Su Yu Consecrated as a Sage!

After sharing a meal of loving homemade braised pork with Su Long, Su Yu found himself with nothing to do and planned to head over to the Cultural Research Academy in the afternoon to visit Zhao Li. Just then, someone knocked on the front gate of the new Su Manor. …… The gates swung open automatically under Su Yu's control. There were not many visitors—only two. Marquis Xia and Xia Huyou. King Daxia hadn't come! He had been too embarrassed to show his face. If that insolent brat Su Yu brought up their little exchange in front of his son and great-grandson, how could the old king ever live it down? As for Marquis Xia, he arrived sporting a beaming smile. Su Yu, however, had not forgotten the miserable wailing he had heard earlier. The man had taken a beating from his old man and probably still had no idea why he had been thrashed. Getting beaten black and blue at his advanced age would be humiliating if word got out. "Su Yu!" The moment they met, Marquis Xia was overflowing with warmth. "I owe my life to you after what happened last time! Su Yu, I really must thank you properly for saving me. Now that you're back in the Great Xia Prefecture, don't hesitate to ask for anything you need!" Su Yu didn't bother being polite. He chuckled and said, "I don't need much. When are you handing over the Sea of Consciousness Secret Realm? Did King Daxia mention it to you?" "……" How awkward! Marquis Xia recovered quickly and smiled. "No rush on that. Since you're back this time, there are still a few matters to handle!" "Celebrating my father's birthday?" "Not just that..." Marquis Xia took a deep breath. "This time, King Daqin's intent is to assemble representatives from all thirty-six prefectures here in the Great Xia Prefecture. There are two purposes: first, to celebrate Su Long's birthday; second, to convene a grand assembly of the Human Realm's prefectures to establish a new Sacred Ground!" "The Invincibles aren't coming?" Su Yu asked, somewhat surprised. Marquis Xia nodded. "The Invincibles won't attend—well, not that none will come. A few will be present to oversee things, but they cannot all return. After all, things still need attending to on the All-Heavens Battlefield!" "Then why not hold the conference on the All-Heavens Battlefield?" Marquis Xia explained again, "For one, it's inconvenient for all the Invincibles to take part. If they participate and a disagreement breaks out, they would tear down all pretenses, and whatever they decide would be final. Holding it with the decision-makers of the thirty-six prefectures allows for a buffer period. "Second, whether the Sacred Ground is established or not, it primarily concerns the home front. At the frontline, the Invincibles don't micromanage internal affairs. "So King Daqin and the others want the manor lords and acting manor lords in the rear to make the decision first. If things go smoothly, there won't be any need for an Invincible assembly; the new Sacred Ground can be established directly!" Su Yu smiled. "It doesn't seem that meaningful." "No, it's tremendously meaningful!" Marquis Xia said sternly. "Perhaps in your eyes it doesn't mean much, but to the human race and the Human Realm, it holds immense significance! This is an effort by humanity to seek change in a moment of crisis. Remaining static is nothing short of complacency! Everyone can see the crisis now; anyone with eyes knows that disaster is looming. That is why everyone seeks change. Their desired directions might not completely align, but they are still pushing for reform!" It was rare to see Marquis Xia so solemn. Su Yu smiled and remarked, "So the Marquis means that everyone wants change and self-preservation, but the point of contention is who gets to call the shots?" "Exactly!" Amused, Su Yu said, "I really don't get it. Why can't King Daqin just take charge? Why insist on causing division?" Marquis Xia pondered for a moment and explained, "How should I put it... It's not that he can't. However, while King Daqin is exceptionally valiant in external warfare, when it comes to internal governance... he has a flaw. He tends to be somewhat indecisive. To be frank, there isn't a soul who doesn't admire him! But if you ask him to take full command of the entire Human Realm... finding people to do the legwork isn't an issue, but when it comes to certain critical decisions, King Daqin might hesitate. "Because all the current Invincibles are his close friends and comrades-in-arms!" Offering his own assessment, Marquis Xia continued, "All in all, King Daqin makes a phenomenal grand marshal of all the armies under heaven! But for internal affairs, he lacks a certain edge..." Su Yu sneered. "If everyone simply obeyed, he wouldn't lack a thing!" "That's easy to say, but no one is flawless. Who could possibly keep everyone that obedient?" Marquis Xia chuckled. "So regarding this new Sacred Ground, King Daqin's intent is quite clear. He doesn't have the time or energy to meddle with such matters anymore, nor does he want to. Therefore... he wants to pass the mantle to the next person!" Su Yu shook his head. "I can't do it. Besides, I'm not familiar with everyone." "It's better that you aren't!" Marquis Xia laughed. "You don't need to be familiar with them; they just need to be familiar with you!" "I have no interest in doing this either." Su Yu still refused. Marquis Xia sighed. "I know your mindset, but... don't you genuinely want to know what the Human Realm's situation truly is? Who favors war? Who favors peace? Who wants to surrender? Who wants to compromise? At the very least, you ought to have an idea in your heart!" He added, "Remember the vote regarding Feng Qi last time? That vote was anonymous, but this time... it will be public!" Exhaling softly, Marquis Xia said, "Anonymity allows room for maneuvering, but a public vote forces the entire world and everyone involved to see which side each person stands on! Even if a small handful change their tunes later, you'll at least have a clear grasp of the Human Realm's general landscape!" Su Yu looked thoughtful. Marquis Xia continued, "There is another point: moral authority!" "Hmm?" Su Yu looked at him. Marquis Xia smiled slyly. "Let me put it bluntly. For example, suppose right now you want to kill Huyou..." To the side, Xia Huyou's face turned purple. "Go ahead, do you dare? If you kill him, my Great Xia Prefecture will never let you off, and the Human Realm will never let you off! You'll end up just like Wan Tiansheng, branded a demon!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "However, if you are the Lord of the Sacred Ground, you can simply claim that Xia Huyou violated some decree and execute him! Once he's dead, he's dead. If the Xia family refuses to accept it, the Xia family becomes rebels! Whichever family objects is a family of rebels!" With deep meaning, Marquis Xia said, "Strength is vital, but moral authority is just as crucial! You must stand on the highest moral ground to judge others, rather than being judged by them! Take a simple example: over fifty years ago, when Ye Batian fell in battle, the Multiple Resonances faction became the target of public condemnation. But if there had been a Lord of the Sacred Ground back then, he wouldn't have needed to do much—just issue a single statement: 'The myriad races killed Ye Batian because they fear Multiple Resonances; from this day forth, humanity shall vigorously develop the Multiple Resonances faction.' With just that single sentence, Multiple Resonances would have remained the Human Realm's orthodoxy!" He looked at Su Yu and smiled. "Wan Tiansheng killed so many people. Right now, if the Sacred Ground Lord issues a written edict or a verbal command, Wan Tiansheng becomes a grand general enforcing the law, not a murderous monster! That is moral authority! Previously, when you clashed with King Dayuan, could you execute him on the spot? You are Su Yu, so you couldn't! But if you were the Lord of the Sacred Ground, you could shout an order for King Daqin, King Daxia, and King Dazhou to join hands, capture him, and execute him! That is moral authority!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "Su Yu, you still don't understand the importance of a Sacred Ground! You think, what does a Sacred Ground matter? I have strength, so I can do whatever I please! But even if you have strength, do the Immortals lack it? Do the Gods? Do the Demons? If a clash breaks out with the human race... at worst, both sides fight to mutual destruction! What would you gain? Being the Lord of the Sacred Ground is different. Absolute strength isn't even the point; what matters is orthodoxy! If I say you are a rebel, the entire world will consider you a rebel. That is orthodoxy!" "……" Su Yu stared blankly at him. After a long pause, he rubbed his chin and said, "Marquis, with your silver tongue... it's truly a waste that you aren't the Sacred Lord!" Marquis Xia chuckled heartily. "Listen to you! I'd need the strength for that! If I had your strength and talent, I would have had my father push me onto the throne long ago! This sort of position still requires strength and talent; otherwise, who would know what kind of nobody you are? If an ordinary person took it, outsiders wouldn't submit! But if you take it, they have no choice but to accept it. You, Su Yu, possess strength, talent, backers, background, and your own faction... that is your foundation!" Su Yu knitted his brows. Marquis Xia added, "If you still don't get it, let me hit you where it hurts! If you don't secure the mantle of orthodoxy now, what happens when some ancient fossils from the human race emerge one day wanting to execute you? Humanity will definitely listen to those old fossils! But... if you establish yourself as orthodoxy right now, even if human ancient fossils show up, they will still have to obediently serve you! If they refuse, they are anti-human, traitors to the human race!" "Ancient human fossils?" Su Yu asked, surprised. "You know about them?" Marquis Xia smiled. "I know a little bit! Setting aside whether any still exist, what if there are? What if an old senior of someone you killed emerges? Could you be targeted? It's entirely possible! But if you are the Human Lord... no matter which era they hail from, even if you met the ancient Human Sovereign himself, you would be the incumbent Human Lord, an equal! If an elder of your enemy shows up and you don't hold the status of Human Lord... will humanity listen to you? They will definitely listen to him! Conversely, if you are the Human Lord and give the command... that this person deserves to die as a traitor, then he will be executed!" "……" Su Yu couldn't help laughing. "Doesn't that sound like a tyrant? A villain!" Marquis Xia smiled. "History is written by the victors. The winner takes all; who cares about heroes and villains? As long as you lead the human race to victory over the myriad races, future generations can judge your merits and faults when the histories are compiled. At the very least, in the present era, you will always be right!" At this moment, Su Yu fell into deep thought. Marquis Xia's persuasive skills... truthfully speaking, Su Yu was sorely tempted. Previously, he hadn't cared in the slightest! Now, he genuinely felt swayed. Every word struck straight to his heart! Indeed, if he killed a human right now... it might incur hostility from countless humans! He, Su Yu, and the Su family might even be branded traitors to humanity. While Su Yu didn't care personally, no matter how thick-skinned he was... it would still feel stifling and frustrating. Just like Wan Tiansheng! On the day Wan Tiansheng departed the Human Realm, Su Yu had felt incredibly stifled and furious! He refused to accept it! That was why he had told Wu Ji in the All-Heavens Prefecture that if he had the strength, he would beat everyone into submission; if he called Wan Tiansheng a hero, then a hero he would be! Yet now, Marquis Xia was telling him that doing so was far too troublesome! If you were the Sacred Lord, with a single word that day, Wan Tiansheng would have been a hero, a law-enforcing general. Relying on force? Beating people into submission only subdues their bodies, not their hearts. However, if you were the Sacred Lord, even if their hearts rebelled, they would have to swallow their grievances until they choked! If they dared utter a single word of dissent, they would be the villains! It would destroy them physically and crush their spirits! Su Yu's eyes flickered slightly. "The Marquis understands this, so everyone else must understand it as well. Being this Sacred Lord won't be an easy task!" "Nonsense, if it were easy, I'd want the job myself!" Marquis Xia laughed. "Precisely because it's difficult and comes with immense pressure, they want to push someone capable like you into the seat! It might not seem fully functional right now, but you must seize the mantle of moral authority and orthodoxy first. In reality, all you need is the title! Who cares whether the thirty-six prefectures contribute money or manpower? Who cares whether the Invincibles listen to you? Pay no mind to that for now! When the need arises, this title will become your dragon-slaying blade! "Right now, if you lead the ancient city stone sculptors to kill a human Invincible, King Daqin will go mad! "That would be branded as colluding with alien races to slaughter humans! "Once you become the Sacred Lord, if you lead the sculptors to slay a human Invincible, it will be celebrated as the wise Human King commanding clouds of formidable generals. They will have no choice but to accept it! Even if King Daqin is displeased, he will have to choke it down! Because you are the orthodoxy! "By then, the sculptors will be forces under your command. Whether they are alien races or not, nobody will care!" "……" Hearing this, Su Yu drew another sharp breath and looked at Marquis Xia again. Damn! The Marquis's words were genuinely swaying him! That was so true! It actually made an immense amount of sense! Marquis Xia chuckled. "Well? Do you think what I said makes sense?" Su Yu pondered for a moment and nodded. It truly made a lot of sense. Previously, all this talk about a Sacred Ground or Sacred Lord... Su Yu had felt it was ridiculous, total bullshit. Did he really need to be some Sacred Lord? What a joke! With zero actual authority and possibly a massive burden, why would he want such a nuisance? It would just bring heaps of messy, frustrating trouble! Yet now, Marquis Xia was telling him not to bother managing anything, asking questions, or giving orders. When critical moments arrived, all he needed was the title—that alone would be enough, granting him ample justification to eliminate anyone! Right now, did he dare execute a human Invincible? Even if he could, once he did, would he truly fight a bloody war against the entire human race to the bitter end? Once he became the Human Lord... that problem vanished! Even if everyone resented it inwardly, they would first have to strip away his orthodox title before daring to deal with him! Nor could they sanction him under any other pretext! "Marquis, when it comes to having a silver tongue, nobody beats you!" Su Yu gave a thumbs-up. "Impressive! A true master! To tell you the truth, when Xia Huyou brought this up earlier, I thought that fatty was out of his mind. Why would I seek trouble by becoming Sacred Lord? But hearing you explain it, damn, this Sacred Lord title alone is worth thousands in gold!" To the side, Xia Huyou felt utterly defeated. Was that so? Was he really that much worse than his second grand-uncle? Marquis Xia chuckled. "I've been in business for many years, after all. I'm not conning you; I'm genuinely looking out for your best interests! Furthermore, several human lineages claim ancient bloodlines... That's simple enough to handle. Those people are arrogant and condescending—how laughable! Who are you? You are King Wen's direct legacy disciple!" Marquis Xia laughed. "Some folks are ignorant, so let's educate them on what it means to be King Wen's direct heir! The Human Sovereign left behind no bloodline or inheritance, making King Wen the paramount figure under heaven. His direct legacy is the most supreme lineage of all! Regardless of whether it's the same bloodline, you hold legitimate succession! Can any other Human King's bloodline compare to the nobility of King Wen's inheritance?" Smiling slyly, Marquis Xia said, "This is called orderly succession! In terms of status, standing, strength, background, faction, and legacy, you are unmatched in nobility. If you don't become the Human Lord, who else could? Who else has the qualifications? Setting everything else aside, let's first solidify your status as King Wen's direct disciple! That way, even if you don't end up as Human Lord, who in the future would dare label the Multiple Resonances faction as traitors to humanity? An inheritance from King Wen—how could that be treason? "You might not care about certain things, but your kin and mentors still do! Tell me, does Liu Wenyan care? Does Hong Tan care? Of course they do! "When the time is ripe, can Wan Tiansheng return to the human race? Yes, he can!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "It all depends on how we play our cards! As for the hostility from the Invincibles, that's their problem. At the very least, Wan Tiansheng's reputation as a human demon can be gradually cleared! "Now then, do you think establishing a Sacred Ground is necessary?" Su Yu said solemnly, "Yes!" "Is it necessary for you to be the Sacred Lord?" Su Yu thought it over and nodded. "Even if it's just a titular role, I must shape myself into the embodiment of righteousness and orthodoxy at all costs. Anyone who opposes me will be the villain!" "Now you're talking!" Marquis Xia laughed heartily. "I knew it! Huyou came back earlier saying Su Yu wasn't interested. I told him, if he isn't interested, isn't he a fool? It offers only benefits with zero downsides—why wouldn't he agree? Worried about the burden and pressure? What a joke! There's neither burden nor pressure! If the human race truly faces a crisis, I won't even mention the fact that you'd help even without being Human Lord; but even if you are Human Lord and choose not to save them, you'd have an excuse. It's called a 'strategic retreat to preserve active forces'!" With a broad grin, he added, "So tell me, where is the pressure? Where is the burden? If you want to be even more shameless, you can shift the blame onto anyone at critical moments. For instance, say that King Dayuan refused to heed the call, leading to the collapse of the entire army! Otherwise, victory would have been secured long ago. It's just a matter of a single statement from you! Whether people believe it is their business; whether you say it is yours!" Su Yu gave another thumbs-up, glancing toward Xia Huyou. "Huyou, your second grand-uncle has the greatest mouth under heaven! He can argue the dead back to life. I concede defeat completely. Today has truly opened my eyes!" There was no mockery in his voice; he was dead serious! Truly brilliant! Under Marquis Xia's breakdown, it really was nothing but benefits without a single drawback, leaving no room for rebuttal! Xia Huyou looked resigned, but soon nodded. "True. It seems I'm still too green; the older ginger is indeed spicier!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "Let's skip the useless flattery. I'm asking you now: will we hold the assembly?" "We will!" Su Yu nodded. "If they don't establish the Sacred Ground and grant me this title, they'd be letting me down! Look at how much I, Su Yu, have sacrificed going through fire and water for humanity!" As he spoke, he looked at Marquis Xia and cleared his throat. "Marquis, the human race still isn't fully aware of my monumental achievements! I think... for example, the events at the Star Residence Mansion need some publicity! The Immortals never abandoned their ambition to annihilate humanity and were preparing to lead an assault on our race, which was why I spearheaded the offensive against them, shattering their conspiracy! "I killed Blood Fire, who was even stronger than King Daxia..." "*Cough, cough, cough!*" Su Yu coughed dryly as well, quickly amending, "I killed Blood Fire, who was even stronger than King Dayuan, as well as King Zhi! Everything I did was for the human race! Including Manor Lord Xia's dao attainment last time, I contributed immensely from the shadows, pinning down over a dozen Invincibles... Furthermore, the Hunting Heaven Pavilion harbored relentless malice toward me, yet I turned the tide and slew multiple Invincibles of their pavilion..." Su Yu listed them off one by one, quickly concluding, "So, I think we must make sure everyone knows about this! The entire Human Realm must know... The Great Xia Prefecture should put in some effort here. As for me, I will contact Manor Lord Zhu. Storytellers from the Great Ming Prefecture can be found everywhere under heaven. I'll have them spread my magnificent feats far and wide within three days! "Oh, right, we must also name names! Clearly highlight who was saved by me in the Star Residence Mansion this time! They are all elites of the major prefectures—descendants and disciples of Invincibles... Every single one must be stated plain and clear!" Su Yu chuckled. "I'd like to see if those Invincible-led prefectures have the face to refute me! "In addition... emphasize the tremendous price I paid by turning into a half-dead spirit. Make sure they know I endure agonizing pain day and night, as if being sliced by a thousand blades! Corroded by death qi, trapped in a state worse than death. Though I look cheerful on the outside, I spend sleepless nights in unbearable torment!" Su Yu let out a sigh. "And lastly, mention that I'm only twenty years old! From the very beginning, I led a tragic, miserable life, wandering to the ends of the earth, yet never forgetting to deduce cultivation arts to meet the cultivation needs of all mankind!" To the side, Xia Huyou's jaw dropped! Were you really living in unbearable torment? I don't believe a word of it! Marquis Xia, on the other hand, stroked his chin and nodded thoughtfully. "Actually, we were already planning to build momentum for you, but... it was lacking a bit of heat! The major battles you took part in were far too high-level; the common folk don't really understand them..." Su Yu smiled. "Simple. Everyone knows about the All-Races Sect, and I was the one who wiped them out! I infiltrated the All-Races Sect all alone and slaughtered every single Sun Moon cultivator among them! I did it under the identity of Xuan Jiu. This achievement can be heavily publicized! After all, it's the absolute truth!" Marquis Xia rubbed his chin, nodding. "Makes sense... How about this: there are still remnants of the All-Races Sect scattered about. We will round them up and execute them in public on a live broadcast for everyone to see. Before dying, we'll have those All-Races Sect scoundrels scream curses like, 'Su Yu, you dog, we won't let you off even in death! You wiped out our All-Races Sect!' and so on... That will be much more visceral than empty claims!" "Will they say that?" Xia Huyou asked, confused. Both Marquis Xia and Su Yu looked at him strangely. "They're so weak and we're so strong—can't we just mind-control them?" "……" Xia Huyou felt utterly helpless. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was completely out of place with these two! Then again, it was true. The remaining members of the All-Races Sect were ridiculously weak. Would mind-controlling them be hard? Child's play! Sure enough, Su Yu was fundamentally devious. Now, he and his second grand-uncle had hit it off like two schemers in a pod! Xia Huyou sneered inwardly. *Last time I asked if you wanted to be Lord of the Sacred Ground, you acted like you'd rather die than take it. Now... heh, smells pretty sweet, doesn't it?* Ignoring him completely, Marquis Xia and Su Yu swiftly set about refining the publicity campaign. Finally, Marquis Xia made the executive decision: "It's settled then. Within five days, you, Su Yu, will be a household name! Everyone will know your monumental achievements—that part is easy! Therefore, we will schedule the assembly for seven days from now. Let things brew a bit before opening the conference! We'll summon the thirty-six prefectures... no, thirty-seven prefectures, counting the All-Heavens Prefecture! We summon thirty-seven prefectures to the assembly, and any Invincibles who haven't founded a prefecture must also send their heirs or family representatives to attend!" Marquis Xia added, "Do you know other experts from major prefectures? Get them to help build momentum. For example, have Zhu Tiandao sigh wistfully among a crowd: 'Su Yu possesses the demeanor of a sage and will surely lead the human race to reclaim its ancient glory!' Spread words like that to create an overwhelming wave, letting everyone know that numerous experts across the thirty-six prefectures support you! Our Great Xia Prefecture is completely on board as well!" Su Yu drew a breath. "Is that appropriate?" "Entirely appropriate!" Marquis Xia laughed. "That way, even prefectures that were previously unwilling will be swept along by the tide! This is called an irresistible trend! Do you think Invincibles are truly steadfast? What a joke—not necessarily! Some Invincibles are just fence-sitters who sway with the wind. They don't really care whether they support you or not; it's mob mentality! Once their ears are filled with voices supporting you, that Invincible will think: 'Everyone else supports him. If I object... wouldn't that look bad?'" Su Yu gave a thumbs-up. "Makes sense! But... I don't know that many human powerhouses!" Marquis Xia smiled faintly. "How could that be? You can handle the Great Ming Prefecture, right?" Su Yu nodded. Marquis Xia chuckled. "Pay a secret visit to Old Matriarch Wu tonight, and the Great Wu Prefecture is locked down! As for the Great Tang Prefecture, didn't you have some interaction with Cheng Mo? If it's inconvenient to visit, chat via voice transmission! The Great Qin Prefecture goes without saying—no problem there! Over at the Great Zhou Prefecture... didn't you have an agreement with Zhou Polong last time? You spared his student because his father had supposedly died, but isn't his father alive and well? So he owes you! Either he slaughters Shan Xiong, or he speaks up for you! For the other prefectures, reach out to those you know, and for those you don't, I'll find a way! We'll have Zhu Tiandao chip in to find solutions too..." Finishing that, Marquis Xia added, "Regardless of rank or position, every single prefecture must produce some voices! Right, Liu Wenyan and the others are back as well. Back then on the All-Heavens Battlefield, the Liu family saved many people... It's time to collect those favors! Have Liu Wenyan and his eldest uncle seek out those who owe debts of gratitude. It's time to repay them! Did they think they could just forget if nobody brought it up? "Would they have the nerve to refuse?" Marquis Xia smiled slyly. "That way, heh, when the assembly convenes, anyone who objects will look like cold-blooded, ungrateful wretches, defeatists, and shameless scum! That's right, we are going to morally blackmail them!" "……" Su Yu drew a sharp breath. "Marquis, aren't we being a bit too wicked?" "Look at what you're saying!" Marquis Xia protested. "This is called reasonable advocacy! If you don't fight for it at all and simply beat up anyone who disagrees, would they ever be convinced? Now, even if they're unconvinced, they have to bottle it up inside. They won't dare speak up, because speaking up makes them the villains! Making the villains choke on their own spite—now that's true finesse!" Su Yu nodded, thoroughly impressed. Marquis Xia really had skills! With that, Marquis Xia added, "Oh, right, I almost forgot one thing. We also need to fabricate voices from the myriad races: 'If Su Yu takes power, we will not accept it! Whoever allows Su Yu to rise, our myriad races will invade humanity!' Well... 'invade' might be too extreme. Just say that if Su Yu takes power, the myriad races and humanity will become irreconcilable enemies! Say they would rather see King Dayuan take power... You know how humans are; they have a rebellious streak and despise the myriad races! Heh, the moment the myriad races oppose something, won't humanity do the exact opposite?" Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "The myriad races would never say that..." "Are you dense?" Marquis Xia said, exasperated. "Whatever the myriad races say is entirely up to how we spin it! Do you think the myriad races will issue a public clarification saying, 'We are good friends with Su Yu, we wouldn't say that; Su Yu only killed several dozen of our Invincibles'?" Su Yu gave another thumbs-up. Right, brilliant, not a single flaw in that logic! Marquis Xia chuckled. "Then it's settled. You'll be present at the assembly, and we'll see how you perform! Su Yu, no matter what, we must get this Sacred Ground established this time! Don't ask for any practical authority—just the title! That will be your victory, and everyone's victory!" Su Yu nodded! Marquis Xia had laid it out so clearly; refusing now would make him an utter fool. Marquis Xia rose to leave. Just as he reached the doorway, Su Yu suddenly spoke up: "Right, Marquis, when are you giving me the Sea of Consciousness Secret Realm?" "……" Marquis Xia felt ready to cough up blood! *Damn it!* *I've laid out this much for you, and you still have the nerve to ask for that?* Exhausted in spirit, Marquis Xia paused, while Su Yu added, "I have a real use for it. Whether my strength can take another step forward depends entirely on this. It's not of much use to you all anyway!" Hearing that, Marquis Xia thought it over and nodded. "Fine, I'll arrange it for you as soon as possible. Outwardly, we'll claim it requires repairs and cannot be opened for now. There's no Heavenly River Sand left anyway. Don't tell anyone it was given to you, and keep a low profile, or people will feel uncomfortable!" "No problem at all!" …… Once Marquis Xia left, Su Yu smiled. Fascinating! He had to admit, Marquis Xia had completely convinced him. Earlier, he had assumed that the human Invincibles would never obey him, making the role of Sacred Ground Lord pointless, let alone rallying the human race. What a joke that would have been! Yet thinking about it now... he didn't need any of that! Just the title was enough! "The title alone is plenty! Before, I thought that even if I uncovered a traitor Invincible, I couldn't do much or intervene directly; telling others wouldn't accomplish much either. But if I secure this title... hehe, I can execute you on the spot!" Su Yu narrowed his eyes. Once you were executed, what could anyone say? You were a traitor! He was the Lord of the Sacred Ground. If he said you were, you were, even if you weren't! As for whether humanity was unhappy about it... their unhappiness wouldn't matter. In name, he would be the supreme leader, wouldn't he? "Sure enough... sometimes using your brain is better. Resorting purely to force and acting too heavy-handed isn't always the best approach!" Su Yu didn't know whether others had thought of this. Perhaps some had, which explained why figures like King Dayuan opposed it so fiercely. Or perhaps they hadn't thought that far ahead and simply didn't want Su Yu becoming the Lord of the Sacred Ground. Su Yu chuckled and soon sent a voice transmission to Zhu Tiandao. That man had earned quite a reputation recently. A few words from him carried immense weight in the Human Realm right now. …… With Su Yu's approval and the combined efforts of the Xia and Zhu families... The very next morning. A noticeable shift swept through every major prefecture. In the streets and marketplaces. Storytellers shouted at the top of their lungs: "City Lord Su has returned to the Human Realm, haven't you heard?" "He returned yesterday, and the spectacle... my goodness! A full thirty-five Invincibles and five Half-Emperors acted as his vanguards to escort him back!" "Do you know what an Invincible is? That's the caliber of our prefecture-founding lords, like King Daqin!" "You don't know what a Half-Emperor is? Are you an idiot? Did you never attend school? They are on par with the Immortal Emperor, the Demon Emperor, and the God Emperor!" "What, you don't know which five Half-Emperors? The Iron Eater Emperor, the two God Devourer Emperors, and the Spirit Zhen Emperor!" "That's only four!" someone questioned. "What? Four? Can't you do math? Did I forget to mention the Undead Emperor? City Lord Su commands a formidable faction in the dead spirit realm as well, having slain a supreme powerhouse of the Immortal race!" "Five Emperors descending—you can't imagine how earth-shattering it was! Yesterday, near the Eastern Rift Valley on the All-Heavens Battlefield, dozens of Invincibles and Half-Emperors released an aura that blotted out the heavens..." "City Lord Su's strength and talent are truly breathtaking... With his heart devoted to the human race, his return this time is specifically to deliberate with humanity's powerhouses on how to resist the invasion from all the heavens! "The myriad races never ceased their ambition to annihilate our human race! The Immortals exposed their wolfish designs in the Star Residence Mansion, attempting to assassinate King Daqin... King Daqin was gravely wounded! Alas, it was City Lord Su who turned the tide, slaying five Invincibles of the Immortal race and executing their Demon ally, the Blood Fire Demon King! The leader of the Blood Fire Demon race was slain on the spot by City Lord Su, his blood splattered across all the heavens!" …… On that day, the name of Su Yu echoed throughout the entire Human Realm. A hero! A genius! A sage descended upon the world! In multiple major battles across the Human Realm, Su Yu had openly or secretly helped humanity slay numerous formidable foes. Moreover, he had effortlessly obliterated the All-Races Sect, which had run rampant across the Human Realm for years, leaving rivers of their blood behind! Zhu Tiandao of the Great Ming Prefecture sighed publicly on numerous occasions, proclaiming that Su Yu was a sage descended to the mortal realm to save humanity! Over in the Great Xia Prefecture, praise overflowed even more, with everyone hailing Su Yu for rescuing humanity from dire straits! Now, King Daqin sought to establish a Sacred Ground, backed by King Daxia, King Dazhou, King Daming, and a whole host of formidable figures, intending to make Su Yu the Lord of the Sacred Ground—yet Su Yu was reluctant! Because a band of petty villains was scheming behind the scenes, acting as pawns of the myriad races, unwilling to see Su Yu assume the seat of Sacred Ground Lord! They didn't want humanity to grow strong! They didn't want humanity to become the lords of all the heavens once more! Because the forces backing Su Yu were simply too formidable, supported by five Emperors! Ever since Su Yu stepped onto the All-Heavens Battlefield, he had slain over fifty Invincibles—more than the total number of Invincibles in the entire Human Realm—drenching the heavens in blood! Such an individual was more terrifying than anyone else! None of the villains dared allow him to take power! …… The news spread wider and wider! It spread until everyone knew about it! It spread until every commoner understood that a grand assembly to establish the Sacred Ground would take place in a few days, but numerous scoundrels opposed it, seeking to collude with the myriad races and sell out humanity's interests! Some even wanted to assassinate Su Yu! They wanted this young, supreme powerhouse of humanity to die within the Human Realm, causing the five Emperors and dozens of Invincibles to turn hostile against humanity! A pack of traitors wanted nothing more than to become dogs of the myriad races! …… Dayuan Prefecture. Inside the prefectural capital, crowds were murmuring in discussion. Someone whispered, "I heard that His Majesty King Dayuan... seems to oppose the establishment of the Sacred Ground!" "Don't talk nonsense! How could that be? His Majesty King Dayuan is an enlightened sovereign; why would he cut off our own hands and feet?" "It's true, I'm not lying to you! I heard it from the son of the supervisor of my brother's father-in-law! When they welcomed Su Yu back earlier, King Daqin and the others were overjoyed, but His Majesty King Dayuan alone... said he would never agree to City Lord Su becoming the Lord of the Sacred Ground!" "No way!" "Why?" "With five Emperors backing him and dozens of Invincibles supporting him, isn't His Majesty King Dayuan... isn't he pushing away our own ally?" "Shh, keep your voice down! It's bad if someone overhears. I heard—mind you, just heard—it's because His Majesty King Dayuan thinks City Lord Su is too close with that Wan... that guy surnamed Wan. Didn't that guy surnamed Wan kill King Dayuan's descendants earlier?" "Oh, so that's why!" "Still... to be honest, those killed last time were disobeying military orders... *cough, cough*, forget I said that." "...Say no more. *Sigh*, right now, we can only hope... that His Majesty acts wisely!" "Indeed, His Majesty is still wise. I think he can distinguish public duty from private grievances. Besides, City Lord Su isn't Wan... Wan the Human Demon." "Exactly!" "……" On that day, not only in Dayuan Prefecture, but similar rumors circulated across several other major prefectures as well. Our prefecture-founding lord refuses to agree! The reason was simple: it wasn't outright treason, but rather because Wan Tiansheng had killed their descendants, leaving these Invincibles unwilling and convinced that Su Yu was too close to Wan Tiansheng! The news spread too fast. So fast that every major prefecture was suffering a massive headache! Ban it? How could they ban it? Stopping the mouths of the people was harder than damming a raging torrent! Moreover, the rumors were spreading at an astonishing speed, disseminated from the shadows by formidable experts. Arresting them was nearly impossible, and making arrests would only make things worse! Refute it? How could they refute it? Certain matters were awkward to deny and impossible to explain openly. As for claiming that the stone sculptors harbored ill intentions and Su Yu was merely a puppet... Hah, before they could even utter the words, the rumors preempted them, declaring that these stone sculptors had served under the ancient Human Sovereign and obeyed only the Human Sovereign's command! Su Yu possessed the demeanor of a Human Sovereign! The stone sculptors had not moved for a hundred thousand years, yet this time, for Su Yu's sake, they battled across the heavens, slaying mighty foes without even sparing their own lives—all because they saw the demeanor of a Human Sovereign in Su Yu! Did he have it? A twenty-year-old youth who fought and killed multiple Invincibles, an existence stronger than prefecture-founding lords—whoever claimed he lacked it was simply jealous, a traitor, or talking absolute nonsense! Were the stone sculptors subordinates of the ancient Human Sovereign? Were they? They truly were! This was an undisputed fact. To claim otherwise was pure rubbish and a denial of ancient humanity's glorious history! For a time, refuting the rumors was impossible, yet leaving them unanswered was equally disastrous. As for banning them, there was nowhere to begin. Even among the common folk, children began singing nursery rhymes about it. It truly was completely impossible to suppress. The news spread at a terrifying pace—so fast that across the vast Human Realm, in less than three days, anyone capable of speech besides infants could recite Su Yu's name! …… At this moment, the Invincibles still gathered in the Great Zhou Prefecture wore peculiar expressions. Soon, an enraged snort from King Dayuan echoed out. Not long after... news of King Dayuan's fury leaked out as well. This audacious leak infuriated King Dayuan so severely he nearly went on a killing spree. There was no doubt that certain Invincibles were secretly supporting this! Otherwise, no one would have had the guts! Yet it was too late to investigate, and there was no way to pursue it. Because over in Dayuan Prefecture, things were already on the verge of erupting. One faction unconditionally supported King Dayuan; after all, he was their prefecture-founding lord and their spiritual pillar! Another faction believed that His Majesty ought to listen to reason, that everyone was acting for the sake of the human race, and there was no need for His Majesty to let himself be used as a weapon by the myriad races... Yes, carrying the mindset of earnest petitioners ready to lay down their lives, a crowd staged a sit-in outside the Dayuan Manor... In the end, supporters from both sides clashed in brawls, leaving the Manor Lord of Dayuan Prefecture at his wit's end! He had no choice but to pass the message to King Dayuan, infuriating the king to the point of wanting to slaughter people—yet he truly couldn't. Kill his own people now? If he did, King Dayuan would never wash away the title of tyrant for the rest of his life, and might even be branded a lapdog of the myriad races! …… Inside the Great Zhou Manor. King Dazhou let out a light laugh and sighed with emotion. "What a brilliant maneuver! Those two from the Xia and Zhu families are truly formidable operators! In just three days, Su Yu has practically been declared a sage!" In merely three days, Su Yu had become a living legend! What made it so devastating was that every claim was rooted in truth; however, the two families had leveraged exaggeration and dramatic embellishment to broadcast the tales, crafting them into compelling, mythical, and legendary stories! For instance, nobody had actually witnessed Su Yu killing Blood Fire... yet the rumors described it as if seen with their own eyes: battling for tens of thousands of rounds, Su Yu escaping death by a hair's breadth multiple times... before finally using his battered, wounded body to slay Blood Fire, who had ambushed King Daqin. Even King Dazhou felt inadequate before such storytelling prowess! True masters really walked among the common folk!