Opening the Door to Retrieve Treasure

Some people blew themselves up until nothing remained of them. Others got blown up so often that they grew used to it. Pain was a constant companion; once you adapted, it was nothing. In truth, Su Yu had come to a vague realization. The Heavenly Circulation method could not be passed down lightly! Yes, he understood now. It wasn't a matter of luck or destiny. The Heavenly Circulation method simply could not be taught freely. It was a terrifying technique—or rather, a perfect technique. The Great Heavenly Circulation method united the origin and divine spirits as one! Humans were born imperfect. Opening apertures to the point of absolute perfection was already immensely difficult. Once you reached perfection, wanting to unite all that perfection into a single aperture was harder still. That was why the Lesser Heavenly Circulation method was rare, and the Great Heavenly Circulation method was even rarer. Su Yu was even pondering a question. Could the circulation method of the 720 apertures truly be allowed to exist in the world in written form? Last time, when he had written down the 360-origin aperture method for Bai Feng, the world had refused to tolerate it. The rules had destroyed it, and a lightning tribulation had descended. What about the 720 Heavenly Circulation method? Could this cultivation technique only be transmitted orally between living people? Could no written record ever survive? Even the Heavenly Circulation Divine Aperture method had been passed down to Su Yu directly by the Book Spirit; Su Yu had never seen it written anywhere either. "Once I've deduced the method, I can test it!" "The world refuses to let this technique emerge. So every time I think an option is right, it turns out to be wrong—because the rules are interfering with me!" They wouldn't let you acquire it easily! This was merely Su Yu's deduction, but he felt it had to be correct. *In that case, what if I pick the aperture I dislike the most and try that?* So when Su Yu chose the aperture he felt was least likely to be correct... it blew up again! Su Yu chuckled! He understood now! The rules were meddling with him directly. When you assumed the unlikely choice must be the right one, you were tricked again, leading to an error. What an amusing set of rules! Whatever. He would just test them one by one! Su Yu was prepared now. He would probably only succeed on the very last attempt. This was a trial imposed by the rules. As for who had established it... the devil only knew! All rules were set by people. At least, that was what Su Yu believed! If so, this rule had likely been devised by some bastard who had suffered through the same agony. Just like Su Yu himself—if he were to pass down this technique in the future, he might do the exact same thing, letting his successor blow themselves up for fun! The group continued forward, and Su Yu blew himself up several more times. He was injured! It didn't matter in the slightest! Who went through life without getting hurt? A cultivator who never took damage wasn't a real cultivator. Just then, Marquis Tongtian said with sudden gravity, "Ahead lies the territory of the Human Kings! Human Lord, I'm afraid we shouldn't proceed any further. According to the rules, merely passing through shouldn't be an issue, but there is no one here now—only rules. If we truly run into trouble, no one will come to save us!" Even a marquis looked solemn! A marquis held level four clearance after all, which in theory entitled them to enter the Council. Yet Marquis Tongtian strongly advised against going any further, warning that it invited trouble. Not only that, but instead of arguing as usual, Marquis Tongtian warned heavily, "Even if the Human Lord wishes to proceed, it is best to stop at the level three zone and not set foot in the level two zone! The level two zone contains only four residences: the Mansions of the Four Cardinal Human Kings! King Wen Mansion lies in the south, King Wu Mansion in the north, King Ming Mansion in the east, and Prison King Mansion in the west." He added, "The area we currently occupy is the south! The Council faces south with its back to the north. Right before the Council's main entrance sits King Wen Mansion..." What an arrangement! One had to admit, it was fascinating. Right outside the main gate of the ancient Council stood King Wen Mansion! Directly facing the Council! Was this meant to suppress the Council? A single man holding down the entire Council? Between the front and back entrances, King Wen blocked one, and King Wu blocked the other! Even though there were ninety-nine side entrances, the Council building still had a front gate and a back gate. Su Yu chuckled. "King Wen Mansion is right in front of the Council's main entrance?" "Indeed!" Marquis Tongtian nodded and sighed. "You have no idea. Back in the ancient era, whenever the Council held a session, ninety percent of the time when you exited through the main gate, you would see King Wen reading a book right outside his mansion... It was enough to make everyone's heart flutter with terror! That was why the ninety-nine side doors were added later—one door per race. After that, barely anyone used the main entrance!" One could only imagine the scene! The councilors would finish plotting how to handle the human race, step outside, and see King Wen reading a book and smiling at them... It was perverse, and downright chilling! Su Yu couldn't help but laugh. "That sounds like something a scholar would do!" At that moment, Su Yu suddenly felt that, even without anyone pointing it out, he shared a certain resemblance to King Wen! If he had been placed in King Wen's position, he might have done the exact same thing. *I'll just block your front door. You plot against the human race inside, and when you step out, I'll read books to you. What will I read?* *I'll read about loyalty, filial piety, propriety, righteousness, and integrity!* *I'll read about devotion to the sovereign and defending the realm!* *I'll read the history of rebels being put to death!* *I'll read about harsh laws and ruthless punishments!* As Su Yu envisioned this, he thought it sounded thoroughly satisfying. He felt a twinge of regret that he hadn't lived in that era. Otherwise, he would have read to them every day, telling them to stop scheming and wait obediently for death—or else he would scare them out of their wits daily! As Su Yu was lost in thought, Marquis Tongtian couldn't help asking, "Human Lord, you won't do that sort of thing in the future, will you?" "I won't." Marquis Tongtian let out a sigh of relief. That was good; he was terrified they would all turn out the same. Immediately after, Su Yu chuckled and said, "If I ever reached that point, I'd simply kill every last disobedient fool. Why keep them around to make life miserable? King Wen and the others couldn't kill them. But if they couldn't, they shouldn't have rushed to unify the world. They should have kept fighting. And if they couldn't keep fighting, they should have obediently retreated to the Human Realm! Why insist on unifying the myriad realms only to end up shackled by everyone else?" Su Yu chuckled. "I've read plenty of history books! Under such circumstances, there are far too many problems. Countless dynasties either perished from internal strife, were dragged down by exhaustion, or had their nests usurped in the end!" "Attempting assimilation and total unification is simply too difficult; it's beyond ordinary men!" "I don't think King Wen and the others made the wrong choice. In fact, their intentions were good, and they handled it well. Given a bit more time, perhaps the myriad realms would have truly unified. Once they outlived the original generation, the later generations might have been educated by the human race and gradually indoctrinated until they only listened to humans!" "However... that requires far too much time and energy!" "If one possesses sufficient strength, the best approach is to butcher the older generation and spare the youth. The old harbor the spirit of rebellion, while the young will gradually forget. After three to five generations, grand unification naturally follows!" Su Yu spoke with easy confidence! He wasn't claiming King Wen and the others had been wrong—they had simply chosen different paths. The method Su Yu proposed was exceedingly difficult. If King Wen and the rest could have easily slaughtered the ninety-nine councilors, they likely would have done so long ago. Unfortunately, it hadn't been that simple, so they had been forced to pursue gradual assimilation instead. They had divided, recruited, and chipped away at lingering issues. Yet it had taken far too long—so long that the Yongan Era had truly become history! These were not mortal men; they had tried to outlive a group of Rulers of Rules... Su Yu felt exhausted just thinking about it. How many eons would it take to outlive a Ruler of Rules? As long as the Rulers of Rules lived, the flames of rebellion would never die! Marquis Tongtian chose to shut his mouth! He stopped speaking altogether! Talking to this man frightened him a little. Never mind that he was ancient and powerful; he was genuinely uneasy. This current Human Lord was arrogant, insolent, domineering, and bloodthirsty... yet he was not rash in the slightest. His madness was tempered by cold calculation. Such people were the most terrifying of all. In any case, Marquis Tongtian felt genuine trepidation toward Su Yu. A powerful lunatic was manageable; a lunatic with brains and culture was truly terrifying. Su Yu smiled and dropped the subject, saying, "You all stay behind and carefully gather some treasures. I think I spotted General Hongmeng's Mansion back there. You can go check out Senior Hongmeng's old den; maybe there are good things inside! I'll head ahead to take a look!" "Human Lord..." Marquis Lanshan hesitated. "Should I escort you?" "No need!" Su Yu chuckled. "Your clearance isn't high enough. Marquis Lanshan, do you have a residence here?" "No." Marquis Lanshan shook her head. "This place was built after the unification. By then, I had already fallen in battle..." The moment she finished, Marquis Tongtian interjected, "You do! Although Marquis Lanshan died in battle, she was enfeoffed posthumously. Every human marquis has a residence here! It's just that no one lived in it. However, several veterans of the Lanshan Guard once looked after Marquis Lanshan's mansion, though they later passed away as well." Marquis Lanshan was surprised, and beneath her surprise, somewhat touched. She murmured softly, "The lords did not forget me..." The contrarian door chimed in again: "They probably forgot. That's my guess. Dead marquises don't get stipends. If they hadn't forgotten, they would have paid you!" "..." What a mood killer! Marquis Lanshan shot him a frigid glare. What an obnoxious fellow! Su Yu couldn't be bothered with them and reiterated, "Look around on your own, but don't mess with those mansions. You might disturb the power of the rules. Without my Human Lord Seal to suppress them, the rules here will be even more volatile!" With that, Su Yu strode forward. His posture was imposing and grand! The others watched him with genuine admiration—until a thunderous *bang* echoed, and Su Yu stumbled. The group instantly averted their eyes and looked around, pretending they hadn't seen a thing. It was best not to let this petty Human Lord take note of them. Tianmie and the others waited until Su Yu had walked far into the distance before Tianmie chuckled. "I didn't dare laugh just now, but that explosion was brutal! Xinghong, you have to admit, he's starting to look like a real Human Lord. To be honest, when he pulls a straight face now, I actually feel a little nervous!" Xinghong laughed too. "You, nervous? You don't know the meaning of the word! Still... he truly has grown!" Xinghong sighed with emotion. "Once this technique is complete, he will probably officially begin integrating his Dao. I wonder which Dao he'll choose, but he seems confident. His strength will likely leap forward by a massive margin soon, making him a top-tier powerhouse in the truest sense!" At present, Su Yu was formidable, but he still fell slightly short. Yet once he truly stepped into the Dao Integration realm, everything would change. Opening the apertures of the Great Heavenly Circulation! His foundation was far deeper than anyone else's. With such immense groundwork, his rise might make him the next Human King. As for reaching higher, no one dared to imagine it just yet; at the very least, Su Yu had not yet displayed potential surpassing King Wen and his peers. Tianmie grinned. "That's a good thing! Following this kid is thrilling! Look at us—we get beaten every day, yet we never lose!" Though they took brutal beatings, they had never lost a fight! They won against everyone! Tianmie continued, "Now that we've all broken through, once we get out, will he really sweep the myriad realms first before charging into the upper realm?" "Hard to say!" Xinghong sighed. "Su Yu hasn't lived through it, so he doesn't know the full picture. You and I both know there are still plenty of powerhouses in the upper realm! Among the 720 marquises of the myriad races, many died and many vanished, but across these tidal shifts, didn't ten or twenty descend each time? From what I remember, there are at least thirty marquises up there! Not to mention the newly ascended Dao Integrations—with every tide, several new ones break through..." At those words, the group grew somber. The upper realm was truly not weak! Xinghong added, "There is another issue: the human race itself!" Xinghong said gravely, "During the ninth tide, nearly all of humanity's ancient relics were wiped out. But since the race has survived until now, I believe a group of them must still remain. If Su Yu were an ordinary Human Lord, it wouldn't be a problem. But he is used to doing things his own way and dominating everything. Do you think those old fogies will be pleased? Will they take orders from a young man in his twenties?" Tianmie sneered, "Those old fools want to manipulate him? If he's weaker than them, he might flatter them on the surface, but the moment he grows stronger, he'll settle every single score! If you ask me, if there really are surviving human old-timers, they'd better just fall in line obediently. It would be a real tragedy if the myriad races failed to kill them for countless years, only for this kid to turn around and slaughter them!" As the two conversed, the contrarian door interjected, "Does he really settle scores like that?" "Of course!" The contrarian door wore a look of utter sorrow. "Then... will he settle scores with me?" Xinghong gave a dry cough. "You'll be fine. Didn't you participate in the battle?" With that, Xinghong chuckled, "All right, Marquis Tongtian, stop babbling. Lead us to the boss's territory and see if any rule power is blocking the way. I remember the boss had a massive pool in his mansion specially for soaking his shell—it was quite comfortable! It was entirely filled with Sun and Moon essence. I wonder if it's dried up." Tianmie chipped in, "I remember the boss had a giant millstone in his mansion crafted from his shed shell. I asked him for it back then, but he refused. Now that I've broken through, my club isn't formidable enough. I need to fuse some treasures into it, and the boss's shell would be perfect!" "True, I need to fuse some treasures into mine as well..." As they chatted, Yunxiao seemed to recall something and whispered, "The most impressive thing in the boss's mansion is his bed. It was crafted from Heavenly Ice Stone taken from the endless void after the creation of the world..." She said excitedly, "That belongs to me!" Xinghong, Tianmie, and the others instantly turned to stare at her. Marquis Lanshan showed no reaction, but Hetu wore a bizarre expression. "Yunxiao, why were you wandering into the old turtle's room to look at his bed?" A bed was an intimate thing! Yunxiao's expression shifted, and she snorted coldly. "I felt like looking, so what? You people are utterly shameless!" The group nodded thoughtfully, almost driving Yunxiao mad with rage as they all headed toward the old turtle's mansion. Other mansions were risky to touch since they were unfamiliar, but they knew the old turtle's place inside out. Looting some fine treasures from it was only right—coming all this way without clearing out the boss's family assets would be doing him a disservice! ... *Bang!* Accompanied by a loud explosion, Su Yu grinned. The 718th aperture was confirmed. Only one remained unconnected, and it linked up in no time. Not a problem! Just the last two left! For the 719th aperture, it was a fifty-fifty choice. At most, he would blow himself up once. After that explosion, the technique would be complete! "My luck isn't half bad!" Su Yu comforted himself. Even though he had ended up connecting the right one last every single time, hadn't he only blown himself up a handful of times? His Heavenly Gate was merely cracked a little! A bit of mending would fix it right up! Once this technique appeared, he wondered whether the world would grant a reward or inflict a punishment. Su Yu couldn't say for sure! Therefore, after linking 719 apertures, he would wait and see before connecting the very last one. Triggering a heavenly tribulation here, in the heart of the Council's old headquarters, might just get him killed. He continued walking. Within the level three zone, he saw numerous mansions. "King Yun Mansion!" "King Dou Mansion!" "..." "Primordial God Mansion!" Su Yu looked toward an immense mansion that seemed even larger than an ordinary Human King's residence. In the center of that mansion, the phantom of an sky-reaching Great Dao seemed to materialize, connecting to one of the Council's gates in the distance. At that side door of the Council, an ancient giant god seemed to sit in vigil! The god race! Su Yu's eyes flickered. This had been the residence of the god race's Emperor back in the ancient era! What an incredible place! The mansion of a Ruler of Rules—and an exceptionally powerful one at that—undoubtedly held countless treasures. But he decided against it; trespassing right now might not end well! The rule power here was dense and could easily turn against him. Moreover, two giant god phantoms seemed to stand before the mansion gates like gatekeepers. However, they appeared to be mere projections formed of rule power rather than actual god race experts on guard. Su Yu looked away, and with another *bang*, an explosion rang out. It didn't matter; his Heavenly Gate merely fractured a fraction more. Soon, he selected the alternative aperture. With no other choice left, it had to be this one! Done! 719 apertures were now connected. Only the very last one remained! This time, there was no choice to make! In total, he had made fourteen choices, succeeded on four, and only blown himself up ten times. Su Yu was elated. His luck was truly magnificent to get four apertures right on the first try... He consoled himself, glossing over the fact that those four had all been the sole remaining options! "Could the Martial Emperor's inability to teach me properly also be because the full technique couldn't be transmitted?" "Let's think the best of people!" Su Yu thought of the Martial Emperor, but soon curled his lip. Never mind. Last time, Su Yu had managed to pass down his own technique despite the tribulation; the Martial Emperor had simply withheld it on purpose. "The technique is complete!" A smile spread across Su Yu's face. His greatest objective for entering this place was fulfilled. Slaying the Eastern Heavenly King along the way had been secondary; after all, his own strength was what truly mattered! He didn't connect the final aperture right away. There was no rush. First, he would find King Wen Mansion! Continuing forward, the mansions grew sparse. After walking a bit further, he finally caught sight of King Wen Mansion! It stood solitary and aloof from the rest of the world! The mansions of the Four Cardinal Human Kings each stood entirely apart, isolated from the other residences. That was the dignity accorded to the Four Cardinal Human Kings. Ahead, an immense mansion unfolded before Su Yu's eyes. He couldn't see the front gate, which directly faced the Council's main entrance. However, he could see the rear gate, which was also colossal! From a great distance, two giant characters could be seen hovering above the massive back entrance: *Observing Heaven*! Observing Heaven? Su Yu gazed at them from afar, unsure what the two words signified. Observing the world? Or viewing the sky from the bottom of a well? Or perhaps it meant the same thing as the Heaven Inspection Pavilion—inspecting the world? Never mind, there was no need to decipher it. King Wen Mansion wasn't far from the God Emperor's mansion, likely placed there to monitor the God Emperor. Having King Wen as a neighbor must have been truly miserable for the God Emperor. He wondered if the other three cardinal directions corresponded to the other three Human Kings facing the Emperors of the demons, immortals, and other races. Su Yu walked toward the rear gate, having no desire to insist on taking the front entrance. The front faced the Council and might well be booby-trapped, which would be troublesome! He stepped off the white jade avenue and followed a small path toward the rear gate. As he walked, he crossed out of the level three zone and entered the level two zone. This was an area beyond Su Yu's clearance. He was permitted to walk here, but he could feel a palpable pressure! All around him, wisps of chaotic rule power hovered in the air. These were neither rewards nor punishments, but defensive measures intended to attack. If you dared overstep your bounds, they would strike you down! A Human Lord clearly didn't hold sufficient status. King Wen outranked a Human Lord—at least compared to the Human Lords of later generations. Someone like Su Yu was equivalent to a crown prince. And a crown prince held a lower status than King Wen, as well as the other three Kings. The Four Cardinal Human Kings all held higher authority than a crown prince. Su Yu softened his footsteps and walked forward step by step. Soon, the path led straight to the rear gate, and the two characters *Observing Heaven* grew increasingly distinct. Su Yu felt as though he were walking along the edge of a cliff. The surroundings were vast and empty, yet a chill crept up his spine. Looking at the rear gate, he frowned slightly. *If I call out, will someone answer this time?* Last time, the little white dog had answered! Supposedly, King Wen also possessed a residence on the ninth floor, inside the Human Sovereign Palace. The treasure Liu Hong had mentioned last time seemed tied to the residence on the ninth floor rather than the eighth. Could the method to restrain the Martial Emperor be on the ninth floor? If so, that would be a nightmare! The Old Turtle had explicitly warned Su Yu never to ascend to the ninth floor! "Why build so many mansions?" One in his former residence, one in the dead spirit realm, one here, and another on the ninth floor. Was he on vacation, building houses everywhere? "Su Yu, Lord of the Human Race of the Anping Era, comes to pay his respects to Senior King Wen of antiquity!" Su Yu called out, wondering if he would receive an answer. This time, he had hoped for too much. Total silence reigned; there was no reply. However, just as his shout faded, the crown atop his head flickered with faint light. Above the massive rear gate, the two characters *Observing Heaven* began radiating beams of radiance, bathing Su Yu in light! The light carried no murderous intent. Su Yu frowned slightly and tried to retreat, but he was not faster than the light. In an instant, the radiance enveloped him. At that moment, the characters *Observing Heaven* shimmered with luster. Gradually, the rear gate swung inward without any wind. The next instant, the gate opened! In the dead silence, a faint creak echoed as the door swung open! It had opened on its own! What met his eyes was a small courtyard featuring rockeries, a pond, blooming flowers, lush green trees, and what looked like a swing! It bore a striking resemblance to what Su Yu had seen at King Wen's former residence! This had to be the rear courtyard! Su Yu frowned, glancing back at the two characters above the rear gate. Had those two words scanned to identify him? What identity had they recognized? A successor? The Human Lord? Or... his sister's Time Record? Su Yu took a deep breath. King Wen always gave him an aura of deep mystery. He heard King Wen's name constantly, yet the more he learned, the more enigmatic the man seemed. He appeared omnipotent! He seemed to have planned for every eventuality! And yet, he had vanished. He was out there fighting somewhere, on the verge of death, barely holding on. Who could possibly threaten someone as incomparably formidable as King Wen? Who? The Time Master's plea for help only made a deep chill rise within Su Yu's heart. If an existence like King Wen could face mortal peril, what about him? Pushing those thoughts aside, Su Yu stepped into the rear courtyard. The rear gate closed automatically behind him. Within the courtyard, the swing began swaying on its own without any wind, as though someone were sitting upon it, gently rocking! If a non-cultivator saw this place, they would think it was haunted! Right at that moment, an object suddenly drifted out of Su Yu's sea of will! It was the Tombstone of Civilization! Ribbons of brilliant light flowed across the surface of the Tombstone of Civilization. Su Yu's expression grew solemn! The Tombstone of Civilization had moved on its own! Damn it! What did this mean? Did it mean King Wen could still control this artifact? Did he still command the Great Dao contained within the Tombstone of Civilization? As the thought crossed his mind, an even more astonishing sight unfolded. A phantom gradually materialized from the Tombstone of Civilization, its back turned to Su Yu. The silhouette's long robes fluttered gracefully in the wind. "You have come!" An ethereal voice echoed beside Su Yu's ears. Su Yu's expression was grave. After a long pause, he said in a deep voice, "Senior King Wen?" "I should no longer be in this realm!" Just as Su Yu spoke, the white-robed figure facing away from him spoke once more, its voice tinged with an inscrutable nuance as it murmured, "This is a wisp of an imprint I left upon the Dao of the Brush-Saber." "This brush-saber should have been inherited by my students. Yet I know that those cheap disciples of mine would likely struggle to master this Dao! Among the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, the Dao of the Brush-Saber is the strongest, and the hardest to control!" "If I manifest, it means you have likely inherited a portion of it and may possess the potential to master this path. This Dao is exceptionally powerful! It was not forged by me, but was a naturally born Dao. It is simply that I no longer have need of it! When I first made a name for myself, this was the Dao I wielded!" "A stroke of the brush falls like a blade; across the world, who could withstand the power of a single stroke from my brush?" The phantom of King Wen spoke to himself, keeping his back turned to Su Yu the entire time. At this moment, a bold idea suddenly struck Su Yu: *I want to walk around to the front and look at your face!* And he actually did it! Yes, he simply wanted to see what the man looked like! Playing mysterious was something he knew how to do as well! He just wanted to see! The next instant, Su Yu's figure shifted, appearing directly in front of the silhouette. Then, he froze! Because... it was still a back! Su Yu moved rapidly, circling the silhouette hundreds of times in succession... until he nearly lost his mind! "Holy crap!" King Wen was truly an eccentric genius. The imprint he had left behind was literally just a back. No matter which direction you looked from, you saw only his back. He took his hat off to him! What incredible creativity! He wanted to learn that trick! At that moment, Su Yu was caught between laughter and tears, filled with grudging admiration. No matter how you looked, all you could ever see was his back! Did this carry some deeper meaning? Was it meant to declare: *No matter who you are, you can only ever gaze upon my back, never catching up to me in your entire life?* Or did it mean: *You are not worthy to gaze upon my face?* Meanwhile, King Wen's back seemed entirely oblivious to this—or rather, these were merely words he had spoken into this Dao in bygone years, triggered here today! "Since you have arrived at this mansion, perhaps you have encountered some trouble?" "To reach the eighth floor and enter my residence... perhaps the Imperial Court has already fallen!" "I knew that once I departed, the myriad races would become restless, and the Imperial Court might face crisis. Yet I had no choice but to leave. I had to save someone!" "I had no other options, so I left behind four inheritances. Obtain one and master its Dao, and you will be able to match those Rulers of Rules and councilors—or even suppress them!" "The Dao of the Brush-Saber encompasses both the civil and martial, and it is exceptionally sharp. Even ordinary Rulers of Rules can be suppressed, or even slain!" King Wen continued to speak to himself. He was unimaginably powerful, but no matter how mighty, this was not his true self present—merely a lingering imprint. Su Yu didn't bother replying. He knew it was useless; the imprint wouldn't register anything he said. "Regardless of whether you have met with trouble, seek aid, or simply came to pay homage to this predecessor of yours, since you are here, you are a guest. Perhaps you are even the founder of the next era?" "There are some matters I must explain!" The silhouette continued his monologue: "I left several contingency plans across the myriad realms! I do not know if they still exist or if they can still be used. Perhaps countless ages will pass before these words are heard, by which time the era that belonged to me will have long become history and legend!" "The Dao of the Brush can only be inherited by the human race. Since you have arrived, mastered a portion of the Dao of the Brush-Saber, and entered my residence... you must be human. Whether it proves useful to you or not, I will speak of it to avoid waste!" "In this mansion, I have left four rooms. The brush, ink, paper, and inkstone can each open one room. Of course, if your strength is boundless, you may force them open yourself. But if you have not surpassed me, you had best use those inheritances to open them! If you cannot open them, it simply means your fortune was lacking!" "Each of the four rooms contains something left behind. As for what they are, see for yourself." "Aside from this, the mansion contains no other treasures. If the residence still stands, please preserve it for me and do not destroy it. Having lived here for tens of thousands of years, I still hold some affection for it!" "Successor... one final word. If you see my sister return, please tell her that I went looking for her. If she comes back, tell her to wait for me at home, stop running around, and not come looking for me..." With those words, the phantom gradually faded, carrying a faint chuckle. "Rest assured, only this wisp of an imprint remains upon the Dao of the Brush-Saber. There are no traps." Su Yu watched silently as the phantom dispersed. The next moment, the Tombstone of Civilization returned to his grasp. Holding the Tombstone of Civilization, Su Yu examined it closely and sighed helplessly. Whatever! Even if the man had left behind some hidden hand, there was nothing Su Yu could do. King Wen was the original master of this Dao, having only severed it later on. Brush, ink, paper, and inkstone: four paths, four rooms, four items left behind. One inheritance opened one room! Su Yu possessed the brush, the inkstone, and half a sheet of paper, but lacked the ink. *Does that mean I can open two rooms?* *The third might not open, and the fourth definitely won't, right?* *The rooms...* Su Yu followed the courtyard path forward, and soon spotted the rooms King Wen had spoken of! There were indeed four rooms, standing along the sides of the path through the courtyard. They were remarkably conspicuous due to their unique shapes. One tall, towering room resembled a brush. Another room shaped like a book had to correspond to paper. The four rooms possessed distinct designs, so there was no fear of mistaking them. Su Yu was still pondering a question: were these words only recorded within the Dao of the Brush, or did all four inheritances carry them? Why hadn't he seen any phantom emerge from the Heaven and Earth Inkstone? "Four rooms..." Su Yu looked toward the towering, brush-shaped room and walked in its direction. Would it contain records concerning the Martial Emperor? King Wen had said that what he left behind were contingency plans. Did the Martial Emperor count as one of his contingencies? If so, there should be records. If not, there certainly wouldn't be. And if there were records, the brush room had the highest probability of holding them, because the Dao of the Brush was intended for his human disciples, and only humans could cultivate it. The inkstone had come from an ancient beast, accessible to other races as well. If the Martial Emperor was a contingency, King Wen wouldn't have tied it to the inkstone. That was Su Yu's assessment! The Dao of Ink was uncertain. As for the Dao of Paper, he had left it to the Warden of Heaven, who was not human. The Martial Emperor was a human, so King Wen wouldn't have left him under the control of an outsider—after all, the Martial Emperor was a genuine Ruler of Rules! "So if the Martial Emperor counts as his contingency, he must be recorded in the brush room!" Su Yu deduced rapidly, his heart filled with anticipation. As long as he found something regarding the Martial Emperor, it wouldn't matter whether he opened the other three rooms or not! ... Soon, he arrived before the door of the brush room. A lock hung on the door. The keyhole resembled the shape of a brush! Su Yu promptly manifested the Tombstone of Civilization as a brush, inserted it into the keyhole, and gave it a twist. The lock sprang open on its own. As the heavy lock was about to hit the ground, Su Yu caught it in his hand. Just as he was about to step inside, he froze! He raised the lock and examined it closely! This... was a rule! A kind of rule power! "This... materializing rule power to lock a room—this is an entire Great Dao!" It wasn't that the lock was a Dao, but that King Wen commanded a Great Dao related to locking, used for confinement or suppression! Su Yu inhaled sharply. *Just how many strange Daos did you master?!* With just this lock alone, Su Yu felt that if he absorbed the rule power inside, he might be able to outline a divine character and gain a strong chance of stepping onto this Lock Dao! "Incredible!" Su Yu exclaimed in admiration, quickly storing the lock into his sea of will. Mine now! This thing was a genuine treasure! Even if he didn't comprehend it, using it to strengthen his divine characters later would be fantastic. Pushing the door open, the first thing he saw was a small square table, upon which sat a small box! Su Yu stepped inside and picked up the small box directly, inhaling sharply. "What a score! This box is also made of rule power. Was it used to seal time and prevent the contents from decaying?" His eyesight was sharp; he deduced the box's function in an instant! King Wen was truly magnificent! While others were still forging treasures out of physical materials, he was already crafting everyday items out of pure rule power. How extravagant! *In the future, when I'm rich and command Great Daos, I'll play around like this too!* *One look, and anyone would know I operate on a completely different level from ordinary people!* Opening the box, he found a golden sheet of paper and a small seal resting inside. Writing was inscribed upon the paper. There were no traps, nor were there any further trials. There was no need for them; King Wen possessed supreme confidence in himself. If even his residence and rooms were breached, whatever backup plans he left behind would be useless anyway. Su Yu first picked up the paper to read it. Upon seeing its contents, delight flashed across his face! Sure enough, his guess had been right! It was related to the Martial Emperor! The Martial Emperor truly hadn't been spared out of inability, but deliberately left alive! As he read on, Su Yu's brow furrowed. King Wen hadn't played any mysterious games; he simply laid out the situation. The Martial Emperor could be considered a contingency he had set up, but not entirely! According to King Wen, the Martial Emperor had been tyrannical and cruel, slaughtering countless people during the campaigns, including the innocent. Thus, when King Wu went to deal with him, King Wen had not intervened—even though he knew that several experts who had died hadn't been killed by the Martial Emperor! Later, constructing the Star Residence Mansion and using the Martial Emperor's physical body as its foundation had also been done intentionally, for a variety of reasons that King Wen did not elaborate on. On the paper, methods were recorded—methods to deal with the Martial Emperor. The Martial Emperor would certainly never willingly serve as an enforcer or a chess piece. That was entirely natural; attempting to control the Martial Emperor with insufficient strength was courting death! King Wen had left behind a seal, though its effect wasn't particularly immense. Its sole function was to suppress the Martial Emperor's tyrannical nature whenever he flew into a rage. However, the residual power in the seal was limited. To put it simply, the seal was very similar to one of Su Yu's divine characters! *Sanctification!* It could enlighten the Martial Emperor several times, restoring his calm and dispelling his madness, though it would not last long. As for the true method to subjugate the Martial Emperor, according to King Wen, one had to fully master the brush-saber! One had to attain complete command over that Great Dao! Only then could one follow King Wen's instructions to locate the Martial Emperor's Great Dao and use the brush-saber to carve restrictions upon it, keeping him in check—though one still had to guard against backlash, which was unavoidable. Su Yu read for a while and bared his teeth. *This... is troublesome!* *If I truly master an entire Great Dao, would I even need the Martial Emperor?* *Well... perhaps I would. He is a genuine Ruler of Rules, after all!* While the seal's function didn't seem massive, Su Yu's thoughts raced. It was hard to say. A seal capable of enlightening the Martial Emperor was actually extraordinarily useful. For instance, if he lured enemies over again, or if the Martial Emperor broke free, using this would be an exceptional lifesaver! Or it could simply serve as a means to slay the Martial Emperor! If you refuse to obey, I'll use the seal to make you compliant, and then butcher you... "Not bad at all!" Su Yu mused, though it hadn't fully matched his initial hopes. It wasn't a method for absolute control over the Martial Emperor! Of course, King Wen's mention of the brush-saber imprint stirred Su Yu's interest. To think it could manipulate the Martial Emperor's Dao—this Dao of the Brush-Saber was probably far more formidable than imagined! It could even control the Martial Emperor! Previously, Su Yu had thought that mastering one Great Dao was nice, but since King Wen had left behind four, they felt somewhat ordinary. Reflecting on it now, this Dao of the Brush-Saber might be even stronger than the Martial Emperor's Dao! Right at that moment, the characters upon the golden paper began dissolving one by one. It could only be read once, clearly intended to prevent anyone else from stumbling upon it. Su Yu's eyes gleamed. He stowed away the seal, then gathered up both the box and the paper! Fine treasures! Just as he was about to leave, he paused, thought for a moment, and swept the table holding the box into his storage as well. It was a good item, perfectly suited to serve as a carrier! After another brief consideration, Su Yu also took the only chair in the room. A fine treasure, also capable of serving as a carrier! He was in desperate need of them right now! King Wen was truly wealthy! "Sanctification Seal!" Su Yu recalled the name of the seal he had just acquired and grinned. The number of divine characters King Wen had outlined and the number of Great Daos he commanded was truly staggering. Crucially, their thoughts aligned completely—Su Yu had also outlined a *Sanctification* character! Even if this seal wasn't used on the Martial Emperor, Su Yu felt it would be immensely valuable! "If it can restrict the Martial Emperor, what about Dao Integrations?" Su Yu bared his teeth in a wicked grin. *If I whip out this seal, will Dao Integrations instantly kowtow and call me daddy?!* *Enlightened by me?* What a terrifying artifact! If it could sanctify a Ruler of Rules, dealing with Dao Integrations would be child's play, wouldn't it? And it could be used multiple times... Heavens above, Su Yu didn't even want to waste it on the Martial Emperor anymore. He might as well use it against Dao Integrations; this thing might well be stronger than the little white dog's Biting Dao! "Tiangu, the three Dead Spirit Heavenly Kings, the Warden of Heaven..." In that instant, Su Yu thought of several top-tier Dao Integrations. Could he use it against them? Those individuals were exceedingly difficult to deal with! "I'm rich!" A brilliant smile spread across Su Yu's face. He had truly hit the jackpot, and he still had the Heaven and Earth Inkstone room waiting to be opened for treasure! Filled with anticipation, Su Yu briskly made his way toward the next room.