A Good Start

Starlight shone brilliantly in the night sky. Su Yu rode forward atop the earth dragon beast without any particular aim. Of course, it wasn't that he had no objective at all. He simply knew that only by riding past the Human Realm's guarded perimeter could he encounter enemies in large numbers. Within the Human Realm's interior, even if some infiltrators managed to slip in, there would never be many. Only beyond the Vanguard Camp's reach lay the true battlefield. Dongli City was still quite far from the Vanguard Camp—over three thousand li away—a distance deliberately kept to prevent enemy powerhouses from punching through the Vanguard Camp in a single blow and crossing straight into the Human Realm's garrison zone. Between the two lay multiple defensive lines. Naturally, the Eastern Warzone was vast. There were always gaps beyond reach, and those places were danger zones. "Where is the Mountain-Breaking Ox race's territory?" Su Yu pulled out a map of the All-Heavens Battlefield drafted by the Great Ming Prefecture and studied it for a moment. The Mountain-Breaking Ox encampment lay to the southeast. As one of the top hundred races, they were not weak. Perhaps he could test the waters in their territory. That area was also close to the Great Xia Prefecture's defense zone. The All-Heavens Battlefield was vast and desolate. Of course, the scenery wasn't bad. Under the night sky, it was magnificent. Legend had it that the stars above were actually part of a grand formation spanning the entire All-Heavens Battlefield, primarily designed to neutralize realm suppression. It allowed all races to operate freely here and unleash their full strength without being suppressed. Rumor had it an Invincible had once flown up into the heavens to investigate, yet even after flying for an immense amount of time, they never reached an end. Perhaps those stars did not even exist within this spatial dimension. It was a grand formation created by powerhouses of ancient times. Naturally, none of that mattered to Su Yu right now. He was far too distant from such things; those secrets were better left to the Invincibles to explore. While inside the Human Realm's territory, there was no need to switch identities. In fact, Su Yu still hadn't decided on whom he would disguise himself as. Whoever he impersonated had to be powerful. Ideally, someone so powerful that if they attained the Dao shortly afterward, no one would find it suspicious. Otherwise, if someone was currently merely at the Lingyun Realm and attained the Dao within a few years, that would definitely raise questions. Therefore, he had to consider this identity very carefully. Su Yu was in no rush. Using Cui Lang's identity worked fine for now. He was at the Lingyun Realm anyway, so displaying considerable strength would still be acceptable. …… As he traveled along the road, he could see occasional buildings, and even a few market towns. Belonging to the human race! Some soldiers stationed on the All-Heavens Battlefield spent their entire lives here, marrying, having children, and passing down their family lines. Gradually, villages and small cities established by human soldiers cropped up across the Human Realm's zone. Having spent a lifetime here, many had no desire to return even after being discharged from the military. Many years ago, in this region, there had been a prominent family surnamed Liu. They, too, were a great clan stationed on the All-Heavens Battlefield. However, after repeated attacks, the Liu family's lineage had gradually withered. A great clan that once had Sun Moon Realm experts presiding over it, including Liu City, which the Liu family had later built, had now fallen into ruin and total decline. On the All-Heavens Battlefield, whether in market towns or villages, there were numerous battle-hardened soldiers. Some veterans had survived here for over a century. Over three hundred years of military presence had gradually given rise to a system unique to the All-Heavens Battlefield. Some of them answered to the commands of nearby legions, while others attached themselves to prominent local clans and followed their orders. Still others operated independently, answering to no one unless an Invincible issued a direct decree. Here, it was free, though fraught with danger. Even King Daqin and the others didn't exert much control over these people. No taxes were levied; they could slay members of all races and turn their trophies into the military for merit points, or exchange them with the army for resources. However, while no taxes were collected, when crises arose, they often had to resolve them on their own. This distinct system formed a second human civilization outside the Human Realm. Humans reproduced rapidly, unlike the gods, demons, celestials, and fiends, whose birth rates were slow. Within the Eastern Warzone, humans had swiftly established a substantial system of defense and survival, and had even begun expanding into desolate regions. This was one reason the myriad races felt wary of humanity. If this continued for another few centuries or millennia, humans might overrun the entire All-Heavens Battlefield and build houses right outside everyone's realm portals. Su Yu rode the earth dragon beast at a leisurely pace, stopping and starting without any haste. Rushing heedlessly to the front line was a good way to lose one's life. Observe, familiarize, adapt. *Thud, thud, thud!* The pounding of hooves sounded as a squad of soldiers came galloping forward. In the air above, a beast bore a rider who barked, "Clear the road, bystanders make way! Military intelligence squad returning to base camp with dispatches!" Su Yu quickly steered the earth dragon beast aside. This was a frontline military intelligence team, tasked with scouting enemy movements. When voice transmission talismans were unreliable or jammed by the enemy, these riders had to carve their way out of encirclements to deliver intelligence back to base camp. Right now, the flying beast as well as the mounts running on the ground all bore blood-red insignias branded onto their foreheads—the mark of urgent military dispatches. Anyone who saw it was required to make way. The officer atop the flying beast was at the Lingyun Realm. He glanced down at Su Yu and barked, "A Civilization Master? Fall back to base camp! The Vanguard Camp has engaged in battle! The fiend race is attacking, and a Shanhai clash has begun! Withdraw at once!" "Shanhai?" "The fiend race?" Su Yu was taken aback. A battle had broken out? They certainly fought frequently. Hearing this, he replied swiftly, "Understood. Thank you, General!" The officer had merely offered a warning. Seeing that Su Yu made no move to turn back and flee, he said no more, wheeling his flying eagle and darting off. Whether the youth withdrew was his own business; he had only spoken up because the young man seemed to be a Civilization Master. So young and having just entered the Lingyun Realm, such a Civilization Master was worth protecting. But since he wasn't turning back, the officer wouldn't force the matter. Moments later, the ten-man squad galloped away at great speed. Members of military intelligence squads were no pushovers; all were elites. One Lingyun and nine Tengkong Realm cultivators. This was standard configuration for an elite squad assigned to perilous missions. …… This place was still far from the Vanguard Camp, so Su Yu was not particularly worried. Along the way, however, he ran into various people. Some were scavengers heading to the front lines alone, some were explorers, and some were organized vulture squads. Humans loathed such people, and the other races loathed them even more, yet every race had them. To call them evil wasn't entirely fair, but they certainly weren't good. When these people reached the front lines, they generally didn't participate in major clashes. As soon as a battle concluded, however, they would swiftly sweep into the area. They didn't dare enter the main combat zone, but they would scour the smaller skirmishes nearby to collect spoils of war, including salvaging corpses... Those who followed the unwritten rules would quickly snatch spoils from the defeated while leaving the victors' belongings untouched. Those who lacked rules would clean out both sides. Of course, whenever such vulture squads were caught, their ends were gruesome. On the All-Heavens Battlefield, certain unspoken conventions existed. For instance, if these vulture squads harvested spoils from the fallen in minor skirmish areas without going too far, many armies turned a blind eye. After all, these scavengers sometimes helped clear away lingering threats. Some enemies played dead, so clearing corpses required real skill, and falling into ambushes was all too easy. Vulture squads suffered quite high casualty rates. Moreover, in order to scavenge corpses before the victors arrived, these scoundrels sometimes entered the battlefield early to gang up on and butcher the losing side. Naturally, there were also unscrupulous ones who slaughtered the victors as well, but once discovered, execution was guaranteed. Previously, Su Yu had understood none of this. Over the past few days, he had crammed extensive knowledge and now knew a fair bit. Vulture squads were relatively easy to spot. They dressed shabbily and wore no military uniforms—not because they couldn't afford them or lacked them, but because wearing anything conspicuous invited unwanted attention. None of them were weak, but neither were they overly powerful; if they were truly strong, they wouldn't bother scavenging corpses. They were also exceptionally wary, generally traveling in groups of thirty to fifty, or as few as three to five. Lone scavengers were rare. Humanity had such squads, and so did every other race. Put simply, they made their living off the dead. At that moment, a squad of a dozen or so people was hurrying toward the Vanguard Camp at roughly the same pace as Su Yu. However, they traveled on foot, riding no beasts. They were neither close nor far, trailing about five or six hundred meters behind Su Yu. After riding for a while, Su Yu couldn't help glancing back several times before barking, "Hey! What are you vultures following me for? Waiting for me to get killed so you can scavenge my corpse?" Leading the group was an elderly man who looked quite advanced in years. Flashing a mouthful of yellow teeth, he cupped his fists with a grin. "My lord Civilization Master misunderstands. We were simply worried about danger ahead. You are powerful, my lord, so enemies will naturally avoid you upon seeing you. If you consider our presence unlucky, we will take another path." He possessed Tengkong Realm cultivation, which was not weak. Su Yu was speechless. Bullshit! Some of these people harbored vile intentions. Within the Human Realm's territory, they generally lacked the guts to assassinate human powerhouses. But if an enemy attacked, they would scatter in an instant, and once the target was killed, they would swoop in to see if they could scavenge some scraps. Su Yu felt exasperated. *Have I been pegged as a fat sheep?* "Hey, are you following me because you think I'm going to die?" The old man bared his yellow teeth and gave a dry laugh. "Of course not." As he spoke, Su Yu casually tossed a pouch toward him. The old man didn't dare catch it and quickly dodged aside. Su Yu said indifferently, "Yuan Qi liquid, not poison. Tell me what you're thinking so I can broaden my horizons. You people aren't particularly strong and everyone loathes you, but I've heard you have a nickname—Eyes of the Death God. Are you following me because you think I'm going to die?" Only then did the old man gingerly pick up the pouch. Upon checking inside, he was instantly overjoyed and said hurriedly, "My lord is generous! You must be visiting the All-Heavens Battlefield for the first time, or perhaps traveling far from home for the first time..." "Under ordinary circumstances, even lone wanderers keep a low profile. My lord wears a white robe, which is far too conspicuous! You have a storage ring displayed openly on your finger, marking you as a person of status at a glance. As for your cultivation... this old man sees that you are at the Lingyun Realm, but you must have entered it only recently." "You carry no weapons on your person, which makes you a Civilization Master without a doubt. It is universally acknowledged that Civilization Masters possess an abundance of treasures." "The earth dragon beast you ride hails from Dongli City. Dongli City is packed with prominent figures, as well as fledgling geniuses." "Many who come from Dongli City lack real combat experience. Compared to other human geniuses who have clawed through mud and blood, they are easier to kill." "Anyone who has knocked around the All-Heavens Battlefield long enough knows that people like you are the easiest to kill on their first outing, and the rewards are often immense. So if an enemy powerhouse has infiltrated this area and spots someone like you... they will likely pick you as their first target." "..." For the sake of those dozens of drops of Yuan Qi liquid, the old man quickly shared some rules and survival experience for surviving on the All-Heavens Battlefield. He added, "As for us... hehe, once an infiltrator kills you, my lord, they usually flee immediately instead of wasting time on us. They generally only take the storage ring... Then... ahem, my lord, that is the All-Heavens Battlefield. Please don't think of us as evil. We occasionally perform good deeds as well. For example, if we find identity plaques or the like, we deliver them to the base camp, or collect the bodies of the fallen so they aren't left exposed in the wilderness." Su Yu couldn't help laughing. "So if I get killed, you'll show great mercy by collecting my corpse, and I'm supposed to thank you for it?" "No need, no need!" Those people stayed far from Su Yu, maintaining a distance of over five hundred meters at all times. That way, if Su Yu was ambushed and killed, they wouldn't be instantly dragged down with him. This, too, was a survival rule! Such were the vultures! Su Yu chuckled. This was quite interesting; his horizons had indeed broadened. Was he really that flashy? He hadn't thought so himself, but perhaps in the eyes of others, he looked quite flamboyant in his pristine white robe. But if a Civilization Master didn't wear white, were they supposed to wear black? Some did, apparently! However, Su Yu had been deeply influenced by a certain someone. The first time he met Bai Feng, the man's white robes had billowed gracefully, exuding boundless style. Su Yu's habit of wearing white robes was largely inspired by Bai Feng. Effortlessly striking down a Tengkong Realm foe with carefree elegance... as long as one ignored his subsequent fall from grace, it had looked undeniably prestigious. Not minding in the least, Su Yu smiled and said, "Old brother, you're quite experienced! Aren't you afraid of getting dragged into the mess and killed along with me?" "Danger is everywhere on the All-Heavens Battlefield. If one truly wished to take zero risks, they shouldn't have come out here in the first place—they'd be better off returning to the Human Realm to live as a wealthy squire!" Su Yu nodded, then asked curiously, "Logically speaking, vultures possess decent strength. Why hasn't anyone thought of returning to the Human Realm to serve as a minor commander in a prefectural army, or heading to a small city to become a centurion or chiliarch? If nothing else, the Wind Arresting Hall would gladly welcome your recruitment." Baring his yellow teeth, the old man smiled amiably. "My lord jests. After knocking around this godforsaken place for a lifetime, we've seen too many corpses and grown too accustomed to slaughter. If we went back... the day we got an itch to kill someone, we'd lose our heads. At that point, our only choices would be joining the All-Races Cult or getting executed! The All-Races Cult is too dangerous and easily eradicated. The prefectures are white, the All-Races Cult is black, and we are gray. Though dangerous, our path is better than the All-Races Cult's. At least if an army runs into us, they won't slaughter us without cause." Su Yu smiled faintly. "I've heard that not all vultures follow the rules. Some engage in assassinating their own people—is that true?" "Certainly." The old man didn't deny it, smiling amiably as he said, "Those people die quickly. Taking that step turns them black. The black die fast; the gray live a little longer." Su Yu nodded, then asked out of curiosity, "Has any vulture ever managed to wash their hands clean and go legitimate?" "Yes, but they met a miserable end!" The old man bared his teeth. "Ever heard of the Liu family? The Liu family of Liu City! Back then, they were among the vultures. Later, the old master of the Liu family wanted to go legitimate, so he built Liu City to guard the gateway to the Human Realm! Hehe, they died horribly! Young and old throughout the entire clan—tsk, tsk, hardly anyone was left alive. Utterly tragic. So once you walk the gray path, you'd best not try to turn white. The end is far too miserable." The Liu family? Su Yu was slightly taken aback. The very Liu family Liu Wenyan belonged to! A family of vultures? This piece of news caught him genuinely off guard. "My lord doesn't believe it?" Hunching his back as he hurried to keep pace, the old man quickly smiled. "It's absolutely true. Of course, they went legitimate a very long time ago. I heard King Daxia himself paid a visit back then to persuade them. Word even spread that the two families had struck an agreement: the Liu family would go clean, and the Xia and Liu families would form a marriage alliance... But King Daxia's lineage didn't produce an heir for a long time. It wasn't until several decades ago that a marriage partner was finally decided upon... and then... the Liu family was gone!" Su Yu actually knew a bit about this. Xia Huyou seemed to have mentioned it once. Xia Huyou had indeed been betrothed to the Liu family, but the Liu family had fallen. "Was Liu City destroyed?" "It's still there, but barely anyone remains. The main line of the Liu family is practically wiped out, leaving only a few branch members. In the past, Sun Moon Realm powerhouses presided over it, but now... hehe, a Lingyun rules supreme. Liu City's location is terrible as well. The Liu family wanted to guard the gateway to the Human Realm, so Liu City lies directly in line with the Vanguard Camp. It's perilous beyond measure, with people dying every year. It's completely desolate now." Guarding the gateway to the Human Realm. That had been the choice of the Liu family's old master. Whether to wipe their slate clean or for some other reason, the Liu family had chosen that path back then. Precisely because of that, they were stationed too close to the front lines, and in the end, their clan had been shattered and ruined. Liu City had crumbled! After a moment's thought, Su Yu asked, "The Liu family... Liu Wenyan... I heard Liu Wenyan is currently at the Vanguard Camp on the All-Heavens Battlefield. He's from the main line, right? Do you know of him?" "Of course!" The old man's talkativeness had been thoroughly piqued, primarily because the Yuan Qi liquid had worked wonders. Meeting such a generous patron, he had no qualms about gossiping. "Who doesn't know Liu Wenyan? Back when Ye Batian campaigned across the heavens, he visited Liu City. The moment he laid eyes on Liu Wenyan, he declared the boy his disciple! Tsk, tsk, that apprenticeship ceremony was truly glorious. Who was Ye Batian? A Sun Moon Realm cultivator who dared force an Invincible to kneel! Arrogant, overbearing, completely unmatched!" "The Liu family held a grand banquet back then, with feasting that lasted three days and three nights. Heavenly materials and earthly treasures were served like ordinary dishes, and any human from the All-Heavens Battlefield could attend to offer congratulations. That marked their official transition to legitimacy. Ye Batian himself had taken him as a disciple—how could anyone match that?" "Pity good times never last. Ye Batian fell in battle, and the Liu family suffered terribly as a result, facing frequent raids. After several ambushes, all their Sun Moon Realm experts perished, and Liu Wenyan was crippled. Just like that, the Liu family was utterly finished!" "Liu Wenyan has returned now, but it's useless. He's only at the Tengkong Realm and has been banished to the Vanguard Camp. He's marked for death sooner or later. I heard he's fighting in the Shanhai Battalion—it'd be a miracle if he didn't die!" "..." The old man certainly knew quite a lot, though the deeper secrets were naturally beyond his grasp. Su Yu didn't pry into those details. Instead, he chuckled. "He might not necessarily die. I heard the Liu family rescued many human powerhouses back then, and several Invincibles owe debts of gratitude to the clan. Now that Liu Wenyan is back on the All-Heavens Battlefield, wouldn't someone look out for him?" The old man shook his head without much hope. "Hard to say. Would exalted Invincibles bother with such things? If they truly cared, would he have been banished to the Vanguard Camp? That damned place was somewhat manageable in the past, but now battles are ceaseless. In my view, that Liu Wenyan won't last long." "True enough!" Su Yu nodded, riding the earth dragon beast in a leisurely manner as he pressed forward. He laughed and said, "I visited the All-Heavens Battlefield once before, but I didn't travel far and never learned about these matters. The more I hear, the more fascinating it becomes! Old brother, do you know where geniuses of the god or demon races can be found? The weaker ones, that is. If they're too strong, I won't be able to handle them. Weaker ones with plenty of women around—I'd like to capture a few to play with." "..." Behind him, the old man unknowingly slowed his pace until he was nearly a thousand meters back. Only then did he call out, "My lord, you would do well to exercise caution. The powerhouses of the god and demon races are not to be trifled with. For that matter, even powerhouses from ordinary races are hard to deal with. While Civilization Masters have many tricks, ever since the decline of the multiple divine character faction, things... haven't been easy." *This fellow is dangerous!* the old man thought to himself. So arrogant, so young—geniuses like this died young. Casually talking about targeting god and demon powerhouses! Did he think this was the Human Realm? Did he think the gods and demons were trash who only opened thirty-six acupoints? Warriors from powerful races like the gods and demons generally opened at least 108 acupoints, and often 144. Some opened several hundred, starting with eighteen physical temperings or more. This was no joke. The human race held zero advantage in this regard; aside from a handful of exceptional geniuses, most humans who encountered gods or demons were easily slain by opponents of a lower realm. After a moment's consideration, the old man called out again, "Is my lord from one of the Big Three Prefectures—Daqin, Daxia, or Dazhou?" "No!" "The Twin Sages Prefecture?" "No, Great Ming Prefecture." "..." At once, the old man and his companions came to a dead halt. The dozen or so figures gradually widened the distance between them and Su Yu. Following this man was far too dangerous! He could easily get killed. If he had no real combat strength and died in an instant, they might very well suffer alongside him! *Damn it!* A Civilization Master from the Great Ming Prefecture? Did he think he was on a sightseeing tour? If he were a warrior, that would be one thing—Great Ming warriors could fight reasonably well. But a Civilization Master... the myriad races loved hunting Great Ming Civilization Masters. They had plenty of tricks, but the problem was that some of their tricks were utterly absurd. In the middle of combat, conjuring an illusion of a beautiful woman—was that supposed to scare someone? Was this guy out here seeking death? Noticing their reaction, Su Yu was briefly taken aback before breaking into laughter. "What's wrong with a Civilization Master from the Great Ming Prefecture? Old brother, I'm not afraid, so what are you scared of? Great Ming Civilization Masters possess terrifyingly diverse means. If a few experts show up right now, I'll slay them to show you..." Mid-sentence, Su Yu vanished! The next instant, a massive warhammer smashed downward into empty air! *Boom!* A thunderous blast rang out. A shadowy silhouette flashed across the void. Before it could react, the warhammer struck again with a concussive roar! This sudden development startled the fleeing vultures. In midair, a shadow materialized. Meanwhile, Su Yu, his white robes spotless, stepped through the air with a faint smile. "Fascinating. The Shadow race. I like the Shadow race—they're quite fun!" The shadow was now desperate to flee! It had run into a tough customer! Dazed and dizzy, it moved to escape, but before it could dart away, its vision blurred. An instant later, the massive warhammer slammed down once more with a deafening crash! With a heavy thud, the shadow fully emerged from the void. Su Yu reached out with a hand! *Crunch!* He crushed the shadow's head to pieces. Even then, Su Yu didn't stop. He suddenly lunged toward the shadow's chest. Its head had been crushed, but blood surged from its heart as it prepared to make a desperate break. With a squelch, Su Yu's hand plunged through the chest and ripped out a pitch-black heart. *Pop!* The heart burst! With a shift of Su Yu's willpower, the blood coalesced in the blink of an eye into a sphere of essence blood, which he stowed away in his storage ring. It all happened in a flash. Su Yu returned instantly to the back of the earth dragon beast, chuckling. "Old brother, let's continue! You folks can collect the corpse; I've taken the blood. First-stage Lingyun—it should be worth something, right?" "..." Behind him, the old man was thoroughly stunned. Swallowing hard, he said cautiously, "M-my lord, that is a member of the Shadow race. Although they aren't ranked among the top hundred, they sit just outside it. They are a major race backed by an Invincible." Su Yu replied nonchalantly, "Backed by an Invincible? How many Invincibles does my human race have? Why should I care about a race with a single Invincible? The Shadow race—I know them. What of it?" "..." Nothing! It was just... sheer shock and terror. *Holy crap, this guy is ruthless!* In the blink of an eye, he had slaughtered a Shadow race cultivator of the same realm. The Shadow race was renowned as assassins across the myriad races; against someone of equal cultivation, assassinating someone several stages higher was trivial for them. It was hardly surprising that one had infiltrated this far. The frontline border was immense, and Shadow race infiltrators were notoriously difficult to detect. As long as they didn't approach the main base camp, they rarely ran into trouble. Yet here one was, slaughtered in the blink of an eye! A Lingyun Realm expert! The old man felt terrified, yet his nerve was remarkably sturdy. The next instant, the dozen or so vultures swarmed toward the shadow's corpse. Even with the essence blood drained, the remaining parts of a dead Shadow cultivator could fetch a good price. Fearing Su Yu was ignorant, the old man said hurriedly, "My lord, when slaying these foreign races, you must take proof to the military for verification to claim the kill bounty! Slaying a Lingyun usually yields over a thousand merit points!" That was a massive sum! Don't let it go to waste! A Lingyun was considered a prominent figure, yet this Shadow cultivator had suffered terrible luck, getting slain by Su Yu the moment he slipped in. Su Yu nodded with a smile. "I know. I've read the materials. But I crushed its heart. Forget it—usually, claiming credit for a Shadow race kill requires the heart. The military isn't stupid. Few people preserve the heart when slaying a Shadow cultivator. Truly annoying." Only then did the old man realize that although this young man was inexperienced, he was by no means ignorant. Claiming merit for a Shadow race kill indeed required the heart. They quickly harvested the corpse while Su Yu watched leisurely from nearby, asking with a smile, "Tell me, this Shadow cultivator was so weak, yet dared to slip in—wouldn't an Invincible notice and casually crush him to death?" "My lord misunderstands. Under ordinary circumstances, Invincibles do not casually sweep their willpower around to investigate." Recognizing that Su Yu was unfamiliar with high-level reality, the old man explained hastily, "Invincibles have their own cultivation to attend to and other matters to manage. Blanketing the surrounding area consumes massive amounts of willpower. Unless an enemy comes exceptionally close to an Invincible, those exalted figures won't spend their days scanning in every direction." Su Yu understood, then added, "Old brother, aren't there supposed to be Heavenly Rewards for killing enemies?" "..." Having quickly finished packing the corpse with his companions, the old man felt somewhat speechless. After pondering a moment, he explained, "My lord, that requires slaying an opponent above your own realm. And not all cross-realm kills trigger Heavenly Rewards; opportunities for Heavenly Rewards are exceedingly rare! Sometimes, it's impossible to know how heaven judges it. For example, even if you slay a Shanhai, you won't necessarily receive a reward. It depends on luck." "Such a hassle?" Su Yu shook his head. It was indeed troublesome, but not bad overall. Slaying a first-stage Lingyun Shadow cultivator and securing some Shadow essence blood was already a decent haul. It was only first-stage Lingyun; Su Yu wasn't afraid in the slightest. Besides, he understood the Shadow race very well. It was just as well—he hadn't devoured Shadow essence blood yet. As for the Shadow creature he had kept with him, Su Yu found it quite obedient and hadn't forced it to yield its essence blood. Could this one be considered a Civilization Master? The Shadow race was hard to classify, but Su Yu felt this one leaned toward being a Civilization Master. Perhaps he could extract some Civilization Master cultivation techniques from it. "Picking up money the moment I step outside—not bad luck!" Su Yu chuckled. It seemed Embassy Head Liu's blessing had worked after all. He had bagged a Shadow cultivator right out of the gate, and a Lingyun at that. A good start! The vultures remained silent. In their hearts, however, they knew they had encountered a terrifying genius. Killing wasn't supposed to be that easy! An ordinary Lingyun would have been assassinated by that Shadow cultivator in an instant. Yet this young man had turned the tables and slain him in the blink of an eye. His casual demeanor and ruthless efficiency suggested he was no stranger to killing! When had such a monster emerged from the Great Ming Prefecture? Ignoring their silence, Su Yu waited until they finished gathering the remains before setting off again, smiling. "Gentlemen, why not travel with me? We can chat as we walk. I've realized you vultures know quite a lot. If we encounter more of these creatures, I'll slay them and take only the essence blood, while you collect the corpses. A win-win for everyone—how about it?" "My lord..." The old man laughed dryly. "Please go ahead, my lord. We have other business to attend to and won't disturb you further." Forget it! Though opportunities might exist, following this man made him sense looming danger. Vultures had remarkably sharp instincts for peril! Before departing, the old man offered a word of advice: "My lord, excessive slaughter creates too heavy a stench of blood, which easily attracts powerful foes. Unless necessary, it is best to keep your killing to a minimum." "Thank you for the advice!" Su Yu grew thoughtful and felt a hint of regret. He asked hurriedly, "Will consuming essence blood also attract powerful foes?" "It will as well. My lord should be as careful as possible!" "Many thanks!" Su Yu nodded. He understood now. Had he known, he wouldn't have cleansed his blood qi earlier. Well, without cleansing it, he might have been targeted by Zhang He. Living was hard! It seemed he ought to absorb more essence blood. Even without actively searching for enemies, they would come knocking on his door. He just hoped no overwhelmingly powerful foes would seek him out. A few more Lingyun foes for him to slaughter would do nicely to keep this good start going. The old man departed, and Su Yu paid it no mind. There were plenty of vulture squads; whenever he needed information, he could casually question any of them. Ignoring the departing scavengers, he picked up his pace. Time to head to the front lines and see what was happening. Perhaps he could kill a few more for fun! With that in mind, Su Yu sped up, quickly vanishing from the spot. A moment after he left, a figure arrived swiftly, looked around, inspected the surroundings, and muttered, "This fellow is quite formidable! The Heaven Hunting Pavilion should put him on the list!" A Shadow cultivator had been slain in the blink of an eye. Putting Cui Lang on the Yellow List seemed completely warranted. The newcomer vanished shortly afterward. A moment later, Su Yu suddenly reappeared at the same spot. Staring in the direction the person had left, he rubbed his chin and grinned. *A fellow from the Heaven Hunting Pavilion?* *Or someone sent to spy on me?* *Interesting!* *In the Human Realm, I didn't dare make moves recklessly. But out here... I think I should kill a few more to satisfy my itch!*