I Have a Mighty Backer

Great Xia City was sealed off. Su Yu returned to the academy wearing a look of sheer disbelief, his face blank with shock—a state mirrored by everyone around him. Some wore grim expressions, some appeared deeply anxious, and others were seething with righteous indignation. King Daxia's grandson had been slain in broad daylight on the street! This was nothing like a clandestine assassination. It was a blatant, resounding slap across the face, delivered so hard it left their cheeks burning! An assassination could simply be attributed to an enemy's sinister cunning. But this had taken place right in front of the Dragon Martial Guards headquarters, practically on the doorstep of the Prefectural Lord Manor. A lord of the Xia family had been beaten to death—obliterated with a single fist. It was nothing less than outright humiliation. It dragged the Xia family's prestige through the mud, trampling and grinding it ruthlessly into the dirt. Beside Su Yu, a young student fumed, "They must die! They have to be wiped out! Those beasts of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion are courting death! The Great Xia Prefecture must fight them to the bitter end this time! They have to be eradicated!" Su Yu adopted a grim, solemn expression. "You're absolutely right! Even though I'm not from the Great Xia Prefecture, we are all part of the human race! No, I have to talk to my brother and have him speak up. Director Hong will definitely have a way to track down that Xuan Jiu and crush him to death! A scoundrel like that deserves to be dragged to the Great Xia Prefecture's All-Races Pit and hacked into ten thousand pieces—nothing less can bring justice to everyone!" Su Yu ground his teeth and continued, "He's gone completely rogue. My Bai family still holds some sway in the Great Ming Prefecture. If it comes down to it, my Bai family could... Ah, forget it. If we meddle right now, the Xia family might assume we're just gloating and enjoying the spectacle." "Brother Bai, you are truly thoughtful!" A student beside him sighed. "This time, the shame is just too immense. Not only is it humiliating... This... For Lord Xia Xinyi to be slaughtered like this... It's unbearable tyranny! Our Great Xia Prefecture has yielded again and again, yielding to the point where no one takes us seriously anymore!" "It's completely outrageous!" "..." The crowd buzzed with shared outrage. Most of them did not know Xia Xinyi personally, but he was still a prince of the Xia family, struck down on an open street. Everyone felt suffocated by fury, their anger boiling over. This was far too intolerable! If the Xia family didn't reclaim their dignity this time, none of them could stomach such an insult. If the assassins dared to slaughter Xia Xinyi right at the Xia family's gates today, tomorrow they might dare to butcher innocent citizens throughout the entire city. Right then, Bai Feng hurried over. Seeing Su Yu chatting among the group, he faltered slightly. *Why are you here?* *Didn't you go to kill Xia Xinyi?* He had been fraught with worry that something had gone wrong on Su Yu's end—wondering why in the world Su Yu had suddenly killed Xia Xinyi out of the blue. Now, seeing Su Yu completely unharmed, Bai Feng's face darkened, and he snapped, "Why are you running around? It's dangerous outside! Who gave you permission to leave?" "Teacher Bai!" "Researcher Bai..." Su Yu protested with an aggrieved face, "Brother, why are you yelling at me? I was just looking for you! You need to ask Director Hong to step in and kill that Xuan Jiu. Hack him into mincemeat! He's utterly detestable! It's gone way too far!" "You..." Bai Feng roared inwardly, *I'd like to hack you into mincemeat right now!* "Cut the nonsense. Follow me back to the research center. The city is on lockdown, and they're launching a full sweep to root out Heaven Hunting Pavilion operatives. Don't go running around!" "Got it!" Su Yu turned to bid farewell to the others. "I'm heading to the research center then. Everyone stay safe! That cursed Heaven Hunting Pavilion... If I'd known they were this wicked, I never would have associated with them. If all else fails, I'll set up a trap under the guise of an assignment to lure them out, and Brother, you can kill every single one of them!" Bai Feng wore a frosty face. *I'll kill you first!* *Do you have any idea who you are?* *The Heaven Hunting Pavilion's sudden surge in fame—and infamy—wasn't that all your doing?* *How do you have the gall to shed crocodile tears here?* "Save the chatter. Let's go!" Su Yu nodded, still muttering in indignation. "Brother, that Heaven Hunting Pavilion really isn't anything good. Even I can't stand it..." As he followed Bai Feng toward the research center, he kept grumbling, "Killing someone in broad daylight, and an Invincible's descendant at that! It's utterly outrageous! This is the Great Xia Prefecture—if this happened in the Great Ming Prefecture, wouldn't it be even more intolerable? They've crossed the line!" "..." Bai Feng's face was livid, dark as iron. He was burning with irritation! *Have you had enough? Is it that fun to cuss yourself out?* *Haven't you had your fill of acting?* *Why on earth did you go and kill Xia Xinyi out of nowhere?* Bai Feng was both anxious and grave. What was really going on? He believed there had to be some misunderstanding or hidden agenda behind it; Su Yu wouldn't kill Xia Xinyi for no reason. Yet the reports he had received claimed Xia Xinyi was indeed killed, his body blown to pieces on the spot, witnessed by countless onlookers! Just as he was pondering this, a crowd of people came sprinting ahead. It was Xia Huyou. At this moment, Xia Huyou was leading a massive contingent of city guards. His face was ash-gray, his eyes bloodshot. Seeing Bai Feng and Su Yu, he merely gave a distracted nod before rushing past, roaring furiously, "Seal off the Great Xia Civilization Academy! Lock down both the Myriad Races Academy and the Multiple Divine Characters Academy! Nobody enters or leaves!" "Understood!" The soldiers bellowed in unison. Xia Huyou leaped into the air, yelling at the top of his lungs, "I am Xia Huyou! Starting now, the Great Xia Civilization Academy is under lockdown! There are many powerhouses of the myriad races residing in the academy. I advise you not to stir up trouble at a time like this! A direct descendant of my Xia family has been slain, and my uncle met a tragic end! Anyone who dares to cause trouble right now will be killed without mercy!" With bloodshot eyes, Xia Huyou roared, "Quickly, seal off every pathway! Not a single expert from the myriad races is allowed to go missing! If even one slips away, I'll exterminate your entire race!" At this moment, several figures took to the air. Among them was that young Immortal lady. Witnessing Xia Huyou's current state, she dared not be careless and kept her distance. The Xia family had truly snapped! Xia Huyou was usually easy to talk to, but right now, his rage surged to the heavens. Faint auras of multiple Sun Moon realm experts could even be sensed hovering around him. Xia Huyou bellowed again, "Everyone, return to your quarters and remain inside! To all residents of the Great Xia Prefecture, I trust you can understand the Xia family's grief. Soon, searches will be conducted. Whether you are disgruntled or furious, the Xia family must search!" "Our Xia family established this prefecture over three hundred years ago and has never wronged anyone. Today, my uncle was struck down in broad daylight on the street. The enemy must be hiding within our city—perhaps there are even traitors who leaked his movements! My uncle's whereabouts were kept secret; it would have been impossible for the enemy to kill him in a single strike otherwise! Xuan Jiu was injured outside the city by Chief Hu not long ago. How could he have gathered all this intelligence so swiftly? Anyone with useful information may report to my Xia family, and our Xia family will reward you handsomely!" Upon hearing these words, many nodded grimly in agreement. It made sense. Xia Huyou glared toward the experts hovering in the skies above the Myriad Races Academy and the Multiple Divine Characters Academy, shouting, "Return to your quarters immediately! Do not invite your own destruction! Anyone who dares provoke my Xia family today, regardless of race, will be executed!" "My Xia family has slain no small number of Gods and Demons!" That blood-soaked roar filled with murderous intent made the experts look grave, and they swiftly descended to the ground. At this juncture, provoking the Xia family was the worst possible choice. One would easily be butchered as a scapegoat! ... *Impressive!* Su Yu almost gave him a thumbs-up. *Damn, this guy... anyone who didn't know better would think he was genuinely kept in the dark.* *Damn it all!* *You act better than I do! My performance was a bit dramatic, but yours isn't exaggerated in the slightest!* His acting was remarkably authentic. Look at those bulging veins, those bloodshot eyes, those puffy eyelids from supposed tears, and that murderous expression and tone... The kid was a veteran performer! Xia Huyou swept his bloodthirsty gaze across the area and spotted Bai Junsheng. He didn't know Bai Junsheng was Xuan Jiu, or Su Yu. But as his gaze swept past this time... his heart skipped a beat. Why was Bai Junsheng still in the Great Xia Prefecture? Why hadn't he left yet? He knew Bai Feng wanted to keep the Bai family out of the crossfire. If so, Bai Feng should have sent his cousin away long ago; why keep him around? A thought struck him. He knew Su Yu was Xuan Jiu, and Su Yu was definitely inside the city right now. Su Yu had previously disguised himself as Cui Lang... *Fuck!* Xia Huyou cursed inwardly. He had met Bai Junsheng once a couple of days ago. Could that bastard actually be Su Yu in disguise? His gaze swept past without lingering on him. Yet inwardly, he cursed violently! It was nine times out of ten! No wonder that guy struck so swiftly, accurately, and ruthlessly—it turned out he was lingering right on their doorstep. Ignoring Su Yu, Xia Huyou quickly led his vast contingent to fan out in all directions, placing the entire academy under lockdown. The academy housed many powerhouses, making it an ideal hiding spot. If it wasn't sealed and searched, it wouldn't look convincing. ... At that very moment. Inside the Xiuxin Pavilion. Wan Tiansheng looked down from above, pondering a question: *Who is more capable—me, or Su Yu?* He had sent Su Yu to kill Yuan Qingdong to lure out certain experts. To lure them all in! Yet... he hadn't told Su Yu to write his own script! *What the hell did you mean by blasting Xia Xinyi's physical body to pieces?* *Incredible!* Was this the fat Xia's scheme, or the little fat Xia's? With this incident, most of the powerhouses stationed on the All-Heavens Battlefield could logically be recalled. The only unfortunate soul was Xia Xinyi, who had been beaten silly, probably truly believing someone was trying to murder him and that he had narrowly escaped with his life. How pitiful! Utterly tragic! And Hu Dehao—wasn't his heart filled with ten thousand curses right now? He was probably feeling uneasy, helpless, sorrowful, and enraged... Someone had killed a man right under his nose—how could he possibly swallow that? Wan Tiansheng shook his head. *What a bunch of fine actors.* Each generation was more formidable than the last! He didn't believe for a second that Xia Huyou was in the dark. If he truly didn't know, the boy would have run to him, to Marquis Xia, to his father, or to his great-grandfather by now. The fact that he still had the composure to seal off the academy proved he hadn't been blinded by rage. "Now, the gaze of the myriad realms will truly be focused here!" Wan Tiansheng felt a tinge of sorrow. If he had known earlier... would beating the fat Xia to death have been easier? Well, that also required the right timing and conditions. Simply beating the fat Xia wouldn't necessarily draw the focus of the myriad realms. Right now, the Great Xia Prefecture was already the center of attention, and since this involved a major force like the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, it was easy to draw everyone's eyes. Su Yu's timing had been remarkably exquisite! "The fat Xia should be back soon!" Wan Tiansheng glanced into the distance. Moments later, towering auras surged through the sky, shaking the Great Xia Prefecture. Marquis Xia's chilling voice resonated from the distant void! "No one is permitted to leave the prefecture!" "Until the murderer of my son is brought to justice, this lockdown will not be lifted! Don't push me—you are all pushing me! Do not force me to unleash a slaughter!" "Marquis!" Someone called out in a low voice, and Marquis Xia's voice faded. Yet everyone could hear the seething fury and chill in his tone. This time, the Xia family was truly out for blood. ... Inside the city, massive numbers of Dragon Martial Guards and prefectural troops mobilized. They searched house by house! They checked household registries, probed backgrounds, and measured cultivation levels. Once the first sweep was complete, a second and third followed. In a large courtyard. Over a dozen Dragon Martial Guards finished their inspection. Soon, someone whispered a few words in report, and the leading Lingyun expert immediately roared, "Seize them!" *Boom!* Combat erupted in an instant. Moments later, three All-Races Cult members were slain on the spot, dying with open eyes full of grievance. To their dying breath, they wanted to scream injustice. They had hidden for years, only to fall not by their own mistakes, but because of some Xuan Jiu they had never even heard of. What a grievance! The Xia family hadn't conducted a citywide sweep in centuries. This time, because of one Xuan Jiu, the entire city was turned upside down, and many didn't even have time to conceal themselves. It had happened far too fast! ... Local skirmishes erupted continuously across the city. Those who managed to evade the first sweep might not survive the second. The first round was led by Lingyun experts, the second by Shanhai experts, and the third was spearheaded directly by Sun Moon experts. Searching layer upon layer, through heaven and earth, the Xia family was practically digging three feet into the ground! It was infuriating! At this moment, every resident of the Great Xia Prefecture felt consumed by grief and anger. How could the Great Xia Prefecture endure such a disgrace? Even with the Xia family conducting intrusive searches, everyone cooperated wholeheartedly. They were determined to root out that Xuan Jiu; until he was killed, none of them could find peace! ... Meanwhile. Inside the Prefectural Lord Manor. Chief Hu looked uneasy and helpless, keeping his head lowered. In all these years, he had never felt so powerless and ashamed. "Marquis..." Chief Hu carefully handed a spherical orb to Marquis Xia and whispered, "I have nourished it in time. Xinyi's sea of will sustained damage and his physical body was blown apart. He likely... likely will have to rebuild his cultivation from scratch!" Saying this made him feel too ashamed to face anyone. "I... I have failed the Marquis's trust!" Beside him, General Zhao dropped to one knee, murderous intent blazing in his eyes. "Marquis, this general is incompetent! If I do not slay Xuan Jiu this time, I will atone with my life! In the three hundred and fifty-one years since the Great Xia Prefecture was founded, we have never suffered such humiliation. I have disgraced the Dragon Martial Guards and the Great Xia Prefecture. I have failed the Marquis's trust!" One civil official and one military general, two great powerhouses, both brimmed with sorrow and indignation. They had failed the Xia family's trust! Under their protection, Xia Xinyi hadn't died, but in his current state... after years of cultivation, having his body shattered meant that even if he rebuilt his foundation, it would be an enormous hurdle. Marquis Xia's hands trembled faintly as he caressed the orb—his son's sea of will. He ground his teeth. "Go out and search in person. Comb through everything. I want to see Xuan Jiu's corpse!" "Understood!" Carrying boundless rage, the two powerhouses strode out of the manor to join the search personally. This time, it was a battle to the death! Once they were gone, Marquis Xia wore a deeply mournful expression, muttering helplessly, "Fuck!" The next instant, he clenched his teeth and looked in a certain direction, hissing, "That absolute bastard!" "Look at what he did to my son!" "He struck too hard!" "Damn it, couldn't he have held back a little?" "Blowing his body to bits, flesh and blood flying everywhere... this... this is too cruel!" "Utterly inhumane!" Marquis Xia cursed repeatedly. It was completely barbaric! Furthermore, the sea of will had been injured—wouldn't that require a massive amount of natural treasures to mend? Besides, blasting him apart with a single punch—did the Xia family's reputation mean nothing to him? He was far too vicious! Marquis Xia mentally greeted Su Yu's ancestors over and over. It was simply infuriating. Beating his son into such a state pained him so much as an old father that he almost didn't want to heal him! Before long, a mournful voice called from outside, "Second Grandfather, I'm back!" "Enter!" "Grandfather..." Xia Chan's sorrowful cry echoed from outside, and soon Xia Huyou and Xia Chan walked in. Xia Chan's eyes were crimson. "Grandfather, you must avenge my father! Grandfather, once Xuan Jiu is found, I want to slice him into a thousand pieces! I heard he belongs to the Fire Pupil race. Grandfather, I want to lead troops to the All-Heavens Battlefield to wipe out their entire race to appease my father's spirit!" Murderous intent soared to the sky! At this moment, Xia Chan was beside herself with grief and fury. Her father had been murdered! This blood feud with Xuan Jiu could never be forgiven! As for the fact that her father's sea of will still survived, Chief Hu hadn't even had the chance to tell her; everything had unfolded far too swiftly and abruptly. Beside her, Xia Huyou also nodded along solemnly. Marquis Xia looked at Xia Huyou, then turned to Xia Chan and nodded. "Chan'er, enter secluded cultivation immediately and break through to the Tengkong Realm. Do not delay any longer! Our Xia family will not let this rest. Once you reach Tengkong, you will be able to seek vengeance!" Marquis Xia ground his teeth as well. "Turn your grief into strength! The sons and daughters of our Xia family have never established themselves in the myriad realms through empty threats, but through sheer strength! Without strength, your father could only be beaten to death on the street. Without strength, even if he was struck down, there was no way to strike back! Our Xia family has yet to produce a female Invincible. You must remember everything from today. Avenge this grievance, and do not merely shed tears without improving yourself!" Hearing this, Xia Chan nodded fiercely through her tears! The children of the Xia family repaid every grudge. She would become an Invincible, slaughter their enemies, and take vengeance. The Heaven Hunting Pavilion was powerful, and the Xia family might not be able to match them completely right now! Without another word, carrying boundless fury, sorrow, and immense drive, Xia Chan left swiftly. She was going to cultivate in seclusion and break through to Tengkong! ... Once Xia Chan left, only the two of them remained in the room. Marquis Xia looked at his grandnephew for a long time before cursing, "Fuck, he's your own uncle! How could you have the heart to strike him like that?" Xia Huyou looked up and said helplessly, "Cousin-uncle!" He was a cousin-uncle, not a direct uncle. Marquis Xia rolled his eyes. "Why hit him so hard? It would've been enough just to injure him. Why did you let him get battered like this? It's too tragic—even I, as his father, almost wept looking at him!" "His body blew up, so he can just rebuild it," Xia Huyou said helplessly. "Besides, I wasn't the one who hit him—that fellow did. I didn't expect that guy to be so cruel either, blasting him apart in a single blow." Marquis Xia glared at him, only speaking after a long silence. "Why did you insist on pulling your uncle out of the equation? With his talent, his strength, and his brain, even if he's kept out, he's still useless. He might as well have fought to the end alongside our Xia family!" Xia Huyou thought for a moment. "He's too weak. Having uncle involved wouldn't accomplish anything anyway. At least he can still sire children—maybe he can father a few more to bolster our Xia family's bloodline." Marquis Xia pondered this and nodded; it made some sense. Setting aside his son's orb for the moment, he looked at Xia Huyou and said, "That fellow struck with such venom. Doesn't he have plenty of Heaven and Earth Mysterious Light and Sun Moon Xuanhuang Liquid? Did he offer any compensation? He beat him so terribly..." Xia Huyou said speechlessly, "None. He practically demanded a commission fee from us for the job!" "To hell with him!" Marquis Xia cursed, then quickly added, "If we don't kill him this time, the Xia family's reputation is thoroughly down the drain! Kill more All-Races Cultists in the city. If that's not enough, send the Dragon Martial Guards out to flatten dozens of their strongholds and make heads roll! Fill up the All-Races Pit for me! Also, use this opportunity to thoroughly investigate those powerhouses of the myriad races in the academy. Probe every last one of them, and execute any who refuse to comply!" "Understood!" "And..." Marquis Xia thought for a moment before saying, "Go find him again and trade for some Heaven Yuan Qi—the more, the better! That guy has an absurd amount of Heaven Yuan Qi on hand. He was selling it like mad in Xinghong Ancient City; it couldn't have been anyone else! Get as much as you can from him, the more the better!" "He definitely won't give it for free... Second Grandfather, we're out of money." "Nonsense! How could we be out of money?" Marquis Xia snapped, "We have money! How could we lack funds? The Great Xia Prefecture has tons of assets. The Xia Trading Company is worth billions of merit points. Selling him a thirty percent stake is worth a billion merit points alone. How are we short on money?" "..." *Second Grandfather, are you trying to pull off a scam out of thin air?* Xia Huyou was speechless! Marquis Xia coughed lightly. "It's fine, sell it to him! If that won't do, sell other things. Our Xia family has plenty of wealth. If all else fails, sell the academy's secret realms to him! Sell them to him, and in a few months he can come collect his dues. Write him an IOU and stamp it with King Daxia's seal!" "..." Xia Huyou rolled his eyes and ignored him. Glancing back at the orb, he gave a dry cough. "Then... what about Uncle's situation?" "Don't restore him for now. Smuggling a living person away is far harder than smuggling a single sea of will!" Marquis Xia thought it over. "Where do you think we should send your uncle?" Xia Huyou hesitated. "A minor realm?" "Not safe enough!" Marquis Xia shook his head. After a moment of silence, he said, "If nothing else works, arrange for him to go to an ancient city and become a resident." "That..." Xia Huyou hesitated. "Forget that. Not everyone is like that monster who can stay unharmed. Uncle definitely wouldn't survive it. How about... the Great Ming Prefecture? Things are somewhat better over there." "True!" Marquis Xia nodded. "Then let's arrange it that way for now. Sigh!" With a sigh, Marquis Xia added, "Now that we've recalled our people, Xuan Jiu can't die too quickly either. If he dies right away, it won't be easy for us to keep everyone in the Great Xia Prefecture. Let them mock us for being disgraced—let's drag it out for a few months first. Also, tell that fellow to supply us with intelligence on members of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, preferably their locations. Even if we can't kill him, we need to slaughter a few pavilion members to intimidate the surrounding factions!" "He might charge money for that..." Xia Huyou muttered. Marquis Xia snapped furiously, "Money, money, money! That guy has earned so much, yet he thinks of nothing but money all day long? Believe me, I'll sell him out right now and declare to the world that he's Xuan Jiu!" "..." Xia Huyou had no words. *You'd actually say that out loud!* "Fine, I'll talk to him!" Saying so, he hesitated slightly before asking, "Second Grandfather, how did that guy's strength improve so fast? Blasting Uncle to death—cough, crippling Uncle with a single punch... Does he really possess a legacy relic?" "Go ask him yourself. How should I know!" "All right!" Xia Huyou nodded, sighing helplessly. "Then again, that guy really knows how to stir up chaos. I only told him to carry out an assassination, but he went and did it out in the open, in broad daylight on the street! Even I think it went too far. Uncle was far too pitiful!" Marquis Xia glared at him. *So you finally realize your uncle was pitiful?* *I thought you didn't even care!* *My poor son...* He stroked the orb once more. How miserable—he had been beaten into a ball. He'd better cultivate diligently in the future and remember today's agony; he must never assume that having a powerful family meant nobody would dare beat him to death. ... While the Xia family was pitying Xia Xinyi, back at the Wen Tan Research Center... Su Yu wore an innocent look. "It had nothing to do with me! The Xia family told me to do it—that fellow Xia Huyou ordered it. How was I supposed to know he'd be that ruthless? I'm just a killer, an emotionless assassin!" "..." Hong Tan and Bai Feng both glared at him. Hong Tan couldn't resist chiding, "Weren't you afraid Xia Huyou was paving his own way to usurp power? How did you dare accept such a task?" "If Xia Huyou made that decision entirely on his own without the Xia family knowing, do you think Marquis Xia and King Daxia would believe you or their own grandson and great-grandson?" Hong Tan said exasperatedly, "You trust people far too easily! How could you just accept a mission like that on a whim? If Xia Huyou had deceived you, you would have been finished!" Su Yu shrugged. "To be honest, I share a fairly close bond with Xia Huyou, so I treated it as returning a favor. If he really sold me out... well, I'm no pushover either. Besides, don't we have a supreme powerhouse in the academy backing me up? He'd probably shield me, right?" Su Yu floated the question tentatively. Naturally, there was no reply, leaving him unsure whether that individual was peeping on them. Hong Tan didn't dwell on it further. After a moment of thought, he said, "I'm just telling you to be more cautious. Xia Huyou might not have lied to you, and Marquis Xia has returned without coming after you... so there's likely no issue. But you, kid, need to learn your lesson!" Hong Tan still felt compelled to lecture him. Su Yu trusted certain people far too easily. He was young, after all, and placed too much value on loyalty. When Xia Huyou told him to kill Xia Xinyi, he actually ran off and did it, startling Hong Tan half to death. If he had accidentally killed the man outright, how would he have answered for it? Xia Huyou had told him to leave a remnant of the sea of will, but how could he guarantee he could measure his force that precisely? What if something went wrong? If Xia Xinyi had died, would Marquis Xia have let him off the hook? Such a mission was truly thankless! They wanted him to stir up trouble, not trigger a cataclysmic disaster. Bai Feng added speechlessly, "Can't you stay quiet for once? And what was that business earlier, running off to ambush Yuan Qingdong?" "Manor Head Wan told me to do that!" "..." The two elders were struck dumb. It turned out everyone was using him as their personal enforcer. Hong Tan grumbled angrily, "Stop listening to them! They're just treating you like a hired thug!" Then again, he was remarkably effective! Even Hong Tan felt tempted to use him! Whatever you told this kid to do, he did it; whatever task you gave him, he accomplished it. Why didn't he ever accomplish something for his grandmaster? The two were left helpless. Su Yu quickly chimed in, "Um, Teacher, Grandmaster, I have some business to attend to. The Heaven Hunting Pavilion is calling a meeting with me—some Law Enforcement Elder wants to talk, and maybe even Pavilion Masters, Tower Masters, or Department Heads will participate. I'm heading over to attend the meeting, so you two carry on chatting..." He dusted off his seat and left to attend the meeting! Bai Feng and Hong Tan exchanged glances. Bai Feng said helplessly, "I'm going into seclusion. I was on the verge of breaking through to Lingyun—almost there—and that kid interrupted me again!" It was truly exasperating! He had only emerged from seclusion because he heard Xuan Jiu had killed Xia Xinyi, only to find that the culprit was completely fine. If he had known, he wouldn't have come out! Just look at what that brat was saying—was that human speech? He was off to a meeting! And quite possibly with Invincibles attending—what kind of nonsense was this! His disciple was sitting in meetings with Invincibles, while he was still struggling to break through to Lingyun. His disciple's alt account had already become famous across the myriad realms, his main account had achieved fame even earlier, and the Cui Lang alias he had created previously was renowned everywhere as well... All three of the kid's personas were familiar figures across the myriad realms, while Bai Feng hadn't even made a name for his primary identity! Bai Feng was helpless, and so was Hong Tan. Forget it, back to seclusion. He wouldn't care anymore! There was no way to manage him anyway! ... At that moment, Su Yu was indeed attending a meeting. A public communication channel had been opened, and everyone was looking for Su Yu. "Xuan Jiu, where are you?" "Xuan Jiu, I am the Eighth Elder of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion's Law Enforcement Department..." *The Law Enforcement Department?* Su Yu wasn't very familiar with this department. Of course, he knew roughly what it was—an internal body that served as the superior authority over the four divisions' law enforcement branches, housing numerous powerhouses, supposedly including quasi-Invincibles. Su Yu glanced over their transmissions. They were all asking where he was, how he was doing, and whether he was still within Great Xia City. After a brief thought, Su Yu responded swiftly, "I'm still alive! Is Huang Jiu present? I need to verify Huang Jiu's identity! Huang Jiu, how did you survive until now? Why did our operation with Law Enforcer Cai Yi draw Hu Dehao? Hu Dehao was in Great Xia City—it should have taken him several hours to reach that mountain range, yet he arrived instantly! He was definitely lying in wait nearby!" "Perhaps they knew of our plan from the very beginning!" "Everyone else died; only you and I survived. Huang Jiu, you owe me an explanation!" "..." Su Yu had shown up! Or rather, Xuan Jiu had appeared. At this moment, the other members were thrilled. This fellow was truly alive—he was remarkably capable. The next instant, Huang Jiu responded, "Xuan Jiu, I know nothing! I was merely following orders! Surviving was purely good fortune. I'd rather ask: where are you right now? You killed Xia Xinyi yet haven't been ferreted out by their search—do you possess another identity? Are you a human?" "Human? Heh, a thief crying thief! Huang Jiu, I have no need to prove anything. I belong to the Fire Pupil race, and what of it? My Fire Pupil innate ability proves everything! Huang Jiu, if you aren't human, display your race's innate skill right now! Heh, that is the best proof! As for which race you truly belong to, I don't care. But if you are human... humph!" Huang Jiu fell silent for a moment before replying, "Innate blood essence! Human innate blood essence can mimic innate skills..." "Idiot! Whether I consumed innate blood essence or not, you were nearby at the time—tell me, did you really not sense anything? Huang Jiu, drop the act! Furthermore, if you don't dare acknowledge it, the elder who came to rescue me back then knows. I used my innate skill against him; that elder knows whether it was triggered by blood essence or not!" At those words, silence descended for a brief interval before an elder labeled Tianyi spoke up, "I can attest that Xuan Jiu did not consume blood essence; he indeed unleashed an innate skill!" "..." At this point, Huang Jiu felt utter despair. What was he supposed to do? It seemed the label of traitor was firmly pinned on him! Yet... he hadn't betrayed anyone! It was completely infuriating. Was Xuan Jiu a traitor? Probably... not? Although only he and Xuan Jiu had survived, Xuan Jiu was a lunatic who had just slaughtered Xia Xinyi. Frankly speaking, after that kill, who would believe Xuan Jiu was human? "Xia Xinyi... Xia Xinyi might have been an impostor! You were putting on a show with the Great Xia Prefecture!" "A desperate struggle!" Su Yu countered swiftly, "Whether it was Xia Xinyi or not, you know very well in your own hearts! The Xia family lost immense face today. If this was just an act... then my face must be enormous indeed! The Xia family would have to be absolute fools to sacrifice their own direct descendant for slaughter just to build up the prestige of a mere Xuan Jiu!" Only then did others begin to chime in. Xuan Jia spoke, "There cannot be an issue with Xuan Jiu. Moreover, everyone, do not forget that he is an ancient city resident. His purpose in coming to the Human Realm this time was to rid himself of his status as an ancient city resident..." Before he could finish, Huang Jiu blurted out, "Right! You're an ancient city resident, stationed in Xinghong Ancient City! Su Yu is a master of disguising his identity—you might very well be Su Yu in disguise!" *Fuck!* Su Yu cursed inwardly. *Your imagination is far too fertile.* Naturally, he fired back instantly, "If you wish to make such claims, so be it! Su Yu... Su Yu is a City Lord. For a City Lord to leave an ancient city without authorization—heh, do you think that's possible? If that were the case, the lords of the thirty-six ancient cities would have left long ago to roam freely!" "Su Yu is different! He previously sealed the city for days without any backlash. You... you are Su Yu!" Su Yu cursed again mentally, then transmitted, "Believe whatever you like. Justice resides in the hearts of the people!" Right then, the Law Enforcement Elder spoke, "Both of you are under suspicion. Huang Jiu, report to the branch immediately for debriefing. We will arrange someone to receive you once you arrive at the designated location! As for Xuan Jiu, we will dispatch operatives to Xinghong Ancient City. Whether you are Su Yu... is not entirely out of the question!" Su Yu cursed fiercely in his heart! *Huang Jiu!* *You are dead meat!* Outwardly, however, he remained fearless. "Go ahead and investigate! If I am cleared... Huang Jiu harbors sinister motives, heh, and is undoubtedly compromised! Not just him, but his superiors as well. Humph, I want to see how you will explain yourselves to me once my innocence is proven!" Leaving those words behind, he promptly terminated the communication. Su Yu's expression turned grim. *Fuck!* That bastard Huang Jiu possessed an astonishing imagination. Testing him? Once the Heaven Hunting Pavilion sent operatives to test him, how would they do it? They might hurl insults outside the City Lord Manor. Given Su Yu's known temperament, would he tolerate that politely? This was massive trouble! No, he needed reinforcements. Wan Tiansheng, Zhu Tiandao, Xia Huyou... All of them were candidates he could turn to. Someone had to be sent to disguise as him before the Heaven Hunting Pavilion's operatives arrived! "The crux is that they have to enter the City Lord Manor. Who can enter?" Su Yu had a headache. Would Lord Stone Sculpture allow anyone inside? Regardless, this loophole had to be resolved! Otherwise, if Su Yu failed to show himself, his identity as Xuan Jiu would be exposed. If that identity was compromised, all his hard work would have been in vain! Not only would he be in trouble, but Xuan Jia would also face grave peril. Xuan Jia was either a human undercover operative, someone from a minor race leaning toward humanity, or simply an onlooker. But for an onlooker to take such massive risks defied logic! If Xuan Jia was dragged down with him, things would become exceedingly troublesome. Setting everything else aside, Su Yu hastily sent out transmissions to Old Wan, Old Zhu, and Xia Huyou—they had to help him resolve this crisis! The Heaven Hunting Pavilion's communications were swift, and their actions might follow rapidly. Someone had to enter the city and handle the situation before their operatives arrived! ... Wan Tiansheng was utterly speechless. Huang Jiu... it had to be said, this Huang Jiu had created quite a predicament for Su Yu. As an intelligence organization, the Heaven Hunting Pavilion was exceptionally sharp. Even if they didn't fully believe it, they would test it just to be certain. If Xuan Jiu truly was Su Yu hiding within the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, the danger would be immense. After all, two middle-stage Sun Moon experts had just been eliminated in this incident. With Xuan Jiu's reputation and fame, he might soon be promoted to elder. If he set another trap down the line, even more powerhouses would perish. "The ancient city..." Hadn't Su Yu claimed he had a very close relationship with the stone sculpture? It wasn't impossible to resolve this issue, provided Su Yu was telling the truth and not merely boasting! ... The next instant, Su Yu's vision blurred, and he found himself standing inside the Xiuxin Pavilion. Wan Tiansheng looked at him and said after a moment's contemplation, "Is your relationship with that stone sculpture truly that close?" "Of course!" "Then I will use the time reversal technique to seek out that stone sculpture and discuss the matter. Anyone else disguising as you, no matter how convincing, could easily be seen through. Only the stone sculpture possesses immense might; sealing or opening the city is entirely up to his whim! Killing a provocateur would be effortless for him. If we can persuade the stone sculpture, everything will be resolved!" Su Yu froze for a moment. "Isn't the time reversal technique only supposed to probe past memories? Can you actually communicate with someone through it?" "Naturally!" Su Yu was astonished. It could be that profound? He had heard the Nether Sovereign mention something similar in passing. He quickly asked, "Since you haven't been there, can you still reverse time to that place?" "I can!" Wan Tiansheng nodded. *I can, because I've been there. Well, you just don't know it!* "Stop wasting words. I will lead you through the River of Time once more. You will come with me and converse with the stone sculpture in person..." Su Yu blinked. Would that really work? It felt extraordinarily bizarre! "Don't worry. You only arrived in the Human Realm a few days ago, so reversing time by half a month is enough. It won't be too difficult—provided that the stone sculpture truly knows you well. Kid, don't you dare deceive me, or... I will be in deep trouble!" Reversing time recklessly to converse with an ancient Invincible carried tremendous danger if the other party harbored ill intent. Such ancient entities possessed terrifying strength. If your relationship wasn't solid, their disruption of the River of Time would spell catastrophic disaster. Furthermore, with Su Yu in tow, Su Yu would be guaranteed to die! Su Yu thought about it and nodded. *My relationship with Lord Stone Sculpture is pretty decent!* The stone sculpture had already promised that once Su Yu reached the All-Heavens Battlefield, he could help him kill many Invincibles. How could their relationship be bad? It was exceptionally good! The next moment, a vast river manifested, its currents surging and churning. Moments later, Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng stepped onto the river. Su Yu was amazed. *Our memories aren't identical; if I walk with you, can we really return to the ancient city?* He didn't quite understand! Forget it, his knowledge in this area was far too limited. Since Old Wan said it worked, he would trust him! ... A short while later. In the ancient city, the stone sculpture suddenly opened his eyes. At this moment, the stone sculpture saw a river materialize outside the city, from which two figures stepped forth. He recognized Su Yu, and the other person... was also familiar. Su Yu spotted the stone sculpture as well. Surprised, he looked toward the stone sculpture gazing out from within the city and said hurriedly, "My Lord, I've run into a bit of trouble! Someone will soon come to the City Lord Manor to test whether I'm present. Could My Lord help hold the fort for me? Otherwise, I'm dead meat, and if I die, My Lord won't have a capable subordinate to command... My Lord..." He wasn't entirely sure if the stone sculpture could hear him, but soon, he heard the stone sculpture's response. After a brief hesitation, the stone sculpture's indifferent voice drifted over: "A trivial matter. The one beside you..." Pausing, the stone sculpture stopped transmitting to Su Yu and sent a direct mental message to Wan Tiansheng: *You are very unique, but someone like you has no future!* Wan Tiansheng smiled faintly without responding, merely nodding slightly. Seeing this, the stone sculpture said no more and closed his eyes. Yet inwardly, he pondered: *Just how powerful is this fellow?* To have traversed the River of Time to such an extent!