Another Farewell

Inside the main hall. The laughter had faded, the joy had run its course, and the items had been passed over. Father and son sat in silence, at a loss for words. After a long while, Su Long suddenly said, "You have your own business to tend to, and I can't be of any help. No one is watching right now, so let me cook a meal for you." Su Yu felt a painful knot tighten in his chest. His thoughts were a tangled mess, but after a moment, he nodded. "Yeah. I'd like some braised pork." How long had it been? The last time they had shared a final meal, his father had left home and embarked for the heavens. Today, they could share another... and who knew when the next time would be. The large compound had its own kitchen. It was well-stocked with ingredients, saving them the trouble of finding someone to fetch food. Inside the kitchen, Su Long began to stir-fry. Su Yu stood by, watching in silence. Not far away, Chen Long watched for a while before quietly turning his gaze aside. Neither father nor son spoke or made jokes anymore. Su Long moved with practiced ease. In less than half an hour, several home-cooked dishes were ready. "Eat up. Taste it." "Yeah." Su Yu picked up his chopsticks and devoured the food ravenously. As he ate, tears began streaming down his cheeks, beyond his control. He kept his head lowered, wanting neither his father nor Chen Long to see. "Dad, the meat's overcooked..." "You forgot the salt; it doesn't taste great." "Your cooking's gotten worse." "..." Su Yu choked on his words, nitpicking through his tears. He had not wanted to cry. Even when hunted by Sun Moon experts, he had not wanted to cry. Yet at this moment, he could not hold it in. "I'll make it better next time." Su Long was not a smoker, yet today he had produced a pack of cigarettes from somewhere. He lit one and sat down beside his son, taking drags as he said, "Eat more. You're still growing. Don't go thinking that powerful experts don't need to eat. "Don't worry about me. The Xia family will protect me to some extent. Unless things go as you said, where the Xia family falls into complete chaos and King Daxia and the others are finished. If that day truly comes, the entire Human Realm will be plunged into turmoil anyway, so running won't do any good." Su Long blew a ring of smoke, coughed, and continued, "I won't come visiting you again. Coming once is fine, but if I come too often, anyone with eyes will know something is wrong. "Don't agree to that kid Chen Long's request. There's no reason for you to go out of your way to help the Demon Suppression Army. Once we leave, you don't need to stay in touch with him either." "..." Finishing his cigarette, Su Long stood up and began clearing the bowls and chopsticks. As he cleaned up, he said, "We've stayed long enough. It's time to go. We'll just say I came to ask about my son's situation. Take care of yourself." "Yeah." Su Yu kept his head lowered, unwilling to speak at this moment. After washing the dishes, Su Long dried his hands and reached out to ruffle Su Yu's hair. This time, he didn't slap the back of his head. He let out a soft sigh. "When all is said and done, it's just your dad being useless. Otherwise, if anyone dared bully you, I'd hack them to death with one blade! "If you aren't strong enough yet, endure more. You're still young—outlive the bastards!" "..." After grumbling a few more words, Su Long smiled. "Well, I'm off. Anything else you want to say?" "You... take care!" "Do you even need to tell me that? I haven't held my grandson yet!" Su Long grinned, then turned and strode out. Su Yu silently followed behind him. Up ahead, Chen Long sighed inwardly and followed as well. Walking all the way to the courtyard gate, Su Long laughed heartily and called out, "Many thanks, Master Cui! Knowing my son is doing well sets my mind at ease. I've truly troubled Master Cui this time!" "You're too polite!" Su Yu suppressed the sorrow in his heart and smiled. "Uncle Su, feel free to visit whenever you have time. Su Yu and my master are friends despite the age difference, so if anything comes up, you can look for me anytime!" Chen Long interjected, "Then about Master Cui being stationed with the Demon Suppression Army..." Su Yu gave an evasive chuckle. "Well... cough cough, I've been rather busy lately, General Chen. Let's discuss this matter another time." "Alas!" Chen Long sighed, and Su Long let out an awkward chuckle. The two cupped their fists toward Su Yu and strode away at a brisk pace, seemingly harboring some dissatisfaction. Su Yu watched them leave with a pleasant smile, though his heart remained stirred for a long time. A moment later, Hall Master Liu came over and asked with a chuckle, "Junior Brother, the talks fell through? Oh, by the way, I gave those surveillance fellows a good scolding earlier. Don't let that upset you, Junior Brother." Su Yu waved a hand and smiled. "It's nothing, just a minor issue! I didn't know the situation earlier, but since he's Su Yu's father, that's understandable! As for Chen Long... the price he offered was shockingly low; he actually had the nerve to say it out loud! Did he think bringing Su Yu's father along would guarantee I'd give him face?" Su Yu chuckled and added, "As for Su Yu, I'd give him some face, of course, but his father isn't the commander, is he? Senior Brother, I already gave them plenty of face by negotiating with them for so long. You saw that yourself." Hall Master Liu nodded repeatedly and laughed. "Indeed, Junior Brother gave them all the face in the world. It was that Chen Long who lacked tact! Su Yu is Su Yu, and you are hardly his subordinate. Did he think he could use Su Yu to pressure you?" Su Yu waved his hand with a smile. "He probably didn't mean that. It's likely because they're truly poor. After all, they're from the Great Xia Prefecture! Hahaha!" Hall Master Liu laughed along as well! Indeed, people from the Great Xia Prefecture were inherently poor. After chatting a bit, Su Yu quickly said, "Senior Brother, if there are any recent intelligence reports from the front line, send a copy my way. I want to see if I should go out for a stroll. It's a hassle with these people coming to see me one after another. Rejecting them outright looks bad and easily offends people, so just tell them I'm in closed-door cultivation forging armaments and won't see anyone!" "Go out?" Hall Master Liu said hurriedly, "It's not peaceful out there." "It's fine. I won't go far, and it's not like I haven't been outside before." Su Yu acted unconcerned. "What danger could there be? Could I possibly run into a Shanhai Realm expert? Besides, I carry Shanhai divine talismans, so escaping won't be a problem. This is still considered our territory, the hinterland. What danger could there be?" "Even so, don't wander too far, Junior Brother. Signs of chaos are already emerging, and prodigies from all races are making appearances one after another. Even if they aren't Shanhai, you still need to be cautious." "Understood, it'll be fine." Su Yu maintained a nonchalant demeanor, then soon narrowed his eyes with a sly grin. "If I happen to run into a Tengkong divine maiden or demoness... hehe..." Hall Master Liu was left speechless. You're really something! He knew this guy's mind wasn't pure! He offered no further dissuasion. As a Lingyun cultivator, taking a stroll nearby wouldn't pose any major issues. The chances of encountering a Shanhai Realm enemy in the hinterland were slim, as the front line generally kept them at bay. "Then when do you plan to leave, Junior Brother?" "Hard to say!" Su Yu smiled faintly. "Depends on how things go. Also... Senior Brother, keep an eye on things for me. If... cough cough, Cheng You comes looking for me, notify me immediately so I can make a run for it!" "..." At that, Hall Master Liu recalled the matter as well. He nodded hurriedly and lowered his voice. "That young mistress is not one to be trifled with. You really are... Oh well, I'll keep watch for you. If there's any news about her, I'll let you know immediately. If she catches you, you won't be able to escape." Su Yu chuckled. "It's nothing. She might have forgotten all about me by now. Otherwise, she would have come looking for me back in the Great Ming Prefecture." "Don't get your hopes up, Junior Brother." Hall Master Liu offered him a sympathetic look. "I actually know a bit about this matter. That Eldest Young Mistress Cheng joined the Modao Guard, and upon enlisting, she declared that she would reach the Lingyun and Shanhai Realms, then go capture you herself—cripple you and drag you back!" "..." Su Yu silently felt a pang of sympathy for Cui Lang. So that was how it was. She was waiting to capture you personally; you truly have it rough. After chatting a bit more, Su Yu returned to his courtyard. Hall Master Liu went off to gather intelligence for him. Returning to the house, Su Yu cleared away the lingering scents and traces in the kitchen. He took the remaining ingredients with him and swept several items from the rooms into his storage ring, making it appear as though he were merely heading out to camp in the wild. That way, no one would notice any clues. Now that he knew his father was doing reasonably well, Su Yu felt reassured. Dongli City was, at the very least, relatively safe. The laughter had been shared, the tears had been shed, and the only thing left for him to do was grow stronger—strong enough that next time, he would never have to conceal his name again! ... In his room, Su Yu tempered his body while reviewing the materials Hall Master Liu had brought him. Lately, minor skirmishes had broken out continuously along the front lines. Clashes also frequently erupted around the various prefectures' encampments. Among the documents were several name lists. They detailed some of the geniuses and powerhouses currently active on the All-Heavens Battlefield. Su Yu browsed through them briefly. Some even came with image projections, and none were weak. There were Tengkong Realm geniuses and Lingyun Realm geniuses, representing various races. What surprised Su Yu was that the materials Hall Master Liu had delivered highlighted the existence of a mysterious organization on the All-Heavens Battlefield. The Heaven Hunting Pavilion! An organization dedicated specifically to hunting geniuses! Who organized it, which race or faction was behind it—no one knew, no one was certain, and nothing could be traced. Only one thing was certain: this organization hunted geniuses specifically to obtain heaven-and-earth rewards. On the All-Heavens Battlefield, everyone knew that the more exceptional a slain genius was, the greater the likelihood of earning a heaven-and-earth reward. At times, even when a Shanhai Realm expert killed a Lingyun Realm genius, they could still receive a reward. The All-Heavens Battlefield was a cradle where geniuses rose, but it was also a graveyard for them. If you were too much of a prodigy, enemies stronger than you could reap rewards simply by hunting you down. "The Heaven Hunting Pavilion?" Su Yu murmured to himself. He truly hadn't known about this before; none of his previous materials had mentioned it. With that thought, he hurried out the door and soon found Hall Master Liu, who was enjoying a meal and drinks. ... "The Heaven Hunting Pavilion?" Hearing Su Yu ask about it, Hall Master Liu pondered for a moment before saying, "Such an organization does exist. It has been around for many years and has never been eradicated. In fact, all the major races have secretly sent people to purge them, even deliberately using bait to draw them out. They killed quite a few members, but... it's very complicated. That damn organization has all sorts of people. Some are renowned geniuses of the major races on the surface, while secretly serving as members of that organization." Su Yu frowned. "Is there any benefit to joining it?" "Benefits?" Hall Master Liu chuckled. "Not much in terms of perks, but killing someone under that banner gives you a scapegoat! In ordinary times, when the humans and the immortal race are allied, how could you openly kill their people? But put on a mask, conceal your aura, and claim you belong to the Heaven Hunting Pavilion—then you can kill freely! That's the gist of it. In truth, the original Heaven Hunting Pavilion might have been wiped out long ago. But as you know, certain people need a pretext to act... which is why this Heaven Hunting Pavilion has always existed and can never be eradicated." Su Yu understood at once! The real Heaven Hunting Pavilion might be long gone, but so long as people needed that banner to operate under, it would never disappear and would persist indefinitely. Anyone could potentially be a member of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion. As for whether a member was genuine or fake, there was no way to tell. For example, Su Yu himself could go outside, pose as a member of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, kill someone, and shout, "I'm from the Heaven Hunting Pavilion!" That alone would deflect most of the blame. Su Yu asked no further questions, but Hall Master Liu still warned, "You should be careful, Junior Brother. You might already be on the Heaven Hunting List. Make sure you don't get targeted." "The Heaven Hunting List?" "Yes, a kill list." Hall Master Liu shook his head. "In essence, it compiles geniuses into a registry and provides it to the members of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, telling them who is worth hunting. The stronger the hunted genius, the better; the more gifted, the better! Their Heaven Hunting List is divided into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow! It doesn't look purely at strength, but also at talent, aptitude, age, and so on!" Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "Do you have this list, Senior Brother?" "I don't." Hall Master Liu shook his head. "I don't pay much attention to such things, mainly because... our Great Ming Prefecture doesn't face much danger in that regard. How about this: I'll go ask around and get a copy for you to see if your name is on it. If it is, you'll need to be extra cautious." A thirty-five-year-old quasi-Earth armamentsmith was still exposed to some danger. Hall Master Liu hadn't followed the list because virtually no one from the Great Ming Prefecture ever made it onto it. First, one had to come to the All-Heavens Battlefield; second, one had to be a top-tier genius; third, one had to be the type to roam around outside. Looking at their roster, the Great Ming Prefecture had almost none who fit the bill. So he had never bothered paying attention. Now that Su Yu had arrived, and not in secret but openly, the news might have leaked. There was no telling whether he had ended up on the Heaven Hunting List. Being on that list was by no means a good thing. Actual members of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion weren't the main issue; what was truly terrifying was that anyone could act as a member when it suited them. Making a name for oneself on the All-Heavens Battlefield wasn't necessarily a blessing—it often led to a gruesome end. ... Su Yu returned to his compound. By evening, Hall Master Liu brought over the Heaven Hunting List he had just obtained from an acquaintance. This list was far more comprehensive than the rosters Hall Master Liu had previously provided. It was divided into four tiers: The Heaven List, the Earth List, the Mystic List, and the Yellow List. Strength, cultivation level, age, talent... all these factors served as ranking criteria. Those on the Yellow List were not necessarily weaker in combat than those on the Heaven List, but those on the Heaven List were undeniably more gifted and possessed greater potential. Su Yu glanced through it. Many of the names were entirely unfamiliar to him. However, he soon spotted a few recognizable names. Rank 36 on the Yellow List: Wu Qi, Lingyun third stage, native of the Great Xia Prefecture, Civilization Master, skilled in the Dao of Slaughter, twenty-seven years old, human genius. Record: Slew a Lingyun seventh stage. Killing a Lingyun seventh-stage cultivator wasn't particularly mind-blowing in Su Yu's eyes; Wu Qi was, after all, a top genius of the Great Xia Prefecture. Then again, the seventh-stage cultivator she killed might not have been some run-of-the-mill nobody. Such a top-tier genius—spoken of in the Great Xia Prefecture as nearly on par with Huang Teng—was ranked only thirty-sixth on the Yellow List. Clearly, this list did not evaluate raw strength alone, but took comprehensive factors into account. Su Yu quickly searched for Huang Teng and the others. Before long, he found him. Rank 1 on the Earth List: Huang Teng, Lingyun fifth stage, native of the Great Xia Prefecture, warrior, skilled in the Sky-Opening Saber, twenty-eight years old, human genius. Record: Slew a Shanhai second stage. First on the Earth List! Su Yu was surprised not by how high the rank was, but by how low. He was only on the Earth List? To be frank, a Lingyun slaying a Shanhai was already terrifying, yet he was merely an Earth List genius? Huang Teng, praised to the heavens in the Human Realm, had only made it onto the Earth List? Who knew how this ranking was determined? He searched for Qin Fang, and soon found his name as well. The Heaven List contained only eighteen individuals. Qin Fang occupied the very last spot, eighteenth place. At the Lingyun sixth stage, he had slain a Shanhai third stage, seemingly a notch stronger than Huang Teng. Su Yu had never seen or heard of the names ranked above him. Yet upon reading their combat records... he remained speechless for a long time. Rank 1 on the Heaven List: Moduona, Primordial Demon Race, Lingyun seventh stage. Record: Slew a Shanhai seventh stage. The description was sparse, yet it filled Su Yu with immense awe. The human race possessed one such powerhouse: Bai Tianhao, who at the Lingyun ninth stage had slain a Shanhai seventh stage, becoming the first human in centuries to slay an upper-stage Shanhai while still in the Lingyun Realm. Now, the myriad races had one as well. From the Primordial Demon Race! And he was only at the Lingyun seventh stage! Upon reaching the upper stages of the Shanhai Realm, cultivators were overwhelmingly powerful; none were weaklings. He had crossed an entire major cultivation realm! As for age, no details were provided. The god and demon races calculated age differently from humans. Humans counted 360 days as a year, whereas the god race seemed to count by the growth cycle of the Sky Origin Fruit, which was nine years. A hundred years of age for them was actually equivalent to less than twelve human years. Rank 2 on the Heaven List: Zhan Wushuang, Primordial God Race, Shanhai eighth stage. Record: Slew a Sun Moon first stage. He was also extraordinarily formidable and couldn't be very old either. Yet he was ranked below Moduona despite possessing vastly superior strength. Su Yu had no idea how they determined that. Perhaps he was older than Moduona, or perhaps the leap across realms wasn't considered wide enough—though a Shanhai slaying a Sun Moon ought to be far more difficult than a Lingyun slaying a Shanhai. Su Yu looked at it for a while and shook his head. There truly were countless geniuses across the heavens and myriad realms. This was merely a single list and not necessarily exhaustive. The Heaven Hunting Pavilion generally didn't track individuals who had never set foot on the All-Heavens Battlefield, and without notable battle achievements, one was rarely included. As for Cui Lang... he was not yet on the list, likely because he had no battle record to speak of. As for forging armaments, he had not forged an Earth armament on the All-Heavens Battlefield either. Thus, he wasn't listed at all! Nor was Su Yu himself. No matter how brilliant his deeds had been in the Human Realm, no one out here acknowledged them; only accomplishments on the All-Heavens Battlefield counted. The Heaven Hunting List could be regarded as a bellwether indicating who the current top prodigies of each race were. The specific rankings weren't particularly meaningful to memorize—the second on the Heaven List was entirely capable of instantly killing the first. Looking through it was sufficient to grasp the general picture, at least letting one know who might yield heaven-and-earth rewards if slain. Over the next few days, Su Yu continued reviewing various records, including maps, perilous forbidden zones, and the locations of entrances to minor realms... He also studied where battles raged and where chaos reigned. Moreover, the All-Heavens Battlefield contained special regions where geniuses congregated. Some places were suitable only for geniuses to survive, while others barred top powerhouses from entering, permitting only the weak to venture within. Su Yu absorbed an immense amount of diverse information. During this period, he completed his twelfth body tempering. By now, several days had passed since his arrival on the All-Heavens Battlefield. In the blink of an eye, the date reached June 25th. Back in the Human Realm, the new session of the Higher Academy Examination should have begun by now. In a little over a month, new students would be enrolling. Su Yu had actually wanted to pay a visit to King Tianzhu. As for having his identity guessed... there would have been no helping it, since his stated purpose for coming here had been to seek out King Tianzhu anyway. Unfortunately, King Tianzhu had been away the entire time. Su Yu didn't force the matter. Since he wasn't around, so be it; he was preparing to depart. Leaving under the guise of Cui Lang might cause some trouble down the line. If a new genius suddenly emerged on the All-Heavens Battlefield right after Cui Lang's departure, it might spark unwanted connections. Nowadays, Su Yu dared not underestimate anyone. Impersonating others was hardly unprecedented. In the end, very few people managed to maintain an impersonation indefinitely. Many people possessed unique methods, but keeping up a long-term deception was exceedingly difficult. Even in Su Yu's case, quite a few people already knew his true identity. ... On June 26th, having completed his twelfth tempering, Su Yu prepared to take his leave. Over the past several days, he had gained a general understanding of the All-Heavens Battlefield. The rest could wait until he was out there. Staying inside and reading documents endlessly would serve little purpose. Having reviewed the intelligence on all those geniuses, Su Yu felt confident that he wouldn't pale in comparison to any of them. During this time, neither Su Long nor Chen Long had visited again. Nor had Su Yu stepped outside, remaining in the Great Ming Embassy under the pretext of stabilizing his cultivation realm. Night fell on June 26th. Su Yu had Hall Master Liu prepare an earth dragon beast. He was ready to set off. Inside the embassy, Hall Master Liu saw him to the gate, cautioning, "Junior Brother, I'm not trying to frighten you, but it's perilous out there. Whatever you do, do not venture beyond the front lines! Once you cross past the Vanguard Camp, it's a graveyard! "Staying behind the Vanguard Camp is relatively safe. "Also, don't even think about going to see the Sea of Stars right now. That place is terrifyingly dangerous. Unless the Star Astral Mansion opens, the Sea of Stars is simply a man-eating abyss. "Junior Brother, you are Principal Niu's beloved disciple and an armament forging master. If something happens to you, the Great Ming Prefecture will be thrown into an uproar. You must be careful..." He rambled on, but Su Yu took no offense. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, Senior Brother. Do I look like someone seeking death? I'm just going out to relax. Perhaps I'll be back tomorrow, and your lecture will have been for nothing." "Hahaha, true enough! Still, face isn't worth much. Never let pride get in the way, Junior Brother—preserving your life comes first!" Su Yu nodded. "Understood. I'm not the type to cling to face over my life. If I run into real trouble, I'll sprint right back!" "Alright. Then I wish you smooth sailing, Junior Brother! May you encounter heaven-and-earth rewards the moment you step out the door, and stumble upon Invincible ruins with every casual stroll..." Su Yu chuckled and voiced his thanks. He mounted the earth dragon beast and, without any rush, ambled toward the gates of Dongli City. Along the way, he passed by the Great Xia Embassy. Su Yu did not stop, continuing steadily forward. Inside the embassy, Su Long was practicing his saber techniques—the standard military saber forms, brimming with murderous intent. Strike after strike descended within the small courtyard, saber qi dispersing and killing intent boiling over. The powerhouses watching secretly had no idea what had gotten into Su Long. From morning until night, he had practiced his saber all day long. Repeating that single strike from dawn until now, he was on the verge of total collapse from exhaustion. "Fuck your ancestors!" With a final slash and a deafening crash, accompanied by Su Long's furious curse, a stone table in the courtyard was cleaved into dust! His saber strike finished, Su Long collapsed to the ground. Sweat and tears intermingled indistinguishably on his face as he cursed incessantly, his voice directed at no one in particular, carrying on for a very long time. In the shadows, the powerhouses made a brief sweep of their senses. There was no danger; he had simply drained his physical strength. What had provoked Su Long? Or had staying off the battlefield for too long left him depressed? Unable to figure it out, the hidden watchers chose not to reveal themselves, having no desire to pry.