All Four Daos Gathered

The Eastern Rift Valley. At this moment, no garrison remained in the Eastern Rift Valley. The grand army was out campaigning across all quarters. On the former grounds of the Vanguard Camp, a small temporary palace had been erected, serving as Su Yu’s residence. Presently, Duobao was waiting with growing anxiety. Months had passed! He had been waiting here for several months. Never in his life had he seen a Dao Integration expert come to defect, only for the human sovereign to ignore him entirely and leave him out in the cold for months on end. Such treatment could probably be traced all the way back to antiquity. In the ancient era, if a Dao Integration expert came to offer allegiance, even if the Human Sovereign himself did not make an appearance, a Ruler of Rules would receive them. Su Yu was truly arrogant beyond belief. What was more, I brought a supreme treasure with me! Just as Duobao was fretting, a figure materialized. It was not Su Yu, but a burly powerhouse shouldering a massive staff. The moment the figure appeared, Duobao’s expression turned sour. Tianmie! That bastard again! Tianmie boomed with laughter. “Duobao! Come have some fun! We haven't played in three days. Ready for a bout?” Duobao cursed under his breath. Ever since he arrived here, these people had made it clear they had no intention of letting him leave. He would either join their ranks, or… wait to be slaughtered. There was no third possibility; escape was out of the question. And so he had seen Tianmie. He had seen this fellow whom the outside world had no idea had already achieved Dao Integration, but who was genuinely a Dao Integration expert. Over the course of three months, he and Tianmie had fought a total of one hundred and eighty times. In the beginning, it had been three times a day, tapering off slightly later on. Tianmie hadn't shown up for the past three days, and Duobao had actually harbored the illusion that the bastard was finally done fighting. Tianmie chuckled heartily. “I had some business outside the past couple of days and almost ruined our sparring schedule. Duobao, come, come, come! Don’t waste time!” Tianmie found fighting almost anyone uncomfortable. He couldn't beat the strongest, and he had no interest in thrashing weaklings. With great difficulty, he had finally found a punching bag who could take a beating. Going three days without a fight had practically driven him mad. Two days ago, he had escorted Zhao Chuan and the others out on a mission, and the moment he returned, he couldn't wait to seek out Duobao. Duobao forced a dry laugh. “Brother Tianmie, you and I have sparred so many times. How about taking a break? When will Emperor Yu return? Could you give me an exact date?” “How should I know?” Tianmie wore an indifferent expression. “What's your hurry? Once you fight with me to my heart's content, I’ll help you go look for him!” Duobao felt utterly helpless and cursed violently in his heart. Fight my ass! He had zero desire to spar with Tianmie. The man was infuriating. Duobao couldn't beat him, nor was it appropriate to fight with his life on the line. Whatever he did was wrong. After fighting so many times, hadn't this bastard gotten sick of it yet? Though he was cursing viciously inside, a smile remained plastered on his face. “Brother Tianmie, why don’t you ask King Dazhou and the others for me again?” “That won’t do—” Just as he spoke, King Dazhou’s voice drifted over. “Fellow Daoist Duobao, please come to the main hall. Emperor Yu may be returning shortly!” “Understood!” Duobao was instantly overjoyed. Paying no further heed to Tianmie, he hurried toward the distant hall. Seeing him sprint off, Tianmie was at a loss for words. What kind of coincidence is this? Is King Dazhou bluffing? After a brief thought, Tianmie hoisted his great staff and quickly followed. Before long, the two arrived in the grand hall. Just then, King Dazhou’s silhouette flickered into view within the hall. Moments later, Wan Tiansheng ambled in with a chuckle, glanced toward King Dazhou, and nodded with a smile. King Dazhou furrowed his brows slightly, then relaxed them and nodded back with a faint smile. Both men had sensed a disturbance. King Dazhou had actually been somewhat surprised; he had detected it instantly, but throughout the temporary palace, where powerhouses were numerous, no one else seemed to have noticed—except Wan Tiansheng, who arrived right on his heels. As the thought crossed his mind, the void rippled. The River of Time unfurled. Su Yu stepped across the river with his hands behind his back, descending in an effortless, unrestrained posture. In a single stride, he ascended to the raised dais. Before Duobao’s dazzled eyes could fully register the motion, Su Yu had already taken his seat. King Dazhou and Wan Tiansheng were both slightly startled. At this moment, Su Yu’s aura had not changed drastically, but one could distinctly sense that his strength had taken another leap forward. After not seeing him for a few months, this young man had certainly not been idling. Was he compressing three thousand years of cultivation into three months? “Congratulations, Emperor Yu!” King Dazhou offered his felicitations. Su Yu’s smile was gentle as a spring breeze. “Nothing worth congratulating. Just ordinary cultivation.” With that, he turned his gaze toward Duobao below. Feeling Su Yu’s eyes on him, Duobao felt somewhat uneasy, but he swiftly bowed. “Duobao pays respects to Emperor Yu!” Su Yu examined the fellow. He had a plump, round build that gave off a harmless, honest impression, but those beady eyes betrayed a crafty nature. His true form had attained the Dao as a mouse, and during the ancient era, he had served as a general under an ancient human marquis. Su Yu silently opened his Heavenly Gate and peered toward Duobao. Above the man’s head, a massive jar faintly materialized. Su Yu raised an eyebrow. Interesting. Over these past months, he had observed thousands of Daos. With a single glance, he could make a rough assessment: that jar seemed to represent a devouring-type Great Dao. Linking that to Duobao’s prior feat of consuming the treasure-qi of the Guiyuan Saber to attain Dao Integration, Su Yu could broadly deduce that it was a specialized devouring Dao. It devoured treasure-qi. As for the power of this Great Dao, Su Yu gave it some thought. If Duobao encountered an opponent skilled in weaponry whose armaments were exceedingly powerful, he would possess immense restraint over them! Simply put, the ancient Armament-Merging Dao was easily countered by him. If Duobao truly unleashed his Great Dao, he could drain an opponent’s merged armament until it lost all its power. Their combat prowess would inevitably plummet! Su Yu promptly closed his Heavenly Gate. Looking at Tianmie, who was strutting with pride, Su Yu suddenly chuckled. “Duobao, you are quite the character!” Duobao was taken aback. Where had that come from? Su Yu said indifferently, “When others come to pledge allegiance, they display their strength so people will regard them highly. You, on the other hand, have sparred plenty of times with Tianmie, and you lost every single bout, didn't you?” Duobao suspected Su Yu had been present the whole time and might have personally watched his spars with Tianmie. Before he could answer, Tianmie boasted smugly, “Of course! How could he possibly be my match? Long ago, I could have smashed him to pieces!” Su Yu smiled faintly. “Without using your great staff, could you handle him?” Tianmie froze for a moment, then quickly replied, “Pretty much!” “What if your great staff suddenly shattered?” Tianmie’s mouth fell open, and only after a long pause did he say, “How could that happen? My staff is incredibly sturdy. If it truly shattered… that would mean I was already severely wounded. Of course I wouldn't beat him then.” Su Yu looked at Duobao and smiled calmly. “If I were in your shoes, pledging allegiance to a faction, I would demonstrate my worth. For instance, by blowing up Tianmie’s staff and beating him to a pulp, giving him a thorough lesson! Why play the obedient coward the entire time? In this era, strength still reigns supreme.” Duobao’s eyes flickered, and he hurriedly said, “Emperor Yu jests. How could I possibly be Brother Tianmie’s match…” Su Yu yawned and chuckled. “Is that so? If Tianmie hadn't walked the Armament-Merging Dao, you might have found him difficult to deal with. But since he did walk the Armament-Merging Dao, aren't you his perfect counter? If your Treasure Dao absorbed a bit more of the treasure-qi in his staff and broke it, would Tianmie still be your match?” Beside them, Tianmie eyed Duobao with suspicion. Meanwhile, beads of cold sweat faintly surfaced on Duobao’s forehead. He laughed awkwardly. “Emperor Yu, what you speak of… how could I possibly possess the ability to break Brother Tianmie’s merged armament…” Su Yu said indifferently, “Enough, there is no need to dwell on it. I have observed thousands of Daos. What could possibly elude my eyes?” Duobao did not dare speak further. At this moment, a deep sense of dread welled up within him. This man… had truly seen through it! His strength was indeed not considered top-tier, and he had not been integrated with the Dao for long. However, his Great Dao was indeed extraordinary, possessing a tremendous counter-effect against experts who attained the Dao through the Armament-Merging Method. Devouring treasure-qi! It might sound trivial, but in practice, its utility was immense. Which cultivator didn't possess a few precious treasures? Whether weapons or auxiliary divine talismans, all carried treasure-qi. Once they encountered Duobao, they were inherently restrained. Now that Su Yu had laid it bare with a single phrase, how could Duobao not be shaken? Tianmie scrutinized Duobao suspiciously for a while, remaining silent, though his eyes darted about, wondering what was really going on. Leaning back in his chair in a relaxed posture, Su Yu spoke up. “Speak. King Dazhou transmitted messages to me several times, saying you had something to tell me. Make it quick, get straight to the point. Back then, I said I would butcher you. Let us see how you intend to buy your life.” Duobao offered a dry laugh. “Emperor Yu, I come in all sincerity to pledge allegiance…” Su Yu said indifferently, “Be quick! You once stood as my enemy. Do you think a simple declaration of allegiance settles everything? If it were that simple, even Tiangu and the others would be willing to come here. Speaking sweet words costs nothing!” Providing charcoal in the snow was rare; adding flowers to embroidery was commonplace. Presently, the human race was mighty. Although the Upper Realm still posed a threat, the humans were the undisputed hegemon of the current world. Duobao coming to defect was hardly offering help in a time of dire need. Speechless, Duobao could only speak quickly. “I have brought a supreme treasure for Emperor Yu!” Su Yu looked at him with an amused expression. Duobao gritted his teeth and swiftly produced a golden page. The golden page was still struggling. At the same time, several fragments on Su Yu’s person stirred, yearning to fuse with it. Su Yu smiled. King Dazhou and Wan Tiansheng’s expressions changed slightly. King Dazhou had urged Su Yu to return because Duobao claimed he had an urgent matter to report personally, but he had never mentioned that he had brought the Heaven Hunting Ranking! Tianmie recognized it at a glance as well, astonished beyond measure. “Did you kill Marquis Jiantian?” This was the Heaven Hunting Ranking! The very treasure Marquis Jiantian treated like an ancestral heirloom! How could it possibly be in Duobao’s hands? The next instant, Tianmie asked suspiciously, “Did you forge a fake?” Duobao bared his teeth in exasperation. How could that be possible? Did he look like a complete idiot? Su Yu said nothing. Reaching out with a casual wave, he seized the golden page directly into his hand. Concurrently, within his mind, the Time Record trembled slightly. The Heaven Hunting Ranking was, in essence, forged in imitation of the Time Record. After examining it for a moment, Su Yu chuckled softly. “Brush, ink, paper, and inkstone—all four Daos are finally gathered!” With a sigh of emotion, he asked, “Marquis Jiantian told you to come?” Duobao could never have seized this on his own. The only way it could have ended up in his hands was if Marquis Jiantian had voluntarily handed it over. Duobao nodded. “Yes. He said this item had become an obstacle to him, so he let it go!” “Fair enough.” Su Yu laughed. “To think he could see through it after all. Having followed King Wen for all those years, he isn't completely foolish. Constantly obsessing over the Heaven Hunting Ranking when he couldn't even control it—what was the point?” With that, he asked further, “Did he say anything else? Even if he couldn't control it, he wouldn't let you deliver it to me for free.” Duobao hurriedly explained, “I was the one who went to persuade him to join the human race with me. I thought that whether it was him or me, neither of us had actually killed human experts; we had merely opposed the human race on a few occasions, so there was still a chance. After all, he was once a subordinate of King Wen…” Duobao recounted the events rapidly, soon adding, “He said that there must be a battle between you and him, and only if you personally go to slay him can he truly be killed! Anyone else… won't do!” He repeated everything Marquis Jiantian had said that day word for word. Su Yu fell into deep contemplation. King Dazhou and Wan Tiansheng pondered as well. Tianmie was thinking too, though he couldn't make heads or tails of it. After a long silence, Su Yu suddenly let out a chuckle. King Dazhou’s expression shifted, and a peculiar light flashed through Wan Tiansheng’s eyes. All three seemed to have realized something. “After more than a hundred thousand years, he only now understood who he truly was… King Wen’s machinations…” Su Yu laughed, but as he laughed, he let out a sigh. “I think I’ve guessed it. What a pity. Had antiquity not fallen, he would have become a Ruler of Rules long ago.” He then shook his head. “When the ninth tide ended, did that fellow enter a prolonged slump?” Duobao cast a bewildered glance at Su Yu, answering after a hesitation, “It seems so.” “The Hundred Battles King truly ruined him!” Su Yu sighed with emotion. Duobao was utterly lost. What did this have to do with the Hundred Battles King? King Dazhou’s expression shifted erratically. In a low voice, he said, “He… Emperor Yu, why would he be in King Wen’s hands?” Su Yu said calmly, “In antiquity, King Wen was even more renowned than the Human Sovereign. It was only natural for him to take charge of it.” Tianmie stared blankly, completely uncomprehending. Duobao was equally baffled. Wan Tiansheng, however, spoke in a heavy voice: “If that is the case, we should mobilize powerhouses from all quarters to exterminate him!” “No need.” Su Yu smiled. “He is a Fortune Spirit. Do you think numbers alone can kill him? Bringing more people would only invite unforeseen accidents! If he were that easy to kill, he would have perished long ago! Marquis Jiantian is quite interesting. Having seen through certain truths, he genuinely has a chance to advance rapidly, stepping into the realm of Heavenly Kings or even beyond.” With a laugh, he added, “It seems I truly must kill him before the Hundred Battles King breaks free…” King Dazhou said gravely, “Emperor Yu, I believe…” “I don't need what you believe.” Su Yu said calmly, “Marquis Jiantian saw through it himself: he is the fortune of the orthodox lineage! The ancient dynasty extends into the present day! And the orthodox successor of that ancient dynasty is not me, but the Hundred Battles King! If the former dynasty does not perish, how can a new dynasty arise? If the Hundred Battles King is difficult to kill, then we kill Marquis Jiantian and seize the accumulation of the human race's fortune amassed across countless ages!” King Dazhou wore a heavy expression. Su Yu said indifferently, “I know you were a scribe under the ancient Human Sovereign. But the Human Sovereign disappeared a hundred thousand years ago! A hundred thousand years is more than enough time for dynasties to change! If Marquis Jiantian does not die and ends up defecting to the Hundred Battles King, it will be yet another upheaval for me!” Wan Tiansheng chuckled softly as well. “Emperor Yu speaks the truth. For a hundred thousand years, Marquis Jiantian has harvested boundless power of fortune! Fortune is an ethereal concept, yet it truly exists, or rather, it is a specialized Great Dao. His Dao is evidently not the Dao of our New Yu Dynasty! Instead, it leans toward the ancient dynasty, toward the Hundred Battles King and his cohort!” Wan Tiansheng said softly, “As long as this person is not destroyed, it will be exceedingly difficult for new Dao Integration experts to emerge in our new dynasty!” He smiled faintly and continued, “How could the Hundred Battles King alone monopolize the entire Physical Body Dao? Even if he became an ancient Human King, there were numerous Human Kings who walked the Physical Body Dao in the ancient era! Looking at it now, it is precisely because the Hundred Battles King has not emerged, the ancient legacy has not carried forward, and Marquis Jiantian locked down the fortune, leading to the exhaustion of human fortune!” Wan Tiansheng continued, “Emperor Yu’s fortune is like an unyielding torrent. Most likely, it is because of the inheritances of King Wen, the Time Master, and others that your accumulated fortune overpowered theirs. Otherwise… there would be no tenth tide. The tenth tide would merely be a continuation of antiquity, a continuation of the ninth tide!” Tianmie was utterly bewildered, understanding nothing. What in the world are you talking about? Why can’t I understand a single sentence! Duobao, however, vaguely grasped something, and his expression subtly changed. King Dazhou struggled internally. Su Yu looked at him, and King Dazhou said with bitterness, “Antiquity…” Su Yu said calmly, “As you said, that was antiquity!” “I know.” King Dazhou let out a deep sigh. “Perhaps… we were wrong from the very beginning. When the Human Sovereign and the others departed, if we did not break free of their influence, how could we build a new dynasty and recreate past glory? It was just that everyone only thought of carrying on that glory, rather than forging something anew.” He felt a tinge of sorrow. The era of the Human Sovereign was truly coming to an end! And the crucial nexus lay with Marquis Jiantian. “Um… what… what are you guys talking about?” Tianmie finally couldn't hold back and blurted out. He was at his limit—what were they babbling about?! Su Yu laughed and explained, “Simply put, Marquis Jiantian represents the fortune of the ancient dynasty! He is the symbol of the ancient dynasty, the continuation of its fortune! King Wen utilized the fortune of the ancient dynasty through secret arts to manifest him as a spirit! He mentioned the Hundred Battles King, which means he has seen through it all and understands clearly! The Hundred Battles King is the true orthodox successor of the ancient dynasty. As long as he lives, I am merely a rebel usurpation!” Su Yu smiled teasingly. “And so, Marquis Jiantian understands this, and he also knows that I have divided the fortune of the ancient dynasty. King Wen and the Time Master chose me, while the other ancient fossils chose the Hundred Battles King! Marquis Jiantian actually represents the Hundred Battles King. If he slays me, he has a chance to consolidate the entire power of fortune, allowing both him and the Hundred Battles King to step into the realm of true Rulers of Rules together!” “And if I kill him, it signifies that the old has ended and the new has begun!” Su Yu beamed. “At that time, I will inherit the ancient fortune, unsealing it, causing the human race’s fortune to skyrocket. Then the humans of this tide will finally have the hope of advancing to Dao Integration! The reason none could before was that this tide… had not received the acknowledgment of the ancient dynasty!” Su Yu chuckled. “Do you understand what I mean? In the previous nine tides, the inheritance was unbroken. In every single tide, a vast number of ancient fossils remained to designate the human sovereign, uniting all under heaven. Therefore, in every tide, people could achieve Dao Integration! This tide failed to do so not because the Hundred Battles King truly hogged the entire Physical Body Dao, but because the fortune was insufficient. The humans of this tide did not receive the power of ancient fortune. Human fortune was split in two, which is why only after my rise did people finally step into Dao Integration.” Tianmie listened in a daze, only managing after a long pause to say, “You mean… Marquis Jiantian… he… he represents ancient fortune?” Su Yu nodded. “Precisely! And that's not all…” Su Yu picked up the Heaven Hunting Ranking and smiled. “There's another point. This object was also helping Marquis Jiantian stabilize human fortune! Fascinating! The Dao of Fortune is truly extraordinary!” At this moment, Duobao’s heart was churning with monumental waves. Fortune! The representative of ancient fortune, Marquis Jiantian! He… carried on the ancient orthodox lineage. Whereas Su Yu, seemingly, was not—the Hundred Battles King was. Tianmie shook his head groggily, asking in confusion, “Then… then why didn't Marquis Jiantian wait for the Hundred Battles King to appear, join forces with him, and deal with you together?” “Why did he deliver the Heaven Hunting Ranking to you?” Su Yu smiled. “The Hundred Battles King was actually exhausting his power of fortune as well. When the Hundred Battles King was defeated in the ninth tide, Marquis Jiantian must have suffered a severe downturn. If he waited for the Hundred Battles King to emerge, perhaps the Hundred Battles King would have noticed something and sought him out first to devour him!” Su Yu chuckled. “Forget it, you wouldn't understand! This thing is profoundly mystical. In my view, the Dao of Fortune is still an exceptionally formidable Dao. It alters your perceptions, induces misjudgments, and causes you to plunge into unending trouble…” As Su Yu spoke, he laughed again. “Handing the Heaven Hunting Ranking over to me serves several purposes. First, it can be considered returning the item to its rightful owner, freeing him from King Wen’s lingering influence! Second, continuing to hold this item might bring him no benefits and instead cause a backlash, or even allow me to lead powerhouses to kill him! Third, handing this item to me might not necessarily be good for me. I have already embarked on the Brush Dao; dividing my focus to study the Paper Dao might not do me any favors.” Tianmie nodded, though he remained bewildered and awed. It sounded astonishingly profound. Did King Dazhou and Wan Tiansheng truly understand all of this? Could they be faking it?! From just a few sentences, he hadn't gleaned a single clue, yet these people seemed to understand everything. Dammit, was it because they were humans, or because they were all Civilization Masters? Scholars—and humans—truly were deceitful and treacherous to the core. King Dazhou sighed. “Marquis Jiantian… I had never considered before that he was the continuation of ancient fortune, fortune manifested into a spirit… King Wen’s methods were unimaginably profound! A fortune manifested as a spirit gains consciousness, becoming more powerful and far cunning. If the myriad races wished to destroy the humans, they actually had to destroy Marquis Jiantian first. Yet he was precisely a Fortune Spirit who knew how to avert danger! In this way, as long as he did not perish, the human race would not perish; and as long as the human race did not perish, his fortune would remain prosperous… Protected by King Wen, as long as the human race maintained an unbroken line of inheritance, he could never die.” With that, he offered a bitter smile. “I suspect none of the successive human sovereigns ever harbored thoughts of killing him upon seeing him. Some may even have known the truth.” Su Yu nodded slightly. “Indeed! As long as the dynasty does not perish, he will not perish! Slaying him is exceedingly difficult! However, he was also dragged down by the Hundred Battles King. After the ninth tide, his fortune waned, nothing went smoothly, and he ran into trouble at every turn… Only then did he reach today’s epiphany.” Below, Wan Tiansheng said gravely, “So the ancient fossils in the Upper Realm are right to wait for the return of the Hundred Battles King! As long as he returns, Marquis Jiantian’s fortune may surge once more, and those inheritances carrying over from antiquity in the Upper Realm might experience a massive boost in fortune, giving rise to another batch of Dao Integration experts!” Su Yu nodded. “That is the logic! However, because our tide broke that inheritance and continuation, failing to enjoy those benefits, everyone was trapped at the Eternal realm, unable to step into Dao Integration!” Su Yu smiled. “King Dazhou wasn't entirely wrong either. If we truly waited another few decades until the Hundred Battles King broke free and human fortune rose again, a few more Dao Integration experts could indeed emerge—so long as this tide continued to follow the Hundred Battles King.” With that, Su Yu smiled and shook his head. “Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there!” Wan Tiansheng nodded, his voice turning sinister. “Indeed, it does not stop there! Marquis Jiantian represents far more than just the human race. He is the incarnation of the ancient dynasty's fortune, and the ancient dynasty encompassed not only humans, but also the myriad races! That is why both sides have been entangled in a deadlock for a hundred thousand years, unable to determine a victor! Destroying Marquis Jiantian will not only diminish the Hundred Battles King’s fortune, but that of all races as well! Emperor Yu, let me summon the powerhouses of all factions to hunt him down! No matter how formidable his fortune, it is not impervious to restraint!” At this moment, Wan Tiansheng’s tone was chilling. Marquis Jiantian had to be killed! Killing Marquis Jiantian would signify the complete end of the ancient dynastic era. The fortune would return to Su Yu himself, and from then on, whatever Su Yu did would unfold with unparalleled smoothness—even smoother than now! Su Yu, however, chuckled. “What's the rush? The Dao of Fortune is nothing more than that! Mystical as it may be, it isn't necessarily omnipotent. If it were truly that invincible, the ancient Human Sovereign would have absorbed the power of fortune himself long ago! 'As long as fortune endures, the dynasty does not fall, and one cannot perish'—it's merely a manner of speaking! Once the Hundred Battles King and his allies are dead, and the Human Sovereign and his peers are gone, Marquis Jiantian will drop dead on his own!” “Since he wants to measure himself against me, we shall see. When I have time, I’ll pay him a visit!” Su Yu broke into laughter. “King Wen truly stuck his fingers into everything. He even managed the Dao of Fortune! Why do I feel like the Human Sovereign was practically reduced to a puppet? Shouldn't the dynasty’s fortune be the Human Sovereign’s concern?” Wan Tiansheng smiled. “Perhaps it was to divert attention. King Wen had myriad methods that were often unpredictable! If Marquis Jiantian had come from under the Human Sovereign, he might have been wiped out long ago. But coming from King Wen’s camp, everyone would think it quite ordinary. King Wen was known for educating without discrimination; his followers were a collection of eccentrics of every variety.” Su Yu nodded slightly, conceding the point. Only at this moment did Tianmie finally grasp the gist of it. He asked with awe, “So what everyone means is, once we kill Marquis Jiantian, we become the orthodox lineage? We don't count yet?” Su Yu laughed. “It's not about being orthodox. The issue is breaking free of antiquity’s constraints!” Su Yu let out a sigh. “Antiquity produced too many monstrous geniuses. The pool is only so large, and they divided all the territory among themselves. If we don't smash antiquity and recast it, forging a brand-new pool, how can it accommodate us?” Su Yu shook his head. “The fact that no Ruler of Rules has emerged in the past hundred thousand years might very well be linked to all of this. Everything continued along ancient lines, stagnant for a hundred thousand years. How could new mountains and rivers be carved?” Tianmie blinked. “So you’re saying that if we kill Marquis Jiantian, this era can produce Rulers of Rules again?” Su Yu nodded. “There is hope. Not necessarily just for humans—the myriad races will have hope as well! Slaying Marquis Jiantian signifies that everything begins anew, and antiquity’s glory will no longer carry forward!” “Is he that important?” Tianmie was thoroughly stunned. “I thought he was a nobody.” “Then why did he expose his own identity?” Tianmie was still puzzled, despite Su Yu’s explanation. Su Yu smiled. Tianmie was as talkative as ever. He explained once more: “Even if he hadn't spoken, I would have sensed it sooner or later! As I continue to grow stronger, I am naturally siphoning away his fortune. His fortune would only grow weaker and weaker. Rather than letting that happen, seeking an opportunity to fight me to the death gives him a shred of hope, rather than being slowly bled dry by me!” “Oh!” Su Yu spoke no further on the matter. It was merely a question of time. Marquis Jiantian had simply seen things clearly. At this moment, the marquis had displayed a fair bit of courage. Wan Tiansheng, however, smiled faintly. “There might be another reason. For instance… he feared that once the Hundred Battles King emerged, instead of helping him, the king would drag him down. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he got burned! Rather than gambling that the Hundred Battles King might bring him benefits, he preferred to take a desperate gamble on his own. A sabotaging teammate is far more terrifying than an enemy!” “Hahaha!” Su Yu laughed uproariously, nodding in agreement. “Makes sense!” King Dazhou wore an awkward look. Was that truly a factor? Perhaps it was! Marquis Jiantian might genuinely distrust the Hundred Battles King, finding himself more dependable, which was why he chose to settle scores with Su Yu early to avoid being dragged down by others. “Duobao!” After laughing for a while, Su Yu barked sternly. Duobao trembled and replied at once, “Present!” “Since you brought the Heaven Hunting Ranking, I understand Marquis Jiantian’s intention! Out of respect for him, the grudges between you and me are wiped clean. I won't pursue them!” Duobao smiled bitterly inside. He truly felt… utterly undervalued! Even after bringing the Heaven Hunting Ranking, past transgressions were merely written off. He was a Dao Integration expert, after all! Su Yu said in a chilling voice, “Don’t think yourself extraordinary just because you reached Dao Integration! An obedient Dao Integration expert is one thing, but a disobedient one is far more terrifying than a Dao Integration enemy! One rat dropping ruins an entire pot of porridge! You are far too slippery, always acting according to the wind. You can fight winning battles, but the moment things turn south, you would likely be the very first to flee and shatter my army’s morale! Though I, Su Yu, am young, I possess some discernment when judging people!” “In the days to come, I may suffer defeat! Others trust me and will not waver in the short term, but someone like you is far too prone to sparking a total collapse among my subordinates!” Su Yu said coldly, “That is why from the beginning, I had no intention of taking you in! Killing someone like you would be far more appropriate! A quintessential opportunist!” Duobao felt extraordinarily awkward. Su Yu said indifferently, “However, since you brought the Heaven Hunting Ranking, killing you now would make me appear too narrow-minded, penalizing you for things that have not yet occurred. Fine. I have no other demands of you: during winning battles, you may be deployed! But should there come a day when I suffer a defeat… Director Wan, King Dazhou, if he is the first to flee, disregard everyone and everything else! Kill him! Slay him without fail!” “Understood!” King Dazhou and Wan Tiansheng responded in unison! Duobao was overwhelmed with embarrassment, bitter smiles, and helplessness, yet in his heart he knew… Su Yu was damn perceptive. That scenario… was indeed very likely. If Su Yu ran into serious trouble and showed signs of collapse, Duobao might truly be the first to cut and run. Yet today, Su Yu’s decree commanded two top-tier powerhouses to abandon everything else and focus solely on slaughtering him if such a situation arose, leaving Duobao utterly subdued. Now, even if Su Yu truly met defeat, as long as King Dazhou and the others were still breathing, Duobao swore to himself that he would never be the first to run. Otherwise, dire misfortune would undoubtedly befall him! Within the hall, Tianmie bared his teeth aggressively. “If he dares run, I’ll be the first to bash his head in!” Su Yu chuckled. “Count yourself out. He counters your Armament-Merging Dao severely! Unless you merge your weapon directly into your Great Dao! That is another path in the later stages of the Armament-Merging Dao—turning the Dao into an armament! Back then, King Wen turned his Dao into a brush; the Great Dao was the weapon, and the weapon was the Great Dao. That is the proper path for the later stages of the Armament-Merging Dao.” Su Yu gave him some guidance: “No matter how sturdy your staff is, it is merely an armament, not a rule of the Great Dao! What you should be contemplating now is how to transform the power of the Great Dao into your weapon, thoroughly fusing the weapon into the Dao!” “Oh!” Tianmie nodded. He could actually understand this. Transforming the Great Dao into his own staff—got it. He would have to think about this carefully later. “Duobao, since you have pledged allegiance to me, I have a mission for you!” “At Emperor Yu’s command!” Duobao responded hastily. Su Yu said, “You attained the Dao as a Treasure-Passing Mouse and possess the keenest senses when it comes to treasures.” With that, Su Yu retrieved a Councilor Token. “Some of the Councilor Tokens among the myriad races were lost or discarded in various places. Covered in dust, whoever picked them up might not have paid them any mind! Of the ninety-nine Councilor Tokens, very few are currently accounted for. The rest must still be scattered across the Myriad Realms.” “Aside from the God, Demon, and Immortal races, you may travel across the other realms of the Myriad Realms to search for them!” Su Yu looked at him. “I don't expect you to take part in major wars. You have only one mission: help me locate Councilor Tokens!” Hearing this, Duobao said hurriedly, “Understood! I will devote all my efforts to this!” This was wonderful! This way, he could serve the human race without participating in deadly battles, remaining completely safe. It aligned perfectly with his desires; Su Yu had clearly considered this when assigning the task. Su Yu added, “Have Tianyue, the Minister of the Heaven Division, accompany you, lest you pocket any you find for yourself!” “Tianyue?” Duobao paused. Su Yu laughed. “Since you are familiar with Marquis Jiantian, there is no way you don't know Tianyue! Tianyue has also achieved Dao Integration. With him present, traveling to minor realms won't subject him to suppression, and he can cooperate well with you! You two should already know each other, so there is no need for introductions. Tianmie, take him to find Tianyue and relay my words: I need Councilor Tokens!” “Right away!” Tianmie nodded, looking at Duobao with a grin. “Brother Duobao, let’s go! Come on, let’s spar outside. I’d love to see how you suck on my big staff!” Duobao was speechless. Who the fuck wants to suck on your staff! In the hall, Su Yu and the others exchanged glances, utterly lost for words. Such provocative phrasing! Whatever; Tianmie was always like this, constantly talking about his great staff. There was simply no curing it. *** Once they had left, Wan Tiansheng smiled. “Now that the four Daos of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone are all in hand, do you intend to cultivate the Paper Dao yourself? The Paper Dao is likely anything but simple.” Su Yu nodded. “Not only is it not simple, but the Paper Dao is also a Dao suitable for the human race—perhaps even better than the Dao of the Wild Beast! I will study it and see. The Paper Dao… The Heaven Hunting Ranking can blanket the heavens, gather the auras of all realms, and sense intelligence across the universe… I have someone in mind.” Wan Tiansheng smiled. “You truly intend to give it to him?” “Why not?” Su Yu laughed. “As long as Director Wan can keep him in check!” Wan Tiansheng gave a wry smile, remarking, “He might not necessarily walk the Paper Dao.” “It doesn't matter whether he walks it or not; the Heaven Hunting Ranking is already a top-tier divine armament!” Su Yu chuckled. “Once it falls into Lan Tian’s hands, who in the heavens and Myriad Realms could possibly hide from him?” Indeed, Lan Tian! The Heaven Hunting Ranking monitored the myriad heavens. In truth, the very first person that came to mind for both of them was Lan Tian. It would suit Lan Tian flawlessly! Moreover, the Heaven Hunting Ranking possessed countless capabilities. Previously, it had been incomplete, but now the fragments were all in Su Yu’s possession. Once fully restored, if Lan Tian took charge of it, he might wield it with far greater prowess than Marquis Jiantian ever had. From then on, the entire universe would serve as Su Yu’s eyes and ears! To the side, King Dazhou remained silent. He had already guessed that Su Yu wished to gift this to Lan Tian. Su Yu himself likely had no intention of pursuing another Great Dao; the single Brush Dao was more than enough for him to walk. Biting off more than one could chew was dangerous, yet Su Yu’s magnanimity and boldness were truly beyond ordinary men. An ordinary person, finding themselves in possession of four Great Daos, would have monopolized them long ago instead of sharing them with others. Previously, King Daqin and the others had been stronger than Su Yu; had Su Yu hoarded all those inheritances for himself, he might already possess the combat power of a Heavenly King by now! King Dazhou sighed internally with emotion once more. His thoughts drifted back to Marquis Jiantian: if Su Yu truly killed Marquis Jiantian, he would become the second Human Sovereign—the Human Sovereign of a new dynasty, rather than merely an inheritor of antiquity! Furthermore, Su Yu’s return this time gave him an even more terrifying impression. Perhaps before long, Su Yu would surpass even the foremost apex experts. What a truly terrifying individual!