There Will Always Be a Way

"Hurry up!" Up in the air, Su Yu was frantic. Run! Holy crap! That old ghost from the Great Tang Prefecture was actually coming after him! Did he have no shame at all? All right, the man was here to capture Cui Lang, but right now, he was Cui Lang. He had to run! Zhang He was flying at top speed as well, unable to resist saying, "Elder Cheng is at the ninth stage of the Sun Moon Realm, far stronger than me, and I'm carrying someone..." With that, he quickly added, "If your physical body is strong enough, I can bring you into the secondary space to travel faster." "No way, I can't endure that!" Su Yu flatly refused. Damn it, every Sun Moon is slippery as an eel. Even now, he's still testing me. Hearing that, Zhang He could only say, "Then I'll travel as fast as I can, but I can't guarantee I'll shake him." "Give it your all!" At this moment, Su Yu felt the fierce astral winds buffeting him, cursing internally. This guy was truly difficult to deal with. Zhang He was doing it on purpose! The astral winds were exceedingly harsh. On one hand, he was testing Su Yu's physical durability; on the other, he might even be trying to draw some of Su Yu's blood. Although he had obtained some last time, he didn't necessarily trust that it was clean. He wanted to test him again! Su Yu didn't bother to argue. A set of battle armor materialized around him—a peak Profound-rank battle armor. Su Yu hadn't forged this; Old Zhao had made it and gifted it to him before his departure. Seeing the armor appear on him, and at the peak Profound rank no less, Zhang He couldn't help cursing under his breath. Are armamentsmiths all this rich? This guy had only just reached peak Profound rank not long ago. Where did he get such a piece? A gift? "Is this Grandmaster Zhao Li's handiwork?" Su Yu was much more comfortable now. He chuckled. "Yes, a gift from him as a token of appreciation. I helped him complete an Earth armament forging. It's just a peak Profound battle armor; Teacher Zhao is forging Earth armaments now, so he has no use for it anymore." "..." Envy! A peak Profound battle armor was comparable in value to an Earth armament. Of course, it wasn't of much help to a Sun Moon expert—a Sun Moon required high-tier or peak Earth rank to suffice—but even so, this wasn't something he could casually afford to buy. As his armor settled over him, Su Yu complained, "Tone down the astral winds a bit, Big Brother Zhang. If we really can't get away, so be it, but don't get me killed just running for our lives." Had he said nothing, Zhang He might have let it slide, but since Su Yu called it out, Zhang He could no longer pretend not to notice and quickly dampened the surrounding astral winds. Right then, a voice rang out from behind: "Zhang He, surrender without resistance!" "..." Zhang He cursed in his mind. What the hell does this have to do with me? Why should I surrender without resistance? Looking back, Su Yu saw the void rippling in the far distance, as if someone was about to step out from within. After a brief thought, Su Yu shouted at the top of his lungs, "Elder Cheng, stop chasing! I'm heading to the All-Heavens Battlefield to apologize to Xiaoyou! I'm going to beg for her forgiveness and bring her back to the Human Realm! Elder Cheng, please, stop chasing!" Cheng You was Cheng Mo's granddaughter, Cui Lang's ill-fated romance. She was currently garrisoned on the All-Heavens Battlefield. "Heh, no rush. I'll escort you there myself—after I take care of Zhang He!" The voice boomed again. Su Yu cursed inwardly and called out in a hurry, "General Zhang and I have resolved our differences! There's no need for you to champion justice on my behalf, Elder Cheng!" "This has nothing to do with you! Disrupting an armamentsmith's advancement is a crime that anyone is duty-bound to punish!" "..." Zhang He wanted to curse his mother! Nothing to do with Cui Lang? Duty-bound to punish? Where am I supposed to find justice? Keep your personal grievances between yourselves, will you?! By now, experts took to the sky in all directions. Soon, however, they dropped back down or steered clear. Before long, everyone caught on to the situation. Old Cheng from the Great Tang Prefecture was out hunting someone! Hunting down his grandson-in-law! There were plenty of Sun Moon experts in the Great Zhou Prefecture. Several of them arrived quickly from the surrounding areas just to watch the show. Naturally, no one intervened. Whether he caught him or not, everyone was just here for the entertainment. From behind, Cheng Mo's laughter rang out again. "Cui Lang, this has nothing to do with you! Zhang He, release the hostage, or I'll strike you down on the spot! How dare you take a hostage—are you staging a rebellion?!" Zhang He: "..." He wanted to curse his lungs out! A hostage? Have you ever seen a hostage like this? Did I take a hostage?! Fuck! Su Yu was equally speechless. You could actually come up with an excuse like that? I'm the person involved, and I don't even get a say! The void behind them rippled even more violently now, and Cheng Mo's voice drifted over once more. "Zhang He, don't be obstinate. Taking an Earth armamentsmith hostage is an offense punishable by death!" "Elder Cheng... I didn't take any hostage!" Zhang He couldn't resist arguing back. Cheng Mo snapped coldly, "Then put him down!" Even before he arrived, his voice resounded in all directions. Around them, the watching experts held back their laughter. A hostage! Zhang He, you're in deep trouble now. Are you going to let him go or not? If you don't, he'll definitely make your life miserable—a thrashing would be getting off easy. At this point, Su Yu threw caution to the wind and shouted urgently, "I'm not a hostage! Help! Director Cheng Mo of the Great Tang Prefecture is committing murder! Someone help! We're being hunted down, and Great Zhou Prefecture is just standing by doing nothing?! Is this how you treat an armamentsmith of the Human Realm?" "Help!" Su Yu yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to get someone to block Cheng Mo. If no one stopped him and he was really captured, what was he going to do? Around them, the onlookers were rather speechless, but their hands were tied. Over there, Cheng Mo said coolly, "Help? Hunted down? Even if I were hunting you down, what of it? Don't you know full well what you did, boy? You tainted my granddaughter's chastity! Even before King Tianzhu himself, I would still slaughter you! What do you have to say for yourself?!" "I didn't!" "Still denying it!" In the next instant, the void trembled. Less than a few dozen li behind them, an elderly man burst through the sky, shattering the void as he stepped forth. Blinding speed! Tall and imposing, with white hair and a white beard, the old man strode through the air, advancing on Su Yu and Zhang He step by step. Fast as Zhang He was, the distance between them shrank rapidly. That old man was Cheng Mo! A supreme powerhouse of the Sun Moon ninth stage! With each stride, he crossed several li, even dozens of li, closing the gap on Zhang He with every breath. Looking back, Su Yu could practically count the hairs on the old man's white beard! He felt profoundly helpless. I'm not actually going to get caught, am I? If he catches me, I'll be in serious trouble. "Elder Cheng, stop chasing! I really have business on the All-Heavens Battlefield—I'm going to pay my respects to King Tianzhu!" "Oh, really? Didn't you say you'd fetch King Daming and King Datang to teach me a lesson?" Cheng Mo chuckled, unhurried and relaxed. "You actually threatened to report me? Don't you know what you did? King Datang and King Daming? Would Tang Tianzhong and Zhu Dizhu turn on an old friend like me just for you?" "..." A quiet hush fell over the surroundings. Tang Tianzhong was King Datang. Zhu Dizhu... was King Daming. Setting King Datang aside, King Daming's name... ahem, what was that about?! Uttering it aloud was really quite inappropriate! Of course, in that era, such names were normal. The Zhu family hadn't been wealthy back then, and their dream had merely been to become landlords, so King Daming's father had chosen a name that was thoroughly down-to-earth. Later on, King Daming truly did become the grandest landlord of all—after all, the entire Great Ming Prefecture belonged to his family, didn't it? Cheng Mo was indeed an old friend of theirs; elders like Niu Baidao were all friends from back in the day. Naturally, even friends ended up at different heights. Those figures had advanced to the Invincible Realm, while they remained in the Sun Moon Realm. Su Yu was utterly helpless. I was just talking off the cuff! Still, he had learned King Daming's real name—and it really was earthy. Muttering under his breath, Su Yu watched the old man draw closer and closer with sinking dismay. By now, they had flown a tremendous distance. Traveling at full throttle for this long, a Sun Moon expert was already nearing the border of the Great Zhou Prefecture. Once they crossed this expanse of wilderness, they would reach the domain of the All-Heavens Prefecture. Once there, entering the All-Heavens Battlefield would be possible at any moment. "Faster, Big Brother Zhang, faster!" Zhang He was exasperated. I can't run any faster! Do you think sprinting at full power comes without a toll? The man is a Sun Moon ninth stage! "Zhang He, you're still running? Run any further, and see if I don't pay a visit to your Zhang family residence!" "Elder Cheng, I'm just an errand boy!" Zhang He yelled back. I only agreed to escort him, don't pin this on me! "An errand boy? I now suspect Cui Lang belongs to the All-Races Sect! Drop him immediately, or you'll be treated as colluding with the All-Races Sect!" "..." Zhang He was exhausted down to his soul. Su Yu quickly yelled, "Director Cheng is the Primordial Cult Master! Quick, everyone, arrest him! I have evidence, and I'll make it public once we reach the All-Heavens Prefecture!" "Oho!" Cheng Mo laughed. "Fine boy, quite ruthless, aren't you! Come, show me your evidence." "I'll talk once we're in the All-Heavens Prefecture!" "Show it to me now, and I'll stop chasing you!" "You'd silence me on the spot! Everyone, stop him! When we get to the All-Heavens Prefecture, I'll show you all the evidence—he's colluding with Lan Tian, too..." Su Yu yelled wildly. There were no real consequences anyway; if people took every accusation of being in the All-Races Sect seriously, the realm would have collapsed long ago. Stalling for even a moment was better than nothing! At this moment, multiple Sun Moon experts were traversing the void. Below, out in the wilderness, wild beasts and demons scattered in sheer terror, trembling to their cores. Wayfarers on the ground froze in their tracks, watching with bated breath as those figures streaked past overhead—powerhouses, supreme powerhouses! Cheng Mo was getting closer and closer to Su Yu and Zhang He! Twenty li, ten li... A few li was merely a few thousand meters. For beings of their caliber, they could practically count each other's pores. And in the distance, military camps and towering city walls finally came into view. The All-Heavens Prefecture was in sight. The northern passage of the Human Realm, leading straight to the All-Heavens Battlefield. Just then, a Sun Moon expert took to the air from the city walls and barked, "Halt! Who goes there?" Zhang He slowed down immediately. Cheng Mo did the same, quickly calling out with a laugh, "Old Wu, it's me! I'm catching a fleeing rogue, don't misunderstand!" Even a Sun Moon ninth stage had to exercise caution here. This was where the portal to the All-Heavens Battlefield lay, heavily garrisoned by numerous human experts. There were many in the Sun Moon Realm here! In emergencies, even an Invincible would descend. A towering man standing atop the city wall, clutching an enormous battleaxe, squinted at the approaching figures. Once he took in the scene, he snorted and barked, "All of you, halt and land! No flying over the All-Heavens Prefecture! Old Cheng, the older you get, the more useless you become—chasing a third-stage Sun Moon for this many li!" In front of these men, Zhang He was nothing more than an insect. Cheng Mo chuckled. "I couldn't be too rough, lest I kill him. Otherwise, I would have stopped them long ago." The towering axe-wielding man swept his gaze over Su Yu and Zhang He, the sun and moon turning within his eyes. "So this is the skirt-chaser who slept with Xiaoyou?" "..." Cheng Mo's expression darkened, and he snapped, "Watch your mouth!" "..." The axe-wielding man gave a slight cough and took to the air. "We're old friends, no need to mind the phrasing. You're here to catch someone, right? I've been annoyed with this brat for a long time myself. Last time Xiaoyou passed through here, I took a look and saw how much weight she'd lost. I'll help you chop him down!" Despair flooded Su Yu! Holy crap! One behind, and now another in front? Can't a guy catch a break?! Right then, Zhang He sent a helpless voice transmission: "That's a powerhouse stationed in the All-Heavens Prefecture, Sun Moon ninth stage. I give up, little brother. You can't blame me for this!" Pincer attack! And both were Sun Moon ninth stage! I surrender! You people can play, I can't afford the stakes. The next instant, Zhang He came to a halt. Su Yu looked on in total despair and helplessness. What am I supposed to do now? Two Sun Moon ninth stage powerhouses ganging up on him—how the hell was he supposed to run?! The moment they stopped, Cheng Mo and the axe-wielding man arrived in a flash. Cheng Mo gave a pleased grin and swung a casual slap toward Zhang He. Before the blow even landed, Zhang He shattered the void with a bang and flew backward several thousand meters, instantly fleeing into the distance! "Brother Cui, I'll visit you in the Great Tang Prefecture when I have time!" Tossing those words behind him, Zhang He bolted with astonishing speed, even faster than when he had been flying with Su Yu. Why stay? Wait around to get beaten up? A Sun Moon third stage was a powerhouse elsewhere, but not here. He'd just be thrashed, and that was too humiliating. Meanwhile, Sun Moon experts manifested around the area, all watching the surrounded Su Yu as if spectating a monkey show. Su Yu cursed inwardly. Will my true identity be exposed? He pushed his divine characters "Yin" and "Change" to their utmost limits, alongside Old Turtle's aura-concealment technique and every other concealing method at his disposal. A Sun Moon ninth stage was not an Invincible, but they were still among the very pinnacle of the Human Realm. Seeing through his disguise was not impossible. Fortunately, no one was scanning him with their willpower right now, as that would be considered a hostile gesture. Besides, with Cheng Mo right here, who knew how the old man would react if someone pried into Cui Lang? "Keep running!" Cheng Mo laughed, folding his arms across his chest, his white beard fluttering. "Go on! Let's see where else you can run!" Su Yu offered an awkward smile. "Elder Cheng, it's a misunderstanding. I wasn't running. I'm truly heading to the All-Heavens Battlefield to see Xiaoyou." "Heh heh!" Cheng Mo chuckled, taking a stride through the air to grab him and drag him away. Helpless, Su Yu hastily backed away, saying rapidly, "Elder Cheng, I need to see King Tianzhu to seek his guidance! If I don't see King Tianzhu, dragging me back won't do any good—my armamentsmithing won't improve! Even if I reach Earth rank, I'll just be a useless, low-tier Earth-rank smith..." Cough, cough, cough! Right then, several dry coughs sounded from the surroundings. Someone spoke up in an aggrieved tone: "Young Friend Cui, those words... are rather inappropriate! How is low-tier Earth rank considered useless?" Are you begging for a beating? Don't you know there are Earth armamentsmiths here? And as it happened, at the low-tier Earth rank! Before Su Yu could reply, Cheng Mo nodded. "There's some truth to that. Low-tier Earth rank is indeed pretty useless. The armaments they make are fine for the Shanhai Realm, but for the Sun Moon Realm, you need mid-tier Earth rank or higher at the very least!" On the other side, the axe-wielding man laughed heartily. "Indeed, low-tier Earth rank is a bit weak." "..." The Sun Moon expert who had just spoken snapped indignantly, "You said it yourself! I'll broadcast this to the entire realm so our fellow armamentsmiths can see your true faces! Fine, look down on us low-tier Earth smiths all you want—just see if you have the nerve to ask us to forge your armaments in the future!" Cheng Mo and the big man chuckled sheepishly and let it drop. A joke was one thing, but if they truly alienated all the low-tier Earth armamentsmiths, life wouldn't be easy for either of them. Su Yu hurriedly pressed on, "Even if I make a breakthrough, I'll only be low-tier Earth rank at best. Right now, I desperately need guidance from Lord King Tianzhu!" Watching Su Yu back away, Cheng Mo was in no hurry. He smiled and said, "Guidance? What's the rush? When King Tianzhu returns, how about I invite him over to the Great Tang Prefecture to instruct you?" "Don't—that would owe too great a favor!" Su Yu hastily added, "Elder Cheng, I miss Xiaoyou too. It's the perfect opportunity to visit her." "Heh!" Cheng Mo sneered. Behind him, the burly man laughed heartily as well. "Miss Xiaoyou? What a coincidence! Xiaoyou is due for rotation soon—she'll be back in about three days to rest in the All-Heavens Prefecture. Why don't you just wait here for her to return?" "..." Fuck you! What does this have to do with you? Su Yu was completely fed up. Who is this axe-wielding guy anyway, and why does he keep sticking his nose into this? As if sensing or guessing that Su Yu was cursing him, the burly axe-wielder chuckled. "Boy, do you not know who I am?" "..." He truly didn't; all he knew was that the man was surnamed Wu, which was what Cheng Mo had called him earlier. Seeing that Su Yu genuinely had no clue, the man laughed. "Blind fool. I am the commander of the War God Hall's three hundred thousand troops—the General Commander of the War God Army!" Su Yu couldn't help saying, "Senior, why are you stopping me? This has nothing to do with you!" "Bullshit! Before I joined the War God Hall, Old Cheng and I became sworn brothers! Right, Old Cheng?" Cheng Mo nodded with a smile. "Boy, come with me to the Great Tang Prefecture and stop the nonsense. Do you really need me to drag you back by the scruff of your neck?" Su Yu gave a wry smile and pleaded, "I promise, the moment I return from the All-Heavens Battlefield, I'll go straight to the Great Tang Prefecture! Elder Cheng, I truly have serious business. My master even instructed me to handle something on the All-Heavens Battlefield." "What business could that fellow Niu Baidao possibly have?" Cheng Mo scoffed dismissively. "Did he send you to kidnap a divine maiden to warm his bed?" "..." You even know about that! Sigh, Principal Niu's reputation... I'm not the one who ruined it. Cornered with no way out, Su Yu gritted his teeth. "I have to go to the All-Heavens Battlefield—I must! If I don't go, even if you drag me back to the Great Tang Prefecture, Elder Cheng, I won't forge a single weapon for you!" "Oh." Cheng Mo nodded, then grinned. "You're not willing... but as long as I am, that's enough! Boy, do you know the joy of being whipped with a leather lash?" "..." Pfft! Around them, several onlookers couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. Su Yu was pushed to his wits' end and roared, "Are there any powerhouses from the Great Ming Prefecture here?! Someone is kidnapping an Earth armamentsmith of the Great Ming Prefecture!" After he yelled for a moment, someone actually responded. Soon, a figure tore through the sky, draped in black robes—surprisingly, a woman, and a rather attractive one at that. Su Yu was caught off guard. Who's this? From the Great Ming Prefecture? The woman glided through the air, glancing at Cheng Mo and the others before fixing her gaze on Su Yu, her brow furrowing slightly. "Cui Lang? That womanizing brat?" "..." Su Yu was speechless. He didn't seem particularly well-liked here either. Cheng Mo laughed. "That's him! This brat is promiscuous beyond belief. The moral fabric of the Great Ming Prefecture was corrupted by people like him—the spitting image of Niu Baidao! Hongyan, hand him over to me. I'll take him back and castrate him!" Su Yu was once again left without words, turning his eyes toward the woman. She was looking at him too, clad in black robes, her face severe and aloof. After studying Su Yu for a moment, she said flatly, "No manners at all. Seeing me, you don't even pay your respects?" Su Yu's mind raced. Who is she? I don't know her! Cui Lang never mentioned her either! If Cui Lang knew a Sun Moon expert like this, he definitely would have said something. But I truly have no idea! Could she be someone Cui Lang... flirted with? Su Yu frightened himself with the thought! Just as the idea crossed his mind, the woman noticed his eyes darting about and let out a cold snort. "What are you thinking about?" "Nothing..." "The exact same virtue as that cheap master of yours!" The woman snapped, "You count as half a disciple to that old fossil. Calling me 'Mistress' wouldn't be out of line!" "M-Mistress?" Su Yu's jaw dropped. Holy fuck! Where did this Mistress come from?! "Se-Senior... you and my teacher... are...?" The black-robed woman said coldly, "That old bastard never told you? Excellent! Such audacity! I've been guarding the All-Heavens Prefecture for fifty years, and he has been philandering outside for fifty years. And now, he hasn't even mentioned me once?" "Er... no, he did, he mentioned you!" Su Yu hurriedly bluffed, "Greetings, Mistress! Master talks about you every single day, saying how much he misses you! Every night I see him gazing northward, and it turns out he was longing for you, Mistress! My master misses you terribly..." His head was spinning. What the hell is going on here?! Cheng Mo laughed heartily from the side. "Hongyan, Niu Baidao is thrilled you're not at home these days. Why would he ever mention you? Who in the Human Realm doesn't know that Niu Baidao's favorite pastime is 'helping others' and 'rescuing respectable women'? If it were me, I'd have beaten him to death long ago!" The moment he finished, the black-robed woman said coldly, "Cheng, are you trying to sow discord between husband and wife?" "..." Cheng Mo was struck speechless. Fuck, I was only echoing your own words. Why are you completely impervious to reason? Su Yu looked visibly shocked. "You... you're truly my teacher's wife?" No way! Principal Niu is so lecherous and ugly, yet he actually has a wife? I've literally never heard anyone mention this. The black-robed woman said coldly, "Just as I thought—he never mentioned me at all! What nerve! That old fossil, I'll settle scores with him sooner or later!" Turning to Su Yu, she said impassively, "Of all things to learn from him, you learned his skirt-chasing. You're no good either! If Cheng Mo really wanted to take you back, castrate you, and torture you day in and day out, I wouldn't even bother interfering. But since that old ghost harbors ulterior motives, I won't let him take you away!" Cheng Mo was at a loss for words, but laughed it off. "Hongyan, don't put it like that. This boy and my Xiaoyou share mutual affection. I need to take him back and prepare for the wedding. A man cannot love and abandon her, right?" "Mm." The black-robed woman nodded. "That is indeed how it should be! A man like this needs someone watching him, keeping tabs on him, with a woman to torment him! That way, a hundred years from now, he'll tremble at the sight of a woman and never dare fool around again!" Su Yu was completely dazed. Is this really Niu Baidao's wife? I truly knew nothing about this! No one ever brought it up. And now, I'm royally screwed—they're not actually going to ship me off to get married, are they? That absolutely cannot happen! If it comes down to a wedding, I'll just expose my true identity! Su Yu shuddered slightly. How utterly miserable! Right at the threshold of the All-Heavens Battlefield, he had ended up intercepted by multiple Sun Moon powerhouses. While he was lost in thought, the black-robed woman glanced around and snorted coldly. "Let's go. We'll speak inside the All-Heavens Prefecture. You bunch of rubbernecking bastards—keep staring and I'll gouge your eyes out!" With that, she grabbed Su Yu. With a crunch, she locked her fingers onto Su Yu's head, applying no small amount of force, making him grimace in pain. Lifting him like a scruffed chick by the head, she flew downward, asking as they descended, "Did that old fossil have any message for me?" "Yes, he said he missed you, Mistress!" Thwack! The woman instantly rapped him on the forehead, raising a swelling bump on the spot! "Hmph, sweet-talking nonsense! That old fossil would never say such words—he'd like nothing more than for me to never return!" Really? Su Yu sighed inwardly. That did seem plausible; Principal Niu truly had never mentioned her. "Are you... truly my master's wife?" Still finding it hard to believe, Su Yu asked again. The black-robed woman replied indifferently, "Fifty years ago I was, but not anymore. Fifty years ago, I severed ties with him!" That sounds complicated! Hearing that timeframe, however, Su Yu grew curious. Around fifty years ago, the single biggest event had been the fall of Ye Batian. As he pondered this, Cheng Mo caught up from behind, chuckling. "Hongyan, it's been so many years, and you're still hung up on that? Old Niu's choice back then wasn't surprising, to be honest. The Great Ming Prefecture never had any interest in getting involved in the first place, yet you insisted on forcing him to take part..." The woman turned her head toward him, her tone freezing cold. "Forced him? Batian was my only kin, my blood nephew! I have had no children of my own in this life, and I treated him like my own son! As if that old fossil didn't know that! Back then, he didn't even have the spine to stand up and say a single word! When he dies, I won't spare his corpse a second glance either!" Batian! Su Yu froze. Who? Ye Batian? The fifth-generation Head?! What on earth is going on? This is getting more and more tangled. "You mean... the fifth-generation Head of the Great Xia Civilization Academy..." "Fifth-generation?" The black-robed woman said chillily, "Fifth or sixth, none of that matters—he was my nephew! As for that teacher of yours, I don't care how womanizing he is, but his heart is jet-black, and that is the worst part! Learning his flirtatious ways is one thing, but if you learn his black-heartedness... I will kill you with my own hands!" Su Yu's mind reeled. The fifth-generation Head's aunt?! Holy cow! The fifth-generation Head still has surviving kin! Wait, that means Principal Niu is the fifth Head's uncle-in-law? This web of relationships is dizzyingly complex. Principal Niu actually had ties to the fifth Head! Su Yu had known nothing about this, nor had anyone ever spoken of it. As for why nobody mentioned Niu Baidao having a wife, it likely stemmed from this incident; the affairs back then were probably fraught with history. "If you're the fifth Head's aunt, then... what about Elder Hong Tan and Instructor Liu Wenyan of the Great Xia Prefecture...?" The black-robed woman replied indifferently, "Those are my nephew's students, not my nephews. Does that matter?" She didn't care much about them; all she cared about was Ye Batian. Having no children of her own, the woman had truly treated Ye Batian as a son. When Ye Batian died, some severe conflict had likely erupted between her and Principal Niu. Su Yu wanted to weep. She's not going to use me as a punching bag, is she? I really want to blow my cover right now! I'm not Old Niu's student! I'm Su Yu, Ye Batian's grand-disciple—or great-grand-disciple, whichever! These old men and women had truly complicated entanglements. Behind them, Cheng Mo smiled and transmitted his voice into Su Yu's ears: "Brat, come with me while you still have the chance. This mistress of yours has wished your master dead for decades. Calling her out is no blessing! I only want you to get married, but her... hehe, you'd better watch yourself. Ever since your master abandoned her, she's harbored a grudge against heaven and earth. Nobody dares cross her. Tell her right now that you're going to the Great Tang Prefecture and I can still rescue you, otherwise it'll be too late." Before Su Yu could speak, the black-robed woman barked coldly, "Cheng Mo, what are you saying to him?" "Nothing!" Cheng Mo stroked his beard and beamed. "I was just saying that once this boy returns to marry Xiaoyou, he'll need strict discipline so he doesn't end up as unreliable as Old Niu. Rest assured of my Cheng family's household discipline; he wouldn't dare act out of line!" The black-robed woman didn't deign to reply. Gripping Su Yu, she flew swiftly from outside the city toward an expansive compound inside. She resided here in the All-Heavens Prefecture. Here, she also commanded a division of the Great Ming Prefecture's Tiandao Army, standing as one of Great Ming's pillars of strength. Of course, due to past circumstances, few people knew of her, and she hadn't set foot in the Great Ming Prefecture for many years. Inside the massive compound, every resident was female; not a single man was in sight. Seeing the woman return, the women in the courtyard greeted her respectfully one after another. "Mistress!" "Mistress has returned. Shall we prepare a meal?" "..." The black-robed woman waved her hand casually. "Go attend to your own duties." The women dispersed quickly. Soon, the woman dragged Su Yu into a grand hall. It was gloomy and cold, giving off a chilly draft. She tossed Su Yu aside with a careless flick and strode to the head seat. Cheng Mo and the axe-wielding warrior both followed them inside. As soon as he entered, Cheng Mo couldn't help remarking, "Hongyan, this damn place is far too gloomy and freezing. Don't hurt your own body over a useless fellow like Old Niu..." The woman glared at him, frowning. "Cheng Mo, if you slander that old fossil one more time, I won't be courteous with you!" "..." Cheng Mo was speechless. He picked up a teacup, poured himself some tea, and took a sip as he said, "Fine, fine, we won't talk about that old ghost. Let's talk about this kid. I'm taking him with me. I came out of seclusion specifically to catch him; he can't sleep with my granddaughter and refuse to take responsibility." The woman frowned slightly. "We'll discuss that later." With that, she turned to Su Yu. "You wish to go to the All-Heavens Battlefield to see King Tianzhu?" "Yes." "How long will it take?" "I don't know." Su Yu said cautiously, "I will return as quickly as possible. Mistress, what do you think... could I perhaps leave early and return early?" The woman gazed at him for a long moment, then asked calmly, "What's the rush? Let me ask you: have the four-leaf flowers on Yuexin Island bloomed?" "Ah?" Su Yu blinked. Four-leaf flowers? After a long pause, he replied awkwardly, "I didn't notice... were there any? Did Master pull them up? He doesn't plant flowers anymore, probably because seeing them would stir up memories of you, Mistress. Master spends his days drowning his sorrows in liquor now. He dug a huge pit on the island and turned it into a pool of wine. Of course, it's not that Master is an alcoholic—it's just to drown a thousand sorrows in one drunken stupor." "Hmph, still making excuses for him? Slick-tongued boy!" The woman snorted coldly. "Then in his bedroom, is my portrait still hanging?" Su Yu rolled his eyes, inwardly cursing. How am I supposed to answer that? I never saw anything like that! If I had, I wouldn't have failed to recognize you in the first place! Walking on eggshells, he said, "Well... I might not have paid close attention. Master's bedroom is currently sealed off. Missing you so much every day, he can't sleep in bed at all. He sleeps in the Yuexin Pavilion, resting while drinking wine. He's practically drunk himself foolish longing for you, Mistress." The woman looked deeply at him. She asked no further questions. Four-leaf flowers, portraits—they were all complete fabrications. When she had grabbed this boy by the head earlier, she had simply sensed something slightly off. Now, after a few questions, she found he knew things outsiders would never know. For instance, that rascal Niu Baidao had never slept in a bedroom—he had been doing that for hundreds of years, always sleeping in the Yuexin Pavilion at night. Unless this boy had been right beside Niu Baidao when the latter slept at night, an ordinary outsider could never possibly know that detail. At this point, though the woman still harbored some doubts, she pressed no further. She turned to Cheng Mo and said calmly, "Let him go to the All-Heavens Battlefield first. When he returns, he can go to the Great Tang Prefecture to apologize, make amends, and hold the wedding as appropriate. Cheng You hasn't even returned yet, has she? What are you in such a rush for?" Cheng Mo said with a grin, "Come now, this boy is as slippery as an eel. If he runs off, we might never catch him again! If he goes to the All-Heavens Battlefield and never comes back, wouldn't that be a mess?" "If he doesn't come back, is he going to marry into the god race?" The woman said coldly, "Cheng Mo, I am not negotiating with you; I am informing you! Do you wish to come to blows with me over him?" "How could I?" Cheng Mo laughed heartily. "If I struck you, Old Niu would come after my life. Though I could swat him dead with a single slap, we're all old friends after all, wouldn't you say?" The woman was exasperated. Even at a time like this, the man still insisted on boasting. Cheng Mo bantered for a moment, then turned his gaze back to Su Yu, saying with a smirk, "How about this: you brat must return within three months. I will come pick you up! If you don't return... heh, Old Wu, keep an eye on him for me. If he doesn't come back, I'll go to the All-Heavens Battlefield myself to hunt him down! Thinking you can sleep with my granddaughter and walk away without owning up to it? Not on your life!" Beside him, the axe-wielding warrior laughed. "No problem! If he isn't back in three months, I'll help you catch him!" The two bantered, and Su Yu hurriedly chimed in, "I will definitely return! Elder Cheng, I am not the type of person who breaks his word." "Wrong, you are!" Cheng Mo sneered. "Brat, trying that on me? One roll of your eyes and I know exactly what you're scheming! Don't even think about running; you can't escape! You're marrying my granddaughter whether you want to or not! Treat her poorly, and I'll beat you to death—simple as that!" Su Yu was weary to his bones. All right. He nodded. "I definitely won't!" Cui Lang, you are done for. I'll do my best to resolve this mess for you, but... you slept with a girl and didn't even take responsibility. You're truly inhuman, you scumbag! Chuckling, Cheng Mo rose to his feet. "Hongyan, I'll give you face this time. In three months, I'll come pick him up and take him to the Great Tang Prefecture. Boy, catch..." As he spoke, he casually tossed a token to Su Yu. "This is my command token. If you run into trouble on the All-Heavens Battlefield, you can seek help from the Great Tang Prefecture garrison. Don't you dare go dying on me! If you're dead, you won't be worth a copper!" Catching the token, Su Yu quickly put on an ingratiating smile. "Thank you, Elder Cheng. I definitely won't die." Cheng Mo sneered and vanished from the room in an instant. The axe-wielding man also departed with a chuckle. Once everyone had left, the woman looked at Su Yu and said calmly, "I won't pry into other matters. The All-Heavens Battlefield has been restless lately, so be careful! Furthermore, going to the All-Heavens Battlefield is fine on our side, but the other side will inspect your identity, and sometimes an Invincible will scan travelers. Which Invincible do you know, or who on good terms with you could help you out?" "..." Su Yu felt a faint jolt in his heart. After a pause, he said in a low voice, "King Daming, or King Daxia." "Neither of them is nearby," the woman replied coldly. "They recently went off to investigate something and won't be conducting inspections." Su Yu's thoughts were in disarray. Who else could help him? Against an Invincible, he most likely couldn't keep his disguise hidden. Under ordinary circumstances, nobody would actively probe him, but when passing through the portal, the garrison Invincible would undoubtedly scan anyone crossing over. Thinking for a moment, Su Yu offered, "King Daqin would work as well." "King Daqin..." The woman contemplated this, then nodded. "Then enter the day after tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, King Daqin is scheduled to reward some soldiers as a routine matter. Enter at that time!" "I'll do as Mistress says!" The woman couldn't be bothered to engage him further. She stood up and said, "Stay in this room and don't go wandering around outside! Also, let me give you a piece of advice: once a high-stage Sun Moon makes physical contact with your flesh, they'll sense something abnormal. Keep that in mind!" "Thank you for the warning, Mistress!" So that was it! Su Yu nodded. He had indeed been found out. Sigh! Sure enough, his strength was insufficient, meaning his disguise wasn't absolute. High-stage Sun Moon experts couldn't see through it from afar, but once they came into physical contact, they could immediately sense the discrepancy. An Invincible could see through it with their eyes; a high-stage Sun Moon could feel it through touch... that was what it came down to. The woman paid him no further heed, rising and walking out the door. In her mind, she weighed who this youth could be. That old fossil had clearly helped mask his aura, he had been to Yuexin Island, he seemed to have ties to King Daxia, and he knew how to forge armaments... By and large, she had a solid guess. He certainly has guts! To dare venture to the All-Heavens Battlefield at a time like this, completely unfazed by the prospect of being exposed and hunted down by powerhouses of all races. She couldn't be bothered to intervene further. Since Niu Baidao knew, he naturally had his own plans. Let him handle it. ... Inside the room, Su Yu exhaled a long breath. He was somewhat exasperated. My disguise is utterly pathetic! We agreed nobody would know, but now it feels like literally everyone spots that something's wrong!