Shock Everyone!

The dead spirit realm. Inside the ancient fortress. The fortress was ancient indeed. Xingyue had revived many years ago, and having done nothing productive since, had spent all her time building up her territory. The moment Su Yu stepped inside, he was somewhat startled. Truth be told, the castle had everything, and the craftsmanship was fairly delicate. Had Xingyue built all this herself? Tables, chairs, stools—it lacked for nothing. Aside from that, deathly gray flowers and herbs grew all around. They looked rather grim, but to harbor such aesthetic whims in a godforsaken place like this was likely one of a kind. Dead spirits were also present within the fortress. Were they female? A maidservant possessing a wisp of consciousness—if one could call her that—respectfully bowed upon seeing Xingyue and the others enter, though her demeanor was stiff. "Lord, would you like a meal?" Xingyue waved her hand, dismissing the servant. Behind them, Hetu was snickering uncontrollably. Xingyue grew annoyed, turning toward him with a chilling glare. Hetu continued to sputter with laughter. He simply could not hold it in. He had visited Xingyue's territory before, but never her fortress. This was his first time. Seeing that Xingyue was on the verge of exploding, he quickly laughed and said, "Don't misunderstand! I'm merely marveling at how Monarch Xingyue, even after turning into a dead spirit, still retains some humanity. Truly rare!" Having said that, he stopped teasing and adopted a serious tone. "Dead spirits are inherently heartless! Laughter or joy, in the end... it's all just a charade!" A charade! Indeed. Bereft of feeling, devoid of attachment. Whether laughing or weeping, their most direct, authentic emotions were actually only wrath and bloodlust. Xingyue had been dead for countless years and had revived long ago, yet she had recovered a shred of her humanity. Hetu found this somewhat surprising. He possessed a bit of humanity as well, but he differed from Xingyue: his physical body had transformed directly without traveling through the Heavenly River of Dead Spirits. Compared to ordinary dead spirits, he possessed something extra—such as a slightly higher intellect. Xingyue ignored him. Whether a charade or a dreamlike illusion, she simply refused to drift along in a daze like other dead spirits. Lately, her mind had grown increasingly clear. The memories in her head were steadily multiplying. Her wrath had diminished, and her humanity had increased. Xingyue felt there was no need to waste words on an arrogant blowhard like Hetu. Off to the side, Su Yu merely listened without saying much. He casually found a seat and sat down. Seeing Xingyue glance his way, he smiled. "Please take the high seat, My Lord. We're fine sitting anywhere!" Xingyue shot him a gloomy side-eye. "Su Yu, this is my territory!" "Understood!" Su Yu readily complied, rising to his feet and bowing. "My Lord, might you grant me a seat?" "..." Silence. Hetu was also speechless. That shameless look of yours looks an awful lot like... me? Fine, I still have a shred of decency. You truly have none at all! Xingyue was completely disarmed of her temper. She said coldly, "Be seated!" "Many thanks, My Lord!" Su Yu offered polite courtesies, cupping his hands and sweeping his robes gracefully before sitting down again. A teacup appeared in his hand. He lifted the lid with his right hand, skimmed the tea leaves lightly, and took a sip. Yes, he had brought tea. As a man of culture, stepping out without tea would not suit his temperament. He simply hadn't had the time to enjoy it earlier. Exhausted, Xingyue made her way to the center of the hall to her own seat. Hetu chuckled and sat opposite Su Yu. Daidai, meanwhile, stood stiffly like a block of wood. Taking another sip of tea, Su Yu said, "Now that we've arrived, I'm not in such a rush anymore. My return ahead of schedule is to let the myriad races know that I, Su Yu, am not someone they can kill whenever they please!" Hetu said gloomily, "The rafter that sticks out rots first! Su Yu, surely you don't think that Old Turtle and those fellows are truly invincible in this world? You don't honestly believe the myriad races can't deal with them? It's merely a question of the cost. If nothing else, should the Immortal race march out in full force right now, Old Turtle and the others would all perish. Do you believe that?" "I do!" Su Yu nodded and smiled. "I understand this principle. What you mean, My Lord, is that by sticking my neck out so aggressively, I might draw the attention of certain figures, perhaps even prompting ancient relics to emerge and kill me." "It's good that you understand!" Hetu smiled. "My advice is for you to keep a low profile and bide your time. Since you've returned early, continue pretending you never left the city. Let the human race draw the flak, and deny that you ever went to the Star Residence Mansion! Everyone who knew has been killed by you, and the rest won't dare speak recklessly. Even if they talk... not necessarily anyone will believe them!" Indeed. Currently, either Su Yu had to stick his neck out to draw the fire, or the human race had to draw it instead. It was a matter of buying Su Yu enough time to develop. From the front, Xingyue added coldly, "Don't assume the dead spirit realm is your ultimate safe haven—it isn't that simple! If you truly die, you won't be yourself anymore. And if you aren't dead, do you think you can stay in the dead spirit realm forever?" Both were advising Su Yu not to thrust himself forward. Having returned, he ought to keep a low profile. He could pretend he had remained in the ancient city the entire time. If anyone claimed he had ventured out, he could deny it outright. Without evidence, there was no case. He, Su Yu, had simply stayed inside the city. Su Yu smiled and took another sip of tea. After pondering a moment, he asked, "Then do you think the human race can hold out, My Lord?" "They can!" Hetu said indifferently, "It amounts to nothing more than suffering some casualties and lying low for a few years. I don't think the great upheaval of this tide has arrived yet; there is still time! The human race has dozens of Invincibles. If ten or twenty die, the various races will feel humanity's rise has been sufficiently checked and will naturally give up on exterminating them entirely, avoiding a fight to the death." Su Yu drank his tea in silence. Hetu laughed. "Indeed, the living are the living; you cannot be like us. I am different from you. Reaching this point, even if the entire human race were wiped out before my eyes, the most I would do is sigh and reminisce that I was once human in life... But to speak of wrath, sorrow, or reluctance to let go... there is none of that left!" A touch of melancholy crept into his voice. There truly was none left. Earlier, when King Daqin had nearly been killed, he had merely felt it a pity. Beyond that, he had felt nothing. *I, too, was human!* *Yet that was the previous Hetu, not the me of today.* Su Yu smiled as well. "What you say is true, My Lord. Perhaps so! But as long as one lives, many things cannot be avoided. For instance, I was born in Nanyuan. I can say myself that Nanyuan is rubbish, that it's too small, too weak, too cowardly, too impoverished, too wretched... But if an outsider says so, I would feel you have no right!" Su Yu chuckled softly. "If someone bullies or slaughters the people of Nanyuan, I will teach them how to behave! People are double-standard hypocrites by nature. Certain things may seem inconsequential, but when the moment comes, you will still care a little." Exhaling softly, Su Yu continued, "This time, if I don't step forward, King Daqin and the others will bear the brunt of it, becoming targets for all races. Who told so many humans to survive? Surviving in great numbers is a sin. Strictly speaking, I brought this about myself by slaughtering so many foes. While washing my hands of it isn't impossible, should King Daqin and the others be slain, I would ultimately feel some guilt!" "You!" Hetu chuckled. "You care too much about such things. The ruler's path is devoid of sentiment!" "Is heartlessness truly the kingly path?" Su Yu laughed. "If heartlessness were the kingly path, countless kings would have emerged from the dead spirit realm by now!" "..." Hetu was left speechless. From the raised dais, Xingyue looked down at Su Yu and asked in a low voice, "So you are determined to act?" "Yes!" Su Yu nodded and smiled. "However, I do have a worry..." At this, Su Yu fell silent for a moment. "I worry that the guardians won't be willing to stand up for me! Up until now, our relationship has been one of shared interests. How much true sentiment can there be? To speak plainly, I hope the two of you can lend me a hand. If the guardians are willing to stand up for me, please do your best to take control of the neighboring dead spirit territories so you don't place excessive pressure on the ancient cities!" "However, if they are unwilling..." Su Yu paused, then said, "Then unite the might of several rulers to assault the ancient cities, creating pressure and forcing them to realize my importance!" Indeed. He had to elevate his own significance. The ancient cities could not do without Su Yu! And for this, he needed the cooperation of the dead spirit monarchs. Hetu looked at him and grinned. "Quite a scheme! It shouldn't be much of a problem. I'm familiar with nearly all the dead spirit monarchs in the surrounding areas. Ordering them to do other things might not work, but getting them to assault the dead spirit passages together to maintain a threat won't be difficult!" Su Yu nodded, then added, "Additionally, after thinking it over, it would be best if we don't drag the ancient cities into this. However, the ancient cities must possess absolute deterrence! Therefore... could I trouble the two of you over the next few days to hold a meeting or something?" "What?" Hetu was slightly taken aback. What did that mean? Su Yu smiled. "Isn't Manor Head Xia Chen here now? The two of you can play host and invite the surrounding monarchs to gather here! Eat, drink, and feast for several days..." Hetu laughed. "Impossible. Dead spirits don't care about food and drink!" Su Yu smiled. "If eating and drinking won't work, do something else. For instance, now that Manor Head Xia Chen has revived, he needs territory, doesn't he? Everyone can discuss how to carve out a piece of territory for Senior Xia Chen. Naturally, they likely won't agree, but you can hold a meeting to discuss it peacefully. After all, breaking out into direct conflict would be terribly hurtful, wouldn't it?" This time, Hetu understood. "You want to take over the role of city lord for each of the cities upon your return to help bear their death qi. Fearing that the presence of monarchs would make the death qi too dense, you want us to lure them away for a few days so that all thirty-six guardians can make a move at a critical moment?" "Exactly!" Su Yu nodded. He was just that bold! Either he wouldn't do it at all, or he would carry it through to the end! He wanted to liberate all thirty-six ancient cities! "Then what about ordinarily...?" "Ordinarily, it's fine. The guardians will remain in their positions, so the pressure I bear won't be too heavy. As long as they can act at the critical moment, that will suffice!" Even Hetu sucked in a cold breath. This fellow was unimaginably ambitious! He intended to release all thirty-six guardians! "Yet those fellows might not all be willing to fight for you!" Hetu warned, "You should know that among the thirty-six guardians, not all of them look favorably upon the human race!" "I know!" Su Yu nodded. "However, if I liberate them, they'll have to throw me a bone, won't they?" From above, Xingyue said coldly, "Since you're worried about excessive pressure, why not lure them out one by one and slaughter them all?" Su Yu smiled. "My Lord, having been a dead spirit for so many years, it seems you still don't understand the situation as well as I do! The rules... do not allow it! Barring any surprises, if I kill one, another will arrive shortly to take their place, perhaps even stronger. I believe Lord Hetu understands this. If not for that, do you think the thirty-six guardians wouldn't have been able to kill you all?" Xingyue was taken aback. Was that how it worked? Hetu was also speechless. He stared at Xingyue for a long time before saying, "There are few battles on your end, and you rarely venture out, so you probably don't know that the monarchs beneath many ancient cities have changed over the years. Some were slain, while others left on their own. Yet once one departs, another arrives shortly after; the cycle never breaks! As long as the passage remains, kill one, and another will come. Xingyue... you..." *How on earth have you survived until now?* Hetu was thoroughly amazed. Even Su Yu knew and could deduce this, yet Xingyue was utterly oblivious! Xingyue felt humiliated! Her eyes glared with fury! Soon, she gave a cold huff and ceased offering suggestions. *I refuse to pay any more heed to you two!* *Is having a brain so remarkable?* *Isn't one of you dead, while the other can only rely on underhanded schemes?* *Despicable, the both of you!* Su Yu smiled and continued, "So holding a meeting remains the best course. Lord Hetu should be able to help me accomplish this task. Ordinary monarchs likely wouldn't dare visit your territory, Lord Hetu, so coming to Lord Xingyue's side is best. I imagine the neighboring monarchs aren't quite as wary of Lord Xingyue." Chiefly because she was a shut-in! Having stayed secluded for so long, ordinary dead spirit monarchs didn't fear her. Sure enough, Xingyue nodded. "I can invite them over. But once they arrive... what then?" *Didn't I just say?* Nonsense, of course! Once a group of monarchs gathered, they could chat about whatever. Time meant nothing to dead spirits. Ten days, half a month, three to five months, or even three to five years—would these dead spirits care about such fleeting spans? It was hardly a big deal! Su Yu smiled. "If that doesn't work, there are plenty of excuses. For example, claim that death blood or a Life and Death Fruit was discovered somewhere and you need everyone's help. If that still fails, you can even reveal the teleportation channel to them, saying you've found a safe way to walk out into the living world. If they don't believe it, they can go inquire! And if even that falls flat, bring Tuofa and the others over to testify! Tuofa and his cohort had to follow the rules when entering the Star Residence Mansion through the dead spirit passage; they wanted to teleport inside too... If worse comes to worst, lead them there and tell everyone to stand guard for ten years, or simply say that once three hundred and sixty monarchs gather, they can teleport directly inside..." There were far too many excuses! Dead spirits were exceptionally easy to fool! At this moment, Xingyue maintained a frigid expression, but inwardly, she was deep in thought. *Are there really so many deceptive tricks?* *I'll remember this!* Hetu was also silently noting it down. *Truly, the dead cannot compare to the living; there are methods even I had never considered.* Truth be told, gathering three hundred and sixty monarchs to teleport into the Star Residence Mansion, fight their way out, and invade the realm of the living... That slogan sounded magnificent! Hetu felt he could borrow that idea! It was a tangible reality, neither a lie nor a scam; if the teleportation could genuinely be activated, it really could transport three hundred and sixty monarchs! Hetu soon laughed. "Fine. Since you've put it this way and prepared all the pretexts, I can help you! But you rascal, you probably have more than just this in mind. When the critical moment comes, you likely intend to open the passages and let us out to aid you, don't you?" Su Yu nodded. "Indeed. And we'll stick to the old routine—feigning ignorance! The two of you won't recognize me, and I won't recognize you. You two can lead the dead spirit monarchs out and slaughter indiscriminately. When the time comes for me to send everyone back... please do me a favor and keep the monarchs from scattering. If they run wild and can't be retrieved, I'll be in deep trouble!" Xingyue scoffed, sneering, "The living truly are shameless and hypocritical!" He truly used every trick in the book. Feigning ignorance had already been done once, yet he wanted to stage it all over again! Su Yu smiled. "My Lord, this is done solely to serve you better! Otherwise, should I truly perish, wouldn't you lose such an outstanding subordinate?" "Hmph!" Xingyue sneered. *Do you think I will ever believe you again?* *A subordinate?* *Do you even qualify as one?* Hetu paid no mind to the banter and laughed. "Alright. I have no other demands, just two points. First, when resurrection becomes possible, I want to be resurrected! Second, visit Old Turtle often when you have free time, lure him away, and let me come out openly to breathe some fresh air!" With Old Turtle watching, he couldn't step outside at all. It was utterly miserable! The crucial difference was that the other ancient cities had living beings. Whenever a Sun Moon or quasi-Invincible was killed, Xingyue and the others could venture out. Hongmeng Ancient City, however, didn't have a soul; Hetu hadn't set foot outside through that passage for countless years! He was going stark raving mad from confinement! "If all else fails, kill a few quasi-Invincibles in Hongmeng Ancient City... Coming out once lets me stay for three days at least. Catching a breath of air would be wonderful!" "That's not difficult!" Su Yu smiled. "If you wish to come out, My Lord, I can raise a few dozen quasi-Invincibles and slaughter one every three days, summoning you up across the void for a get-together!" "..." Xingyue suddenly looked toward Su Yu, her voice icy. "I want that too!" Indeed, that was a fine method. Su Yu smiled. "Please, Lord Xingyue, you had better use this method sparingly. Lord Hetu is an outsider; failing a task results in a light punishment under the rules, which he can endure, and I wouldn't care either. But if you fail tasks repeatedly, Lord Xingyue, and can no longer bear the rule penalties, perishing in the process, your humble subordinate would be heartbroken!" *Is that so?* Xingyue fell into contemplation. That did seem plausible! Beside them, Hetu wore a faint smile as he transmitted his voice to Su Yu: *To swindle even the dead, you truly display some of my former flair from back in the day!* *I wouldn't dare; you are the true master at this, My Lord!* The two exchanged a knowing smile. Su Yu stood up and said, "That covers the essentials. I shall return now and won't linger. I hope Lord Hetu will assist generously with the specific plans; Lord Xingyue might not have the time." Mainly, he feared she would ruin it! Su Yu did not voice this aloud, and Xingyue paid it no heed. Hetu, however, understood immediately. *Indeed, only intelligent people can converse properly. Aside from cold snorts, Xingyue knows nothing; there's no need to pay her any mind.* Su Yu rose to leave. Time was running short; by tomorrow, those people would likely be teleported back. He still needed to reserve some time to inherit the role of city lord for the other thirty-two cities. As for the current city lords, they all had to be contained. He would leave it to Xinghong and the other guardians to manage! At the very least, news of his current reappearance could not be leaked. *** At the exact moment Su Yu and the others were conferring, Liu Hong leaped down! He was jubilant, ecstatic! *I've finally made it down!* It was safe—no dead spirit monarchs, no living souls, perfectly comfortable. It was far better than expected, especially with Xingyue's departure, which made it all the sweeter! He flew downward along the passage, flying and flying... until he abruptly spun on his heel and bolted back toward the exit! *Holy shit!* *What the hell is that?* At the bottom of the passage, countless dead spirit heads had suddenly popped up! You've got to be kidding me—how could dead spirits beneath the Invincible realm execute missions on their own and stand guard at the entrance of a passage? *Did I see a ghost?!* Behind him, the quasi-Invincible dead spirit was instantly overjoyed. "Pursue! A living being has intruded! The Grand Commander has just taken office; let us capture a living soul to show him our capabilities!" Though the dead spirits behind him were somewhat dim-witted, it didn't matter. He didn't care. The Grand Commander had just assumed command, and the very first mission assigned to him was already bearing fruit! This made Xing Da immensely happy. He had once slashed at the Grand Commander in the past! Behind him, a quasi-Invincible and several hundred Sun Moon dead spirits rapidly gave chase up the passage! This passage would reach saturation if even a single Invincible entered, but for those beneath the Invincible realm, it posed no problem. A whole unit rushed swiftly toward Liu Hong! Capturing him or slaughtering him—either was fine! *** Ahead, Liu Hong's face turned purple! *How could this be?* *They're actually taking the initiative to attack!* *Damn it, aren't dead spirits supposed to lack intelligence?* *I'm finished!* He exerted every ounce of strength to fly upward, but in this godforsaken place, ascending met with immense suppressing force. Even with all his might, the pursuers behind gained ground rapidly, closing the distance! Gritting his teeth, Liu Hong whipped around. A token manifested in his grasp, and he bellowed, "Insolent! I am an emissary under the command of Lord King Wen! Across the realms of life and death, all who see this shall stand down!" The token radiated a dazzling gleam of light! The pursuing dead spirits abruptly froze. Those lacking consciousness instantly prostrated themselves, kneeling upon the ground. The conscious quasi-Invincible dead spirit struggled faintly, but a look of deference gradually filled his eyes. He lowered his head slightly; though he did not fall to his knees, his prior arrogance vanished. Liu Hong gasped violently for breath! Joy surged through his heart—it actually worked! He had nearly been doomed! It was far too perilous. Indeed, the dead spirit realm still fell under the jurisdiction of the ancient era, and the decree of King Wen was recognized even here! A stroke of immense fortune! "Thank goodness!" Liu Hong breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it wasn't a dead spirit monarch. Monarchs possessed higher intellect, and some might very well have been slain by King Wen in life; why would they care about a token? These quasi-Invincibles, on the other hand, weren't as shrewd and harbored far fewer thoughts. Liu Hong treaded cautiously toward the passage exit, bypassing the prostrate dead spirits. Once he skirted past them, the spirits behind remained completely motionless, filling him with wild delight! *Not bad!* *Scared the living daylights out of me!* Right at that moment, several more figures appeared ahead. Liu Hong repeated his trick, brandishing the token and shouting, "Insolent dead spirits! I am the emissary of King Wen! Across the realms of life and death, all who see this shall stand down!" Ahead, four silhouettes did not pause, continuing their forward march! Su Yu's cloak had shifted to white, interwoven with black, giving him an exceptionally eerie appearance. Liu Hong's expression warped drastically! Such terrifying death qi! Four of them? *Don't tell me these are dead spirit monarchs!* He had spoken with Xingyue before, but had never laid eyes on her. At this moment, he was thoroughly horrified. It was impossible for four monarchs to be here! Soon, the other three halted at the mouth of the passage. They did not step inside! This allowed Liu Hong to breathe a small sigh of relief. So the token was effective after all? The passage simply couldn't support multiple Invincibles stepping inside at once. Su Yu, meanwhile, gazed at the fellow before him with a peculiar expression, slowly stopping his advance with a mix of surprise and shock. The Command Token of King Wen! An emissary of King Wen? Liu Hong? What a joke—he was an emissary of King Wen? King Wen was a supreme powerhouse of the ancient era, whereas Liu Hong was merely in the Lingyun Realm! How could that be possible? Or was the token a fake, something he had picked up by chance? Yet those dead spirits had clearly been profoundly influenced. Even Su Yu felt a subtle tug; gazing upon that token, a voice seemed to reverberate in his mind: *"By King Wen's token, let all races yield!"* It was as if someone inside his head were urging him to retreat quickly! Otherwise, dire trouble would ensue! Liu Hong actually possessed such a treasure? Su Yu was thoroughly stunned. Was that token truly the Command Token of King Wen? Seeing the white-cloaked dead spirit halt, Liu Hong breathed another sigh of relief. *Scared the hell out of me!* *Damn, is this a quasi-Invincible dead spirit?* *Are the three behind him also quasi-Invincibles?* *They feel terrifyingly powerful!* Being merely in the Lingyun Realm, it was difficult for him to differentiate. In his eyes, both quasi-Invincibles and Invincibles were beings far beyond his ability to contend with. He tiptoed sideways, attempting to slip past Su Yu's flank to escape. He was terrified and wanted nothing more than to steer clear of this entity. Just as the thought crossed his mind, a hand gently rested upon his shoulder. "Aaaah!" Liu Hong shrieked, rapidly hoisting the token aloft. "By King Wen's token, the realms of life and death part ways! How dare you disobey?" His voice reached a shrill pitch! Su Yu used one hand to pick at his ear, while his other hand reached directly toward the token. The moment the token was grabbed, a beam of light erupted, as if outraged at the insubordinate and seeking to mete out punishment. Yet the instant the radiance manifested, Su Yu swallowed it whole in a single gulp. Concurrently, the Tombstone of Civilizations within his sea of consciousness trembled, scattering the radiance into oblivion. Su Yu caught the token firmly in his grip. Liu Hong was entirely dumbfounded, scared out of his wits! *I'm... finished!* *Felled before the campaign has even begun!* *Did the token lose its power?* Behind them, once the token fell into Su Yu's hands, Xing Da and the others recovered. Seeing Su Yu, Xing Da and the rest of the dead spirits dropped to their knees one after another. Xing Da bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Greetings, Grand Commander!" "Rise." Su Yu spoke indifferently, stowing the token away. Looking at Liu Hong, he smiled faintly. "Teacher Liu, your courage is commendable!" Liu Hong had just been trapped in boundless horror! Hearing these words, his terror multiplied a hundredfold! "Im... impossible!" *Holy shit!* *Su Yu?* *Impossible!* *This cannot be!* He was supposed to be inside the Star Residence Mansion—how could he be in the dead spirit realm? It was even more absurd that he was here, and completely impossible that he had become some 'Grand Commander'! The next instant, he heard an even more horrifying voice. Xingyue's voice! One he had heard before! From outside the passage, Xingyue said coldly, "Interesting. It truly does seem to be the Command Token of King Wen, though of a low grade..." With that, Xingyue asked, "Hetu, did you sense it just now?" Hetu! Terror struck! Liu Hong was frightened half to death. The infamous Hetu, whom the myriad races were clamoring to execute—he was here? Xingyue, Hetu, Su Yu... and another presence that felt exceedingly formidable. What... what on earth was going on? Hetu chuckled. "It does indeed seem to be the Command Token of King Wen. Fascinating. Is this person a descendant of King Wen? Or an inheritor from King Wen's ancient lineage? Ordinary people cannot wield the Command Token of King Wen. Interesting, very interesting! Su Yu, do you know this man?" Su Yu laughed. "I do. My dear teacher! He taught me quite a few things in the past—such as deception and swindling!" At this moment, Liu Hong was completely paralyzed by shock, scared out of his mind. *Fuck me!* *Where the hell have I ended up?* *Is this even the dead spirit realm?* *Surely not!* Not only was Su Yu here, but he was also gallivanting around with several dead spirit monarchs! He was insane! Suppressing his panic, Liu Hong asked, "Su Yu, are... are you dead?" "Even if Teacher Liu dies, I likely won't!" Su Yu smiled faintly, his grip firm on Liu Hong's shoulder as he sighed. "Teacher Liu, I truly admire you! Tell me, what did you come down to the dead spirit realm for? Where did this Command Token of King Wen come from? Furthermore, I said I would release you once I returned. Why were you in such a hurry to leave, Teacher? Were you failing to give me face, or were you dissatisfied with my hospitality?" Liu Hong was on the verge of tears. "You aren't dead?" If you aren't dead, what in the world is this? You've actually hooked up with dead spirit monarchs! This was simply terrifying! Did you return via the dead spirit realm? *Heavens above!* Liu Hong was thoroughly dazed. Su Yu was running rampant through the dead spirit realm, likely having crossed over from the Star Residence Mansion—word had it there was a passage over there as well. In that case... this fellow was utterly monstrous! How had he pulled it off? With a blank face and eyes brimming with despair and helplessness, Liu Hong thought: *I've... I've spent my entire life tripping over this brat. How utterly wretched!* Filled with boundless despair, Liu Hong said pitifully, "I didn't mean anything by it. I just came down to look around, to see what the dead spirit realm looks like..." Su Yu said with a mild smile, "You wanted to look? That's simple enough! As it happens, Lord Xingyue and the others will be hosting a banquet for the neighboring monarchs soon. With Teacher Liu arriving right on cue, we can invite dozens of monarchs from the surroundings. Living beings are rarely seen in the dead spirit realm. Lord Xingyue, let us treat Teacher Liu as the main course! Each dead spirit monarch can sample a bite. Eating living flesh in the dead spirit realm is hard to come by; let's give everyone a taste of meat!" Su Yu added indifferently, "This man belongs to King Wen's faction. Eating him will be exceptionally satisfying!" "..." Liu Hong said in sheer panic, "Don't, please don't, Su Yu! There's no grudge between us! Back when you were weak, I even helped you! Look, you've been gone for so long, and I kept up the disguise for you. Even now, no one is sure whether you left or not. I only departed on the very last day! Su Yu, I took on immense risks; otherwise, I would have fled long ago, and you wouldn't have run into me... isn't that right?" Su Yu gave him a deep, penetrating look. "Very well. The living ought to visit the dead spirit realm less often. Teacher, come back with me! Stay in the city lord's manor for a few days first. Lord Xingyue, post guards at the passage. If he tries to come down again, kill him!" Xingyue said coldly, "I shall guard it personally!" "Then I shall trouble you, My Lord!" Without further ado, Su Yu grabbed Liu Hong and strode toward the distance. Ahead, Xing Da and the other dead spirits stepped aside respectfully, brimming with veneration! This was the Grand Commander of their Xingyue Kingdom! A grand figure! Formidably strong! Fighting eight quasi-Invincibles at once was child's play to him! Liu Hong, on the other hand, was steeped in despair and dejection. *I... am truly cursed with bad luck!* *Why did I have to run into Su Yu of all people!* Encountering other monarchs, he could have bluffed his way through, parading the Command Token of King Wen as a sacred talisman. But against Su Yu, nothing worked. Su Yu was sharper than he was! Whatever he said, Su Yu wouldn't believe a word of it. The crucial issue was his Command Token of King Wen! He wanted to weep! Liu Hong kept darting his eyes toward Su Yu's robes. *Can I still get my Command Token of King Wen back?* *I am so miserable!* As Su Yu walked, the death qi cloaking him gradually dissipated. Step by step, the snow-white-robed Su Yu returned, carrying an air far more ethereal than before. A moment later, Su Yu stepped out of the passage, a faint smile playing on his lips. A figure appeared before him in an instant. Xinghong looked at Su Yu and murmured in wonder, "You... truly are capable of anything!" He could even return from there? And so smoothly! Did that mean Xingyue had been brought to heel by him? Impressive indeed! Su Yu smiled. "You overpraise me, My Lord! It was a trivial matter!" *A trivial matter?* Xinghong was at a loss for words. Could this still be considered a trivial matter? "You've grown much stronger again!" Xinghong studied him once more, sighing with emotion. "Looking at you makes me feel that we've lived all these years in vain!" With that, he glanced at Liu Hong and remarked casually, "I told you the death qi below was surging, yet you refused to believe it!" Liu Hong had no tears left to cry! *I believe it now—is it too late?* Su Yu tossed Liu Hong aside casually and smiled. "My Lord, this is a prominent figure. He might very well be a descendant of King Wen!" "Impossible." Xinghong shook his head. "King Wen had no descendants! There seemed to be an inheritance, but it appears to have been severed. He cannot be a descendant." Liu Hong hurriedly chimed in, "I'm not, I'm not! I was just lucky and picked up a token. Su Yu, you can have it, I..." Su Yu couldn't be bothered to hear more. With a wave of his hand, Liu Hong was instantly sealed! "Teacher, think things over carefully here. Once I'm done with my business, I hope you can share some heartfelt words with your student! As for lying... Teacher, if you think you can pull the wool over my eyes, feel free to try!" Su Yu added indifferently, "I'll give you time to concoct your falsehoods, but be sure they sound convincing! Don't leave glaring loopholes, or else I suspect you'll end up as the centerpiece at the monarchs' banquet!" "A monarchs' banquet?" Xinghong didn't pay attention to anything else, looking at Su Yu with a puzzled expression. What monarchs' banquet? Su Yu smiled. "I had Xingyue host a banquet for the monarchs of the neighboring dozens of dead spirit kingdoms in her fortress below. What do you think, My Lord?" Xinghong's face drained of color in an instant! He stared at Su Yu for a long while before gritting his teeth. "Take it to Tianmie City!" *Don't bring that here!* *Holy shit!* *Are you trying to take my old life?* *What kind of joke is this!* *Go to Tianmie's place and torment him—don't torment me here!* Tianmie possessed boundless vitality and had the time to clash with those dead spirits, but he certainly did not. Su Yu grinned. "Rest assured, My Lord, it's fine. I've already arranged everything; it's merely a gathering, and they won't assault the passage. Don't worry! The dead spirits below are all on my side! I made quite a few good friends during this trip down. Oh, by the way, Hetu is there as well—we're all friends..." Xinghong gave Su Yu a long, searching look. Was this a form of deterrence? Perhaps a little! Su Yu... had truly established himself now! In the past, between Su Yu and the ancient cities, Su Yu had been completely passive. If the guardians wished to help, they helped; if they didn't, Su Yu had no recourse! If the guardians wished to channel death qi to him, they did so, and Su Yu could not refuse! In short, during his dealings with the guardians of the ancient cities, Su Yu had always occupied an entirely passive position. Now... he had actually invited dozens of dead spirit monarchs! As Xinghong turned these thoughts over in his mind, Su Yu bowed slightly and said, "I've caused you much trouble, My Lord. During this past period, I have burdened all of you greatly! Now, I finally possess a measure of strength, and I will do my utmost to relieve the burden on all the lords!" Su Yu said in a solemn voice, "The guardians' duty is to suppress the dead spirit passages. I guarantee that as long as I am here, all dead spirit passages shall remain as stable as Mount Tai! Unless I die!" In other words, if he died, the passages might not remain stable! Xinghong watched him for a time. The cautious, hesitant Su Yu of the past finally possessed the capital to discuss such matters before him. Xinghong felt somewhat in a trance; it seemed not that much time had elapsed. Soon, Xinghong smiled faintly. "We guardians care only for the rules! Within the rules, everything is negotiable! Outside the rules... it depends on the circumstances. As long as dead spirits do not spill over and death qi does not leak, none of it concerns the guardians. Even if the heavens were destroyed, it would have nothing to do with us!" "Many thanks for your accommodation, My Lord!" Su Yu cupped his hands and bowed slightly to convey his gratitude. Xinghong smiled. "No matter. We guardians have grown too bored. In truth, a little change is welcome! If someone could truly shatter the rules... we ask for nothing else, only to be relieved of our duties..." Xinghong let out a self-deprecating laugh. "No one wants to remain a statue of stone for a hundred thousand years! If not driven by sheer necessity, who would willingly serve as a guardian?" Shatter the rules? If you truly possess that capability, go ahead and shatter them; it would grant us a glimmer of hope! It had been far too long! A hundred thousand years! Xinghong felt it was already an achievement that their cohort hadn't gone completely mad! Seeing that Su Yu's strength had grown and that he had gathered the other monarchs, Xinghong, being a wise man, chuckled softly. "Go to Tianmie's place first. As for the other guardians... I can help you reach out to them. How many do you plan to take over?" "All of them!" Xinghong shook with shock. "Are you certain?" "Certain!" Su Yu said calmly, "Currently, my strength is a hundred times greater than before I entered!" His raw power naturally hadn't multiplied a hundredfold! However, pitting his current self against his former self, beating a hundred of him would be an understatement. A hundredfold was no exaggeration! Xinghong inhaled a light breath. "The death of Xuehuo—was it related to you?" "Yes, I killed him!" Su Yu smiled. "Not just Xuehuo. Among the Invincibles who entered this time, apart from those of the human race and a few who aided humanity, I slaughtered every single one of them. Not one was spared!" Behind him, Liu Hong, who remained immobilized, felt his heart pounding furiously! *Sweet mother of mercy!* *You are an absolute monster of unprecedented calamity!* *I was wondering why so many people died this time around, with Invincibles perishing one after another—it turns out you were behind it all! Far too ruthless!* Even Xinghong was stunned, unable to keep from remarking, "Your methods... are far too ruthless!" A colossal butcher! *Even the number of Invincibles I've killed in my lifetime might not equal yours.* Su Yu smiled. "My Lord, I didn't want to either, but those fellows clamored to kill me on sight! I didn't provoke anyone, yet the myriad races of the heavens all wanted my life!" Su Yu gritted his teeth and said, "I wasn't the one looking for trouble. If you try to kill me, I will surely kill you! If they show me no goodwill, I will repay them a hundredfold!" Xinghong exhaled. "You returned early, yet you still plan on killing?" "It depends on the situation. If everyone lives in harmony, I'd love nothing more than some peace and quiet. But if people still shout for my death, I hope to kill even more this time to deter the myriad races! I hope you can aid me, My Lord!" Xinghong hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "You had best consult the boss first! If he agrees, there won't be much of an issue! If he disagrees... even Tianmie wouldn't dare defy his orders and act recklessly!" Su Yu nodded. Indeed, he had to coordinate properly with Old Turtle! Su Yu believed it wouldn't be much of a problem—provided he didn't bring catastrophic trouble to the ancient cities, such as an existential crisis! "My Lord, I shall head out for a moment..." After a brief thought, Su Yu added, "It would be best for me to leave disguised as you, My Lord. Could you... restrain your aura a bit?" "You..." Xinghong was utterly resigned. He even dared to impersonate him, and actually possessed the means to do so! This fellow had spent a mere month in the Star Residence Mansion, yet earth-shaking changes had taken place! A complete freak! "Fine! Let's see if you can fool Tianmie and the others!" "It shouldn't be a problem..." Su Yu chuckled. Having emerged this time, he was indeed far more confident! *** Shortly after, above Xinghong Ancient City, a stone statue soared out, once again attracting the gaze of countless onlookers. On the Immortal race's side, someone sneered, "I wager Su Yu is nine times out of ten still inside the Star Residence Mansion. These guardians seem anxious, trying to find ways to coordinate and rescue him!" Otherwise, why would Xinghong keep flying around everywhere? As for how he could fly around... perhaps they possessed methods unknown to the outside world. At this moment, these people were convinced that Su Yu was definitely still inside the mansion. This time, Su Yu was as good as dead! Some ground their teeth in hatred. *With so many people dead this time, could that butcher Su Yu be responsible?* *If so, he must die!* *** Meanwhile, in Tianmie Ancient City, Tianmie was somewhat surprised. *Here again?* *What is Xinghong up to!* *He just left—why has he returned already!* "Xinghong, why have you come back again? Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?" Tianmie cursed and swore. *Are you doing this on purpose?* *Do you think you're impressive just because I can't leave?* *Believe it or not, I'll bash you to death with my staff!* *Bastard!* He hurled several curses. The next moment, as Su Yu drew close, Tianmie froze. Suddenly, a savage glint flashed across his eyes, sending a chill through Su Yu's spine. Su Yu hurriedly transmitted his voice: "My Lord, it's me!" "Holy shit!" Tianmie was dumbfounded. *Su Yu!* *You?* *Am I... hallucinating?* Tianmie was utterly bewildered. How had Su Yu come out! *Heavens above, where on earth did he emerge from?* At that moment, Tianmie began to question his entire existence!