The Alliance at Hand

Peace reigned across the myriad realms. In the month since the powerhouses of the Human Realm achieved Dao attainment, small skirmishes continued across the heavens, but major battles above the Shanhai Realm had virtually ceased. Sun Moons were seldom seen, and Invincibles remained out of sight. Yet as time flowed on, the All-Heavens Battlefield grew lively once more. *** "Have you heard? The Ancient City Alliance meeting called by Su Yu seems set to take place in the next day or two." "I heard!" "With the Star Residence Mansion opening soon, the thirty-six ancient cities want a share of the pie. In my view, Su Yu unifying the ancient cities' power won't be that simple. Don't forget, behind some of those castellans stand several of the great races." The castellans of the ancient cities were overlords in their own right. The mighty races had naturally kept their eyes on the ancient cities for a long time. Among the masters of the thirty-five ancient cities, there were indeed those backed by formidable races. Even figures like the Tianhe castellan had subtle ties to the human race. At the very least, he had some connection to Xia Longwu. Su Yu's ambition to integrate the forces of the thirty-six ancient cities had drawn the gaze of the entire myriad realms. Su Yu possessed the support of the stone statues—everyone could see that much. Yet stone statues were not omnipotent. Within the bounds of the rules, the statues also had to abide by them. If the other castellans were truly unwilling, how could Su Yu force their integration? In two days, Su Yu would convene the grand assembly. *** Human Realm, Great Xia Prefecture. Everything awaited revival from ruin. With so many of its experts fallen in battle, Great Xia had no choice but to shrink its presence on the All-Heavens Battlefield. The City Lord's Manor. The grand council hall. Powerhouses gathered there at this moment. Xia Longwu sat upon the throne of the Manor Head, quietly looking down at the crowd below. He gazed upon an assembly far more desolate than before. In the past, countless Sun Moons would attend, but now, barely a handful remained. Very few Sun Moons of Great Xia had survived, and most of them were in seclusion nursing their wounds. Once everyone had arrived, Xia Longwu looked at the sparse gathering below and spoke with resonant clarity. "Silence!" The hall fell instantly still. Xia Longwu spoke bluntly without talking in circles, cutting straight to the point. "I have succeeded in my Dao attainment. For the past month, I have been consolidating my cultivation, and only today did I find time to summon you all to deliberate on prefectural affairs." The assembly chanted in unison, "Congratulations to the Manor Head on ascending to Invincible! May Great Xia prosper forever!" Xia Longwu raised a hand and said calmly, "Achieving Dao attainment signifies little. A vast number of our prefecture's experts fell in battle, the Dragon Martial Guards have been nearly wiped out, and Great Xia does not belong to Xia Longwu alone... Moreover, having advanced to Eternal, I likely will not have much time left to oversee prefectural matters. An Eternal has duties fit for an Eternal. "My second uncle is critically wounded and on the verge of death; his physical body was blown apart and his sea of will battered, leaving him unable to recover anytime soon. Xia Xinyi's condition mirrors my second uncle's. Xia Changqing was slain, and Xia Yunqi has departed..." He swept his gaze over the crowd and stated placidly, "At present, few of the Xia family remain. Setting aside the direct descendants Xia Huyou and Xia Chan, from the collateral branch Xia Yuwen still lives, and his talent is decent enough. Xia Yuwen is at the fourth stage of the Lingyun Realm, Xia Huyou is at the third stage of the Soaring Realm, and Xia Chan is at the first stage of the Soaring Realm... Everyone, it is time to choose the fourth-generation Manor Head of Great Xia. Choose one among these three." At those words, several people wore peculiar expressions. Chief Hu, attending despite his wounds, quickly voiced, "Manor Head, is this not inappropriate? All of them have rather meager strength. Would it not be better for the Manor Head to retain the position and let them temporarily serve as Deputy Manor Heads to learn how to administer the Great Xia Prefecture?" Down below, Zheng Ping, missing an arm, blurted out brashly, "If the Manor Head truly wishes to step down, it's not impossible, nor does the candidate require much deliberation. Lord Xia Huyou succeeding to the position of Manor Head is entirely logical! Though his strength is low, Lord Huyou carries the Manor Head's demeanor—decisive and ruthless in slaughter. Furthermore, with the Manor Head and King Daxia present to back him for a period of time, Lord Huyou's strength will naturally rise!" In the hall, some of the remaining Sun Moons and Shanhais nodded, while others kept silent. They only feared it would fail to convince the masses! Great Xia was filled with proud soldiers and fierce generals. Even though Xia Huyou was Xia Longwu's son, that did not mean everyone would accept him. His cultivation was simply too weak, and he had slaughtered many during the recent upheaval—critically, many of those he killed had been their own people. That left a bitter taste in many mouths. Of course, the Marquis of Scapegoats had claimed the orders came from him. Yet they were all sharp-eyed individuals who knew the truth to some degree. It was Xia Huyou's own doing! Xia Longwu refrained from saying more, merely stating with composure, "Since opinions differ, we shall shelve this matter for now. Chief Hu's proposal..." Just as he reached that point, his eyes flickered, and he held his tongue. A moment later, a voice rang out from the hall entrance: "Reporting to the Manor Head, the castellans of the twenty-eight cities request an audience together!" "Let them enter!" Xia Longwu replied indifferently. Moments later, the twenty-eight castellans walked into the hall. Their cultivation varied; the weakest among them, like Wu Wenhai of Nanyuan, was merely at the fifth stage of the Soaring Realm. Nanyuan had been destroyed and was still undergoing reconstruction. Alongside them marched a troop of guards clad in pale gold armor. Their strength varied as well, though Lingyun and Shanhai cultivators were not rare among their ranks. Chief Hu and several others took a glance and frowned slightly. The vitality and blood of these guards seemed hollow and unsteady, and some appeared as though they did not have long to live. Furthermore, the design of their armor differed completely from that of Great Xia's Prefectural Army, the Demon Suppression Army, or the Dragon Martial Guards. "Greetings, Manor Head!" The castellans paid their respects, and the guards behind them dropped to one knee. Xia Longwu gave a slight nod. "You have all arrived together without prior dispatch. What urgent matter brings you?" "Manor Head, we have come regarding the matter of the next Manor Head." The castellan of North Wind City, a seventh-stage Shanhai expert, spoke bluntly: "The Manor Head has ascended to Invincible and must not be delayed by mundane affairs. We have come exclusively regarding the candidate for the next Manor Head. The twenty-eight cities of Great Xia jointly support Lord Xia Huyou's ascension to the seat of Manor Head!" As soon as he spoke, many in the hall took on subtle expressions. The twenty-eight cities rarely meddled in such matters. Why had they suddenly banded together for this? Sharp-eyed onlookers noticed that some of the guards behind them were subtly pressing their blades against the castellans' backs, causing several expressions to shift. Among the twenty-eight castellans, some wore helpless expressions, some smiled bitterly, while others seemed entirely unfazed. Just then, another figure strode into the grand hall. Clad in armor beneath a billowing cape, Xia Huyou stepped forward with a broad smile. "Father, elders, thanks to everyone's deep affection and the endorsement of the twenty-eight castellans who insisted I assume the role—refuse as I might—I must yield... With Father ascending to Invincible, I shall reluctantly shoulder the burden and take charge of Great Xia. In the future, I will have to trouble you senior figures to lend me your aid!" Xia Huyou wore a genial grin that left many people grinding their teeth in speechless exasperation. What was this fellow talking about? Before anyone could speak, Xia Huyou chuckled. "Sister Xia Chan has already stated that she supports only me as Manor Head! As for Cousin Xia Yuwen, he also mentioned that his branch contributed very little during this great battle, leaving him too ashamed to contest the seat with me. Overcome with embarrassment, he has already entered seclusion!" Xia Longwu extended his willpower. Soon enough, amid the dilapidated Great Xia Civilization Academy, he saw a small cottage surrounded by more than a dozen Shanhai experts. Inside the cottage, Xia Yuwen's face was ashen, and he did not utter a single word. Those Shanhai powerhouses were likewise clad in pale gold armor. Xia Longwu glanced at his son and laughed softly. "You wish to rebuild the Dragon Martial Guards?" "No..." Xia Huyou bared his teeth in a grin. "I want to build the Tiger Guards! When Father served as Manor Head back then, you established the Dragon Martial Guards. Now that the Dragon Martial Guards are virtually extinct, I wish to build a personal guard that belongs solely to me: the Tiger Guards!" Xia Longwu looked at him without a word. Xia Huyou beamed. "Father, I believe all the clans will support me. Isn't that right, Chief Hu?" He looked toward Chief Hu, but Chief Hu ignored him, instead glancing down at his transmission talisman. A message had arrived. *"Grandfather, save me! Xia Huyou said that if you don't support him as Manor Head, he'll ship me off to the Great Qin Prefecture for advanced studies to train in the Great Qin Military Academy..."* It was a message from Hu Qiusheng. At that moment, not only had Chief Hu received a message, but others had also begun receiving urgent transmissions from their own descendants. The gist was nearly identical: Xia Huyou claimed their cultivation was too low and that the Civilization Academy had been heavily battered with over half its elders lost, so it would be better to send them to the Great Qin Prefecture for further study. If not there, the Great Zhou Prefecture would do. Would they go or not? He wasn't threatening their lives; wasn't sending them for advanced studies a good thing? Chief Hu was speechless. He turned to Xia Huyou and said in a heavy voice, "My Lord, no one objects to your succession. It is only that... your cultivation is far too low to convince the masses or earn everyone's trust." Xia Huyou chuckled. "Who said that? How could that be! My great-grandfather is King Daxia, and my father is the Blood Slaughter King! My brother Su Yu is the alliance leader of the thirty-six ancient cities. Great Xia is now full of tasks awaiting revival; we must rest and recuperate. As Manor Head, combat prowess is not the foremost priority—rebuilding our vitality is... I oversee the Xia Trading Company, holding commerce channels with every prefecture as well as the All-Heavens Battlefield... If I don't become Manor Head, who else can?" Xia Longwu smiled as he looked at Xia Huyou. He had never managed his son strictly, so he felt rather surprised by his bold maneuvering. "If you want to be Manor Head, can you shoulder this responsibility?" Xia Huyou straightened his expression. "Naturally! Even Su Yu can serve as an alliance leader, and I am far more capable than he is." "..." Everyone was rendered speechless. Su Yu could blow you to death in a single breath, yet you have the gall to claim that? Xia Longwu said calmly, "Becoming the Manor Head of Great Xia is not so simple. Courage, strength, luck, and capability—not one can be missing. Back then, your father also climbed up step by step. When your grandfather fell in battle, your second grand-uncle could have succeeded to the seat... Later, he yielded to me and willingly withdrew from the contest..." Xia Huyou nodded. *I know. You beat him up. I've heard that story.* *Word has it that when Second Grand-Uncle wanted to be Manor Head back then, you gave him a vicious thrashing until he gave up. I know a bit about that, so... whoever competes with me, I'll just give them a beating too.* As if reading his thoughts, Xia Longwu swept a cool glance over him and spoke: "If you wish to take the seat, so be it. I shall give you a task. Complete it, and the position of Manor Head... shall be yours." "Father, please speak!" Xia Longwu stated placidly, "During my Dao attainment, the castellans of nine cities stepped forward to assist me. I promised them that once I attained the Dao, I would sever their death qi channels. However, this matter is far from simple, and I cannot enter the All-Heavens Battlefield anytime soon... You shall go as Great Xia's envoy and inform them that I require some time—at shortest a month, at longest several years... If you return without being slain by the nine castellans, the seat of Manor Head is yours!" At these words, many expressions changed. Xia Huyou gave a sheepish grin. "Surely it won't come to that? Kill me?" Xia Longwu said calmly, "I have effectively broken my word, as the situation is far graver than I anticipated. Nearly all of those castellans are converted dead spirit monarchs. I originally intended to use the opening during my Dao attainment, in that instant before the dead spirit monarchs appeared, to sever their death qi channels... Now the circumstances are more complicated. Some castellans have reached their absolute limits and cooperated with me purely to survive. If I stall for time, they may die. It would be entirely normal for them to vent their rage on you." At that point, Xia Longwu added, "You claim to have good ties with Su Yu, yet even Su Yu... might not truly become the leader of the alliance this time. Not all thirty-six ancient cities yield to him; his strength remains somewhat lacking. You have two missions. First, inform the nine castellans that I require time to prepare. Second, attend the Ancient City Alliance assembly as Great Xia's representative..." Xia Huyou hesitated. "Great Xia is attending the Ancient City Alliance meeting as well?" Xia Longwu gave a slight nod. "Not only Great Xia, but many factions from across the myriad realms will attend this time. Some will go to cause trouble, others to claim a share of the spoils. Regardless, certain parties do not wish to see Su Yu become the alliance leader, while others want to facilitate the alliance, provided the leader... is not Su Yu." Xia Huyou understood. "Father, do you mean I should go as an envoy to help Su Yu become the alliance leader?" Xia Longwu looked at him coolly. "Can you help him? I am merely having you convey Great Xia's stance: Great Xia will support him. If he fails to secure leadership over the Ancient City Alliance, he should tread carefully. Great Xia remains relatively stable and can offer him a sanctuary." Xia Huyou nodded in understanding. "Understood." "Are you willing to go?" Xia Huyou laughed merrily. "Willing! On the All-Heavens Battlefield, I've only ever visited the main base. I've never stepped beyond the East Rift Valley, never visited the Plain of Desires, nor seen the Sea of Stars. Sounds thrilling!" Xia Longwu said indifferently, "Then let Huang Teng accompany you." Xia Huyou chuckled. "Huang Teng... How about this: while I'm at it, I'll select the candidates for the Star Residence Mansion and bring them along..." Xia Longwu said plainly, "Hold on that. Complete this task first before we discuss picking candidates." Xia Huyou sighed helplessly and nodded. "Fine. It's a small matter anyway; it will work out even without my involvement. Su Yu can definitely handle it." With that, he turned to the others and laughed heartily. "Seniors, please take care of me in the future! Thank you all for your support. To have the backing of all twenty-eight castellans leaves me truly flattered. My thanks to Chief Hu, Director Zheng, and all of you for your support..." The castellans were utterly speechless. Support your head! This brute had led men to their doorsteps one by one demanding support, threatening to haul them off to the Great Qin Prefecture for advanced training if they refused... Great Qin had practically become Xia Huyou's exile camp. Of course, he was Xia Longwu's only son and a direct descendant of the Xia family. In truth, few genuinely opposed his succession; they merely felt his cultivation was too low and that taking the seat now was premature. No one voiced further objections. Xia Huyou departed in high spirits; once he completed his mission to the Ancient City Alliance, he would return as Manor Head. Watching his son leave, Xia Longwu shook his head slightly. He didn't resemble him in the slightest! Xia Longwu had beaten his second uncle into submission, whereas this fellow... Forget it, who knew whose traits he had inherited. Let him be. The position of Manor Head was ultimately a choice between him and Xia Chan. As for Xia Yuwen... Xia Huyou had killed Xia Changqing, making things awkward. Xia Yuwen would undoubtedly hold a grudge over that, and Xia Longwu was not so altruistic as to hand Great Xia over to someone who might harbor hostility toward his son. Having concluded that matter, Xia Longwu continued, "The heads of the three civilization academies—Jiutian, Wendao, and Great Xia—have all fallen in battle!" Wan Tiansheng was not dead, but Xia Longwu made no further mention of him. "The three academies have suffered catastrophic losses, with over half their elders fallen. Let the three academies merge!" Xia Longwu sighed. "From now on, there shall only be this single Great Xia Civilization Academy. As for the position of academy head... Director Ji shall temporarily oversee it. Deputy Academy Heads Xia Changqing and Yuan Qingdong have fallen, and Zhou Mingren, head of the Single Divine Character School, has also perished..." He paused briefly before continuing, "Wu Yuehua shall serve as Deputy Academy Head in charge of daily affairs!" Many eyes flickered, but none spoke up. Liu Wenyan and the others had fled, but Wu Yuehua had stayed behind. After all, she was the deputy dean of the Divine Pill School and a member of the Wu family, which had suffered heavy losses in the recent battle. She had to remain. "The Single Divine Character School... there is no longer a Single Divine Character School. Henceforth, there is only the Divine Character School!" Xia Longwu said calmly, "Great Xia will no longer differentiate between single and multiple characters. In truth, the Multiple Divine Character heritage can no longer be passed down anyway. The divine character combat monument has vanished. While Jiutian and Wendao still possess some, templates for combat techniques are scarce, so transmission will be temporarily suspended. The Divine Character School shall be overseen by Jia Dequan for now. "Xia Changqing's former post shall be assumed by Zhao Li." First Deputy Academy Head Wu Yuehua, Second Deputy Academy Head Zhao Li, Divine Character School Dean Jia Dequan. Compared to their past strength, the gap was substantial. Xia Longwu let out a soft sigh and rose to his feet. "That is all for now. Furthermore, for Xia Huyou's mission to the ancient cities... Old Bai shall serve as his Dao protector. Old Bai is of the dragon race. With the Ancient City Alliance convening in the Sea of Stars, though Old Bai has submitted to Great Xia, he remains a dragon and has acquaintances in the Sea of Stars who can look after him." Below, the aged dragon nodded tremulously in acceptance. Yet inwardly, he felt helpless. This assignment... was no easy task. Xia Huyou's strength was too low, yet he was Xia Longwu's son, a direct scion of the Xia family and the prospective Manor Head of Great Xia. Ordinary people would not dare target him; killing Xia Huyou would achieve nothing while incurring a blood feud with the Xia family. The real danger lay in the unexpected. The Xia family was not without bitter enemies; Xia Longwu had just slain an Invincible, so why would that powerhouse's descendants fear retaliation? Their Invincible had already been killed; let the Xia family seek revenge if they wished. *** On this day, the landscape of the Great Xia Prefecture began to shift. Dissidents and fence-sitters were swept away entirely. Great Xia Civilization Academy began its restructuring, and Xia Huyou prepared his departure as envoy to the Ancient City Alliance. *** Not only Great Xia, but various prefectures, factions of the myriad races, and the Heaven Hunting Pavilion were preparing envoys to Xinghong Ancient City. In a few days, Su Yu would convene the alliance assembly. The ancient cities would assemble. Whether they could reach a consensus and forge an alliance remained entirely uncertain. Even if an alliance were formed, Su Yu might not end up as its master. *** The focal point of the myriad realms was now fixed upon Xinghong Ancient City. At this moment, several ancient cities received mysterious visitors. Changping Ancient City. The Castellan's Manor. Several mysterious figures arrived in secret. One of them glanced toward the rear hall, prompting the Changping castellan to laugh. "No need to look. It's fine—Lord Changping does not meddle in such affairs." He added with a smile, "So long as we do not violate the rules, Lord Changping is the guardian of the ancient city—the guardian of Changping Ancient City, not Xinghong Ancient City." The mysterious figures gave slight nods. One chuckled softly. "That couldn't be better. The castellan knows why we have come. Su Yu wishes to unify the thirty-six ancient cities and become the lord of them all, but he is... young, after all! Young people harbor wonderful ideas, yet they are unrealistic. Even if he can battle Sun Moons, every castellan here is at the ninth stage of the Sun Moon Realm or even a quasi-Invincible. Must you truly take orders from him?" The Changping castellan offered a mild smile. "Speak plainly. There is no need for such preamble. Su Yu has the backing of the Guardians, after all..." "Each city has its own Guardian. Xinghong Ancient City can represent only itself." The visitor smiled. "If Su Yu can integrate them, so can others! The Guardians will not interfere in these matters; their focus lies on the rules and the dead spirit realm! Naturally, Su Yu has created an opportunity for everyone this time. The thirty-six ancient cities truly need to consolidate—they represent a formidable force. Whoever controls this power earns the right to vie with the myriad races... "...And become true overlords of the heavens!" The mysterious figure chuckled. "Castellan, this is a good thing. With Su Yu's insufficient strength, could he forcibly suppress you all? In the end, whether you choose through a vote or spar to determine a victor, it will never be Su Yu's place to decide on everyone's behalf." The Changping castellan nodded slightly and smiled. "That is true. However... I fear some will support Su Yu. After all, he is the one who convinced the Guardians to act on his behalf. Without him, even if the Ancient City Alliance is founded, it will struggle to maintain its current deterrent power." "We understand that." The visitor smiled. "Thus, we are not asking you to kill him or move against him. We are merely saying that authority over the alliance cannot be monopolized by Su Yu. For instance, we could adopt the human race's council of elders or the god-demon parliamentary system to decide matters through joint votes! Establishing the alliance is desirable, but leadership need not be handed to Su Yu. He can be one member among many, rather than the sole authority." The Changping castellan gave a slight nod. "I shall consider it. My only worry is that Su Yu will not accept it willingly." "Even if he is unwilling, he remains merely one castellan among many—unless he can detach himself from the ancient city. But once detached, Su Yu is nothing more than an exceptionally monstrous prodigy, not the overlord he is today." The Changping castellan nodded and soon added, "Then you must also apply some pressure to the ancient cities—pressure on Su Yu. Otherwise, it will be hard to bring him into line." "Naturally!" *** Conversations like this were occurring in more than one place, unfolding across multiple ancient cities. *** Xinghong Ancient City. After a month of seclusion, Su Yu opened his eyes and drew a deep breath. Yuan Qi swept through the surroundings. A month of closed-door cultivation had yielded respectable progress. His physical body had reached sixty-eight casts, completing three additional tempering cycles. The only nuisance was his Yang aperture, which constantly drained his Yuan Qi. Fortunately, Su Yu possessed an abundance of Heavenly Yuan Qi and Mysterious Light of Heaven and Earth; even without reversing death qi, he could barely sustain himself while continuing to temper his body. Sixty-eight casts! He was only a few casts away from seventy-two. "Late December already..." Su Yu muttered softly. By his calculation, it was the end of year 351 of the Anping Era, and year 352 would soon arrive. Around this time last year, he had departed the Great Xia Prefecture. In the blink of an eye, it seemed he would not be spending this New Year with his father either, but instead within this ancient city. In a few days, he would turn twenty. With a faint sigh of nostalgia, Su Yu stepped out of the cultivation chamber. Entering the main hall of the Castellan's Manor, he sensed the surroundings slightly. The city seemed far more bustling, no longer enveloped in the lifeless gloom of before. As he walked out, an elderly figure soon appeared. His physical body was somewhat frail, though his willpower remained formidable. Looking at Su Yu, the elder spoke softly: "Little Friend Su, I have made up my mind. I wish to convert into an ancient city resident after all!" "Elder Wang, are you certain?" Elder Wang nodded. "Certain! I am already old, with little time left to live. It was entirely thanks to your rescue that I survived at all. The Quest Realm... is a thing of the past. If I return to the Human Realm now, where would I even go?" He let out a soft sigh. "Death will come sooner or later. It would be better to become an ancient city resident. Right now, you oversee everything in the city entirely on your own. I see this city still lacks a gatekeeper; why not let me take the post? At the very least, I can keep track of who enters and who leaves." Su Yu said in a heavy tone, "Elder Wang, converting into a resident... is not a pleasant path. Your physical body was shattered and rebuilt, and your sea of will remains injured. If you convert now, entwined by death qi, you might turn into a dead spirit in just a few years." Elder Wang smiled gently. "It will happen sooner or later. By becoming a resident, I can at least contribute some strength." Su Yu pondered for a moment. "Elder Wang, you truly will not return to the Human Realm?" "I will not." Elder Wang sighed. "People of my generation have either become Invincibles or fallen in battle; few old friends remain. I cannot fathom the thoughts of the Invincibles. Having remained in seclusion for so many years, I have grown detached from the Human Realm and cannot keep pace with their thinking. Since that is the case... going back serves no purpose." Su Yu fell silent for a short while. "If Elder Wang is willing, you may convert into an ancient city resident. As for the death qi, rest assured that you will not have to bear too much of it." Elder Wang smiled. "Since you have no objection, I shall proceed. If I delay any longer, I won't be able to hold out." At his advanced age, he had no ambitions of advancing further. Having narrowly escaped death only to be saved by Su Yu, he figured he might as well help steer the ship in his final days. Relying on Su Yu alone, the young man might not even find time to step outside the Castellan's Manor. Elder Wang had once possessed the cultivation of an eighth-stage Sun Moon, approaching the ninth stage at his peak. Regrettably, his injuries had caused his cultivation to regress, making it difficult for him to even battle a seventh-stage Sun Moon now. Seeing Su Yu agree, Elder Wang chuckled. "Then from now on, I shall address you as Castellan! Once I become a resident, I will need you to back me. By the way, quite a few living beings have arrived in the city over the past few days. It looks as though they're probing our waters..." Su Yu nodded. "They're likely weaklings; few experts among them. They're terrified I might seal the city and slaughter them." "Indeed. No Sun Moons in sight, though there are several Shanhais." Su Yu smiled faintly. "They have probably come for the Ancient City Alliance. It seems this assembly will not proceed smoothly." He shook his head and continued, "Those fellows will certainly try to cause trouble! That includes several castellans, some of whom might be puppets of the great races. They definitely don't want to see me consolidate the ancient cities' might and truly gain a firm foothold here." This was an inevitability. Elder Wang asked, "Does the Castellan have a countermeasure?" "A countermeasure..." Su Yu considered it, then laughed. "No rush. Those fellows still have to rely on me. Without me, the Guardians won't stand up for them. And without the Guardians... what are they worth?" Su Yu was not particularly worried. The alliance would most likely succeed. Furthermore, they wouldn't dare kick him out. If they ousted him, the alliance's greatest reliance would vanish. It was nothing more than a struggle for power! Su Yu could easily imagine that people would propose various methods to divide his authority or place restrictions upon him. Yet... Su Yu thought they were dreaming. He was the key to making the stone statues act. Only a fool would share power with them. As for any disobedient castellans, he would naturally find a way to deal with them. Still, none of those castellans were weak. The weakest were ninth-stage Sun Moons, while the strongest were quasi-Invincibles. Within their own cities, they could merge with dead spirits to unleash even greater power. If Su Yu wanted to deal with them, the difficulty was not trivial. Having completed sixty-eight casts, Su Yu's physical aperture power exceeded 1.2 million. With his Yang aperture fully opened, aided by divine characters, and with a portion of his apertures' Yuan Qi transformed, his combat power was formidable. Of course, without consuming blood essence, he reached the sixth stage of the Sun Moon Realm at best. Against those castellans, he still fell quite short. Since they were all ancient city castellans, it would be difficult for the stone statues to intervene directly, so dealing with them required reason! Su Yu muttered to himself: *I am a reasonable man. I'll just wait to convince them through reason.* *If that truly fails, I simply won't organize the alliance. You can play among yourselves, and I'll bring along whoever is willing to join. What's the big deal? Did those idiots think I absolutely had to subdue all thirty-six cities?* Su Yu did not dwell on the matter, instead saying, "Elder Wang, since you are willing to convert into a resident, I won't stop you. I shall trouble you to look after the affairs of Xinghong Ancient City!" Since Elder Wang insisted on converting, Su Yu would no longer deter him. Having someone to assist him was a boon. Elder Wang's body had been destroyed and his sea of will remained wounded; without converting, recovery would be difficult. If he converted into a resident, Su Yu might be able to find a way to help him. Elder Wang nodded and said no more, taking his leave. He needed to undergo the conversion process, and with his strength, a quasi-Invincible dead spirit—or perhaps Xingyue herself—would likely oversee it. Su Yu pondered a question: would Xingyue show herself? He hadn't seen her lately and found himself missing her a little. Since he hadn't slain anyone recently, Xingyue had no authority to kill him, so Su Yu had no fear of her appearance. Instead, he wanted to ask if she could be converted back; he had heard last time that the conversion was bidirectional. If he could reverse Xingyue's state... would she count as his subordinate? That was the crux of the matter—she was an Invincible powerhouse. If he could subdue an Invincible, he would truly strike it rich. With the current Invincibles, Su Yu merely collaborated and built ties; none of them were his subordinates who would jump at his every command. That was unrealistic. Furthermore, Su Yu harbored another objective this time: to strike agreements with more stone statues. Last time, there had been talk of him assuming the position of castellan for Yunxiao Ancient City, and he would have to take up that post this time around. If he could bear the burden, Su Yu felt he could serve as castellan for several more ancient cities. The stone statues were the true core of the ancient cities; castellans who could not communicate with the statues were merely indulging in wishful thinking.