Su Yu was naturally unaware of the scene unfolding in the boundless darkness.
At this moment, he had returned to the Eastern Rift Valley.
When King Dazhou and the others saw Su Yu, looks of sheer shock surfaced on their faces. How had he ended up in this state?
Top experts could naturally discern a thing or two.
Of course, those who were weaker could tell nothing. They merely thought Emperor Yu had developed a rather flamboyant flair, actually turning his hair stark white. White hair and white brows—had he finally seen the light and decided to woo some woman?
Truth be told, it actually looked quite handsome.
Perhaps before long, this fashion of white hair would spread across the realms.
Su Yu paid no heed to the looks directed at him. Stepping inside the temporary palace with a faint smile, he ascended the dais. Down below gathered a considerable number of experts.
Not only were King Dazhou and the rest present, but Shan Qi had also returned by now.
He had been tasked with shadowing Zhao Chuan and his companions in secret. Looking at Su Yu and catching sight of his white hair, Shan Qi thought nothing ill of it; he only felt that Su Yu seemed all the more imposing and majestic.
He immediately reported, "Reporting to Emperor Yu, the passage to the Upper Realm in the boundless void has been located! However, we did not dare test it recklessly, fearing people under Marquis Dingjun might be on the other side. Hence, we have merely been observing it over the past days!"
Shan Qi quickly continued, "According to our observations, this passage manifests only once a month. At other times, it conceals itself within the void, completely undetectable! It can neither be entered nor exited. In other words, whether coming or going, one must await the one-month cycle!"
Su Yu nodded slightly.
Shan Qi added, "There are also tremendous hazards within the passage—astral winds, lightning, tribulations of rules..."
Su Yu nodded once more and asked softly, "Then what is the difference between this and the passage in the Destiny Realm?"
Since both held dangers, where lay the distinction?
Shan Qi did not know, but King Dazhou stepped forward and promptly replied, "Reporting to Emperor Yu, there is indeed a distinction between this passage and the one in the Destiny Realm! The Destiny Realm passage is the main highway, one known to all the myriad races, whereas this one is merely a covert bypass secretly forged. In truth, the Destiny Realm passage was built to accommodate Rule Masters, while this one cannot! In other words, a Rule Master has no way of entering through this passage!"
Su Yu smiled and nodded. True enough; after all, this was no longer the ancient era.
From a modern perspective, there seemed to be no difference.
Yet in the ancient era, Rule Masters were plentiful. If the Torchbearers wanted to use their hidden passage for a surprise assault, there would have been no point—without reaching the Rule Master realm, whom could you possibly ambush?
Of course, that was an old story by now.
In this day and age, that distinction no longer mattered.
King Dazhou continued, "The tribulations inside this passage are fewer than those in the main passage! The main passage was originally designed to deter Rule Masters. In its prime, even a Rule Master forcing their way through could be struck dead by the rules.
"The passage we possess is a weakened version. While the rule power in the main passage can strike a Dao Integration expert dead today, the punitive force in this minor passage is reduced by half. It would be very difficult to kill a Dao Integration expert!"
Su Yu nodded again. That explained how Zhao Chuan and the others had managed to descend; otherwise, Eternals attempting the Destiny Realm route would have been blasted to ashes long ago!
King Dazhou went on, "Furthermore, the entrance to the main passage is likely in the hands of the myriad races right now, whereas this passage is held by Marquis Dingjun. Marquis Dingjun is merely a Dao Integration expert himself, and it is uncertain whether he has any other Dao Integration experts under his command. Choosing this passage ensures maximum secrecy, and we might even bring Marquis Dingjun under our sway!"
Su Yu nodded again and said with a smile, "That is true. You have considered things thoroughly, King Dazhou."
King Dazhou smiled back and said no more.
After a moment of contemplation, Su Yu asked, "Can this passage be used to ascend right now?"
"It can!"
Shan Qi answered solemnly, "By my judgment, the passage is reasonably stable. Naturally, there are certain risks. Zhao Chuan's group suffered heavy casualties coming down, so ascending might be even more arduous!"
Su Yu tapped lightly against the armrest of his throne and said, "I have examined passages of this nature. They are composed of multifaceted rules—spatial power, temporal power, defensive power, teleportation power, suppression power, formation power... Whoever forged the main passage must have been exceedingly formidable, or perhaps multiple Rule Masters carved it out together!"
"Who forged the Torchbearers' passage, then?"
Su Yu looked toward King Dazhou. King Dazhou answered in a heavy voice, "The specifics are unknown. It was passed down from the ancient Human Sovereign. It might have been opened by the Human Sovereign or by powerhouses under his command; the outside world knows nothing of it."
Su Yu glanced at him, nodded slightly, and probed no further. After pondering briefly, he said, "Summon King Daming, King Shiguang, King Miecan, Hu Xiansheng... have them assemble here!"
King Dazhou's heart stirred, and he quickly said, "Emperor Yu intends to send people to the Upper Realm? That is no problem, but danger still looms in the Lower Realm. Emperor Yu must not go in person. The Upper Realm is teeming with powerhouses; scouting should be our primary objective!"
He feared Su Yu might attempt to go himself!
It was too perilous; plenty of top experts remained in the Upper Realm.
Su Yu chuckled. "Why can't I go? This entire enterprise is a gamble. If I don't go, how will I grasp the situation firsthand? Enough, let us waste no more breath on that."
King Dazhou's expression shifted slightly, and he hurried to say, "Then I will not dissuade Emperor Yu, but I must accompany you. I am acquainted with Marquis Dingjun and the others, so at least I can provide insight and prevent us from blundering about completely in the dark."
"Out of the question!"
At that moment, Wan Tiansheng stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he said, "King Dazhou had better stay behind. Your acquaintance with the Upper Realm's powerhouses might not be a blessing! One look at you and they will know you come from the Lower Realm. Without King Dazhou present, we can easily disguise ourselves as a scattered band of survivors! Zhao Chuan said it himself: the Upper Realm's human forces have broken apart into various factions, unknown to one another. We could even pose as remnants under Marquis Minshan—Marquis Minshan has already been slain, after all!"
King Dazhou frowned. "Unfamiliar with the land and the people..."
Wan Tiansheng said cryptically, "It is precisely because the terrain and people are unfamiliar that danger lurks! The greatest fear is that once we reach the Upper Realm and cannot receive timely reinforcements, someone might collude with the Upper Realm, sparking internal disaster. That would be catastrophic!"
King Dazhou's face darkened, tinged with anger. "Wan Tiansheng, are you suspecting me?"
Wan Tiansheng replied impassively, "Not so! The clean remain clean, and the murky remain murky! One who has done no wrong fears no knock at midnight! This concern is not mine alone. Once we ascend to the Upper Realm, to put it bluntly, we will be suspended between heaven and earth with nowhere to turn. What if King Dazhou defects? Leaking Emperor Yu's whereabouts and contacting ancient fossils to execute him—is such a possibility nonexistent?"
King Dazhou snapped in fury, "Utter nonsense! I am a Torchbearer, inheritor of the flame of the human race! How could I do such a thing?!"
Wan Tiansheng replied coldly, "What you inherit is the flame of the ancient era, not the flame of this generation! This is the New Yu Calendar, not the Yong'an Calendar! I hope King Dazhou does not make that mistake!"
"Insolence!"
King Dazhou was truly enraged now. He was patient by nature, but with Wan Tiansheng openly casting doubt upon him, how would the others view him if he failed to clear his name?
Old friends like King Daqin and King Daxia were present right now.
This was not some private exchange!
Strictly speaking, this was an imperial court assembly. If he allowed Wan Tiansheng to fling mud at him without refuting it, would he not seem guilty as charged?
Meanwhile, the others stood watching in silence, offering no input.
Unfortunately, Wan Tiansheng was not without allies. The next instant, an old man slinking in the corner stepped forward and said earnestly, "King Dazhou, let's discuss matters calmly. Lay out the facts, speak with reason, talk about evidence. Tiansheng was merely stating a possibility; he never called you a traitor. What are you getting so agitated about?"
King Dazhou cursed inwardly and said coldly, "Lan Tian, you question me, but where is your evidence?"
The old man Lan Tian had transformed into chuckled. "Evidence? What evidence? Who questioned you? As we said, it's merely a possibility."
"Then that is slander!"
King Dazhou said frostily, "I might just as well suspect you, Lan Tian! Infiltrating the myriad realms, you might very well be colluding with all the myriad races!"
Lan Tian smiled. "How could that be? We must speak with evidence."
"Then where is your evidence for slandering me?"
Lan Tian nodded and beamed. "Fair point! It seems one cannot simply throw baseless accusations around!"
With that, Lan Tian murmured mournfully, "How about this: to prove my innocence, I shall open my sea of will completely. Emperor Yu may search and probe as he pleases; should there be the slightest anomaly, strike me dead and be done with it!"
Lan Tian wore a tragic expression. "I wish to prove my innocence! King Dazhou slanders me, and though I believe I am clean, since he insists on saying so, I have no choice!"
"..."
King Dazhou felt utterly exhausted. So that was the trap waiting for him!
Damn it!
These people were now scheming even against their venerable seniors.
Did they have any shame?
Playing this routine with him!
Just as he was about to speak, Su Yu said calmly from above, "Enough, quiet down, all of you! On the path of cultivation, who doesn't have some secrets? Having cultivated to this stage, if one must lay open their sea of will for others to inspect, what was the point of cultivating in the first place?"
At these words, King Dazhou breathed a sigh of relief. But before he could speak, Su Yu added casually, "King Dazhou will come with me, and Lan Tian will accompany us as well! Director Wan will stay behind to hold down the fort! King Daqin and King Daxia need not go; assist Director Wan in governing the myriad realms. This time, we will mainly take Eternals, with fewer Dao Integration experts. Bringing Eternals is to see if opportunities arise for them to attain Dao Integration; as for Dao Integration experts, having enough to combine forces and kill a Heavenly King-level combatant will suffice!"
The crowd gasped. The way he phrased it made slaying a Heavenly King sound effortless.
King Dazhou, Lan Tian, Su Yu, King Daming—by that count, only four Dao Integration-level experts would ascend. Could they kill a Heavenly King?
Lan Tian's voice immediately turned aggrieved: "Emperor Yu, must you really bring him along?"
Su Yu chuckled. "King Dazhou's familiarity with the figures of the Upper Realm is an advantage; at least it gives us a buffer. He can also help us understand the inside situation. Zhao Chuan and his companions are not truly high-ranking figures, after all."
With that, Su Yu added, "As for headcount, keep it under thirty if possible; too many is undesirable. Twenty would be even better!"
After a moment's thought, Su Yu continued, "Additionally, summon Jiu Yue of the Iron Eater race, Tuntian of the Hou race, Kongkong of the Ancient Space Beast race, and Changhe of the Destiny race to accompany us!"
King Daqin stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Bring them? Is that... appropriate?"
Su Yu smiled faintly. "If an opportunity presents itself, let them validate their Daos in the Upper Realm. Changhe and Tuntian have yet to validate theirs, though of course, we shall see how the situation develops! The main purpose is to prevent accidents, avoiding unnecessary conflict with those races in the Upper Realm."
Su Yu chuckled. "At crucial moments, I might need to contact those races, and intermediaries will be required. Otherwise, are we just supposed to knock on their doors directly?"
King Daqin considered the idea and found it reasonable.
"Let it be so for now. Have them come to the Eastern Rift Valley immediately. Furthermore, have the representatives of those races bring tokens or racial seals."
"Understood!"
The crowd chorused their agreement. Clearly, since Su Yu was determined to go, none could stop him.
Seeing that no one had further objections, Su Yu continued, "As for the myriad realms, Director Wan's judgment will take precedence, with King Daqin, King Daxia, and General Hongmeng assisting him! Keep a tight watch over the three major realms!
"Over in the dead spirit realm, the Southern King and Marquis Lanshan will oversee matters, operating without mutual interference!
"The war effort continues. Those who need to validate their Daos should do so, and those who need to cultivate should cultivate; waste no time!"
Finally, Su Yu stood up and said, "One more thing: no one is permitted to venture into the boundless void to confront Warden Tianhou on their own. Even if you see an opportunity, you are forbidden from going!"
Su Yu directed his gaze pointedly at Wan Tiansheng. Wan Tiansheng nodded.
He knew Su Yu worried that once he departed, Wan Tiansheng might lead an ambush against Warden Tianhou. Wan Tiansheng had indeed entertained that thought, but Su Yu's caution was justified: that man embodied the fortune of the previous dynasty, making him exceptionally difficult to kill.
"Now that everyone understands, dismissed!"
With that, Su Yu looked at King Daqin and King Daxia, his brows furrowing slightly as he said, "The two of you have just begun walking the path of the Wild Heavenly Beast. It might feel awkward, but you have cultivated the physical body Dao for years. This is merely the physical body Dao in another guise; in essence, there is little difference. Lay aside your sabers and spears for now, and focus on pushing yourselves into the Heavenly King realm first! Truly powerful individuals are not necessarily confined to proficiency in a single Dao!"
The two bowed slightly. Indeed, their recent progress had been somewhat sluggish.
Logically speaking, possessing immense baseline strength and exclusively sharing the Dao of the Wild Heavenly Beast between just the two of them, their advancement should not have slowed down.
The main issue was their lingering hesitation; knowing too much had instead become a hindrance.
Su Yu spoke no further, and the crowd dispersed one after another.
Soon, only Wan Tiansheng remained in the hall. Su Yu smiled and said, "Director, there are a few other matters I must entrust to you.
"First, do not enter the Star Residence Mansion. Let that fellow, the Martial Emperor, stew in isolation for a while!
"Second, if you encounter danger, you may call for aid at Starfall Mountain—a single shout will suffice, but do not prolong it beyond three days!
"Third, over by the Five Elements race, there are two Five Elements formations comparable to Dao Integration. If you need them, contact Foutuling and have him lead them out!
"Fourth, Marquis Longxue in the dead spirit realm can be slain by anyone, but our people must not do it.
"Fifth, the dragon and phoenix races are currently under detention; if any unrest occurs and you deem them uncontrollable, execute them!
"Sixth, Duobao is searching for Council Tokens; remember to collect them periodically so they aren't lost.
"Seventh, remain wary of the three major realms. Their foundations run deep, and they might pull some unexpected tricks..."
He laid out each instruction in detail. Wan Tiansheng nodded with a smile; even without Su Yu's reminders, he knew what needed to be done.
At the end, Wan Tiansheng said, "You must take care yourself. Lan Tian can be erratic, and as for King Dazhou, I'm not truly worried about malice from him, but rather that his sentimentality might become an obstacle!"
Su Yu nodded with a chuckle. "I have taken that into account; it won't be a major issue."
Wan Tiansheng said no more. Su Yu had matured rapidly and no longer needed constant lecturing or guidance.
Still, this was his first venture into the Upper Realm.
Su Yu smiled. "Rest assured. Over the next few days, I will examine the memories of Marquis Yunxing and the others to gain a general understanding of the Upper Realm. I will not ascend completely unprepared."
He was not entirely without leverage. For instance, he could inspect the memories of Marquis Yunxing and his peers; even if incomplete, they would reveal the foundations of the various races.
Combined with Zhao Chuan's intelligence and information supplied by King Dazhou, Su Yu could roughly piece together the entire landscape of the Upper Realm.
Hearing this, Wan Tiansheng felt somewhat reassured.
Finally, Su Yu added with a laugh, "The old rule still applies: when journeying abroad, death is always a possibility. If I fall, Director, do not linger—gather our people and leave! Take my teachers and the rest, and just go! Head into the boundless void, or wherever else, or simply convert into half-dead spirits and flee into the dead spirit realm. In short, do not keep fighting; you won't win!"
"I understand that."
Su Yu smiled. "Good. With you watching over things, my mind is at ease. In as short as a month or as long as three, I shall return."
"Agreed!"
...
With their conversation concluded, Su Yu met with no one else.
He waited for the experts from various quarters to assemble.
Meanwhile, Su Yu entered secluded cultivation to absorb and digest several sets of memories. Previously, he had slain Marquis Yunxing, Marquis Modang, and Marquis Shenyuan—all ancient powerhouses who had resided in the Upper Realm.
Moreover, Marquis Tianlong was still alive; perhaps he could extract some intelligence from him as well.
Factoring in Zhao Chuan and the rest, the secluded Su Yu gradually mapped out a clearer picture of the Upper Realm.
The entire Upper Realm possessed no suppressive force!
Or rather, the entire Upper Realm could be considered a land free of rules—not that rules were absent, but it lacked the rigid strictures of the Lower Realm. There were no tribulations accompanying Dao validation, and one was not forced to adhere to the Three-Incarnation method in the Upper Realm.
The Upper Realm's expanse was colossal, no smaller than the myriad realms of the heavens.
There, top experts had established their own dojos.
In the Upper Realm, dojos were the primary domain.
A single Dao Integration expert often presided over an entire dojo.
Battles in the Upper Realm were actually quite frequent, primarily fought over unowned Great Daos of rules. According to the memories of Marquis Yunxing and the others, these unowned rule Daos differed somewhat from the Daos of the Lower Realm.
First, they certainly had no masters.
Second, most were fragmented, likely left behind after the demise of Rule Masters. They could even be swallowed and assimilated by others to strengthen their own Dao power.
Third, the River of Time existed in the Upper Realm, but it seemed distinct from the one in the Lower Realm.
Lacking Heavenly Gates, they had not discerned the exact difference, yet the divergence was palpable.
Thus, in the Upper Realm, seizing rule Daos came first, exterminating humans came second, and eradicating the natives came third.
Yes, natives!
The Upper Realm had them—so-called natives being wild beasts, akin to creatures like the Wild Heavenly Beast.
Beings born directly after the creation of heaven and earth!
The myriad realms had harbored them in the past as well; otherwise, the scene of King Wen slaying the Wild Heavenly Beast would never have occurred. However, during the Human Sovereign's reign, such existences were almost entirely eradicated. The Upper Realm had been carved out after the myriad realms, originally enjoyed exclusively by the human race. The humans had constantly hunted them, yet failed to wipe them out completely.
These surviving monsters from heaven and earth's creation were exceedingly powerful. Some might not have cultivated any Dao power at all, but their physical forms were inherently formidable—tough to kill, bloodthirsty, and prone to raiding dojos.
Furthermore, the Upper Realm likely concealed ancient fossils who rarely showed their faces. Long ago, they might have captured rule Daos and remained in secluded cultivation ever since to absorb and digest them, a perfectly normal occurrence.
Hence, not all powerhouses had necessarily revealed themselves during the ninth tide. This served as a reminder to Su Yu that current intelligence might not be entirely accurate.
Su Yu had also hoped to learn information regarding the traitors, but unfortunately, Marquis Yunxing and his companions held no memories concerning them.
After careful consideration, Su Yu decided to meet with the Western Consort.
He had held her captive for nearly half a year, yet had never spoken with her properly.
His impending journey to the Upper Realm was also aimed, in part, at locating the Prison King's lineage.
...
The Western Consort had grown rather anxious of late.
Though time held little value to her, a long period had passed—half a year already?
Having been captured for so long without a peep from Su Yu, not a single word exchanged, she felt unsettled. An impulse to lash out even simmered within her; she almost wished to risk everything and be done with it!
Trapped in this minuscule space, her physical body destroyed, her Dao sealed, with only her sea of will conscious, even healing was an ordeal. She was thoroughly exasperated.
Just as she was agonizing in frustration, her gaze suddenly flickered.
Within this cramped space, she had managed to reconstitute a physical form, though it was frail in the extreme.
At that moment, a figure materialized.
The instant the Western Consort saw Su Yu, she experienced a moment of disorientation. This... was Su Yu?
Why had his hair turned white?
It looked as though his lifespan was exhausted, but... that was impossible!
Filled with doubt, she suppressed the urge to ask, sweeping a cold glance over Su Yu without uttering a word.
Su Yu, on the other hand, smiled, waved a hand to conjure a long table, and waved again to produce a chair. Smiling, he said, "Western Consort, it has been quite some time. Have you settled in comfortably here?"
The Western Consort stared at him coldly, remaining silent.
Su Yu smiled again. "Why so icy? Stop looking, and stop guessing. I just suffered a defeat. That grandson Tiangu has a few tricks up his sleeve, forcing me to burn my lifespan just to escape with my life. My luck held up decently—I didn't die, and I've got about a century left to live. Quite magnificent, really!"
The Western Consort's heart jolted violently.
A century!
A rising, supreme monstrous genius had only a hundred years left to live?
A century was a mere blink of an eye!
Su Yu had been defeated!
Even as these thoughts churned, a sneer crept onto her face. "You might not even live to see a century. Having lost in the Lower Realm already, how long do you think you can survive once the Upper Realm opens?"
She never even considered that Su Yu might be lying.
There was simply no reason to.
Su Yu's lifespan truly was near its end.
Aside from suffering defeat at the hands of the myriad races' experts and fleeing for his life, would he burn his lifespan just for fun?
Absurd!
Therefore, a disastrous defeat was the only logical explanation.
Su Yu chuckled. "Taking it one day at a time is carefree enough! Even if I die, I'll take a few more of these Lower Realm bastards with me! Fortunately, I didn't come away entirely empty-handed. Though that grandson Tiangu survived, I managed to slaughter Marquis Yunxing and Marquis Modang!"
Su Yu laughed heartily. "Well? Surprised?"
The Western Consort's brow furrowed slightly. "They descended to the Lower Realm?"
"Indeed!"
Su Yu laughed. "Those two idiots actually tried to ambush me! If not to kill them, I wouldn't have paid such a heavy price!"
With that, Su Yu sneered, "I suffered a significant loss, but killing both of them made it worth the price!"
The Western Consort sneered mockingly, "You are the common lord of the human race; trading your life for two ancient marquises counts as a bargain? Laughable! Such ancient marquises number far more than ten in the Upper Realm!"
Su Yu smiled. "Is that so? Well, it's enough for me. I also offed the Western King, took down the Eastern King... All in all, I hardly lost out, did I?"
The Western Consort kept a cold face and said nothing.
Internally, she pondered Su Yu's motives for visiting her today.
Had he become enchanted by her?
Or what else?
She entertained the thought but dared not take it seriously. Sneering, she sat down on the long bench beside Su Yu. Sweeping her robes aside, a porcelain thigh showed beneath the black fabric.
Far from sitting upright, the Western Consort reclined languidly, her expression dripping with disdain. "Defeat is defeat. Did you come here hoping I would offer you some comfort?"
Su Yu laughed softly. "Hardly. I am not so disheartened. A single defeat is just that; it's not as if I can't afford to lose."
Pausing, Su Yu smiled and continued, "Here is the situation: didn't I just suffer a defeat? From somewhere unknown, King Dazhou received several human powerhouses, claiming to hail from the Upper Realm under Marquis Dingjun."
The Western Consort's heart skipped a beat!
The Upper Realm, Marquis Dingjun!
Su Yu chuckled. "A single defeat is nothing, but now King Dazhou implies that the Upper Realm seems to have found a way to unseal the Hundred Battles King, and they want me to lend a hand!"
"Hundred Battles..."
The Western Consort frowned slightly, her desire to seduce Su Yu fading away. Speak! Go on!
Su Yu smiled and said, "I came looking for you because I've been pondering something... As a descendant of the Prison King's bloodline, you should know—or perhaps you even participated personally. I want to ask: was the Hundred Battles King outmaneuvered by you back then, or did he commit treason?"
Su Yu frowned. "King Dazhou wants me to assist him, to assist the Upper Realm, coordinating from inside and out to unseal the Hundred Battles King! According to them, only the Hundred Battles King can save the human race... Heh!"
Su Yu gave a faint laugh laced with scorn. "I only believe in myself! However, following this defeat, I need to provide an explanation to everyone. King Dazhou has governed the human race for years, after all. Now he is pressing me; with the arrival of the Upper Realm's messengers and my recent defeat, people's hearts are wavering, and quite a few are urging me to ally with the Upper Realm to rescue the Hundred Battles King!"
The Western Consort silently absorbed every shred of information, her mind racing. Feigning indifference, she sneered, "What, do you imagine I will tell you anything? Dream on!"
Su Yu smiled faintly. "I only asked on a whim; I didn't hold much hope! In truth, you and I are grasshoppers bound to the same rope! If I meet a grim end, do you think yours will be any better? Life is hard—before external threats are resolved, internal trouble flares up!"
Su Yu spoke with disdain: "What does the Hundred Battles King amount to? Such a stellar situation was squandered in his hands, and now he wants to stage a comeback and oust me? Seeing me defeated and my lifespan exhausted, they think I have no future? I could battle Dao Integration experts in twenty years; with a century left, are they certain I cannot become a Rule Master?
"The moment I succeed, my lifespan will naturally be restored!"
The Western Consort understood completely now. Su Yu's defeat had depleted too much of his lifespan; betting on Su Yu meant gambling on a single success, with no second chance!
King Dazhou and the rest likely dared not wager on his guaranteed victory!
In fact, they saw no hope of winning.
Even if Hundred Battles suffered a defeat, there might be a next time, and a time after that; as long as he lived, hope remained. As for Su Yu... becoming a Rule Master within a century?
In this world, no one had achieved that in ages!
No wonder he was being abandoned!
At this moment, the Western Consort felt a twinge of pity for Su Yu, mixed with mockery. "It seems you have been forsaken by the human race! And rightly so—a human lord with only a century to live... who might not even last ten years. Even if no one kills you, death awaits in a hundred years. Why should anyone march to their deaths alongside a dying man?"
Su Yu stared at her coldly. "I may be a dying man, but what about you? Don't forget, you remain in my grasp! If I die, no good end awaits you either!"
Su Yu snorted coldly and said in a low voice, "I need evidence—evidence that strips King Dazhou and his allies of any ground to stand on! You belong to the Prison King's lineage. Whether true or false, fabricate evidence for me that Hundred Battles has betrayed the human race!"
The Western Consort was startled. Whether true or false?
Su Yu said darkly, "Do you understand? True or false matters not! I only want evidence! Ironclad, indisputable evidence! Hundred Battles wants to step out—did he ask for my permission? He squandered the ancient foundation, whereas I built this domain piece by piece. Does he think he can swoop in and reap the harvest? Even if I cannot live forever, this century belongs to Su Yu!
"The human race does not entirely support King Dazhou either. King Daqin and King Daxia stand with me, and they carry prestige. But I need evidence! You... must provide it!"
The Western Consort frowned and said flatly, "I am your prisoner. Even if I claim Hundred Battles committed treason, no one will believe me; they will only assume you coerced me into framing him!"
"I know that!"
Su Yu said coldly, "Do you take me for a fool? Would I have you stand up publicly to accuse Hundred Battles? If I, Su Yu, can conquer these lands, do you truly think I am an idiot? What I need is not you, but the people behind you to fabricate evidence for me! Or rather, cast out the real evidence. True or false, Hundred Battles... is a traitor!"
The Western Consort looked at him and laughed. "Are you begging me?"
"Begging you?"
Su Yu suddenly reached out, seizing her in an iron grip and throttling her neck. He said coldly, "Not begging, commanding! The moment Hundred Battles returns, you are the first I will kill! Leaving you alive right now is merely because you still hold some utility. If you refuse to cooperate, what use are you? Do you seek death?"
Crack!
His mighty hand squeezed until the bones in the Western Consort's neck began to fracture, beads of blood seeping out in a chillingly tragic display.
Yet the Western Consort retained her smile. "Are you begging me?"
"You are courting death!"
Su Yu was utterly ruthless. "Don't force me to slaughter you right now! Spare me your petty feminine tricks; what I seek is value—utility—not female flesh! How laughable—do you imagine you can tame me? Or do you think I am an idiot like the Western King? A worthless, promiscuous tramp like you thinks she can conquer Su Yu?"
The Western Consort's expression gradually darkened.
Su Yu said coldly, "Speak!"
Boom!
With a flick of his arm, he hurled her outward, slamming her violently against the surrounding spatial barrier. The Western Consort's reconstructed body shattered, blood spurting incessantly as she collapsed to the side, coughing blood with a laugh: "Su Yu, don't you despise traitors the most? Forcing me to fabricate evidence and slander Hundred Battles—how do you differ from us?"
Su Yu regained his composure. "You are wrong! This is not betrayal; I am setting things right! Hundred Battles is a fool, but I am not! I failed once purely due to misfortune, and not a single human powerhouse perished! I even slew two ancient marquises; I do not believe I was in the wrong! Hundred Battles, however, buried the very foundation of the human race; he is a sinner!
"I, Su Yu, may yield the throne, but never to Hundred Battles!"
Su Yu said indifferently, "I ask you one last time: do you have a way? If not... your reason for existing appears to have vanished. Did you truly expect me to take a fancy to damaged goods like you?"
A venomous fury rose within the Western Consort. She glared coldly at Su Yu; this man's words were utterly vile!
After a long silence, the Western Consort slowly rose to her feet, sneering, "Even if I could help you, you would have no way to fabricate the evidence. Even if evidence existed, it would only be in the Upper Realm. Do you truly believe that upon receiving such news, the Upper Realm's powerhouses would consider you superior to Hundred Battles?"
Su Yu said coldly, "That is none of your concern! So long as evidence exists, the Upper Realm will waver! If Hundred Battles is not a traitor, the information... will naturally spread smoothly to the Upper Realm and back to the Lower Realm, because the myriad races... wish to see us tear each other apart! Do not take me for a fool, nor the myriad races!"
"They would love nothing more than to see me clash with Hundred Battles!"
Su Yu gave a faint laugh. "Once leaked, news originating from the Upper Realm will swiftly circulate throughout the Lower Realm! Under such circumstances, what right will King Dazhou have to demand my aid in unsealing the Hundred Battles King? King Dazhou and his ilk firmly believe Hundred Battles would never turn traitor, but I don't believe it, the humans of this tide don't believe it, and my allies don't believe it... and that is enough! Between following me or following someone who might be a traitor, is there even a choice?"
Su Yu added softly, "As for how to transmit the intelligence you provide to the Upper Realm, that is simple enough... Just let the Immortals, Demons, and Gods handle it. They will be delighted to do so; why would Su Yu need to show his face at all?"
"True enough!"
The Western Consort laughed. "Su Yu, young though you are, you are truly ruthless and cunning in your schemes! Hundred Battles might not be a traitor, but after your machinations, he will have to be one whether he likes it or not."
"That has nothing to do with me!"
The Western Consort smiled. "Since you put it that way, I shall naturally cooperate. After all, you and I are bound as one right now."
She flashed a seductive smile, but Su Yu felt a wave of revulsion. To hell with that—damn it, that smile looked far too much like Lan Tian's; it was sickening!
Her smile lingering, the Western Consort soon said, "Don't dream of using these methods to locate the Prison King's lineage; it's impossible. However, I can give you an item. In my storage ring rests a piece of black ink jade. If you can find a way to carry it to the Upper Realm, you will meet an individual. Relay your demands to him, and he will naturally fulfill them!"
With that, she gave an eerie chuckle: "My only worry is that you won't manage to carry it up. Even if you do... don't expect too much. The contact meeting you is merely an ordinary powerhouse of the Upper Realm who knows nothing. Yet the message will swiftly reach our people, and your objective will naturally be accomplished!"
Su Yu's brows knit tightly, and he asked shortly, "Are you certain it can reach your lineage?"
"Naturally."
The Western Consort smiled again. "You should save your energy. It is impossible for you to track down the people of our lineage; even through intermediaries, you will never find them. My lineage is far more formidable and complex than you can fathom! Su Yu, if you truly find no way to survive, you might consider defecting to me; I could grant you new life..."
"Get lost!"
Su Yu sent her flying with a single palm strike, sneering, "As if you're worthy!"
With a scornful laugh, Su Yu vanished from the spot in an instant.
Meanwhile, the Western Consort slowly stood up, wearing a faint smile as she gazed in the direction Su Yu had departed, sneering inwardly.
Not worthy?
A dying man, and still so arrogant!
Whether you wish to frame Hundred Battles or hunt down my lineage, it is destined to be drawing water with a sieve!
Fulfilling your demand, accomplishing your goal—all nonsense.
The Western Consort harbored a secret anticipation: she genuinely hoped Su Yu would deliver that item into the contact's hands. Once delivered, certain matters would naturally come to the attention of her lineage's powerhouses.
Perhaps rescue would arrive for her before long!
She had come to realize that seducing Su Yu was nearly impossible, but that didn't mean he would have an easy time of it either!
...
At this moment, however, Su Yu was grinning.
He was thoroughly pleased!
Not bad at all. If nothing else, he had confirmed one vital fact: the Western Consort truly possessed a method to contact people in the Upper Realm.
That was enough!
As for the ink jade, he would inspect it thoroughly later. If needed, he would seal it away first, lest carelessness lead to immediate detection upon reaching the Upper Realm.
It was good that she had alerted him.
Otherwise, trouble might have ensued.
"Later on, I need to inspect everything on my person to avoid being duped. If all else fails, I'll chuck the whole lot into the River of Time for a thorough washing; no matter how strong the rule power is, it will be scoured away!"
It amounted to nothing more than concealed rule powers. Others might be helpless to detect them, but could they hide from the River of Time?
Trying to play this game with him—Su Yu was hardly foolish enough to wander around with the ink jade looking for the contact.
Looking up at the sky, Su Yu smiled. It was indeed time to prepare for a trip up there.
Chapter 708