An Elder at Home

The relocation of Xinghong Ancient City was quickly detected. The ancient city entered the Sea of Stars and converged with Hongmeng Ancient City. Several experts among the myriad races soon deduced that Su Yu's injuries were likely too severe and required treatment, and since Xinghong was unable to help him recover, he could only turn to Hongmeng for a solution. From this, one could see that Su Yu's injuries were grave beyond imagination. His greatest asset, his physical body, had shattered. A Su Yu like this was nothing to fear. Even if his strength in the Dao of Civilization remained intact, Su Yu was only comparable to the Shanhai Realm. *** Inside Hongmeng Ancient City. Su Yu had sealed the ancient city. It was deserted to begin with, so sealing it was merely to keep people from trespassing. The rear hall. The Old Turtle was far freer than Xinghong and the others. While Xinghong and the rest seemed completely bound, the Old Turtle could project an avatar, taking human form to communicate with Su Yu. Seeing Su Yu, the Old Turtle looked him up and down. With a touch of melancholy on his face, he said, "I might have misjudged you! I never expected that you might carry the legacy of the Time Master. Is that so?" Su Yu shook his head. "I don't know, nor do I know what a Time Master signifies. I have no intention of hiding anything from you, my lord." "Yes, you certainly wouldn't know." The Old Turtle sighed. "I had thought that this lineage's heritage was severed long ago! Almost everyone thought so. As it turns out, I was wrong! This lineage still has an inheritor!" Su Yu asked in confusion, "Could you enlighten me, my lord?" "The Time Master..." The Old Turtle sighed with emotion, slipping somewhat into reminiscence. After a long pause, he laughed self-deprecatingly. "If I told you that I actually don't know much about them either, would you believe me?" "I would." The Old Turtle chuckled, sat down, and produced some tea as if out of thin air. Gesturing for Su Yu to drink a cup, he took a sip of his own and explained, "It was a very long time ago! In truth, the Time Master's heritage vanished long ago. Or rather, I've never actually met a Time Master, and across the myriad worlds, those who have seen one are few—extremely few! "This lineage is very peculiar—one person per generation. Whether it's a single individual or a succession of masters... I do not know." Su Yu asked in surprise, "You mean..." The Old Turtle explained, "Because hardly anyone ever saw them, yet those who did claimed the Time Masters they met seemed different. Hence, no one could be sure if it was the same person all along, or passed down generation after generation. Time Masters... do you know why they were called that?" "I don't know." Su Yu shook his head. The Old Turtle smiled. "Because they walked perpetually within the River of Time, as though looking down upon civilization itself! Barely anyone knew of their existence, and barely anyone truly laid eyes on them. There were only rumors. Even I only heard hearsay. "They appeared only in the tales of others, leaving you with no idea what manner of beings they were—human, god, immortal, or demon? "I only know that Time Masters... might have been evil entities, or perhaps they were not." Su Yu asked with surprise, "What do you mean by that, my lord?" The Old Turtle said softly, "Exactly what it sounds like. No one knew whether they were good or evil, nor what they truly sought to do. But in that era, a great host of mighty figures deeply feared them!" "Feared them?" "Indeed!" The Old Turtle looked somewhat dazed. After a long silence, he said, "Fear! Utter dread! In that era, a group of powerful figures... Not me. Back then, I didn't count as powerful. The experts I'm talking about were terrifically mighty! Even they dreaded the Time Masters. As for why, precisely, I am not sure. I only know that once, in the residence of a grand figure, I overheard a few words. Supposedly, a Time Master had visited once, stating that the grand figure's lifespan was exhausted, and that he would soon arrive to record his civilization..." The Old Turtle sighed with emotion. "And then... there was no then. Not long after, that grand figure, whose might had been matchless, fell! He vanished into the River of Time, never to be seen again! In that era, Time Masters were beings that a select few dreaded with every fiber of their being." Su Yu understood. A Time Master! Did that mean they killed the target and preserved them like a specimen? A grand figure... If even the Old Turtle spoke of him like that now, just how terrifyingly strong had that person been? A collector of corpses! That actually coincided with what Su Yu had envisioned! The crucial point was that the Time Masters of that era seemed terrifyingly powerful, capable of collecting the corpses of even figures of that caliber! Su Yu quickly asked, "Did you ever hear anything else about Time Masters after that, my lord?" "I heard a few things," the Old Turtle said slowly. "Just gossip, really—mere hearsay. First, that Time Masters went extinct. The demise of the last Time Master supposedly had something to do with the All Races Council. It is said that in a certain place, the councilmen of the All Races Council surrounded and slew that Time Master. From then on, the lineage of Time Masters was completely severed! "Second..." He glanced at Su Yu, enunciating each word carefully: "Some claimed the Time Master was actually the Human Emperor in disguise! Slaying the powerhouses of the myriad races in secret. After the Human Emperor vanished, the Time Masters went extinct! "Third, others said the Time Master was someone else entirely—the master of the Civilization Tombstone. After that figure died... the Time lineage went extinct! "All three rumors agreed on one thing: the Time Masters were wiped out!" The Old Turtle said slowly, "These rumors didn't come out of nowhere; they ought to hold some truth! Therefore, in that era, whether one knew much or little, everyone believed this lineage was completely extinct! Yet today... it appears otherwise!" Inside, waves of shock churned in Su Yu's heart. After a long time, he asked, "Why do you believe I carry the Time Master's legacy, my lord? Does this lineage possess some distinct hallmark?" "The reason I came to that conclusion..." He looked at Su Yu, only speaking after a pause. "...has to do with that book you forged." The Old Turtle said tentatively, "A book... is a very peculiar weapon. Very few in the myriad worlds use one. When a book appeared and triggered the Council Blood Tribulation of the All Races Council, I couldn't help but link you to the Time Masters. In legends, Time Masters were Civilization Masters. They seemed fond of carrying a book wherever they went. What sticks in my mind most clearly is the claim that whenever a Time Master appeared, they were often reading a book, drifting through the River of Time, arriving from the past or the future to collect corpses!" "..." Su Yu was speechless, yet the scene formed in his mind: A young man, robed in snow-white, holding a book while leaning against a small skiff, drifting along the ripples of the River of Time. Refined yet domineering, he pointed at a powerhouse and smiled: "Your lifespan has run dry. I have come to record your civilization. Please, step inside my book for a stroll!" The powerhouse refused to submit, but was engulfed by the book, slain in an instant, perishing on the spot, his corpse collected. And the Time Master would drift onward through the River of Time to collect the next body. Scene after scene left Su Yu somewhat entranced. Entranced to the point that he felt this was precisely a future and life he had once fantasized about—so dashing, so untrammeled! *I am the Time Master!* *Drifting through the River of Time, neither your past nor your future can escape the chronicle of my civilization!* After a moment of daydreaming, he was jolted awake. Across from him, the Old Turtle sipped his tea and watched him with a smile. "What are you thinking about?" Su Yu cleared his throat and chuckled. "I was thinking that you might have misunderstood, my lord! I'm not a Time Master. I didn't even know what a Time Master was. That bastard Tiangu wanted to kill me out of nowhere just because a blood tribulation appeared when I forged a weapon... I'm quite frustrated." "Tiangu..." The Old Turtle said with a calm smile, "It's only natural he'd want to kill you! Some of the ancient, powerful races among the myriad races likely possess records of this! Council blood tribulations have occurred before, but the one sent to kill you back then was probably a councilman's tribulation—and that was abnormal! The blood tribulation you initially faced was normal enough, but that final moment was anything but. You shouldn't have survived, yet you did. That is what was truly astonishing! It even made me wonder whether my eyes were playing tricks on me, and that what you faced wasn't a councilman's tribulation after all!" Su Yu asked with a strange expression, "I don't understand that either. What exactly was the All Races Council?" The Old Turtle explained in broad strokes: "Put it this way: in ancient times, the Human race unified the heavens! Yet the other races were far from weak. While paying homage to the Human race, they also fought for their rights. Afterward, the All Races Council came to be—an entity to keep the Human Emperor in check! In the ancient era, rules abounded! The Human Emperor formulated some rules, while the rest were set by the Council, spanning across the past, present, and future! The All Races Council was, simply put, an organization, an institution designed to restrain the Human Emperor. And in that era, the Human Emperor served as the Council's speaker." He continued, "It was only natural for the rules laid down by the Human Emperor to occasionally clash with those set by the Council. Punitive tribulations like yours were mostly enacted by councilmen, whereas the Human Emperor primarily formulated rules for rewards, including certain rules on the All-Heavens Battlefield and rewards for cultivation breakthroughs..." Su Yu furrowed his brows. "Rules! My lord, you keep mentioning rules. What exactly are rules?" The Old Turtle smiled. "Rules are power! Colossally formidable power! When you reach that stage, you will understand. Words become law! Suppose you were the Human Emperor and decreed that murderers must face judgment. As long as you penetrate the River of Time and exert influence over the past and future, your words become a rule! From then on, if someone breaks this rule and commits murder, they will face judgment! Yet the rules also grant a thread of survival, much like the blood tribulation you encountered. If you cannot endure it, you die; if you survive it, you live! It delivers a punishment so you understand not to offend again!" Su Yu came to a sudden realization. "In other words, 'rules' are simply top powerhouses spanning the past and future, connecting with the River of Time, so that when you trigger a certain condition, they grant you a reward or inflict a punishment." "Correct!" "Do the rules possess intelligence?" "..." The Old Turtle laughed. "Rules are merely inanimate things. If you do not trigger them, they do not exist." Su Yu asked again, "Then where do the rewarded items come from?" "Left behind by their creators." "Where are they kept?" "..." The Old Turtle stared deeply at him and said with pointed meaning, "You are quite bold!" Su Yu bared his teeth in a grin. "Did you misunderstand something, my lord? I'm just asking out of curiosity." The Old Turtle was left speechless. After a good while, he said, "They ought to be in the Star Residence Mansion. When I said you mustn't go to the ninth floor of the Star Residence Mansion, it's because those things are likely stored there! And there will definitely be a River of Time there! I hadn't wanted to tell you, fearing you wouldn't be able to resist going. Now I'm even more afraid you will. Be sensible and stay away from the ninth floor! The River of Time is too extraordinary. You might encounter grand figures from the ancient era on the ninth floor... They might be dead, or they might not, but the River of Time may have recorded an image of them from a certain day. Even if it's merely a projection... should you encounter one, you will surely perish!" Su Yu had a sudden flash of insight! He understood! Terrifying! If it truly recorded the projection of an ancient powerhouse—one of those figures the Old Turtle himself called 'grand'—Su Yu wouldn't dare provoke them. They were overwhelmingly strong; even a mere projection might be capable of killing the Old Turtle. What a terrifying era! And for such an era to have perished made it even more terrifying! A Council, councilmen... So that was how the ancient era was organized. The Human race had unified the heavens, but the myriad races had not completely surrendered; instead, they formed a Council to divide power and check the Human Emperor. Su Yu couldn't help asking, "My lord, could it be that those councilmen were Emperors as well?" "No, Half-Emperors!" The Old Turtle smiled. "I told you long ago: Emperor or Half-Emperor, these are not cultivation ranks, but titles, statuses! From beginning to end, there was only one Emperor! Yet there could be countless Half-Emperors! However, Half-Emperor doesn't denote strength; it is merely an honorific for the leader of a race!" Half-Emperor was not a rank! This time, the Old Turtle emphasized the point: "The councilmen were all Half-Emperors! And their strength could have been at the Dao Integration Realm, or another realm, or perhaps even the same realm as the Human Emperor, though not as powerful as him! When the Human Emperor unified all under heaven, these mighty figures had no choice but to lower their own status and style themselves Half-Emperors!" Su Yu understood completely! Right, who said a Half-Emperor couldn't be at the same cultivation realm as the Human Emperor? It wasn't a division of power, but of status! Su Yu took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you for the guidance, my lord. I understand fully now! So you wouldn't call yourself a Half-Emperor either, but rather a Dao Integration expert, correct?" "No, I am a Half-Emperor!" The Old Turtle said solemnly, "Because every other Hongmeng Turtle in my race has died out, leaving only me. Right now, I am the Half-Emperor of the Hongmeng Turtle race. So, you are mistaken!" "..." Su Yu was speechless! *At such a ripe old age, you still feel the need to be cheeky.* The Old Turtle laughed, and after having his chuckle, quickly said, "You came looking for me to seal your yang apertures, didn't you? If you open those apertures a few more times and they truly become saturated, that will be a real problem! I'll seal them for you once again. Every time you unseal them, the speed at which they absorb will accelerate. Be careful!" "Thank you, my lord!" Without another word, the Old Turtle manifested a tiny turtle projection that instantly sank into Su Yu's body, promptly sealing the opened yang apertures! Su Yu let out a sigh of relief! At last, he didn't have to keep absorbing death qi. If he absorbed any more, he felt he wouldn't be able to hold out—his body was feeling frail. The Old Turtle looked at him and added, "Restoring your physical body won't be easy! Because your physique is extraordinarily strong. To me, it already feels barely inferior to a seventh-stage Sun Moon..." Su Yu chuckled dryly. "I'm out of treasures. Do you have any, my lord? Could you lend me some to restore my body...?" "I possess nothing to my name; where would I get treasures?" The Old Turtle chuckled. "Besides... aren't you afraid that if I helped restore your body, I might tamper with it? This physique of yours is too precious! Heavenly Cycle Apertures, Iron-Eater forging—once you complete the Lingyun Nine Transformations, I suspect that based on your physical body alone, you might possess the might of a ninth-stage Sun Moon, or even greater! Such a terrifying physical vessel... I imagine countless Eternals covet it. For those whose three incarnations were destroyed, perhaps you could be used to host an even stronger incarnation!" Su Yu laughed hollowly and hastily said, "You overestimate me, my lord. My physique is ordinary. Besides, now that I'm in the Lingyun Realm, lacking the Method of the Heavenly Cycle, I might just casually go through nine slapdash transformations to get it over with. My body won't amount to much!" "Would you really?" The Old Turtle smiled, eyeing him meaningfully. Pausing for a few seconds, he then said, "Better to restore your physique on your own! If memory serves, on the third floor of the Star Residence Mansion, there is a lotus pond... Exactly where it is, I've forgotten. The lotus flowers in that pond are worthless, and the lotus seeds are poisonous, but the lotus root is a treasure that can help heal your bodily injuries. Don't eat carelessly—eating those lotus seeds will poison you to death! Furthermore, this lotus looks somewhat similar to the Nine-Leaved Heavenly Lotus. People have often mistaken one for the other... It caused quite a few jokes in the old days." Su Yu's eyes flickered, and he quickly asked, "You mean this thing closely resembles the Nine-Leaved Heavenly Lotus?" "Yes." "What is this lotus called?" "The Smiling Lotus." The Old Turtle said slowly, "Whether it's still there, I wouldn't know. It's been too many years since I visited. Who knows if it remains? But the Star Residence Mansion holds other treasures capable of restoring the physical body as well..." Su Yu nodded, muttering inwardly. Smiling Lotus! It looked so much like the Nine-Leaved Heavenly Lotus that even ancient powerhouses had mistaken it. *Tsk tsk!* Thoughts raced through Su Yu's mind. *Isn't this... prime material for a scam?!* *If I get my hands on it, how about auctioning it off?* *Sell it to an Invincible!* *Tsk tsk tsk... An Invincible might not even be able to tell the difference, since even someone of the Old Turtle's caliber said they look very similar!* Su Yu hurried to ask, "My lord, what's the difference between this Smiling Lotus and the Nine-Leaved Heavenly Lotus? Can one tell them apart at a glance?" The Old Turtle was surprised. Why did he care about that? Still, he said, "In bud, they appear almost identical, practically indistinguishable. When blooming, the Nine-Leaved Heavenly Lotus and the Smiling Lotus are also very similar, though certain distinctions remain. Because the Nine-Leaved Heavenly Lotus grows beyond the time channel where time energy is dense, it leaves lines on the petals—temporal markings akin to the golden grains on a weapon... "The Smiling Lotus also has markings, but they grow naturally and are somewhat uneven..." He explained briefly, and Su Yu committed every word to memory! Remembering this could prove very useful. Perhaps he could use it to deceive someone! This was prime scam material. In this era, how many people knew such lore? Even some ancient relics might not know! Having an elder at home was like having a treasure. The Old Turtle was perhaps older and more ancient than Doubao! He might even be older than Tiangu! Thinking of this, Su Yu didn't beat around the bush and immediately asked, "My lord, between you and Tiangu, who is older?" "..." *What a pointless question!* The Old Turtle said indifferently, "Hongmeng Turtles can outlive the Immortal race by a bit." Understood! You're older! Indeed, perhaps the oldest in the myriad worlds! Speechless, the Old Turtle asked once more, "Is there anything else?" Su Yu nodded vigorously. "One last thing, my lord. If I go to the Star Residence Mansion—or whether I go or not—the myriad races might target Xinghong Ancient City! I'll arrange for a decoy to disguise as me, which should suffice! Lord Xinghong might be forced to make a move... When the time comes, I wonder how it will be on your end, my lord...?" The Old Turtle said calmly, "No matter! My true body cannot leave the city, but as you've seen, I have taken action through my projection before! If the rules are truly defied, all thirty-six guardians can make a move; they simply might not be able to leave their cities! Recently, Hetu went to find reinforcements, so this place is relatively peaceful. If a projection can't handle them, my true body can act as well!" Hetu had left! Su Yu was exceedingly surprised and asked hurriedly, "Hetu ran off?" "Yes, to seek reinforcements." The Old Turtle didn't seem to care much and chuckled. "It's not the first time he's gone looking for reinforcements! According to him, a powerful dead spirit monarch recently awakened in the Heavenly River of Dead Spirits. He probably went to find that one." Su Yu scratched his head. This Hetu... why did it sound like he was going to get his parents? No, more like he was conning someone into being his hired muscle! Mentioning Hetu brought a bit more amusement to the Old Turtle's face. "Hetu's memories haven't fully recovered; he has forgotten many things. Let's hope it's not an old rival of his that awakened. If that one recovers memories regarding him, that's when his bad luck will truly begin." Hetu might have forgotten his enemies, but his enemies wouldn't necessarily forget him. If they met, that would be quite a show. Su Yu was speechless. Judging from the Old Turtle's tone, he was eager to watch such a spectacle unfold. Just as he was thinking this, the Old Turtle smiled faintly. "If you die and awaken in the Dead Spirit Realm, you'd better be careful as well. Don't run into an old enemy. You might forget them, but they might very well remember you." "..." *Cursing me to die!* Su Yu grumbled inwardly, not daring to curse out loud. Helpless! He stopped asking questions. He had gleaned plenty of information from the Old Turtle, which was enough. Sometimes, having an elder around was wonderful—they knew everything. Even if they didn't tell you the whole truth, at least you weren't left stumbling in the dark! At this moment, outside the city, Xinghong Ancient City vanished. The Old Turtle didn't mind and soon said, "If you have nothing else, entertain yourself. This old one is going to sleep!" "..." Su Yu realized that all these old fellows loved sleeping! Speechless! No wonder they lived so long—turns out they slept their way through the ages. Su Yu quickly shifted his appearance, transforming into Liu Hong, and asked, "My lord, can you see through my identity?" "..." The Old Turtle's stone statue opened its eyes, glanced at Su Yu, and said indifferently, "Not bad divine characters. However... every individual possesses a distinct aura, a distinct fate, and distinct luck... As for disguises, fooling ordinary Eternals is plausible; fooling a Dao Integration expert... is virtually impossible! The so-called Dao Integration means past, present, and future are united as one. With a single glance, I can see your past and see your next moment's future... I saw your transformation just now." Su Yu was surprised. "You mean you can see through my past and future?" "Yes." "Can you see my childhood?" "No." The Old Turtle said indifferently, "It is merely simple retrospection and premonition. Looking into the past is somewhat more accurate; looking into the future is not necessarily so. If a Dao Integration expert truly examines you, it depends on their strength. The mighty might see back a few years with a single glance; the weaker might see back a few days... Thus, fooling a Dao Integration expert is exceedingly difficult!" Su Yu was awed. So formidable. Still... if they could only see a few days, that wasn't entirely hopeless. At worst, he would just act completely aboveboard for these few days. Of course, Dao Integration experts rarely showed themselves casually. As long as he stayed cautious, there was no need to scare himself. Now, Su Yu didn't dwell further and said, "My lord, there's no one monitoring nearby, right? If not, I'll take my leave." "None." The Old Turtle's voice grew fainter until it completely faded; he was going to sleep. Lately, because of Su Yu's antics, he hadn't slept at all. *** Soon, Su Yu left the ancient city. Hongmeng Ancient City sank back into silence. Su Yu prepared to find a suitable identity to disguise himself and enter the Star Residence Mansion. Liu Hong's identity could actually work... but better not. That fellow had offended Foutuling, and recently Foutuling seemed to be looking for him. As for why, Foutuling hadn't said—probably too embarrassed to speak of it. Getting swindled by a weakling wasn't something to brag about, lest he become a laughingstock. Su Yu transformed into an ordinary human. On the Human race's side, those participating in the Star Residence Mansion had been arriving at the Sea of Stars one after another over the past few days. The humans had a large contingent this time, but only 430 slots. Those unable to secure a slot might enter via the special passage. Of course, the special passage was perilous. Su Yu had gathered some basic knowledge about it: the special passage offered 360 entry slots, but every time, thousands or tens of thousands vied to enter together. In the end, only 360 made it through; the rest either died or were grievously wounded. In any case, the fatality rate was terrifyingly high! It was also the battleground for minor races! The minor races received no allocated slots and pinned all their hopes on this. The major races did not seal off or seize the slots from the special passage precisely to give them a sliver of hope. Denying them even a sliver of opportunity would brew a blood feud over severing their prospects. "Should I take the special passage or the regular quota passage?" Su Yu fell into deep thought. By now, he was already walking across the Sea of Stars. The special passage was filled with uncertainty. Furthermore, the competition was fierce! If he wasn't careful, his identity might be exposed. Perhaps taking the proper passage was better. Granted, the special passage had its perks. Su Yu had heard that those entering through it often landed in treasuries or, like those entering through the ancient city's main gates, would be shrouded in certain halos. "Forget it, I'll take the regular passage!" "For the special passage, it's best to carry an ancient city token, because the tokens have ties to the Star Residence Mansion and allow for smoother entry..." These details crossed Su Yu's mind. Since he intended to enter the Star Residence Mansion, Su Yu had to know a bit about it. Unfortunately, information regarding the mansion was a mix of truth and falsehood; some deliberately forged fake intelligence to muddy the waters! Even the Hunting Heaven Pavilion wouldn't necessarily give you genuine details. As for their reputation? If you trusted the Hunting Heaven Pavilion and died in a perilous zone, no one would ever know. If you didn't trust them and didn't go, you wouldn't die, but naturally you couldn't verify the truth either. Thus, Su Yu had gathered intelligence on the Star Residence Mansion from various races, but he didn't dare place complete faith in it. Take that fellow Liu Hong, who had offered to sell him a map of the ninth floor of the Star Residence Mansion back then... Could anyone believe that? He was treating him like an idiot! "Time to find Wu Lan!" After wandering over the sea for a while, Su Yu ultimately decided to look for Wu Lan. That girl seemed intent on going! An early-stage Soaring Realm researcher—she was actually heading into the Star Residence Mansion? Su Yu wondered who on earth gave her the courage. Her upturned nostrils? The Wu family hadn't even tried to stop or dissuade her. Su Yu was thoroughly exasperated; she was practically courting death. The humans' situation upon entering this time would not be good at all. What was more, his teachers and seniors all seemed to be going as well. How perilous that was! Su Yu wanted to talk them out of it, but he knew his lineage all shared that stubborn temperament; they couldn't be dissuaded. Liu Wenyan and the others felt their strength was too lacking and didn't want to keep taking resources from Su Yu indefinitely. Thus, the Star Residence Mansion was their greatest opportunity to seize treasures. He wondered where they were right now, and whether they had headed toward the Star Residence Mansion yet. With these thoughts in mind, Su Yu attempted to send a transmission talisman. Transmissions over the Sea of Stars were difficult and frequently suffered interference. It might not go through, but Su Yu was in no rush. If all else failed, he could pose as a member of a minor race and take the special passage. He hadn't fully made up his mind whether to impersonate a human—Wu Lan or someone else—since humans drew an enormous amount of attention. For now, he'd send a message and see. Not long after sending it, Su Yu actually received a reply! *** At that moment, Liu Wenyan, who was not far away, was equally astonished. "You sneaked out again? Weren't you supposed to be grievously injured and on the brink of death? I was just heading to Xinghong Ancient City to check on you, so how did you get out?" Liu Wenyan was speechless! *Next time, I'm never going to check if you're dead!* Just like that day in Tianmie Ancient City: word had spread that Su Yu was besieged and about to die, so he had rushed over. Yet before he even arrived, Su Yu had walked out and come looking for him! Can you believe it? This time was no different! Su Yu was also surprised. Teacher Liu was nearby? The transmission really did get through! "Teacher, where are you? Are you alone?" "Yes!" Liu Wenyan replied quickly: "We traveled separately. Together, our group was too conspicuous, and many eyes are on me. I had them go ahead while I prepared to come check on you, knowing you wouldn't have any major problems." *Talk about trust in me!* After muttering internally, Su Yu quickly asked, "Teacher, where is everyone else? Let's not meet up—it's not good for either of us. Maybe we'll run into each other later in the Star Residence Mansion!" Liu Wenyan understood what he meant; this brat wanted to impersonate someone! Without pressing further, he swiftly relayed the locations of the people he knew and information regarding their Dao Protectors to Su Yu, then added: "No need to tell me too much. Furthermore, whoever you disguise yourself as, do not acknowledge us once inside! Avoid looking for trouble!" "Understood!" Su Yu didn't say more. Currently, he was the number one most wanted fugitive across the myriad worlds; caution was paramount. *** Two or three hours later. Near Xinghong Ancient City, Su Yu spotted Wu Lan. He clicked his tongue in emotional sigh—she had serious guts! Wu Lan, Wu Jia, and Wu Qi were all there. The crux was that their Dao Protector was merely a single Sun Moon Realm cultivator. This was practically begging for death! Wandering through the myriad worlds like this—weren't they afraid of dying? Well, thinking about it carefully... not really. Aside from Wu Qi, who had a bit of renown, the other two were virtually unknown. Having a Sun Moon expert protect them was already giving them plenty of face. Su Yu stroked his chin, hiding in the dark, sighing with emotion. *Am I... really going to impersonate Wu Lan?* *Sigh!* The key was that Wu Lan was surprisingly easy to impersonate. If he ran into acquaintances, all he had to do was point his nostrils to the sky and let out a haughty harrumph—completely in character! No one would suspect a thing! If Wu Lan actually conversed politely, that would raise eyebrows. Her persona... was simply tailor-made for an undercover role. No matter who she encountered, if she didn't feel like talking, a cold snort settled it! Su Yu sighed. *I... really didn't want to.* *The point is, isn't it too coincidental? You're right here, you're easy to impersonate, and after I impersonate you, nobody will know.* "You it is!" Su Yu muttered inwardly. *It has to be you!* *I'm saving your life!* *Someone who's barely fought in battles is nothing but a burden. You have the nerve to enter the Star Residence Mansion? Aren't you afraid of dragging your sister down to her death? Inhumane! I am here to save the Wu family!* Besides, this identity had another perk: he could mingle with Bai Feng and the others, and even lend a hand in secret. A moment later, Wu Lan looked around curiously, then promptly said to Wu Qi, "Sis, I need to take care of something..." "Hmm?" Wu Qi was surprised. What could you possibly need to take care of? "I'll be right back!" Wu Lan didn't explain. That guy Su Yu was contacting her—how was he here? Right, Xinghong Ancient City was here, so it was only natural for him to be around. Wu Qi hurried to say, "Don't run off! Didn't you say you wanted to visit Xinghong Ancient City?" "Yeah, I'll go in a bit! I'll be right back!" "You..." Wu Lan had already dashed off. Wu Qi cursed under her breath—completely disobedient! She quickly followed. This younger sister was hopeless! She shouldn't have let her come this time. Ahead, Wu Lan ran briskly. She wasn't an idiot; of course she wouldn't run around recklessly under normal circumstances. But wasn't Su Yu right nearby? Outsiders didn't know their transmission frequency. As for someone impersonating Su Yu to bait her, what would be the point? They might as well impersonate Su Yu to bait Wu Jia! She and Su Yu weren't even that close. Right, not that close at all. Outsiders wouldn't know she was somewhat familiar with him either. Even though she belonged to the Origin Spirit Research Institute, they were both researchers—no personal attachment! Her mind buzzing with wild thoughts, Wu Lan quickly disappeared from sight. Meanwhile, Su Yu waited in the distance. He hadn't chosen to let her come to Xinghong Ancient City; going to the ancient city at this juncture was ill-advised, as it easily drew prying eyes. There was no need. Right here would do! As for that Sun Moon expert tailing her, did a Sun Moon count as a powerhouse? At least, not unless they were at the higher stages! This Sun Moon was only at the first stage. Su Yu didn't know him well and had no idea where he hailed from. Could such a fellow possibly detect him, Su Yu?