside the Calm Heart Spring, which requires sealing it off for at least a day or two!" He looked at the old man and said helplessly, "Thinking it over, I realized I might not have enough face to pull it off. Only you, Old Brother, have the standing to convince the City Lord to seal the Calm Heart Spring for a day or two. As you know, smithing requires quiet, and certain secret arts cannot be witnessed by outsiders. The best approach is to seal the spring..." The old man understood immediately. No wonder he had sought his assistance! Sealing the Calm Heart Spring for a day or two was indeed no small matter. After a brief hesitation, he said, "I will give it a try. It shouldn't be too difficult, but... Little Friend Cui might need to pay a small price. After all, hundreds of people enter the spring to cleanse themselves every day. Shutting it down directly could breed resentment." Su Yu waved it off dismissively. "What's the big deal? I came to forge weapons not for the weapons themselves, but to improve myself. On the day of the closure, anyone who wished to enter can sign up. At the end, I'll pick one person and gift them the forged weapon. Who could complain about that? It will be high-grade Xuan rank at minimum, and if luck allows, peak Xuan rank!" "One weapon for each day of closure—two weapons for two days. Furthermore, I will naturally show my gratitude to the City Lord's Estate with a peak Xuan-rank literary weapon. How does that sound?" The old man clicked his tongue in amazement. "Little friend, such generosity... there will certainly be no issue! Once word spreads, thousands upon thousands will sign up that day. Even I want to put my name down!" Su Yu laughed heartily. "If it truly cleanses me and calms my mind, it might just give me hope of stepping into Earth rank. What are a few weapons compared to that? Of course, I might forge simpler martial weapons. They are easier to craft than literary weapons, possess heavier killing intent, and will better purge my fiery vigor..." The old man said hurriedly, "No problem at all. Which day do you need it, Little Friend Cui?" "Starting tomorrow morning!" Su Yu chuckled. "Once this is settled, I have other places to go. I've been rushing for days just for this!" "Very well. I will head to the City Lord's Estate at once. If you wish, Little Friend, you may come with me. The City Lord will surely agree—it's a trivial matter. If you manage to achieve Earth rank here in Jingxin City, it would be an incredible honor; even the Manor Lord would come in person to offer congratulations..." "Earth rank is difficult; my strength falls a bit short." Su Yu chuckled. "If I can break through to Lingyun this time, there might be some hope. Without reaching Lingyun, it's virtually impossible; the difficulty is too immense!" "That is true." The old man nodded and sighed. "It is indeed difficult. For you to forge peak Xuan-rank weapons while still in the Soaring Realm is already terrifying. It was presumptuous of me to speak so lightly of Earth rank!" After chatting a while longer, Su Yu accompanied him to the City Lord's Estate. The value of a blacksmith was demonstrated to the fullest. *I have friends here!* *And friends of no small standing!* A peak Xuan-rank blacksmith commanded respect anywhere. Previously, Zhao Li had been a peak Xuan-rank blacksmith; though slightly stronger than average, his status had been extraordinarily high, and not merely because of his lineage as a descendant of the Fourth-Generation Manor Head. It was true in the Great Xia Prefecture, and the Dajin Prefecture was no different. Sure enough, upon entering the estate, they met the City Lord of Jingxin City—a powerful Shanhai Realm expert. To guard against accidents in such a precious location, the city was assigned a formidable leader, whereas Shanhai City Lords were typically reserved for top-tier metropolises. Jingxin City was not particularly large! Hearing that Su Yu intended to forge weapons and seal the Calm Heart Spring, with the finished weapons to be gifted away, the City Lord agreed without a second thought. He immediately issued orders: starting tomorrow, the Calm Heart Spring would be sealed for a day or two until Cui Lang completed his forging! This was not turning away guests; it was drawing them in. Who wouldn't want a chance at a peak Xuan-rank weapon just by signing their name? As for waiting a day or two, what did that matter? After this, perhaps other blacksmiths would follow suit. Over time, this place might even become a sacred ground for smithing—though that was merely wishful thinking. Still, having a peak Xuan-rank blacksmith like Cui Lang forge here would boost Jingxin City's reputation. There was practically no hesitation or second thought. As for the Prefectural Army Commander's directive barring those from the Great Xia Prefecture from cleansing their blood aura... what did that have to do with him? They belonged to entirely different administrative systems. As City Lord, he answered directly to the Manor Lord. Besides, Cui Lang wasn't from the Great Xia Prefecture anyway. He was a genius from the Great Ming Prefecture! ... The City Lord's Estate acted with great efficiency, and news quickly spread throughout the modest Jingxin City. Just by signing up, one stood a chance to win a Xuan-rank weapon! A peak-grade one at that! Even an entry-level Xuan-rank weapon was astonishingly expensive, with literary weapons worth over a thousand merits. A peak Xuan-rank weapon easily reached tens of thousands—beyond the means of ordinary Shanhai cultivators. Now, anyone lucky enough to receive one could sell it for a fortune even if they couldn't use it themselves. Though not custom-made and slightly less effective, it was far better than nothing. If martial weapons were forged, all warriors could make use of them, though their value was considerably lower—perhaps only a fifth of a literary weapon's price. Regardless, it was a momentous occasion. Sure enough, no one minded the temporary closure; instead, the city buzzed with excitement. ... The next day, June 12. Accompanied by several of the city's blacksmiths, Su Yu was personally escorted into the Calm Heart Spring by the City Lord—an exceptionally high honor. After exchanging pleasantries outside, Su Yu walked into the Calm Heart Spring alone. Much like entering a mystic realm, Su Yu stepped through a thin membrane, shutting out all external disturbances, and instantly entered a new world. A massive spring pool bubbled continuously, water welling up from the depths. Su Yu exhaled softly and smiled. The identity of a blacksmith was truly convenient; otherwise, even if he managed to enter, it would have been packed with people. Without wasting words, he leaped directly into the pool. Instantly, Su Yu felt a peculiar force wash repeatedly over his flesh. The spring water, initially pristine, was dyed red in a single moment. Blood red! Su Yu had absorbed far too much blood aura. Even with the "Blood" divine character, it could not be completely eradicated; even with the Yuan-Purifying Art, he remained soaked in countless traces of blood aura. It had seeped into his very marrow! The massive spring pool turned red in an instant. Had an outsider witnessed this, their heart would have quailed in terror. How many people had he slaughtered, or how much blood essence had he consumed, to carry such dense, overwhelming blood aura? Su Yu washed himself in the spring while beginning to forge. He had to do some actual smithing to avoid raising suspicion. As for the crimson color, it didn't matter. The spring possessed self-purifying properties. It was only because Su Yu harbored an excess of blood aura that the water had turned red so suddenly; it would dissipate before long. The spring was indeed marvelous, though unfortunately, its effects were confined to this location and offered little use once taken outside. While forging and cleansing himself, Su Yu continued to extract Heaven Yuan Qi from his blood essence. This was the perfect opportunity to cleanse everything at once. He held an abundance of blood essence; that fellow Xia Huyou hadn't paid for Heaven Yuan Qi with money, but had traded blood essence for it. Within the pool, the red hue grew even thicker. Su Yu's "Blood" divine character became exceptionally active. Su Yu cast it into the water to cleanse itself; having absorbed so much blood, it had accumulated impurities. Now, washed by the spring, it grew increasingly bright and translucent. Faintly, it showed signs of advancing into the fourth tier. The "Blood" character had been the first to enter the second tier and the first to enter the third tier. Now, it was likely to be the first to reach the fourth tier, becoming a true Shanhai divine character. Su Yu forged weapons, nurtured his divine character, extracted Heaven Yuan Qi from blood essence, and cleansed himself all at once. The Calm Heart Spring truly brought him a sense of peaceful refinement. Here, even the restless fire in his heart seemed to dwindle. Time slipped by. The blood-red color in the pool gradually faded. A full day passed, and Su Yu forged a martial weapon bearing sixty-seven golden inscriptions. On the second day, Su Yu continued forging, remaining inside. By evening, he had crafted a literary weapon with sixty-six inscriptions, though it lacked attached attributes and required attunement. The pool water no longer showed any trace of red. Su Yu had extracted most of his blood essence, choosing not to touch the rest. He felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. After the cleansing, his entire being felt remarkably relaxed, his willpower more vibrant than ever. Faintly, he sensed the signs of stepping into the Lingyun Realm. *I'm about to break through to Lingyun!* Su Yu sensed it clearly. When he assisted Zhao Li with forging, the signs of advancement had already appeared, only to be suppressed when he struck his sea of will with the Mind Expansion Hammer. Today, the breakthrough arrived naturally. The spring water lacked overwhelming power, but it had relieved a great deal of Su Yu's internal pressure. With that pressure released, he found himself unable to hold it back. *Could it be that I will step into Lingyun right here today?* A Civilization Master's Lingyun breakthrough was different from a physical warrior's. For Su Yu, his divine apertures and divine characters had already met the requirements; the only lacking element was willpower, which was hardly difficult to fulfill. The true difficulty lay in the physical body. Moreover, along the path of a Civilization Master, he had yet to open all 360 divine apertures. While that might leave it somewhat imperfect, he wasn't overly concerned about it right now. A true breakthrough to Lingyun would likely produce no grand phenomenon. Last time, it was the emergence of the Five Elements Literary Art that caused a heavenly phenomenon; other anomalies were tied to the physical body. *I'm about to advance... then let nature take its course!* This time, Su Yu ceased his suppression. If he was to advance, so be it. Stepping into Lingyun would grant him far greater concealing power. While he couldn't guarantee fooling an Invincible, with Lingyun willpower, a fourth-tier divine character, and Niu Baidao's divine talisman, Sun-Moons would likely find it impossible to detect anything amiss! Taking a deep breath, Su Yu began forging another literary weapon. He had a premonition that once this weapon was completed, it would be even stronger, allowing him to smoothly advance and officially become a Lingyun Realm Civilization Master. The forging began anew. And he had already remained inside for two full days and nights! ... Meanwhile. Outside, many people were growing anxious. Why hadn't he emerged yet? The City Lord of Jingxin City was also growing somewhat uneasy and couldn't help asking, "Old Chen, has Cui Lang not finished forging yet? Crafting a Xuan-rank weapon shouldn't take this long, should it?" A prolonged closure was problematic. A day or two was acceptable, but two full days and nights had already passed! Old Chen felt troubled as well, replying helplessly, "He may have had a sudden insight that delayed him slightly. It should be soon..." "Should we send someone in to check..." "That won't do. Blacksmiths employ unique techniques when forging; outsiders cannot simply barge in and peek. That would cause great offense..." As he spoke, a figure materialized before them, saying coldly, "Then what if I go in and take a look? I stated clearly that no one arriving from the Great Xia Prefecture was permitted inside. City Lord Liu, do you treat my words as hot air?" The City Lord frowned slightly. "Greetings, General Zhang. Cui Lang is a genius blacksmith from the Great Ming Prefecture, not a traveler from Great Xia..." "Hmph! He was in Nanyuan earlier, and that is precisely where my son disappeared... no, where he died!" The newcomer's gaze was icy as he stared at the Calm Heart Spring mystic realm, his tone chilling. "I tracked the matter. The person who killed my son may have already left the Great Xia Prefecture and headed north. This Cui Lang is suspicious as well. Why didn't he visit the Calm Heart Spring earlier or later, but chose to come right now?" "General Zhang!" Master Chen frowned. "For blacksmiths, sometimes all that is needed is an opportune moment. Cui Lang's arrival at the Calm Heart Spring was simply that moment..." Before he could finish, the general ignored him completely and flew straight toward the Calm Heart Spring. Master Chen barked, "How dare you! Intruding upon a blacksmith in the middle of forging—General Zhang, you may be a Sun-Moon, but you had better consider the consequences!" The general paid him no heed. He wanted to go in and see whether this Cui Lang was cleansing blood aura! He strongly suspected that his son's death was tied to Cui Lang. Otherwise, how could there be such a coincidence? The moment he breached the entrance to the mystic realm, a furious roar exploded from within: "Get the hell out! Bastard! Fuck! You think being strong makes you special?" At that very moment, many caught sight of a hammer hovering over the massive pool, glowing with seventy golden inscriptions, while willpower churned violently around Cui Lang! Signs of an imminent breakthrough! Su Yu was thoroughly enraged. Though he recognized the intruder, he didn't care in the slightest, roaring with fury, "You bastard! If my breakthrough and forging fail because of this, we fight to the death!" *Boom!* Willpower erupted with staggering force! A massive hammer pounded relentlessly against the literary weapon as Su Yu bellowed, "Fuck your ancestors! I was on the verge of forging an Earth-rank weapon! You deserve to die!" In that instant, Master Chen and the other blacksmiths' expressions changed drastically! Seventy inscriptions! The seventy-first was already taking shape. Master Chen roared, "Zhang He, get out of there! Do you want our entire smithing lineage to become your sworn enemies?" General Zhang's expression shifted as well. He was truly on the verge of breaking through! And he was forging a literary weapon with over seventy golden inscriptions... His face twitched. Darting a quick glance at the pool water, he dared not linger and said hurriedly, "My apologies, a misunderstanding..." With that, he swiftly retreated from the mystic realm. Outside, the crowd was already in an uproar! Seventy golden inscriptions! "Could he... could he really be about to forge an Earth-rank weapon here?" Someone gasped in awe, while another whispered, "It's over. If he fails this time... the smithing lineage is not to be trifled with. An Earth-rank blacksmith is a revered figure. A Sun-Moon offending an Earth-rank master... I'd say Commander Zhang is in deep trouble!" General Zhang's face twisted between various shades of pale and red! He was truly forging a weapon! And seizing the opportunity to break through—this was indeed a massive problem. He had assumed it was merely an excuse, but now he was in deep trouble. He could only pray with all his might that Cui Lang wouldn't fail. Otherwise, the blacksmithing community might blacklist him—or even blacklist the entire Dajin Prefecture!