If I Were King

Tianxia Island. Days slipped by, one after another. For the myriad races of the heavens, a month was far too brief. Over the course of this single month, factions from every corner began converging upon Tianxia Island, the humans included. Not a single party claimed they would not come. These heavens still belonged to the strong races. Even if you were the human race, if you refused to show up out of arrogance, all that awaited you was having every last entry slot carved up and distributed without you receiving a single one. If you chose not to come, none would be granted. And if you were disgruntled and tried to force your way in, the minor races that had been allocated slots would never surrender theirs to you. You would become the shared enemy of the entire heavens. Halls and pavilions rose across Tianxia Island like trees in a forest. Humans, Gods, Demons, Immortals... The grand palaces belonging to these major races were colossal. Yet beyond these great clans, other formidable factions had also erected grand pavilions—such as the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, the Thousand Domains Alliance, and the Ancient City Alliance. These, too, were considered titans of the Allheaven Battlefield. Furthermore, several scarce and reclusive ancient races made their appearances one after another. Ordinarily, the ancient races took no part in the great wars, but when it came to dividing entry slots, they still cared. Not a single power in the cosmos was indifferent toward the Star Residence Mansion. Tianxia Island boiled with voices, bustling with endless excitement. By now, it had transformed into a colossal marketplace for the myriad realms. The Invincibles had decreed that during the alliance assembly, no one was permitted to resort to violence on Tianxia Island. This made it a prime opportunity for trade. Treasures of every description and specialty goods from all realms gathered here. Young prodigies had also arrived to witness this grand spectacle. The island was relatively safe; any real chaos would have to wait until after entering the Star Residence Mansion. *** Amidst the dense clusters of grand halls, powerful cultivators constantly tore through space to arrive. Some rode magnificent mounts; others rode luxurious carriages. Certain experts even rode exceedingly formidable demon beasts, and a few mighty individuals from the great races dared to arrive astride dragons and phoenixes, inspiring dread in onlookers. Right at this moment, at the entrance to the island—the only sector devoid of towering pavilions—a crowd was barred from entering. A throng of myriad-race prodigies stood by. Some were watching the drama unfold, others were waiting for a laughingstock, and some were actively stirring up trouble... "So many humans have shown up?" A youth from the God race chuckled. "If you want to enter the island, fine! By decree of the Invincibles, the cultivators of the Great Zhou Prefecture, Great Qin Prefecture, Great Ming Prefecture, Great Xia Prefecture, and Great Shang Prefecture may enter directly. Cultivators from the other human prefectures are forbidden from entering!" "Why?" Among the human experts stopped at the gates, some wore grim expressions, while others seethed with frustration. The God-race youth chuckled. "Why? For no reason at all! Those powerful prefectures possess immense strength and countless geniuses. In the myriad realms, strength does the talking! They can enter, but you cannot! Such is the rule of the heavens. What, do you find it unfair?" "..." The human experts furrowed their brows. A Sun Moon Realm cultivator leading the group said in a frigid tone, "Our human race has Invincibles attending as well. Why draw a distinction between our prefectures? You people clearly harbor malicious intentions!" "Malicious intentions?" The God guarding the path smiled. "How could that be? This is simply procedure! In previous years, aside from the major prefectures, your human race had two holy lands speaking on your behalf. Back then, you naturally could enter. But now that the human race no longer possesses two holy lands, our hands are tied! If anyone could just wander in like your human race, wouldn't this place descend into total chaos?" Nearby, an expert from another race beamed with a bright smile. "Well said. The human race's two holy lands are both gone. So tell us, who represents the human race now? Who truly counts as human? Take the Five Elements race—once they splintered, they began sending delegates as five separate races rather than a unified whole. How about the human race follow suit? For instance, Great Xia Prefecture humans, Great Ming Prefecture humans... That way, everyone can distinguish between you. Yes, mighty experts from the human race have arrived, but they never specified which prefecture they represent. How could we possibly let every human stroll inside?" "..." Shouting and bickering erupted, and the surrounding crowd of onlookers grew denser. Before long, a plump figure squeezed out from the crowd, accompanied by a flock of lively, alluring beauties. He laughed heartily. "What's all this about? Brother from the God race, don't make such jokes at a time like this. There are so many mighty experts on Tianxia Island; you'll only make fools of us before the crowd!" The God-race youth flashed a playful smile. "Crown Prince Xia, I never stopped anyone from your Great Xia Prefecture! Those from Great Xia may pass without hindrance! As for those who came with you, who knows if they're impostors posing as humans? Crown Prince Xia, are they your subordinates? If so, say the word, and I'll let them in at once! I was ordered by several lords to manage passage through this entrance; irrelevant individuals are barred from entry to prevent petty scoundrels from sneaking in. Crown Prince Xia, don't make things difficult for me!" The youth wore a humble smile and even cupped his fists, speaking cordially. "Crown Prince Xia, it really isn't that I'm refusing you face. How about this: so long as these people declare right now that they are subordinates of the Great Xia Prefecture, I will let them through immediately!" Xia Huyou's expression shifted slightly. He forced a smile. "Brother, you joke. All humans under heaven belong to one family. We are all humans—where does this talk of subordinates come from..." Even as he spoke, someone in the human crowd scoffed coldly, "Xia Huyou, are you two intentionally putting on a two-man show to humiliate us?" "..." Xia Huyou was rendered speechless. He looked at the speaker, rolled his eyes, and shrugged. "Fine, entertain yourselves, then!" He could not be bothered to say another word. This was precisely the reaction the Gods and Demons wanted. These people being blocked disgraced the entire human race, and he had stepped forward to diffuse the situation, but he had clearly failed. This time, the humans were not the only ones facing such treatment. At the same time, at an adjacent entrance, the Demon race was running into similar trouble. Two separate passageways had been marked with common script: 'Blood Fire Demon Race Passage' and 'Origin Demon Race Passage'... No one knew which race had set up these passages—likely either the Gods or the Immortals. They were petty tricks, but petty tricks were not to be underestimated, nor did it matter if they were old. Often, such minor schemes produced tremendous results. Driving wedges between races and instigating internal discord frequently began with such petty tactics. The humans were to be divided by prefecture, and the Demons by branch. In the past, the suppression had targeted solely the humans. This year, the Demon race shared in the misfortune because the Demon Emperor was wounded and the Blood Fire Demon King was extraordinarily powerful. Earlier, the Gods and Immortals had even suggested that the Demon race divide into two factions to vie for slots, claiming that splitting into two might yield them more. They were willing to give away a few extra slots! Even if the Demons were merely putting on an act, it did not matter. Acting was itself a symbol of fracture in the hearts of the Demon race. The high-level leadership might call it an act, but the lower ranks might not see it that way. Thus, competing for slots separately was the worst possible choice. The same applied to the humans. The Immortal race had even proposed dividing the human race into thirty-six prefectures to compete for slots, arguing it would yield more in total. If they actually did that, even if the leadership paid it no mind, the people below would naturally drift apart. This was not an internal human matter; this was facing outward, toward the myriad races of the heavens. For the human race to fracture into thirty-six factions with conflicting views was an absolute taboo. Fortunately, neither the humans nor the Demons had entertained the idea, continuing to vie for slots as unified races. Nevertheless, the other races were already trumpeting distinctions far and wide: the Sacred City faction led by Su Yu, the Liu City faction led by Liu Wenyan, the Outside Saint faction led by Wan Tiansheng... They spared no effort in driving divisions. Since Su Yu was difficult to deal with, they would completely sever him from the human race, heavily publicizing his stance to the outside world—insisting he was not human. This, too, was a form of weakening and isolation. *** Outside, the arguments raged unabated. Within the island's interior, the grand pavilions appeared distant from one another, yet between Invincibles, distance felt negligible. Representing the human race in the contest for slots were four individuals: King Dazhou, King Xiaoqin, Niu Baidao, and King Tianzhu. King Dazhou oversaw the delegation, while the other three represented the Civilization Masters, the warriors, and the non-prefectural Invincibles, respectively. King Daqin was overseeing the Eastern War Zone, King Daxia and his peers were inept at negotiation, and King Daming was too lazy to leave the Human Realm, remaining there still. Thus, King Dazhou served as the leading representative on this occasion. Watching the ceaseless clamor outside, a white-haired God King from the God race chuckled softly. "Brother Zhou, the juniors misunderstand. Although the human race is divided into thirty-six prefectures, you still have the holy lands governing them. You are one entity, so why speak of divisions? It's utter nonsense!" With that, the white-haired God King smiled. "Brother Zhou, are you representing the War God Hall this time, or are you representing the Quest Realm as you used to?" King Dazhou remained utterly tranquil, replying mildly, "I represent the Human Realm." "Represent the Human Realm?" The God King chuckled in disbelief. "Can that work? King Daxia and the others haven't even arrived. Can you truly represent the Human Realm, Brother Zhou? We wouldn't want the slots to be settled only for that brute King Daxia to be dissatisfied and come charging over to stir up trouble. That would hardly be ideal!" Over by the Immortal pavilion, the Dao King sipped his tea, brushed aside some stray leaves, and said in an unhurried voice, "Indeed, Brother Zhou. It would be quite troublesome if we reached an agreement here only for a mishap to occur on the human side!" "Quite right!" "..." King Dazhou gently patted Qin Zhen, who was about to speak, pressing down his words. Unhurriedly, King Dazhou remarked, "There is no need for everyone to worry. It is not a major issue. I believe the human race can handle this transition smoothly. What worries me... is that chaos might erupt on the Demon side. I wonder if the Blood Fire Demon King will attend this time. If he does, will the Origin Demon race hold sway, or will the Blood Fire Demon King call the shots?" He smiled faintly and added, "Everyone must be sure to give the Blood Fire Demon King some face. You all know the Blood Fire Demon race; failing to show them respect invites trouble..." The moment these words left his mouth, the expressions of several Demon Kings in the Demon pavilion shifted slightly, though none spoke. With the Demon Emperor wounded, matters had indeed been somewhat chaotic lately. Small-scale wars had already broken out within the Demon Realm. Having deflected the topic, King Dazhou fell silent. The dispute outside continued. The Invincibles refrained from intervening; this was an indispensable fixture of every gathering, serving as a preliminary test of the prodigies. In any case, the Invincibles had forbidden combat in this area. It was merely a clash of words. *** At the entrance to the island, the crowd grew larger by the moment. The God-race youth smiled. "Everyone, how about this? Aside from the major prefectures I mentioned, I truly haven't heard of the others. Why don't you tell me which holy land you hail from? Perhaps I'll recognize it. If I do, you may enter! As for prefectures—your Human Realm is partitioned far too messily. There are so many that I can't keep track." Beaming, he added, "I have no desire to make things difficult for you, but everyone entering the island must register. If you claim to come from some unknown corner... we fear undesirable elements might slip in among us!" Just as he was speaking, a figure dropped down. Qin Fang descended astride a Flying Tiger and said coldly, "Enough. Let them through! Hu Lan, don't go looking for trouble!" No sooner had he spoken than another figure dropped down. Zhan Wushuang said calmly, "Qin Fang, does the entire human race belong to the Great Qin Prefecture now?" "Zhan Wushuang, are you trying to pick a fight? Don't forget that you're just someone who barely escaped with his life from Su Yu..." Zhan Wushuang remained entirely composed. "Su Yu is Su Yu, you are you, and the others are the others. How about this: any human who can withstand a single punch from me at their own cultivation realm may enter and leave as they please without further hindrance. Otherwise... you had best remain outside the island!" Qin Fang's gaze turned sharp. "You're deliberately looking for trouble?" "No, merely taking your measure!" Zhan Wushuang said softly. "The human race calls itself a major power, yet its strength is wildly uneven. Often, even weaklings insist on entering, disgracing the reputation of the top ten races! Among the ten great races, only the humans are like this, frequently suffering defeats at the hands of minor races and embarrassing the entire top ten." Before Qin Fang could reply, someone in the crowd called out coldly, "Withstand a single punch from you? At our own realm?" Zhan Wushuang replied calmly, "Yes. If you are at Tengkong, I shall suppress my strength to deliver a Tengkong-level strike. If you can withstand it, feel free to enter. But if you cannot endure even one punch... why should such feeble humans enter the island only to make a mockery of yourselves?" "Fine!" Qin Fang, who had been about to intervene, felt a wave of helplessness at that single word of agreement. What were they thinking! Did they truly believe they could withstand a punch from Zhan Wushuang? The man was currently ranked second on the Heaven Ranking. Even with his cultivation suppressed, he was not someone ordinary cultivators could compare against. Over to the side, Xia Huyou exchanged a glance with Qin Fang, shrugged, and shook his head in resignation. This was a chronic ailment. Because the human race was governed by separate prefectures that operated independently, even a Heaven Ranking genius like Qin Fang held virtually no authority outside the Great Qin Prefecture. Until the Human Realm was unified, such chronic ailments could never be eradicated. It was not a matter of right or wrong. These people were neither Qin Fang's subordinates nor citizens of the Great Qin Prefecture. To many, they recognized only their own prefecture and felt little kinship with the others. The moment Zhan Wushuang finished speaking, a figure roared and slashed a saber toward him. A seventh-level Lingyun Realm expert! Yet Zhan Wushuang did not even flinch. Only when his opponent reached him did he throw a punch. With a thunderous boom, the air shattered and origin qi exploded. With a dull thud, the assailant crashed to the ground, heavily bleeding and near death. Zhan Wushuang looked on expressionlessly. Qin Fang frowned. The man was not dead, but that single blow had left him critically wounded. Zhan Wushuang's punches were not so easily endured, and that was with him suppressing his strength to the Lingyun Realm. By now, more and more spectators had gathered. Seeing Zhan Wushuang critically wound the challenger in a single strike, someone chuckled. "The disparity among humans is truly staggering! Among the same race, some can defeat us with ease, while others cannot even take a single punch. Su Yu truly is formidable; no wonder he looks down on the human race, established his independence, and declared himself the Ancient City faction!" "The gap is indeed immense. Are these the geniuses the human prefectures boast about? How pathetic! In my eyes, they can't compare at all—not just to Su Yu, but even to Qin Fang and Huang Teng. The other so-called human prefectures are simply far too weak!" "No wonder Wan Tiansheng slaughtered people across the Human Realm. When a bunch of incompetent gluttons occupy the highest seats while a genius like Wan Tiansheng is governed by them, how could he possibly accept it?" "..." Every remark cut like a blade, making the human cultivators' faces contort in anger. Qin Fang bellowed, "Enough!" His roar dispelled the faint bewitchment techniques lingering in the air. The battle had already begun; experts from the myriad races adept in deception had intervened covertly, sowing seeds of discord among the human prodigies. Seeds of hostility toward Su Yu, toward Wan Tiansheng, and toward Qin Fang and his peers. Qin Fang's shout banished a portion of the hypnotic influence, but it failed to silence the rest. Another entity chuckled, "Qin Fang, no one is blocking you. What, with King Daqin commanding the human armies, are you planning to take charge of the younger generation? Is the Qin family truly aiming to unify the Human Realm? Word has it that the humans mobilized en masse, expending endless effort and countless experts, solely to help King Daqin seize the Nine-Leaf Heavenly Lotus and become the human sovereign. Qin Fang, is that true?" Just as Qin Fang went to answer, someone quickly chimed in with a laugh, "Of course it's true! As if the Qin family wouldn't be tempted! Perhaps even Manor Head Qin, who recently attained the Dao, will enter the field this time. Qin Fang, isn't that right?" Qin Fang's brow furrowed tightly. His father did intend to enter, and not just his father—his second uncle planned to enter as well. These people were holding his feet to the fire. Just as he was about to speak again, a figure appeared: Zhou Hun of the Tianyuan race. Zhou Hun's lips twitched slightly, and Qin Fang felt the air freeze around him. The words at the tip of his tongue were forcefully suppressed, sending his blood qi surging into an abrupt eruption. Zhou Hun smiled faintly. "What is the matter, Brother Qin?" Murderous intent boiled in Qin Fang's eyes. At that moment, more human prodigies arrived as Huang Teng and Wu Qi dropped down side by side. Yet several more experts from the myriad races arrived as well. The expert skilled in bewitchment continued with a laugh, "People from the Great Xia Prefecture have arrived? Please, come right in! Both the Great Xia and Great Qin Prefectures may enter directly. Both possess abundant experts and geniuses; we admire you greatly. As for the other prefectures, you had best withstand a punch from Brother Wushuang before entering!" "I fear not a single one can take a blow. Their strength is too pitiful. It is truly hard to believe that people like Su Yu hail from the human race. To think they belong to the same people..." The throng of entities chimed in one after another. Even though the humans knew full well they were being provoked, they could not swallow their indignation. They felt stifled, resentful, and furious! As for whom that fury was directed at, none could clearly say. Unable to hold back, someone snapped in anger, "No matter how strong Su Yu is, he has already left the human race and is no longer human! Aren't you all equally incapable of besting him? He is only strong because of dumb luck..." Qin Fang and his companions instantly scowled! Idiots! You know it's a trap, yet you insist on stepping into it! The myriad races stirred this up precisely to make you harbor resentment. And sure enough, you genuinely ended up nursing resentment and jealousy. Qin Fang sighed inward. Until the human race was unified, such situations would remain unavoidable. He only hoped that his grandfather could achieve his breakthrough this time—provided his father and the others could truly bring back the Nine-Leaf Heavenly Lotus. That, however, would likely be anything but simple. "Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng have already betrayed the human race..." Another person spoke up, but midway through the sentence, a voice chuckled, "Did I hear someone praising me?" Qin Fang and his companions felt their hearts jolt. Right then, a figure stepped through the empty air, stomping down with one foot and crushing both speakers into the dirt. Looking around, he smiled. "Who was praising me?" "..." Everyone in the vicinity froze. He... why had he come in person?! As for the two who had spoken moments ago, they were already pinned beneath his foot, their bodies nearly crushed apart, utterly incapable of moving or uttering a sound. In the crowd, someone yelled in fury, "You... Su Yu, what are you doing..." Su Yu chuckled and reached out. With a sickening crunch, he crumpled the speaker into a mangled ball and asked with a grin, "Who was speaking to me?" He looked across at Zhan Wushuang and the others, smiling. "Gentlemen, when I wasn't around, why were you all missing me so much? Calling out to me from so far away?" With that, he brought a single palm crashing down. As the palm descended, seven or eight people fled in panic, but the rest were too slow. With a thunderous boom, a massive handprint slammed into the earth, flattening more than a dozen figures into meat paste. "Su Yu, you—" "Noisy!" A hammer smashed down, obliterating the sea of will of the expert skilled in bewitchment! With a resounding blast, the body blew apart! At that exact instant, a frigid voice rang out: "Killing is forbidden during the alliance assembly! Su Yu, you are courting death!" A sky-covering palm plummeted from above! Yet at that very moment, three colossal fists plunged through the void in unison, instantly shattering the giant palm with an earth-shaking boom. In the next instant, three stone statues manifested in the sky, alongside three ancient cities hovering in the firmament. Su Yu chuckled. "What is this esteemed elder doing? I merely disciplined someone who showed me disrespect. What of it? To dare call this lord by his name directly—did he not deserve punishment? A puny Shanhai Realm worm possesses quite the gall! Can my name be uttered so casually? If I had my subordinates shout out the name of some God King or God Emperor and bark at him, would the God race refrain from fury? Audacious and insolent, knowing neither high nor low!" Su Yu's tone turned indifferent. "Or could it be that I, Su Yu, hold a status lower than a God King? Do the races of the cosmos regard my Sacred Cities as nothing?" With three stone statues towering behind him, figures of Invincibles manifested one after another, their brows tightly knit. Su Yu had arrived! Not only had he arrived, but he had brought three stone statues with him. He was overwhelmingly formidable! Su Yu smiled, casually kicking away the two figures beneath his feet. Looking toward several human Invincibles in the distance, he chuckled. "Humans who lack brains don't deserve to stay here. Whichever family they belong to, come claim them! If you're dissatisfied, have the Invincibles of those prefectures come find me! While I have no wish to associate with you, I am ultimately human, and sharing a race with these fools... costs me face! Furthermore, I hope the human race instructs these juniors properly: if anyone dares show me disrespect again... do not blame me for being ruthless!" With that, he turned his gaze back toward Qin Fang and the others, smiling. "If you want to be leaders of the younger generation, strength alone is not enough! You must be ruthless both internally and externally! The doctrine of internal sagehood and external kingship does not work. The human race has been fractured for too long; with prefectures standing divided, you have long ceased to be one entity. When dealing with these loose-tongued fools, treat them just as you would treat the myriad races! Defiance? Kill! Disobedience? Kill! Disrespect? Kill!" Su Yu spoke calmly, yet his words sent an icy chill through everyone present. Strolling along the grand avenue, Su Yu ignored the Invincibles and looked instead at the myriad races and the human prodigies, chuckling. "The human race harbors too many reservations! The strong do, and the geniuses do as well! Everyone dreams of using the saintly path to unify, using moral influence to convert! Utterly misguided! Fortunately, I jumped out of that mess; otherwise, I would have suffocated to death from sheer frustration!" At that moment, King Dazhou smiled faintly from the sky. "Su Yu, if you were the Human King, what would you do?" Su Yu looked up toward the void at the smiling King Dazhou and smiled back. "Your Majesty King Dazhou?" "Drop the 'Your Majesty.'" King Dazhou smiled, his tone relaxed. Su Yu chuckled. "Testing me? You wouldn't be examining me to see if I'm fit to be the Human King, would you? I'm truly honored! To tell the truth, I actually have considered this question. In the past, I thought that once I grew strong, I could mediate between everyone and bring them together under one heart... Later, my thoughts changed. Those who submit to me are human; those who do not... are not. And if they are not, they can be killed! King Dazhou, what do you think?" Though said in jest, the words reeked of blood. King Dazhou's expression remained unchanged, but Qin Zhen and the others shifted slightly. This youth's murderous nature was far too heavy! Su Yu's words left several nearby humans completely rigid. Su Yu grinned. "The human race has enjoyed peace for too long! It has been partitioned for too long! In turbulent times, how can one govern without severe measures? If I were king, I would first execute several Invincibles to consecrate the banner, find an excuse to wipe out three to five prefectures! A powerful Invincible like King Dazhou would be sent out directly as an assassin to annihilate an entire realm; if you failed, I would annihilate you instead. That way, King Dazhou would likely reveal his true strength! How simple is that? Rule by tyranny, kill those who defy. As for after I die... let the deluge follow! Does Your Majesty King Dazhou find my answer satisfactory?" King Dazhou looked at him. After a long pause, he said softly, "I was merely asking. Castellan Su must pardon my intrusion." Su Yu chuckled. "It seems you aren't quite satisfied. No matter; I never intended to be king of the human race anyway! It's an exhausting, thankless chore! I am Su Yu of the Sacred Cities. In the Sacred Cities, my word is absolute law, and that is more than enough!" With a hearty laugh, Su Yu stepped into the void and took a seat upon the grand throne of the ancient city, his voice booming outward: "Everyone, proceed with your meeting. When a bunch of brats stir up trouble, simply ignore them. If they annoy you, stomp them to death! Why bother gathering to gawk at me? Is crushing a few bedbugs truly worth an audience?" In the void, the Invincibles wore strange expressions. Some dissolved on the spot, while others chuckled and soon departed, returning to their halls and watching no longer. From the void, Su Yu looked down upon the prodigies. Regardless of their expressions, his smile remained brilliant. "Whether you accept it or not, if your strength is inferior, keep your heads down and behave yourselves! Human or non-human, I, Su Yu, am no longer someone you are qualified to discuss. Dare to use me as a pawn again, and not even your fathers or grandfathers will be able to stop me from killing you! If you don't believe me, feel free to try! Be it Zhan Wushuang or Moduona, or Qin Fang, Huang Teng, or any other bedbug—bow your heads when you must. Just as when I met your elders in the past: lacking strength and lacking the capital to save my own life, I bowed my head as well!" Su Yu let out a laugh. In the next instant, he drove the ancient city downward. With an earth-shaking crash, it landed, seizing a grand pavilion and smashing it to splinters. An Invincible fled from within, roaring in fury, "Su Yu, what do you think you're doing?!" "King Xuan Armor, get lost! When a Sacred City descends, you fail to yield? Do you believe I won't ensure your Xuan Armor race never steps out of the Xuan Armor Realm for eternity?!" King Xuan Armor looked furious, his white armor turning slightly reddish. Su Yu said coldly, "Your race besieged me back then, and I haven't settled that score with you yet. Glare at me again, and does your race wish for extinction?" "..." King Xuan Armor felt utterly humiliated, yet he was helpless. Gritting his teeth, he led the Xuan Armor experts swiftly toward another location, choked with fury but powerless to resist. Among the experts of the other races, some frowned, some remained indifferent, and some said with a strained smile, "Castellan Su, it is best not to stir up trouble the moment you arrive. Peaceful coexistence suits us all far better!" Seated languidly upon his throne, Su Yu remarked lazily, "Dao King, you had best sever the head of your grandson Dao Cheng and deliver it to me yourself. Otherwise, before I die, your Dao King lineage will be my mortal enemy, and sooner or later, I will butcher you until your heart runs cold!" The Dao King's eyes narrowed. Su Yu smiled. "Don't look at me like that. I am dying soon anyway; I couldn't care less how much you hate me. You had better pray that I die quietly. Otherwise... I will show you all what the final carnival of a dying man looks like. When that day comes, I hope you won't close your eyes—keep them wide open and watch!" "..." In every direction, the Invincibles fell silent. Was it true or false? Was he truly about to die? If he truly was on the verge of death, someone like Su Yu would be at his most terrifying and unhinged. If he genuinely led dozens of Invincibles on a rampage, the consequences would be catastrophic! The white-haired God King chuckled softly. "Su Yu, the guardians are not your slaves. You... have no power to command them." Su Yu laughed. "Yes, I know. That's why I'll take a page from Hetu's book. Do you know Hetu? I'll open a dead spirit passage, and dead spirit monarchs will charge out, prompting the guardians to strike out as well. Hopefully, we can slaughter every living soul in an entire realm to see me off and accompany me in death! As for which realm I choose, that will depend on your luck!" "..." Total silence fell! The white-haired God King's eyes flickered with unease. "You know of Hetu?" Su Yu scoffed. "Nonsense, of course I know! You all suffered quite a loss back then, didn't you? With Hetu's precedent, I believe I can do even better. I trust that when sixty or seventy Invincibles charge forth in endless war... you all will find it quite the spectacle! Perhaps there will even be a Half-Emperor-level clash to satisfy your desires. I truly hope that when that day arrives, you will still be wishing for my speedy demise! Hahaha!" Like a madman, like a demon king, he had descended upon Tianxia Island before dozens of Invincibles! His words caused one Invincible after another to frown. The Dao King said in a low voice, "Guardian Xinghong, Su Yu is so unhinged and spews such horrific madness—do you guardians truly intend to do nothing?" Xinghong's indifferent voice echoed out: "He is merely speaking; he has done nothing. Should that day truly arrive, the guardians will naturally suppress him, just as they suppressed Hetu back then!" Everyone cursed inwardly! By then, it would be far too late! Back then, Hetu had not been suppressed immediately upon emerging. That fellow had caused a cataclysmic disaster, spreading dead spirits across the heavens, which ultimately forced the guardians to act, with the old turtle personally slaying him. Yet that incident had cost the lives of numerous Invincibles. Certain major and ancient races knew of these events, but among the humans, scarcely anyone was aware of Hetu. Even some Invincibles from minor realms present had no idea who Hetu was. *** Inside the human pavilion. Qin Zhen and the others were equally curious. Qin Zhen sent a transmission: "Uncle Zhou, who is this Hetu?" "A madman." King Dazhou seemed to know something of it and transmitted back, "A lunatic who opened a dead spirit passage, unleashing dozens of dead spirit monarchs to slaughter the myriad realms until an army of dead spirits blanketed heaven and earth. He sought to guide a Half-Emperor into descending and wished to invade the God and Demon realms, exceeding the rules of the guardians. In the end, he was slain. However, that incident caused the fall of more than a dozen Eternals, and hundreds—if not thousands—of Sun Moon cultivators perished... It happened many years ago, not in our era." Qin Zhen drew a sharp breath and transmitted, "Uncle Zhou, has this kid Su Yu truly gone mad?" He felt that the current Su Yu was vastly different from the one he had met previously. When he had met Su Yu in the Great Ming Prefecture, the youth had not been so demonic. Now, however, the murderous intent had seeped into his bones, and his demonic nature surged to the heavens. King Dazhou smiled, then suddenly transmitted, "Your father... might actually like this sort of person! Remember my question just now? Your father asked me to pose it." "Hm?" "Nothing! It was merely a casual inquiry. Your father harbors certain notions that I can understand. Perhaps Su Yu's perspective... is the only one that truly aligns with your father's thoughts." "Impossible!" Qin Zhen shook his head. His father appeared cold on the surface, but was fundamentally the most benevolent. A personality like Su Yu's would never earn his father's appreciation. King Dazhou smiled faintly and said no more. Was that so? What King Daqin could not bring himself to do... perhaps he hoped someone else would. Of course, this was merely King Daqin's thought; it did not represent the views of the other Invincibles, nor did it represent Su Yu's. Whether the present Su Yu was even willing to return to the human race was another question entirely! In the Sacred Cities, just as he had declared, his word was absolute law! So long as the guardians did not speak, the castellans dared not resist, and the residents had no voice whatsoever. Under such circumstances, why would Su Yu ever agree to return to the Human Realm only to be constrained by others? *** At this moment, on the island. A crowd of humans looked toward the ancient city with tangled emotions. Overbearing! Ruthless! The two humans who had spoken out earlier had been maimed directly by Su Yu's kick, while on the myriad races' side, some were crippled and others were killed outright! As for the rule against violence—the moment Su Yu arrived, he killed people, yet no one said a thing. Who would say anything? Who dared? Accompanied by three Invincible stone statues, Su Yu had arrived driving an ancient city, and not a single soul dared utter a peep. King Xuan Armor had his palace usurped and slunk off to find another spot in disgrace, not daring to utter a word of protest. In the crowd, Xia Huyou smiled as Huang Teng and several others gathered beside him. Xia Huyou chuckled through voice transmission, "That fellow is truly ruthless and overbearing; it's best not to provoke him! Some people think too simply, believing that because Su Yu is human, they can ask him for help when trouble arises and pretend he doesn't exist when all is well. Some might even be pondering whether to use him and cast him aside once they're done... In my view, everyone had better abandon such notions. If that guy loses his mind, to put it bluntly, he'd dare slaughter the entire Human Realm!" Regarding Su Yu becoming the lord of the Sacred Cities and governing all thirty-six, it was impossible that no one in the Human Realm harbored designs. Some even hoped that if trouble arose, Su Yu would come to their aid, leading thirty-six Invincibles and a Half-Emperor to assist them. And once the help was rendered... Su Yu could go do whatever he pleased; after all, he wouldn't live long anyway! It would be even better if he contributed the method to control the stone statues, allowing the human race to retain control permanently. Yet today's display thoroughly shattered everyone's hopes and fantasies. Give it a rest! He wouldn't even tolerate a single negative word spoken against him; would he ever serve as your blade? Right in front of King Dazhou, he had crippled two people who spoke ill of him without hesitation, and that was him being polite. With that being the case, did anyone truly expect Su Yu to shield them from danger for free? When King Dazhou asked what he would do if he became Human King, Su Yu spoke few words, yet every sentence revolved around slaughter! Only now did everyone recall just how ruthless this fellow was. When he left the Great Xia Prefecture, he had nearly engineered the slaughter of all the Great Xia single divine character faction's experts! He was just like Wan Tiansheng! In fact, he was perhaps even more ruthless than Wan Tiansheng. Relying on Su Yu was far worse than relying on Wan Tiansheng; even Wan Tiansheng possessed more mercy than Su Yu. At this moment, the human prodigies felt emotions too complicated to express. Their previous jealousy and resentment vanished in an instant, reduced to a joke. In Su Yu's eyes, they were merely bedbugs—no different from the bedbugs of the myriad races. When he wanted to kill you, he felt no qualms whatsoever, nor would he care in the slightest whether you were human! *** Meanwhile, the news spread like wildfire. East Rift Valley. When the report arrived, an Invincible said in irritation, "Su Yu went too far. It was merely careless talk from juniors, yet he crippled two human geniuses..." Looking exhausted, King Daqin said indifferently, "Enough! I have said it before: he is no longer Su Yu of the human race, but Su Yu of the ancient cities! Harbor no more designs, unless you intend to force Su Yu to choose the Human Realm as the target of his final rampage before death?" Growing visibly enraged, he snapped, "I will say it once more, and repeat it for the last time! Do not cause trouble for me, and do not cause trouble for the human race! Keep your juniors in check, and keep your prodigies under control! Cease this talk of careless words, and cease claiming Su Yu merely had good luck... I do not wish for the human race's next battle to be fought against the Ancient City Alliance! If you still cannot comprehend plain speech... then declare your independence. My reluctance to strike inward does not mean I will endlessly tolerate you bringing trouble upon my head!" Silence fell across the surroundings. King Daqin was truly furious. With a cold snort, King Daqin added in a chilling tone, "Perhaps... Su Yu is right! Execute several Eternals to consecrate the banner and slaughter a few prefectures. I do not need your admiration; so long as you submit to me, that is enough. Perhaps... the human race would be better off that way!" Color drained from everyone's faces! What did King Daqin mean by that?