Dongli City bustled with noise and clamor.
The others scattered upon entering the city, but the Great Song Lingyun Realm warrior remained by Su Yu's side, full of warmth and enthusiasm. "Master Cui, where do you plan to stay? Our Great Song Prefecture has several small courtyards in Dongli City with pleasant surroundings. How about resting your feet there first, Master Cui?"
Su Yu chuckled softly. "General, you are far too polite. I might not have time to forge armaments for anyone on this trip. I'll just head over to the Great Ming Prefecture's pavilion here to rest."
The Lingyun general looked somewhat disappointed, but had no choice but to say, "Then let me escort you over, Master Cui. It has been years since your last visit, and Dongli City has changed considerably. You might not be able to find the place on your own."
"Then I'll trouble you, General!"
Su Yu smiled and did not refuse. Soon, their earth dragon beast carriage was navigating through the streets.
Prominent signs and pavilions lined both sides of the roadway.
"Great Zhou Embassy," "Great Qi Embassy," "Great Xia Embassy"...
All thirty-six prefectures maintained embassies in Dongli City, specifically intended to receive solitary travelers from their respective lands.
Proceeding down the avenue, a colossal pavilion soon presented itself before their eyes.
The Great Ming Embassy!
It was immense and resplendent. Two coiled golden dragon stone sculptures flanked the main entrance, carved in the likeness of Zhu Tiandao's mounts.
While the other embassies each had their own distinctive character, the Great Ming Embassy could only be described as dripping with wealth. Golden, majestic, and sprawling over vast grounds flanked by tree-lined boulevards, its entrance looked twice the size of any other embassy's!
Compared to the Great Ming Embassy, the Great Qin Embassy they had passed earlier seemed like an outright pauper's dwelling—a wealthy district contrasted with a slum.
Two guards stood outside the Great Qin Embassy, while the Great Ming Embassy boasted eight!
The grandeur was in a league of its own!
Anyone who did not know better might assume the Great Ming Prefecture was the most powerful prefecture in the Human Realm.
At this moment, even the Great Song Lingyun escorting Su Yu could not resist muttering, "The Great Ming Prefecture truly is... I only arrived a few days ago, and they've already expanded the embassy again. Hardly anyone comes here, so doesn't expanding it this much cost a fortune?"
Few people from the Great Ming Prefecture actually visited the battlefield. With so many homebodies among them, wasn't life in the Human Realm wonderful enough?
It was enough for warriors to go!
And warriors typically enlisted in the military; lone wanderers were rare. Conversely, prefectures like Great Xia constantly had people coming and going, yet their grounds remained tiny.
Su Yu laughed, not at all surprised, though he asked out of curiosity, "Is land expensive in Dongli City?"
"Of course! Every inch of soil is worth an inch of gold!" the Lingyun expert explained. "It lies near the main base camp without being a military garrison, yet it falls within the protective aura of the Invincibles. It offers both safety and freedom on the All-Heavens Battlefield. Experts stationed here long-term all want a foothold in this city. Land prices are frighteningly high; a small three-hundred-square-meter courtyard won't go for less than three thousand merit points."
Ten merit points per square meter!
Was that expensive?
Exorbitantly expensive!
Three thousand merit points on the battlefield was the bounty for slaying three early-stage Lingyun cultivators. That meant a Lingyun expert had to risk their life killing enemies just to afford a tiny courtyard.
Otherwise, putting down roots here was out of the question.
Su Yu was secretly tongue-tied. The Great Ming Embassy had to cover tens of thousands of square meters, didn't it?
At the very least, it did!
Dammit, that cost hundreds of thousands of merit points!
Just for the land of an embassy, they had dropped hundreds of thousands of merit points. Factoring in construction and everything else, wouldn't it exceed a million?
What staggering wealth!
No wonder Zhu Tiandao always spoke of money with such breezy generosity—he had plenty to spare and threw it around at will. It was completely unlike Marquis Xia, whose expression when spending money suggested he wanted to slice each merit point in half before parting with it!
As soon as the beast carriage pulled up, one of the golden-armored guards at the entrance stepped forward. "May I ask which master has arrived? Do you require me to inform the hall master?"
Su Yu smiled and said, "I am Cui Lang. Is Senior Brother Liu still the hall master here?"
Hearing the name Cui Lang, the guard looked bewildered at first, then quickly asked, "Are you Master Cui, who recently advanced to peak Profound rank armamentsmith?"
The Great Song general chimed in sourly, "Master Cui forged an armament with seventy-two golden lines just a few days ago. Your news is out of date!"
The reports here were likely still from when Su Yu had been in the Great Xia Prefecture.
They were thoroughly outdated!
Before Su Yu could speak, the massive double doors swung open, and a plump, middle-aged man strode out, laughing boisterously. "Is that Junior Brother Cui? Your great name has already spread across the Human Realm!"
The plump man smiled so broadly his teeth were on full display as he laughed heartily. "Junior Brother, we haven't seen each other in years! You've truly astounded your senior brother!"
A Shanhai Realm expert!
Yet he addressed Su Yu as "Junior Brother" with great intimacy.
Su Yu hopped off the carriage and smiled. "Senior Brother Liu, you're still serving as hall master? I remember five years ago when I visited, you promised that the next time I came, you would introduce me to a divine maiden from the divine race. It's time to deliver on that promise!"
"Hahaha... Junior Brother, cough, cough... well... that was a joke, just a joke! Don't take it seriously. If your senior brother had that kind of capability, would I still be stuck here running an embassy?"
The portly man was surnamed Liu, hailing from the Great Ming Civilization Academy.
He had graduated many years ago and was stationed here as the embassy's hall master. He had only recently stepped into the Shanhai Realm back then—though that was five years ago, and his current cultivation was unknown.
Before heading to the All-Heavens Battlefield, Su Yu had asked Cui Lang about the situation here.
This Hall Master Liu had some acquaintance with him. Naturally, the relationship was modest; Cui Lang had only been in the Tengkong Realm back then, though being the disciple of a Sun Moon expert allowed him to converse with a Shanhai.
That was then!
Now, Cui Lang had reached the Lingyun Realm and become a quasi-Earth armamentsmith. Having received this news, Hall Master Liu was exceedingly polite, chuckling warmly. "Junior Brother, you should have sent word beforehand! I would have dispatched someone to escort you. Why trouble an outsider...?"
"Senior Brother, don't speak like that!"
Su Yu flashed a radiant smile and turned toward the Great Song Lingyun warrior. "General, thank you for your trouble. I won't be leaving the Great Ming Embassy for the next few days. If you ever need an armament forged, feel free to find me. Just bring the materials. An Earth armament might be difficult, but a Profound armament is no problem at all—I can forge one for you!"
The Great Song Lingyun was instantly overjoyed and said hurriedly, "Then I thank Master Cui! If you ever need to visit the base camp later on, just call for me anytime!"
After exchanging pleasantries, the general said no more and took his leave.
Once he was gone, Hall Master Liu laughed. "Junior Brother, that was quite the grand gesture. Forging a Profound rank armament carries a crafting fee ranging from a few hundred merit points to several thousand, and he merely gave you a ride..."
Su Yu waved his hand dismissively, smiling unconcernedly. "It's fine, just a small matter! Forging a Profound armament is nothing more than swinging a hammer a few times for me now."
At these words, Hall Master Liu immediately raised a thumb.
"Junior Brother, you truly are different now. I'll have to rely on your good graces in the future."
"Don't!"
Su Yu said lazily, "Senior Brother, let's skip the flattery between us. Over these years, you've made a fortune here. Look at how much weight you've put on. Be careful, or I'll go report you to the Manor Head."
"Don't do that!"
The plump man laughed heartily. "I haven't taken much. The Manor Head allocated funding, and I haven't embezzled a single cent! Look, it was all spent on constructing the embassy! Whose embassy is as glorious as our Great Ming's?"
Su Yu nodded. As he walked inside, he chuckled, "I understand, I get it! With such a huge property and such a fine environment, you can open a back door, rent out a few pavilions, and rake in tens of thousands of merit points a year. Why would you ever need to embezzle?"
"..."
The plump man looked sheepish and gave a dry laugh, sending a voice transmission: "Junior Brother, don't say that! I really didn't embezzle the prefecture's funds, right? It was sitting empty anyway. Our Great Ming Embassy has thirty-six detached courtyards, built at a cost of nearly a million merit points. I truly didn't take a single coin—no one is cleaner than me. The twelve units rented out bring in twelve thousand merit points a year, but I have maintenance, salaries to pay, and guests to entertain. In truth, not much is left over—clearing two or three thousand a year is already considered fortunate."
Su Yu chuckled. "No need for voice transmission. It's not as if nobody knows. The Manor Head knows all about it; he just didn't say anything, and even praised you for having a good business mind. If no one's staying, renting them out is fine. I only heard about it from my master; when I visited last time, I didn't even notice."
"Heh heh..."
Hall Master Liu chuckled, relieved that no trouble would come of it.
As for whether it was truly only a few thousand merit points a year... that was hard to say. Su Yu knew the figure was definitely downplayed, but he couldn't be bothered to pry. Walking along, he said, "Senior Brother, you need to arrange a good spot for me. Has anyone come to stay recently?"
"No. Aside from the rented properties, there's only me and some staff running errands inside the embassy. Oh, and another Shanhai who arrived a few days ago on official business—an elder from the War Academy. Would you like to meet him?"
"No need!"
Su Yu laughed casually. "He's on official business, so I won't disturb him! By the way, I heard His Highness Hongwen came as well. Where is he?"
"He's inspecting the Tiandao Army garrison. He'll come over in a few days."
The two exchanged pleasantries in high spirits.
The Great Ming Embassy was truly immense. Out here on the All-Heavens Battlefield, it actually boasted pavilions, arched bridges, flowing streams, fountains, and lush green lawns. It was outrageously lavish!
No wonder people were willing to pay over a thousand merit points a year to rent a single building, and demand still outstripped supply. If Hall Master Liu hadn't limited it to twelve, renting out all thirty-six would have posed no problem at all.
He truly knew how to invest!
Prefectures like Great Xia lacked this kind of vision. Investing a million merit points would pay for itself in twenty or thirty years.
To cultivators, twenty or thirty years was hardly a long time. Not only did you make back your investment, but the land and the buildings remained yours.
After chatting for a while, Hall Master Liu smiled and said, "Junior Brother, I'll host a welcoming banquet for you tonight. It's rare for you to visit..."
"No need, I'm too tired."
Su Yu shook his head. "I'll rest first and recover, then meet some guests. I came here this time aiming to advance to Earth armamentsmith, and I also want to acquire some fine materials to forge my civilized armament. Seeing Teacher Zhao Li's weapon... made my eyes burn with envy. An embryonic Heaven armament! Also, Senior Brother, help me inquire into King Tianzhu's whereabouts. I want to see if I should pay him a visit, though I don't know if he'll have the time to receive me."
"Sure, those are minor matters!"
Hall Master Liu smiled. "As for the guests... Junior Brother, do you want me to turn them away for you? They're mostly paupers without any real wealth."
"Don't. I want to ask around and see if anyone possesses the materials I need."
Su Yu smiled. "Don't look down on those big prefectures just because they seem poor. When it comes to treasures, they might not be lacking. After all, they fight a lot."
"That makes sense."
Hall Master Liu nodded repeatedly. Even though he was a Shanhai Realm expert, he put on no airs whatsoever. After all, Cui Lang was the man of the hour. Once he truly advanced to Earth rank, Liu would have no standing to act haughty before him.
At that point, Hall Master Liu added, "On our Great Ming's side, people from the Tiandao Army and Iron Cavalry Guards might also come. Since they're our own people, it's awkward to refuse them. Should I handle that for you?"
"It's fine. If our own people come, we'll talk then."
"All right, then rest up, Junior Brother..."
He led Su Yu into a spacious courtyard with a three-story building surrounded by flowers and greenery, fronted by a small pond. The surroundings were picturesque. Escorting him to the door, Liu said with a grin, "Junior Brother, I don't have divine maidens, but... how about your senior brother finds you a few maidens from other minor races later? They offer a rather unique flavor."
Su Yu sneered. "Forget it. Minor races... I have no interest in ordinary cosmetics!"
"Naturally! Only the female geniuses of the God, Demon, or Immortal races... cough, cough... only geniuses of the God and Demon races are worthy of you, Junior Brother."
Though he said that, Liu cursed inwardly.
Damn it!
When you came a few years back, you didn't talk about ordinary cosmetics. Now that you've made a name for yourself, you're putting on airs.
This kid has incredible luck.
To think he's already on the verge of becoming an Earth armamentsmith!
Otherwise, why would a Shanhai need to flatter him so thoroughly? Sigh, having a specialized skill truly was advantageous.
After a few more exchanges, Su Yu stepped into the courtyard, and Hall Master Liu departed.
Upon entering, Su Yu could not help shaking his head. He had expected hardship on the All-Heavens Battlefield, but instead, this place was even more comfortable and beautiful than the guest villas back in the Great Xia Prefecture.
Hall Master Liu might not excel at other things, but he certainly managed this embassy well, even if it lacked a touch of solemnity and leaned heavily into luxury.
"That Chen Long from the Demon Suppression Army will probably come again, won't he?"
Su Yu was not entirely certain. He had wanted to accept the man's offer earlier, but unfortunately, he couldn't do so too readily. If he agreed so easily, his standing as a quasi-Earth armamentsmith would appear too cheap.
"If I establish contact with Chen Long, will I have a chance to run into my father?"
Su Yu did not know the situation. At best, his father was in the Tengkong Realm, whereas Chen Long was in the Shanhai Realm. The two might not even know each other. Even if he visited the Demon Suppression Army, he might not get a chance to see his father.
What a regret!
He hoped for an opportunity to meet his father. It had been over a year, and he truly missed him.
...
At the same time Su Yu settled in.
The Great Xia Embassy.
This place could not hold a candle to the Great Ming Embassy. It was modest in scale, consisting of just a few weathered pavilions and small courtyards. Regardless, the people of the Great Xia Prefecture cared little; having a foothold was enough.
Su Long occupied a small detached courtyard here, roughly a hundred square meters in size.
It was now Su Long's exclusive residence, granted entirely because of his unique identity. Otherwise, even a Shanhai would find it difficult to secure a private courtyard here.
The courtyard door pushed open, and Chen Long entered with a hearty laugh. "Big Brother, cooking? What are we having tonight?"
"Eating shit!"
Su Long poked his head out of the kitchen beside the yard, frowning. "Don't you have work to do? Why do you keep running over to the base camp every couple of days?"
"Who says I don't have work?"
Chen Long grinned broadly. "I didn't come here for fun this time. His Majesty King Daqin personally conferred honors upon me! Heh heh, impressive, right, Big Brother? When I head back, if all goes smoothly, I might take command of the Second Army!"
He was currently the deputy commander of the Demon Suppression Army's Second Army. With his recent accumulation of merits, he stood a strong chance of taking full command.
The Demon Suppression Army was currently reorganizing into five corps, each with a hundred thousand soldiers, totaling five hundred thousand.
Previously, the Demon Suppression Army had only been a second-tier legion. Chiliarchs were in the Tengkong Realm, myriarchs in the Lingyun Realm, and corps commanders in the Shanhai Realm. Chen Long was also in the Shanhai Realm, and with the restructuring, his chances of taking over the Second Army were substantial.
When that happened, he would be a full commander of an entire corps.
"King Daqin..."
Su Long was also visibly astonished. "You... King Daqin personally awarded you?"
"Truly!"
Chen Long beamed. "Big Brother, I'm a Shanhai Realm cultivator after all, and I've rendered countless merits. What's so strange about King Daqin conferring an award on me?"
Su Long fell silent and pulled his head back into the kitchen to resume cooking.
He felt somewhat sour!
Damn it all. His former subordinate was about to become a corps commander and had even met King Daqin, who personally awarded him honors, while he was stuck here working as a cook.
If he had known it would turn out like this, he might as well have stayed home and cooked for his son.
He had cooked for his son for over a decade, and now that he was on the battlefield, his fate was still that of a cook. Su Long sighed, feeling somewhat gloomy.
Aware of what was troubling him, Chen Long laughed. "Big Brother, don't be envious. Once I become commander of the Second Army, I'll make you my deputy commander..."
"Get lost!"
Su Long scolded, "I don't accept charity!"
With that, he poked his head out again, asking uncertainly, "Can you really appoint a deputy commander?"
"..."
Chen Long gave an awkward, dry chuckle. "Big Brother, it was just a joke, don't take it seriously. Even if I could, I wouldn't be able to arrange it for you given your situation."
"Get lost, get far away!"
Su Long waved him off in irritation. Damn it, if you can't, why lie to me?
This little brat really wasn't acting like a decent person. Didn't he know how frustrated I am?
After grumbling for a bit, he asked, "Any news about my kid recently?"
"None, honestly. Ever since the match with Shan Xiong concluded, he's been in closed-door cultivation. It seems my nephew was injured rather severely."
"Do you know how to talk?"
Su Long barked angrily, "What do you mean 'injured rather severely'? He's definitely fine, just cultivating in seclusion to break through!"
"Yes, yes, yes, Big Brother is right!"
Chen Long nodded repeatedly, then quickly smiled. "Big Brother, speaking of which, a young man arrived from the Great Ming Prefecture named Cui Lang. I heard people say he's a nominal disciple of Manor Head Niu. Isn't my nephew at the Great Ming Civilization Academy? Maybe they know each other."
"From the Great Ming Prefecture?"
Su Long's eyes lit up. Abandoning the stir-fry, he hurried out, wiping his hands on his apron. "Where is he? Can I meet him? Does he know my son?"
"Big Brother, it's only a possibility. I just got some dossiers from the embassy master. Let's study them together. He's no small figure—a quasi-Earth armamentsmith, a true big shot. Until I become a corps commander, my status won't even measure up to his. If we don't look into him and just show up at his door, he might not pay us any mind."
"A big shot? Didn't you say he's a young man?"
"In his thirties, which counts as young."
"When my kid reaches his thirties, he definitely won't be beneath him!"
Chen Long laughed heartily. "Of course! Actually, he isn't beneath him even now. Isn't my nephew an honorary elder? In terms of status, he doesn't lag behind in the slightest. Naturally, his raw cultivation isn't as strong yet, since this man has already stepped into the Lingyun Realm."
Su Long said competitively, "My son will be there soon!"
"Right, right!"
Soon, my foot!
He had only reached the Tengkong Realm not long ago. Of course, his combat prowess was genuinely formidable, roughly on par with a mid-stage Lingyun.
Chen Long muttered inwardly, then smiled. "Big Brother, the food! The vegetables are burning! Let's eat and chat, and go through this guy's dossier. We can visit the Great Ming Embassy tomorrow or even tonight."
"I can go too?"
"Why not?"
Chen Long said nonchalantly, "We aren't leaving the city, so it's fine! You aren't a prisoner. They only told you not to wander around for your own safety. Going to the Great Ming Embassy won't be an issue. Maybe we can use the opportunity to build rapport. My only worry is that he might have a grudge against my nephew; that would be troublesome."
"My kid never makes enemies with anyone!"
Su Long declared with absolute conviction!
Don't talk nonsense!
My son doesn't make enemies, and even if he does... he usually takes revenge on the spot. If this Cui Lang could come to the All-Heavens Battlefield safe and sound, chances were he bore no grudge against his son.
Chen Long burst into laughter. Once Su Long finished cooking, the two ate while poring over the documents.
After reading for a while, Su Long couldn't help cursing, "Scumbag! Shameless bastard! Sleeping with a girl, refusing to take responsibility, and then running away to play missing! A man like that ought to be castrated!"
Chen Long was speechless. "Big Brother, keep it down. Eight out of ten men in the Great Ming Prefecture are like that. If you castrate them, half of Great Ming would be eunuchs! That isn't the point!"
"That is the point!"
Su Long complained, "With him being such a scumbag, my son would definitely despise him. There's no way they're on good terms!"
"That's hard to say. My nephew might have picked up those habits by now..."
Su Long thought for a moment, then nodded. "Marrying three to five wives wouldn't be bad either."
"..."
Chen Long fell silent!
You're ruthless!
Other men were scumbags, but his son could marry three to five wives. That double standard was a bit much.
Reading further, Chen Long chuckled. "This fellow actually has some real ability! A substantial background too—a seventh-tier Sun Moon master, an adopted grandfather at the ninth tier of Sun Moon, and he's a quasi-Earth armamentsmith himself... truly not easy to deal with! The dossier mentions that he really does know my nephew; apparently he said so himself once..."
"He really knows Xiaoyu?"
Su Long was delighted. Forgetting his earlier condemnation of the man's character, he said eagerly, "Then let's go meet him!"
Chen Long smiled. "Don't rush, Big Brother. It's dinner time. We can go after we finish eating. He won't be easy to win over. If the Second Army can recruit a quasi-Earth armamentsmith, my chances of promotion will soar, and the Second Army's strength will increase tremendously! The trouble is, I might not be able to afford his price!"
Su Long's face clouded with worry. After a moment's thought, he said, "Let's see how close he is with Xiaoyu. Maybe we can use that connection to get on his good side. Didn't they say Xiaoyu is highly valued in the Great Ming Prefecture now?"
Su Long grunted, "I want to see whether they truly value him! If they really do, even as a quasi-Earth armamentsmith, this Cui Lang will have to show my son some respect. I just worry the rumors are false, and my son is being held in the Great Ming Prefecture like a cash cow!"
He wasn't stupid; there were simply things he preferred not to dwell on.
Did the Great Ming Prefecture truly value his son, or were they keeping him imprisoned?
That was hard to say!
Perhaps he could discern the truth through this Cui Lang's attitude.
"Big Brother is brilliant!"
Chen Long laughed heartily. "Alright, we'll try visiting him tonight. He was quite arrogant earlier. When I mentioned I was from the Demon Suppression Army, he didn't give me the time of day. Sigh, although the Demon Suppression Army has barely squeezed into the first tier, in most people's eyes, we're still second tier. The gap is substantial."
Su Long said crossly, "Count your blessings! Besides, you're a Shanhai at such a young age. What do you have to be dissatisfied with? A Shanhai so young commands respect wherever you go."
Chen Long was barely in his early forties, a few years younger than Su Long, and held considerable renown in the military.
Yet Chen Long shook his head. "There's no comparison, Big Brother. Compared to those true geniuses, I'm the type meant to be slain by someone of a lower realm! Whenever they kill a Shanhai above their level, it's always someone like me! I'm already considered decent, having advanced to Shanhai after opening seventy-two apertures back then. But nowadays, those monsters advance with a hundred and forty-four apertures, and their body temperings reach twenty-seven or thirty-six cycles. I only tempered my body eighteen times—how can I compare to them?"
He sighed softly. Rising through the military had been fast—in a dozen-odd years, he had climbed from Qianjun to Shanhai, earning a reputation across the human military.
Yet a commoner remained a commoner!
As a Shanhai Realm cultivator, he might truly be no match for those formidable Lingyun geniuses.
Hearing this, Su Long felt a pang of regret and quickly consoled him, "Don't lose heart, it's fine! It's all my kid's fault. If he had spread that *Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art* sooner, you could have advanced with over a hundred apertures too! It's not too late now; just open more."
"Opening apertures in the Shanhai Realm is too difficult!"
Chen Long shook his head. "Unless we break open a small realm someday and get lucky enough to seize a sacred land of Heaven Yuan Qi to cultivate in—that would make opening apertures fast. Otherwise, I have no hope of opening many more."
"Maybe you'll get the chance?"
Su Long consoled, "Don't lose heart... Fuck, you're a Shanhai! Why does a Tengkong like me need to comfort you? I'm only a thirty-six-aperture Tengkong, dammit!"
Su Long suddenly realized what he was doing, looking thoroughly depressed.
How did I end up consoling you?
Do you even need my comfort?
Chen Long burst into laughter and joined him in finishing the meal. Seeing that darkness had fallen, the two tidied up and set off together toward the Great Ming Embassy.
In the shadows, several Shanhai cultivators and one Sun Moon expert followed behind.
They were shadowing Su Long!
Chen Long frowned slightly but said nothing. Having escorts was fine—they were protecting his big brother. Even though they were in Dongli City, who could say whether danger might arise?
It was just that these fellows constantly tagging along was grating.
Fortunately, his big brother couldn't sense them. If Su Long could detect them as clearly as Chen Long did, he would have found it unbearable and lost his temper long ago.
Arriving before the Great Ming Embassy, both Su Long and Chen Long marveled inwardly.
Truly wealthy!
Outright tycoons!
After stating their names and purpose, Hall Master Liu soon came out personally to greet them, honoring Chen Long's status as a rising general.
No one looked down on Chen Long. A Shanhai who had fought his way up from the bottom might not possess top-tier combat strength, but in all other respects, he was first-rate. Even Invincibles might be watching him.
Chen Long stood a strong chance of being granted an opportunity to re-temper his physical body in a sacred land, though that remained uncertain for now.
When Hall Master Liu saw Chen Long, and then looked at Su Long beside him...
At first, he didn't realize who it was, but the truth quickly dawned on him, and he became even more courteous!
Su Yu's father!
Su Yu was a figure whose name was known everywhere even if few had seen his face, but within the Great Ming Prefecture, everyone knew of his presence. He was not someone to offend.
If nothing else, his *Primordial Spirit Aperture Opening Art* was being disseminated through the military at a low cost, leading countless soldiers to revere him as a grandmaster. Since it gave everyone hope of cultivating Heaven rank techniques, his influence was immense.
Even though Su Yu was currently in the Great Ming Prefecture while his father remained in Great Xia, they were father and son. Failing to show respect could lead to difficult explanations if Su Yu ever came to the All-Heavens Battlefield.
Su Yu's fame eclipsed Cui Lang's by a considerable margin.
Cui Lang had only gained renown recently.
Even if he truly became an Earth armamentsmith, his status would not necessarily surpass Su Yu's.
After exchanging courtesies, Hall Master Liu led the two toward the pavilion. Along the way, Su Long and Chen Long looked around with burning envy. Compared to this, the Great Xia Embassy was utter rubbish!
One was a luxury estate, the other a slum!
Su Long had felt rather satisfied earlier—so many people in Dongli City couldn't even dream of living in a courtyard like his. But seeing this... his courtyard was barely better than the latrines here. The Great Xia Prefecture was simply too poor!
No, it might not even measure up to the latrines. The more he looked, the more inadequate he felt.
Before they even reached the courtyard where Cui Lang stayed, Chen Long was already feeling despair. Given these Great Ming tycoons, would they even care about the terms he could offer?
Just as they reached the entrance of Su Yu's courtyard, they heard someone laughing inside.
"I have no interest in garrison duty right now, nor in forging armaments. Thirty to fifty thousand merit points is fine, but not only is success uncertain if I attempt an Earth armament, even if I succeed, it wouldn't be as worthwhile as forging a few Profound armaments. General, let us discuss this another time..."
"Master Cui, if you are willing to join our garrison, our Great Shang Prefecture can increase the offer..."
"No need!"
Su Yu's voice drifted out again, nonchalant and lazy. "I have other guests today, so I won't see you out, General. The All-Heavens Battlefield isn't lacking in Earth armamentsmiths; you should try looking elsewhere, General."
"Master Cui... the people outside are from the Great Xia Prefecture, members of the Demon Suppression Army. They're so poor they can barely afford armor. Master Cui, why don't we discuss this further..."
Chen Long's face turned green, and he barked, "You with the surname Shang, get out here! Who are you talking about?"
The next moment, a general stepped out, a Shanhai Realm expert. He glanced at Chen Long, snorted, then turned back toward Su Yu. "Master Cui, please consider it. We will speak again next time."
He ignored Chen Long entirely. They were poor to begin with; was it forbidden to state the truth?
It was just as well to let Great Xia make an offer. Once they did, Cui Lang would realize how generous Great Shang's offer had been. Harm only became apparent through comparison.
At this moment, Su Yu was momentarily dazed. Looking at the father standing beside Chen Long... his aura fluctuated faintly before returning to normal in an instant. Forcing a smile, he said, "We'll talk next time!"
Looking at his father again, his hair seemed slightly flecked with white. A wave of sorrow welled up inside Su Yu, making him want to weep.
At this moment, he felt like a child again.
A nineteen-year-old child!
His father stood right before his eyes, yet he... dared not acknowledge him!
There was an unusual look in his eyes. Others paid it no heed, but Su Long caught it and fell into a momentary daze. Those eyes... were so familiar.
Who knew Su Yu better than he did? No one!
Eighteen years of living together day and night!
At this instant, despite the completely different appearance, Su Long felt an urge to call out: This... looks like my son!
He too was lost in thought, but Su Yu immediately regained his composure. There were Sun Moon experts monitoring the area!
Father and son were separated by less than five meters, yet neither could utter a word of recognition.
With countless thoughts swirling in his mind, Su Yu turned back toward the room, feigning calm as he said indifferently, "Come in! And who is monitoring me outside? Outrageous! Senior Brother Liu, someone dares monitor me inside the Great Ming Embassy?"
At these words, Hall Master Liu's expression changed, and he barked, "Who is secretly monitoring this place? This is the Great Ming Embassy—are you trying to provoke the authority of the Great Ming Prefecture?"
He was also somewhat surprised by how sharp his junior brother's senses were!
He had only felt a vague inkling himself and hadn't thought much of it; it was normal for escorts to keep watch when Su Long visited.
Yet Su Yu pretended not to know, snorting coldly, "Get lost immediately! Whether you're Shanhai or Sun Moon, anyone operating in Dongli City is a figure of stature. Don't force me to complain to the Invincibles!"
Hearing this, the experts hiding in the shadows felt helpless.
This was precisely the situation they had feared!
Surveilling a quasi-Earth armamentsmith was always troublesome.
The next moment, someone transmitted their voice to Su Yu: "Master Cui, please do not misunderstand. We are on assignment and harbor no ill intent."
Su Yu said calmly, "Get out! Nothing will happen inside the Great Ming Embassy. If anything goes wrong, Senior Brother Liu doesn't have enough heads for the chopping block! Hurry up, don't force me to summon people!"
Hearing this, the figures in the dark were left with no choice. After a brief exchange via voice transmission, one of them transmitted to Chen Long: "General Chen, please keep a close eye on things. We will wait outside!"
Antagonizing a quasi-Earth armamentsmith within the Great Ming Embassy was clearly an unwise move.
If he hadn't spoken up, it would have been fine, but since he objected, they could only withdraw temporarily.
The figures quickly retreated.
Su Yu said irritably, "Senior Brother Liu, don't show such people any face next time! Since when can outsiders wander freely into our Great Ming Prefecture's territory?"
"Yes, yes, yes, what Junior Brother says is right. It was my oversight!"
Hall Master Liu hurried to explain with an ingratiating smile, then quickly added, "Go ahead and chat. I'll go speak with them. What audacity, daring to trespass into our Great Ming Embassy! Don't worry, Junior Brother, I will give you an explanation shortly!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Their exchange stirred complex feelings in both Su Long and Chen Long!
Chen Long thought to himself: What incredible prestige!
With merely Lingyun cultivation, he could berate Sun Moon experts without the slightest fear, and the Sun Moon experts couldn't even talk back.
As for Su Long, he wasn't thinking about any of that. He was only wondering... those eyes, that gaze—could it truly be his son?
Impossible!
Why would my son come to the All-Heavens Battlefield?
Isn't he in closed-door cultivation?
This Cui Lang is an armamentsmith, and my son doesn't know how to forge armaments!
Besides, my son couldn't be this powerful, could he?
He's already in the Lingyun Realm!
Yet those eyes, that fleeting expression, were too similar to his son's!
Su Long stared blankly at Su Yu's back. The silhouette was similar, the walking posture was similar, even if somewhat different from before.
Yet the feeling was so familiar.
Harboring deep suspicion, Su Long said nothing. He quietly followed Chen Long into the room, paying no mind to the luxurious decor or the wasteful practice of brewing tea with liquid origin qi. His gaze remained fixed on Su Yu.
By now, even Chen Long had noticed something amiss and felt a headache coming on. Big Brother, could you show a little restraint!
Meanwhile, Su Yu smiled, glancing at Su Long with warmth in his heart.
My old dad keeps staring at me... does he think my reprimand just now was domineering?
Has he been captivated by my charm?
Chapter 356