Now I Understand Again!

On this day, the All-Heavens Battlefield was shaken to its core. As for the pivotal figure who had triggered it all—Su Yu—some speculated he was already dead, while others were uncertain. Su Yu undeniably possessed immense fortune; could he truly have perished? Still, Demon King Lade had obliterated the Castellan Manor with a single palm strike, drawing forth the stone statue. A fair number of people had witnessed that firsthand. And everyone's established impression was that Su Yu had been inside the manor. Of course he had! If he hadn't been in the Castellan Manor, wouldn't the gods and demons blockading its gates for half a month have been an utter joke? Whether Su Yu was dead or alive depended on where exactly he had been at that moment. Beside the stone statue, or alone in the Castellan Manor? Naturally, whether Su Yu was dead or alive no longer mattered much. Even if he had survived, no one would dare cause trouble for him again. Too many Sun Moons had died because of him, and a whole slew of Invincibles had suffered as well. If Su Yu were still alive... people would likely begin to believe that he might truly reverse yin and yang, forge life from death, and walk out of his living-dead state. With a figure like him, anything was possible! …… The ancient city. Su Yu put on his mask and fiddled with the two treasures he had just acquired. He didn't return to the Castellan Manor, instead hiding inside an ancient house. The Castellan Manor was simply too dangerous, with that terrifying stone statue presiding over it. He needed a moment to calm his nerves. Many messages had flooded his mask and the Heaven Hunting manual, none of which he had managed to check yet. Xuan Jiu was still alive! Xuan Jiu's direct superior, Elder Xuanjia, could see this plainly. Whether his subordinate lived or died was immediately known to him. And if Xuan Jiu lived, that meant Su Yu lived. Elder Xuanjia wasn't surprised. That rascal had been peddling treasures outside the manor all along. What did Lade destroying the Castellan Manor have to do with Xuan Jiu? It would have been strange if he had died. "Xuan Jiu, what is the exact situation?" "Xuan Jiu, what on earth is going on with that stone statue?" "Xuan Jiu, did you know beforehand that the human race was going to kill the Dragon Silkworm King?" "Xuan Jiu..." At this moment, Elder Xuanjia was overflowing with questions. The headquarters of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion was currently packed with powerhouses, and even the head of the Huang Department had stepped forward in person. Inside the Heaven Hunting Pavilion headquarters. Numerous elders stood below, while at the top of the great hall sat an expert wearing a golden mask. Gold was reserved for heads of departments, pavilion masters, and tower masters in the Heaven Hunting Pavilion. This individual was the head of the Huang Department. He oversaw the pavilion's entire intelligence apparatus. As the supreme spymaster, if anyone in the myriad realms held knowledge of the deepest secrets, it was likely him. Even this gold-masked department head had been stirred by today's events. After a long silence, he spoke. "Xuan Jiu of the Xuan Department—is he still inside Xinghong Ancient City? Is he alive?" Xuanjia quickly answered, "Still alive, but he likely suffered some aftershocks. He hasn't replied yet!" The gold-masked head nodded slightly. Surviving was already quite an achievement. A colossal upheaval had occurred in Xinghong Ancient City, wiping out another large batch of Sun Moons. Living through it was a stroke of pure luck. Xuan Jiu seemed to have been stationed there continuously, surviving several major disasters. He was certainly blessed with fortune. Only the direct-line elder knew whenever an operative like Xuan Jiu was replaced. Even the head of the Huang Department had no idea Xuan Jiu had already changed hands. Of course, had the mask shattered and required reforging, he might have been notified. However, the mask Su Yu had inherited was handed over willingly by the previous Xuan Jiu, not a newly forged one. "Xuan Jiu did well this time..." The head of the Huang Department made a brief inquiry, then said placidly, "During this turmoil in Xinghong Ancient City, Xuan Jiu actually generated eighty thousand Heaven Hunting points in business... Splendid!" Eighty thousand Heaven Hunting points! That was equivalent to eighty million human merit points! In just a few days, Su Yu had brought in results beyond all imagination. From commission alone, he stood to gain eighty Heaven Hunting points. The blood essence of a first-stage Sun Moon was priced between ten and fifty Heaven Hunting points. Naturally, the Heaven Hunting Pavilion bought them at a flat ten points each, but sold them at varying rates according to race, strength, and innate talents. If spent on the lowest-grade first-stage Sun Moon blood essence, eighty points could buy eight full drops! That was a hefty commission! Furthermore, Su Yu enjoyed a forty percent discount. If he were utterly unscrupulous, he could purchase a vast quantity of the cheapest first-stage Sun Moon blood essence and trade them to the pavilion for Heaven and Earth Profound Light, potentially paying a mere six points per strand. Of course, doing it once or twice was fine, but do it too often and the pavilion would refuse to sell to him. Besides, there weren't that many weak Sun Moons available to kill and harvest. Elder Xuanjia nodded. "He certainly generated an immense volume of business this time, but... headquarters didn't profit! The expert selling the Heaven Yuan Qi walked away with the real fortune. We merely broke even, and the commissions are essentially extra expenses out of our own pocket!" The head of the Huang Department paid that little mind. Smiling faintly, he said, "No matter. Sometimes breaking even is a win in itself; at the very least, our reputation has grown. By the way, have you uncovered the identity of the mysterious expert who sold that massive amount of Heaven Yuan Qi?" The pavilion had possessed such an abundance of Heaven Yuan Qi because Xuan Jiu had made contact with an expert. Even the head of the Huang Department was keenly interested in this person. To possess so much Heaven Yuan Qi, did they control a sacred land of Heaven Yuan Qi? Or was an expert from a major race secretly offloading their stockpile? "Not yet," Xuanjia replied. "Xuan Jiu's response was that the individual operates with extreme secrecy. They never met face-to-face during trades. Xuan Jiu would leave the payment in an ancient house and return shortly after; the items would be replaced by Heaven Yuan Qi, while the house remained completely empty!" "Prudent indeed." The head of the Huang Department didn't dwell on it. Chuckling, he remarked, "Likely an expert or prodigy of some race who secretly gathered—or even stole—a vast reserve of Heaven Yuan Qi and seized this opportunity to sell it off. After all, during a lockdown, Heaven Yuan Qi is at its highest demand." Everyone needed it! Under such circumstances, you could charge exorbitant prices and no one would haggle. Shifting his focus, he continued, "Have Xuan Jiu keep a closer eye on this mysterious figure. Once he recovers his senses, have him send back more intelligence. Furthermore, the human race slew the Dragon Silkworm King. The heavens are in turmoil. Not a single Eternal had fallen since several perished fifty-one years ago... but today, one has." He sighed softly. The death of an Invincible was shocking even to the head of the Huang Department. It signified that Invincibles were no longer truly invincible, nor were they immortal. A war across the heavens might erupt at any moment. Humanity's move this time had completely defied his expectations. Soon, the head added, "The Dragon Silkworm King is dead, so there's no need to concern ourselves with him further! What demands our attention now is the Human Realm! With the human Eternals stirring and slaying the Dragon Silkworm King at such a juncture, the Human Realm will inevitably become the focal point of all factions! Especially since Xia Longwu is about to attain the Dao, and his ascension will inevitably be accompanied by other humans attempting the same—figures like Zhou Polong and Qin Zhen!" "The reason I summoned you all today is to announce that the Heaven Hunting Pavilion must infiltrate greater strength into the Human Realm..." At these words, a faceless elder spoke up. "Minister, infiltrating minor realms is the responsibility of the East and West Pavilions. Our Four Departments handle the All-Heavens Battlefield. Does this require deliberation among our four branches?" The head of the Huang Department replied faintly, "Do you believe the core stage of what's to come will remain on the All-Heavens Battlefield? Besides, the East and West Pavilions are hardly eager to share their secrets with us! Major shifts will soon shake the Human Realm, and our Four Departments must naturally have a stake in them, including trade! The Human Realm is no ordinary minor realm. Recently, the Great Xia Prefecture in particular has gathered countless experts from myriad races, and the ruins of an Invincible might soon be excavated..." Pausing, he added, "Eternals entering the Human Realm cause too vast a disturbance and are easily detected. Others, however, enjoy far greater safety! Move our Four Departments into the Human Realm as swiftly as possible, establish our communications network, and blanket the realm rapidly. The two pavilions have made little headway infiltrating the Human Realm all these years; it falls upon us Four Departments!" He continued, "This operation requires cooperation across all four branches. I have already conferred with the other department heads. Each department will select a portion of its elites to enter the Human Realm! At minimum, each department must send three elders, twenty White Masks, fifty Black Masks, a hundred Color Masks, and five hundred Gray Masks!" An elder exclaimed in surprise, "So many? Across all four departments, wouldn't that amount to nearly a hundred White Masks and two thousand Gray Masks?" The head of the Huang Department said calmly, "The Human Realm is formidable and vast; of course it demands such numbers! Moreover, the operatives must possess an understanding of the realm—fluency in its languages and writing, and at least some grasp of its history, the circumstances of its major prefectures, its internal conflicts, and its factions." Each department had to dispatch three elders and twenty White Masks, all of whom had to be elites. The elders sank into thought. Was the Human Realm dangerous? Danger was certain, given that they would be infiltrating as outsiders. One elder spoke quickly: "Minister, within the Human Realm, the Great Xia, Great Qin, and Great Zhou Prefectures are exceedingly perilous. The recently ascendant Great Ming Prefecture also slew multiple Sun Moons earlier. Those places are hardly territories ordinary elders or White Masks can infiltrate. Not to mention the Twin Sages Prefecture, home to the two sacred lands, and the All-Heavens Prefecture, with its ten-million-strong garrison—all are perilous in the extreme..." The head of the Huang Department nodded. "Those details will be arranged once the candidates are chosen. Those sent to infiltrate such hazardous regions will naturally receive extra rewards and backing." With that, he looked toward Xuanjia and smiled faintly. "Xuanjia, it would be best if you went. I think highly of you within the Xuan Department. As for the White Masks under your command, Xuan Jiu demonstrated remarkable capability this time. I find him very well-suited for this infiltration mission." Beneath his mask, Xuanjia's expression shifted. He quickly replied, "Minister, Xuan Jiu is an ancient city resident. He cannot leave at all..." The head nodded. "I am aware of that. But with sufficient Heaven Yuan Qi, it can be managed." Xuanjia said anxiously, "Minister, Xuan Jiu is merely a White Mask, and White Masks are plentiful. Sending him would require spending vast amounts of extra Heaven Yuan Qi; the cost simply isn't worth it!" He had no idea what the head was thinking. Xuan Jiu—whether the current one or the predecessor—was an ancient city resident. Why send Xuan Jiu out of nowhere? What purpose would he serve there? They would have to disburse enormous amounts of Heaven Yuan Qi just to fend off his death qi corrosion. It was entirely unnecessary—a loss on every front! Could the minister know Xuan Jiu was Su Yu? Impossible! Xuanjia was baffled, unable to fathom the head's motives. Calling upon Xuanjia himself made sense, but singling out Xuan Jiu was abnormal. The head said indifferently, "Xuan Jiu managed to produce eighty thousand Heaven Hunting points this time. Sending him to the Human Realm is an opportunity and a reward I am granting him. You do not understand: the Human Realm is special, and the ruins of an Invincible located there are even more so. Xuan Jiu will sooner or later be corroded to death by death qi. However, word has it that the Nanyuan ruins in the Great Xia Prefecture are exceptionally high in grade. Once inside, they may sever his connection to the death qi conduit, just like the Star Residence Mansion. Furthermore, ancient cities and dead spirits cannot enter the Human Realm..." Upon hearing this, Xuanjia understood. Somewhat astonished, he asked, "Your Excellency means that if Xuan Jiu enters the Nanyuan ruins, he might find a way to liberate himself?" The head nodded slightly. "Indeed. Xuan Jiu was likely converted by a Shanhai or Sun Moon dead spirit. Instantly severing such a death qi conduit carries a very good chance of success. I am sending Xuan Jiu because I have no desire to see a capable aide of yours perish needlessly in the ancient city!" At these words, several other elders chimed in urgently: "Minister, we also have ancient city residents under our commands..." The head said coolly, "It depends on merit and capability. Severing the death qi conduit upon entering the ruins is not without cost. Xuan Jiu has accumulated over a hundred thousand Heaven Hunting points in total performance, achieving distinguished merit. Hence, I am granting him this chance... Furthermore, the Heaven Hunting Pavilion will cover seventy percent of the consumed Heaven Yuan Qi, while he must provide the remaining thirty percent. If you have such talents beneath you, I will grant them special permission as well!" The elders weighed the matter, calculating whether it was worth the cost. The expenditure was bound to be steep! Xuanjia, on the other hand, was speechless. There was almost no hope of that working—Su Yu had been converted by a dead spirit monarch! Severing his death qi conduit would require the power of an Invincible. Still... if such a formidable ruin truly existed in Nanyuan... Wait, that wasn't right! His mind spun, and then the realization struck him. Damn it, didn't the Nanyuan ruins belong to Su Yu himself? He had a ruin in Nanyuan... Could there... could there truly be hope? Su Yu had been turned into a living dead. If he entered the Nanyuan ruins and an Invincible was willing to help him—King Daming and King Daxia might both be present in the Human Realm—Su Yu genuinely stood a chance at breaking free. Provided the ruin was strong enough! Was it? Xuanjia reckoned it shouldn't be weak. Perhaps the rumors were true, and it rivaled the ruin of a Half-Emperor. Of course, that was something only Su Yu could answer. Soon, he relayed the message to Su Yu. Naturally, there were numerous complications. First, Su Yu was no ordinary resident; he was the castellan. Could he leave for long? Second, did he have enough Heaven Yuan Qi? Well, he certainly did! Third, if he left, would the death qi backlash become catastrophic? Fourth, for someone converted by a dead spirit monarch, was there truly any hope of severing the conduit? Xuanjia didn't know. He decided to let Su Yu consider it himself. Besides, as castellan, Su Yu might not even be able to leave the ancient city for extended periods. …… While the Heaven Hunting Pavilion weighed its infiltration into the Human Realm, the various races were contemplating the exact same matter. As for Xinghong Ancient City, everyone had been thoroughly spooked. Forget it, they weren't going back! Moreover, the Human Realm had brazenly invaded a minor realm and slain the Dragon Silkworm King. The other races urgently needed to understand the human realm's stance, the morale on their home front, and the broader situation. Furthermore, the other members of the multiple divine character faction were still in the Human Realm. Su Yu alone was capable of stirring up such terrifying havoc—what about the rest? Previously, people believed the multiple divine character faction was nothing to fear following Ye Batian's fall. Now, they treated it with genuine gravity. After Ye Batian came Su Yu; who knew if another monster was lurking behind him? With such thoughts in mind, the Human Realm—particularly the Great Xia Prefecture—rapidly became the focal point of the myriad races. As for the fallout from the Dragon Silkworm King's death, what was done was done. What else could they do? Wage total war against humanity right now? The gods and demons were actually pleased by this development. The human experts had rashly slaughtered an Invincible, sending a wave of panic through the minor races. As a result, those minor races would become even more resolved to unite against humanity! Humanity killed whenever they pleased! Look at the gods and demons: even when invading a minor realm to execute an Invincible, they had to deploy ten Invincibles of their own. Yet humanity had dispatched just a few figures and casually butchered the Dragon Silkworm King without causing a stir. It was terrifying! The myriad races would rather see the gods and demons triumph than witness humanity grow all-powerful! Such was the predicament of the human race on the All-Heavens Battlefield. If they killed, it incited dread and hostility across the realms. If they didn't kill, then just as before, the myriad races would lack any reverence toward them. In the end, it stemmed from the fact that humans suffered no suppression when entering minor realms, which made everyone feel an acute sense of crisis. Originally, the Invincibles of minor races were practically immortal within their own realms. With humanity involved, that immortality had become a laughingstock. …… The myriad realms were in turmoil. The Human Realm. The Great Xia Prefecture. Xiuxin Pavilion. Wan Tiansheng received the news as well. He took a long, deep breath. The kid had truly outdone himself—he had even drawn out the stone statue! As for King Daxia and the others slaying the Dragon Silkworm King, he didn't pay it much mind. Killing an Invincible to awe the realms was well within his expectations. King Daqin was no pushover, but due to myriad reservations, he had never been able to harden his resolve. Now that he finally had, it was a good thing. Of course, without eradicating humanity's internal rot, King Daqin would always have lingering concerns. And the Great Xia Prefecture's subsequent objective was precisely to help King Daqin sweep away those troubles. "No one will dare set sights on Xinghong Ancient City again. With King Daxia and the others slaying the Dragon Silkworm King, the Human Realm will inevitably become the next focal point..." Wan Tiansheng felt exhausted! The Great Xia Prefecture had schemed for so long, yet time and again, Su Yu had stolen the spotlight! Damn it all, kid, can you finally stay quiet? Even if you don't stay quiet, no one will dare seek you out now. Just stay in the ancient city and be your castellan in peace. As for the vision I saw... perhaps it was false! Even if it wasn't, perhaps... perhaps your return to the Human Realm will only happen years from now. Maybe it won't be this time! Wan Tiansheng let out a sigh. *My life is too hard!* Across the myriad realms, no one competed with the Great Xia Prefecture for attention except Su Yu, who stole the limelight again and again, leaving the Nanyuan ruins scheme stalled for ages! Even the inauguration of the Multiple Divine Characters Academy and the disassembly of divine character battle arts had only drawn in minor fry! Before Su Yu began raising hell, that was supposed to be the center of the universe! "Finally, things are returning to normal!" Wan Tiansheng inhaled deeply, feeling immense relief! *Kid, just stay put in the ancient city and don't stir up any more trouble.* He was genuinely terrified; this feeling of having everything spiral out of control was simply dreadful! …… At this moment, everyone assumed Su Yu would quiet down! Meanwhile, Su Yu had just read Xuanjia's message. He was thoroughly stunned! *They want me to return to the Human Realm?* *Because there's a ruin in Nanyuan that might save my life?* Su Yu was speechless! *Nonsense, don't I know better than anyone whether Nanyuan has a ruin?* Of course, aside from himself, probably no one believed Nanyuan was empty. Frankly speaking, even Marquis Xia and the others likely assumed a ruin existed there, just waiting to be unearthed. "Return to the Human Realm..." Su Yu fell into deep contemplation. Could he go back? Or rather, would going back right now accomplish anything? He suddenly looked toward the Castellan Manor at the center of the city and licked his lips. *Can I relocate the ancient city back with me?* *Can I take the stone statue along?* If he could bring it along, that would be truly magnificent! Even in the Human Realm, he would be an undisputed overlord! But without the stone statue and the ancient city, returning would leave him with the combat strength of a Sun Moon at best. With such limited power, he might not be able to achieve much. Still, he wanted to go back! Look at how even the Heaven Hunting Pavilion had begun infiltrating the Human Realm. The East and West Pavilions weren't enough; now the Four Departments were dispatching operatives as well. The Human Realm had become the center of attention. "The opening of the Star Residence Mansion is at least six months away. For the foreseeable future, all eyes will be fixed on the Human Realm..." Su Yu sank into thought. He stood up and walked outside. Perhaps he could have a talk with the stone statue. Earlier, when the stone statue stepped outside, the pressure on Su Yu had spiked massively, nearly getting him killed by the surge of death qi. That had sparked several ideas in his mind. The stone statue could leave, but doing so likely came with restrictions. Restrictions related to death qi! Should he discuss it with the statue? …… Su Yu returned to the restored Castellan Manor. At present, no one walked the streets. Not a single soul dared emerge, not even the surviving Sun Moons. Su Yu didn't hold back either; he sealed the city once more. *To hell with all of you!* *I won't let you out. You can either convert or wait to die—either way, you're not leaving!* In truth, he didn't even need to seal the city himself. When the gates were breached earlier, Invincible-level dead spirits were drawn forth, automatically locking the city down for three days. Of course, that had nothing to do with Su Yu. He could enter and leave as he pleased, at the mere cost of bearing slightly more death qi backlash. *Did he fear that?* Three days from now, Su Yu intended to keep the city sealed. He would grind the Nether race's eighth-stage Sun Moon and the Ape race's seventh-stage Sun Moon to death first! Stepping into the Castellan Manor, Su Yu headed straight for the rear hall. …… In the rear hall. The stone statue's eyes remained closed. As Su Yu approached, the stone statue felt a faint prick of guilt... *Is he here to demand an explanation?* Quickly, it regained its composure! This was your duty as castellan! Since you became the castellan, this is your obligation. You enjoy the privileges of a castellan, so you must shoulder the responsibilities. The ancient city sheltered you and saved your life, so you must pay your dues to the city. Su Yu, however, hadn't thought about any of that. Demand an explanation? Don't be ridiculous! Demand an explanation from a stone statue that had blown apart Invincibles with a single punch? Was he out of his mind? The moment he walked through the door, a genial, cultured smile spread across Su Yu's face. Beaming, he said, "Su Yu, Castellan of Xinghong Ancient City, pays respects to Your Excellency! May Your Excellency enjoy boundless fortune, eternal longevity, and suppress all the heavens..." Su Yu bowed with utmost deference. Naturally, before such a formidable powerhouse, how could he not show respect? Su Yu smiled warmly at the stone statue. Unfortunately, the statue ignored him. Undeterred, Su Yu rambled on: "Your Excellency's strike today shook heaven and earth..." Well, speaking of which, it truly had shattered stone and startled heaven! "All the heavens were suppressed by Your Excellency. Your Excellency's might has endured from antiquity to this day, peerless and boundless..." After a round of lavish flattery, Su Yu quickly steered the conversation. "Your subordinate has a few perplexities and wishes to consult Your Excellency. Would Your Excellency be willing to enlighten me?" *Subordinate!* That was how he addressed himself, because they were family now. I am the lord of the ancient city, while you are its guardian—perhaps even its first castellan. Doesn't that make us family? The stone statue remained silent for a long time. Eventually, a voice resonated from an indeterminate source: "Speak!" Su Yu was overjoyed! From cold silence to speaking—this was a promising beginning! Excellent! "Your Excellency, may your subordinate leave the ancient city?" "You may. If you do not fear the backlash, leaving the ancient city will subject you to twice the rate of death qi erosion!" Under normal circumstances without the gates sealed, Su Yu needed an hour and a half each day to counteract the erosion rate—barring earlier anomalies, of course. Doubled, that would mean three hours! He would have to spend at least three hours reversing qi every single day! Su Yu weighed the cost; it was manageable. Of course, an ordinary castellan would never be able to endure it. Su Yu asked again, "Then can your subordinate still be recorded on the Heaven Hunting Ranking?" "You can. So long as your death qi corrosion remains below thirty percent and your life qi exceeds your death qi, your presence will be captured!" Now Su Yu understood. So that was how it worked! Fortunately, he had consistently suppressed his death qi by over half. That meant he could reverse more death qi in advance, just to prevent any sudden accidents where he lacked the time to reverse it and ended up killing himself. Both answers were immensely helpful. "Then can your subordinate relinquish the role of castellan?" "..." This time, the stone statue fell silent. *He actually wants to leave!* *Instead of diligently serving as castellan, you actually want to leave!* Though reluctant to reply, the stone statue gave its answer: "You can. However, as castellan, you must pay a price. Furthermore, departing is not simple; several conditions must be met!" "I implore Your Excellency to enlighten me!" "First, the dead spirit monarch must die!" "Second, the death qi conduit must be completely severed!" "Third, you must survive the ensuing backlash!" "..." Su Yu was speechless. Slay a dead spirit monarch? Was that a joke?! "Then... if the dead spirit monarch doesn't die, I have no way to break free? Even if I convert all the death qi into life qi, I still cannot liberate myself?" "Impossible. Because your death qi is not rootless duckweed; it stems from an active source. No matter how much you reverse, the death qi will soon resume suppressing you. Of course, if you can overpower the dead spirit monarch—while she is reversing you, you could also reverse her!" "..." Su Yu stared blankly. What did that mean? "Your Excellency means that if I become stronger than the dead spirit monarch, I can reverse her? Turn her back into a living person?" The stone statue said impassively, "You can! The demon race seeks to summon a dead spirit monarch of their own using a similar method, reversing that monarch back into the living. Of course, their method differs from yours. You need not concern yourself with the specifics; you only need to know that the price is staggering—far harder than birthing an Eternal. You are welcome to try reversing her!" *Dream on!* If you can actually reverse Xingyue, you'd be a miracle worker! That was a dead spirit monarch! Even if Su Yu achieved Invincibility, he might not be able to reverse her. "Xingyue's suppression over you is not as overwhelming as you imagine. If you continue advancing at high speed, she will never manage to turn you into a dead spirit!" Su Yu nodded slightly. It seemed this senior knew quite a few things. The origin aperture reversal art! It had to be said, that cultivation art was terrifyingly profound. Su Yu pondered inwardly: *If I can use it, what about others?* *If everyone could use it... then the ancient city really wouldn't be anything to fear.* Soon, Su Yu spoke up again. "Your Excellency, I may return to the Human Realm in the near future. May I take the ancient city along with me?" "..." *What did you just say?* The stone statue remained silent. *Whom do you want to take along?!* Su Yu ventured gingerly, "Your Excellency, can the ancient city move? When I inherited the castellan token, there seemed to be mention of such things, though I don't fully understand it. Can I take the ancient city with me when I depart? After all, my strength is pitiful, and I am plagued by death qi. Once I arrive in the Human Realm, I might die. Your Excellency, as your subordinate, I feel a duty toward you and toward the ancient city. I still need to bear death qi for you, after all." *If you knew that, you wouldn't be leaving!* The stone statue was utterly exasperated! After a long pause, its voice transmitted once more: "You cannot. Taking the ancient city into the Human Realm would trigger catastrophic anomalies! Opening a dead spirit conduit in the Human Realm would be an unimaginable disaster! On the All-Heavens Battlefield, the city can move; however, relocating it causes death qi to scatter, resulting in severe backlash!" "Then... can Your Excellency come to the Human Realm?" Su Yu grew even more cautious, speaking nervously: "I would like to invite Your Excellency to visit the Human Realm for a tour. If Your Excellency exits the city, it will likely cause a death qi eruption, and I can shoulder some of that pressure on your behalf." *I'll shoulder some pressure for you, and you act as my enforcer—how does that sound?* Naturally, that thought was buried deep within his heart. Yet how could the stone statue fail to see through his intentions? It was genuinely at a loss for words. This brat truly dared to dream up anything! It ignored him. Su Yu pressed on: "Your Excellency, the Human Realm has a wonderful environment, with lots of fun things, delicious food, and beautiful sights..." Silence. "Your Excellency, if I die in the Human Realm, the next castellan might not be nearly as resilient as I am. I believe I have quite the knack for enduring death qi..." "Your Excellency, I'm the type who easily attracts jealousy and enemies. They constantly want to kill me! As you saw, even when I didn't step outside the city, a whole horde of them still tried to murder me!" The stone statue was completely fed up. Its voice rumbled through the hall: "If you go to the Human Realm, I remain in the heavens. Separated across realms, I cannot aid you! Furthermore, I must garrison the dead spirit conduit; it is impossible for me to leave on your account!" A flat refusal! Of course, its tone wasn't particularly harsh; it had plainly laid out the facts. At least it had offered an explanation! Feeling a twinge of regret, Su Yu said reluctantly, "Then... Your Excellency, is there truly no other way? I'll end up provoking an Invincible and getting slapped to death!" *Then you'd deserve it!* The stone statue was speechless. *You're a mere Lingyun—why the hell are you constantly thinking about provoking Invincibles?!* Sure enough, those who got things done were equally adept at stirring up trouble! This kid was exceptionally capable, but when it came to stirring up trouble, he was second to none! "You may flee the Human Realm, pass through the conduit, and step onto the All-Heavens Battlefield. At that moment, I can assist you once!" It offered this single compromise. This was the absolute limit; it had no desire to entertain him any further. Yet Su Yu was thrilled! Understood! Whenever trouble arose, run straight for the All-Heavens Prefecture, plunge into the conduit, and the moment he emerged onto the All-Heavens Battlefield, Boss Stone Statue could strike! Even against an Invincible, a single punch would smash them to smithereens! Understood, loud and clear! Su Yu was overjoyed, convinced he had grasped the ultimate truth of survival: whenever a problem arose, head for the All-Heavens Battlefield. An ancient stone statue was on standby, ready to obliterate his foes at any moment! A boss was a boss—truly dependable! Provided, of course, that he could actually manage to escape back to the All-Heavens Battlefield.