Ascending to the Upper Realm

Emerging from where the Western Consort was imprisoned, Su Yu promptly sorted through all his treasures. This included the weapon of Marquis Xian Zhan, which he could not bring. Bringing it along meant Marquis Xian Zhan would almost certainly detect it. As for the council tokens, not a single one could be taken. Anything that might have ties to the Upper Realm—whether belonging to the human race or other races—Su Yu left behind if he could. As for losing these treasures? Did that matter? With so many experts and treasures in the Upper Realm, wouldn't they all become his? Everything I see belongs to me! Su Yu did not care in the slightest! ... Not just himself. Inside the main hall, everyone else had gathered as well. Su Yu said gravely, "Everyone, except for your own weapons, you are not allowed to bring anything! We must guard against every eventuality—if anything you carry is linked to the Upper Realm, it will cause immense trouble!" "The Iron-Eating race and the other allied races may carry tokens of identification—patriarch tokens—but they must be sealed, and I will seal them personally. Beyond that, no one is allowed to take anything else!" There was a sizable group. Lan Tian, King Dazhou, King Daming, King Miecan, Little King Zhou, Xia Longwu, Nan Wujiang, Hu Xiansheng, along with Su Yu, made exactly ten humans. Tuntian, Kongkong, Changhe, and Jiu Yue made four allies. Additionally, twenty stone guardians had not yet integrated their Daos. Su Yu did not bring them all this time, choosing nine non-integrated guardians, along with Xinghong who would accompany them. Tianmie wanted to go, but Su Yu flatly refused him! What a joke! If that fellow went along, he would stir up trouble even if there wasn't any. Twenty-four experts in total! Counting Su Yu, six possessed Dao Integration combat strength. Among the rest, Hu Xiansheng, Changhe, and Tuntian had not yet reached the Eternal Realm. Hu Xiansheng was brought along because both he and Kongkong excelled in the Dao of Space, which might prove useful during the teleportation process. Seeing that everyone was assembled and checking through their belongings, King Dazhou suddenly frowned slightly and said, "Emperor Yu, of the twenty-four people, Guardian Xiaguang is the only woman. Isn't that a bit too few?" He felt Su Yu was too biased against women. Such a lineup had a serious issue—it was far too unbalanced. Su Yu retorted testily, "Are female experts that common in the Upper Realm?" "Ahem... there are quite a few, actually," King Dazhou chuckled. "Quite a few indeed." Su Yu frowned and only spoke after a pause: "The main issue is that we simply don't have many female experts to begin with. Yunxiao and the others have already integrated their Daos, whereas I want to bring more non-integrated ones to scout the path." King Dazhou smiled. "What I mean is, we could choose a few—" Before he could finish, Lan Tian spoke up in a delicate, meek voice: "Do I not count?" "..." Everyone turned toward Lan Tian—or rather, a delicate little girl who was currently peering timidly at King Dazhou. King Dazhou's head throbbed violently! Fuck! Pretend I never said anything! I brought this trouble on myself, provoking this lunatic again! To the side, King Miecan's eye twitched uncontrollably, yet he did not utter a sound. Right now, he could not afford to provoke Lan Tian. Being around Lan Tian had left him psychologically scarred, and he cursed inwardly over and over: Take Lan Tian if you want, but don't take me! I don't want to go! Of course, he understood Su Yu's intentions. The non-integrated humans Su Yu had chosen all possessed distinct traits, and Su Yu wanted to use this opportunity to help them ascend to Dao Integration combat power. Being chosen for the first batch to accompany Su Yu into the Upper Realm was actually a great boon and an honor. However... Lan Tian was here. King Miecan felt like crying! He didn't want this honor anymore. Unfortunately, he dared not speak up now. Lan Tian would occasionally glance his way, making him utterly miserable. Su Yu glanced at King Dazhou, who said weakly, "Let's leave it at that. This arrangement is very good." Forget it! With Lan Tian, did gender even matter? Best not to dwell on it! Su Yu also smiled and soon said, "Lan Tian, once we ascend, do not run off on your own, and don't make trouble..." "I'll listen to Emperor Yu." Lan Tian appeared dainty and fragile, gazing at Su Yu with a look full of adoration as he nodded obediently. Su Yu sighed helplessly! He was truly hard to handle. Still, bringing Lan Tian along had its benefits—perhaps Lan Tian could leave a few clones in the Upper Realm. This trip was primarily for reconnaissance, though naturally, they would kill enemies if possible, and withdraw promptly if not! Leaving a few seeds through Lan Tian would set the stage for next time. Su Yu said nothing more. Looking at the experts still organizing their belongings, he instructed, "Hand everything over to Director Wan for now. You can reclaim them when we return!" With that, he waved his hand, tearing open the River of Time. "Take a dip in the River of Time to wash your physical bodies, lest any hidden threats remain." Everyone was speechless—Su Yu was vigilant to an absurd degree! Even King Dazhou sighed in admiration. When it came to caution, this young man surpassed all expectations. Subjecting everyone to a wash in the River of Time would cause some minor harm to their bodies. Yet since Su Yu had spoken, no one objected. Before long, the group entered the River of Time. As waves surged toward them, Su Yu barked, "Do not resist! Let the river wash over you—it won't kill you! If you aren't careful now and get detected the moment we arrive, aren't you courting death?" From within the crowd, Lan Tian remarked casually, "Personally, I think our presence will be discovered within a day or two anyway." "..." Su Yu looked at him, and Lan Tian said coyly, "I'm praising Big Brother Emperor Yu for your greatness! Two days up there and you'll slay a Heavenly King, and then everyone will know we've arrived!" "..." Everyone wanted to laugh, but they held it in. King Dazhou wanted to laugh as well, but when he thought about it, that wasn't out of the question either. Even if they made thorough preparations now, they might encounter strong enemies shortly after arriving, engage in slaughter, and instantly make their presence known. With a dark expression, Su Yu snapped, "Shut up! Even if we are discovered, we must disguise our identities! If anyone discovers us up there, we will claim to be subordinates of Marquis Tianyang! Marquis Tianyang fell in battle several centuries ago, after which some of his forces fled—we are those survivors! Marquis Modang previously ran into those survivors and casually slaughtered them, never taking it to heart since none were Dao Integrators. We will pose as Marquis Tianyang's remnants, so don't give the game away!" "Jiu Yue, Tuntian, you two will pose as mounts. It's not unusual for ancient races to mingle among humans." "If we are discovered, that's what we say. In any case, don't volunteer it. The human race has fallen on hard times and is in hiding, so we wouldn't readily reveal our identities, but we can leave subtle clues for them to deduce it..." With that, Su Yu took out several sets of clothes and waved his hand, projecting images. "Dress according to their style! Furthermore, if combat truly breaks out, everyone hide your strength as much as possible unless I order you to go all out!" Without another word, the group changed their attire according to the figures Su Yu projected. Different lords and marquises had distinct styles of uniform for their troops. Anyone who knew what they were looking at would recognize which marquis's banner they belonged to. Su Yu added, "King Dazhou, Lan Tian, and I can all conceal our strength. Jiu Yue just broke through, so it might be harder for him..." Looking toward King Daming, he said, "King Daming, you don't need to deliberately conceal your strength. You are human, so pose as Jiu Yue's master, and Jiu Yue will cooperate with you. As for me, I am the son of Marquis Tianyang. King Daming, you will be my Dao Protector, and the rest are the Tianyang Army..." Su Yu laid out a general arrangement. It wasn't overly meticulous—good enough was sufficient. Having a cover story was merely for show; in reality, if they encountered someone capable of seeing through them, Su Yu would most likely eliminate them! A disguised identity was only useful under specific circumstances. Su Yu soon turned to Xinghong and the others, warning in a low voice, "Some old fogies in the Upper Realm might recognize the stone guardians, and King Dazhou as well. Disguise yourselves thoroughly—don't let anyone recognize you at a glance!" Everyone nodded again. By now, after being washed by the River of Time for a while, several people were finding it hard to endure. Only then did Su Yu tear open the river and swiftly lead them out. Fortunately, none of them carried anything out of the ordinary. It was not that he feared traitors among them, but rather that someone might unwittingly be carrying an item imbued with rule force that could be used for tracking. Soon, Su Yu returned to the hall. The group had changed their garments. By this point, several more people had arrived in the hall—King Daqin and others had gathered, their expressions solemn. They were deeply worried about Su Yu venturing to the Upper Realm. In particular, Su Yu had consumed a tremendous amount of lifespan upon returning, leaving everyone anxious. Su Yu said nothing more on that front; everything that needed to be said had already been voiced. Wasting no time, he said solemnly, "The myriad races of the Lower Realm are temporarily entrusted to you all! Guard our foundation well! If anyone dares stir up trouble, punish them without mercy! Whether human or foreign race, treat them the same! Director Wan, in a critical moment, if you cannot suppress a situation, you may invite several experts to aid you! I have already given them word, including those in the dead spirit realm!" "Understood!" Wan Tiansheng acknowledged with a nod and smiled. "Rest easy!" Su Yu nodded. "With Director Wan here, I can rest easy. King Daqin and King Daxia can suppress any unrest among the humans as well. Don't let any trouble brew. One final word: if you face formidable enemies, retreat first and avoid forced battles. Protect the human race above all. That is all!" With that, the void tore open. Just as it tore, Su Yu looked at King Dazhou. Without a word, King Dazhou manifested a divine character and swiftly teleported the group away. He was sensible; otherwise, Su Yu would have reprimanded him again. There was no helping it—who told him to repeatedly express his desire to see the Hundred Battles King return? ... After teleporting seven or eight times in succession, King Dazhou was panting from exhaustion. The party arrived in the endless void. Boundless darkness stretched in every direction, without heaven or earth. There was only murk and darkness. This was the endless void. King Dazhou took the lead and resumed teleporting, though the distances were much shorter now. After several more short leaps, Su Yu sensed fluctuations ahead. Guardians were lurking near the passage. The moment Su Yu and his group appeared, Shan Qi and Zhan Qiong manifested at once, accompanied by Zhao Chuan and his companions. Catching sight of Su Yu's party, Zhao Chuan felt his heart skip a beat. Were they about to ascend? He recognized several of these experts. Bringing so many people up... this Human Lord was bold indeed. Su Yu paid them no attention and looked at Shan Qi. Shan Qi pointed upward and said, "The passage is right there, but it will take three more days to appear! After that, it will only manifest once a month!" Without needing Su Yu to speak, Kongkong, Hu Xiansheng, King Daming, and the others flew into the sky to inspect whether any grand formation concealed it. Meanwhile, Su Yu opened his Heavenly Gate and peered into the void. With a single glance, he waved his hand, outlining an entrance in empty space. "The entrance is here, though it's concealed by rule force. You all study it carefully!" Shan Qi and the others inhaled sharply. They had stood guard here for months before pinpointing the exact location of the entrance. Yet Su Yu had seen through it with a single glance. Su Yu looked at the group and said gravely, "Once we go up, we will definitely need to return. We might not use this passage, but the chances of using it are high! This place must also be guarded to prevent an ambush!" He continued briskly, "I will transfer Tianmie, Yunxiao, and the others here to station six to eight Dao Integrators. The Book Spirit and Tea Tree will also come... Even if a Heavenly King attacks, we can hold them off!" Shan Qi breathed a sigh of relief. "That is for the best. I was worried we wouldn't be able to hold it. In this endless void, Marquis Jiantian lurks nearby." Su Yu nodded slightly; Marquis Jiantian was precisely who he was guarding against. With these arrangements made, all that remained was to wait for the passage to appear so they could ascend together. Up in the void, King Daming and the others began studying the site, dragging King Dazhou along as well since he was familiar with the passage. Su Yu glanced at them and paid them no further mind, sending a sound transmission to Shan Qi: "After we leave, send Zhao Chuan and the other three back to the Human Realm. Until I return, no one is permitted to contact them. I've already notified Director Wan!" "Understood!" Shan Qi promptly replied. ... During the wait for the passage, Tianmie, Yunxiao, Tea Tree, and the Book Spirit arrived on the second day. Apart from Su Yu's group, six Dao Integration realm combatants gathered here. Among them, Tianmie and the others had been recalled from the previously conquered four realms. Originally, two Dao Integrators guarded each realm, but adjustments had been made: the Dragon Realm retained two, while the Phoenix, Kunpeng, and Ape Realms were each left with only one. By now, every Dao Integration combatant under Su Yu had an assignment. Manpower was stretched rather thin. Wan Tiansheng and his group guarded the human race, Tianyue and Duobao searched among the myriad races for council tokens, and each allied race had its own duties. Aside from the Fate Emperor, Su Yu had not stationed many personnel with the Fate race to avoid alerting the Upper Realm. As for Su Yu's previous impersonation of Dao Wang, whether Marquis Xian Zhan would transmit more treasures down did not matter—there was no major battle right now, so if he sent treasures, so be it; Marquis Xian Zhan had almost no way to project his will through. Unless an all-out battle erupted and more experts fell, triggering shifts in the rules. ... Su Yu waited another day. King Daming and the others had made some headway in their research. On the third day, a faint, flickering passage entrance emerged in the void. The Upper Realm passage! Su Yu swiftly appeared by the entrance. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at the group and said solemnly, "The passage will undoubtedly be perilous. Everyone be careful not to be swept away by spatial rifts!" "Outside the passage, there may or may not be experts standing guard. If there are, subdue them immediately—our presence must not be leaked!" "If someone is unlucky enough to be swept away, return to the myriad realms if you can. If you cannot and end up in the Upper Realm, do not run around aimlessly. Head to the Iron-Eating race's Wuyue Dao Arena and wait for me to fetch you!" The group nodded in agreement. At this moment, a faint suction force emanated from the entrance. King Dazhou stated briskly, "This entrance will remain open for two hours! It will disappear swiftly after that." Su Yu nodded slightly but made no move to enter. He intended to wait until the final moment before entering, preventing anyone from trailing them, unlikely as that might be. Well, in truth, he was guarding against Tianmie. Sure enough, seeing Su Yu refrain from entering, Tianmie grew anxious and materialized instantly. "Get in there already, or the entrance is going to disappear!" Su Yu glanced sideways at him and retorted irritably, "Behave yourself! I will only enter when it's on the verge of vanishing. What, the moment I step in, you'll follow right behind? Don't make trouble for me!" Tianmie was speechless. After a while, he grumbled, "I had no such intention! And why did you take Xinghong instead of me?" Saying that, he roped in an ally: "Even if you don't trust me, you should trust Yunxiao. Why didn't you bring her?" In the distance, Yunxiao showed herself, a hint of anticipation in her eyes. Su Yu coughed lightly. "Out of the question. Senior Yunxiao must stay here to guard both the entrance and you. I don't trust you, but Senior Yunxiao puts my mind at ease. With her guarding the passage entrance, I can rest easy. When I return next time, I don't want to find this place has changed hands and fall into an ambush!" Hearing this, though Yunxiao felt a bit of regret, delight spread across her face. She smiled and said, "Rest assured, Emperor Yu! With me here, I will guard the entrance diligently and keep a close eye on Tianmie so he doesn't wander off!" Tianmie wanted to weep. Idiot! Dumber than me! A few flattering words from Su Yu and you've forgotten who you are! On the way here, that wasn't what you were saying at all—you were complaining non-stop about why he was taking Xinghong instead of you. Women, heh, completely unreliable! Tianmie cursed inwardly: Now I see why Su Yu didn't bring any women along—utterly unreliable! Just a moment ago she was on my side, and now she's turned into my jailer! Su Yu suppressed a laugh. Behind him, Xinghong looked smug, raising an eyebrow at Tianmie. Tianmie nearly exploded with fury! He hated that bastard Xinghong most of all. Right from the beginning, that jerk was constantly showing off in front of him. After a few lighthearted exchanges, Su Yu waited a while longer. Seeing that the time was almost up, he took a deep breath, and a small stone appeared in his hand. This was the true treasure, capable of suppressing all opposition! At this point, Su Yu had a faint suspicion of what this thing was. The Human Sovereign Seal! Of course, whether it truly was remained uncertain, but Su Yu knew that a Human Lord Seal could suppress all things. Its offensive power was not high, yet it could suppress countless forces, including destiny, the River of Time, and rule force. A Human Lord Seal had reached the tier of a divine weapon. If this stone was indeed the Human Sovereign Seal, it would be no surprise that it could suppress everything. Rumor had it that it was the sole Sovereign-grade weapon in existence. Yet... would the Human Sovereign Seal have been buried by Xingyue at King Wen's residence? Back then, the ancient era had not fallen. Shortly into that era, King Wen had set off to resurrect Xingyue. Could the Human Sovereign Seal have been lost already at that time? The timeline didn't add up! From what Su Yu understood, there were still records of the Human Sovereign Seal in the late ancient era. It couldn't have been buried so early! Hence, he could neither confirm nor rule it out. If it wasn't the Human Sovereign Seal, could this stone be its brother? That was a possibility! Perhaps when it was forged, two were made—one large and one small, one public and one private. That was entirely plausible! Otherwise, ordinary treasures could not explain such overwhelming suppressing power. Perhaps it was a seal used by the Human Sovereign in his early days. Su Yu actually suspected that the Human Sovereign might have owned two seals: one used before unifying the heavens, and one used after. If so, it would make sense. This small stone was also a Human Lord Seal, used back when the Human Sovereign was merely a Human Lord. Such a conjecture was much more realistic. Of course, Su Yu was in no mood to delve into it right now. What it truly was mattered little—as long as it worked! "Let's go! Move in!" Without another word, Su Yu stepped inside. The others followed closely behind, while King Dazhou and Lan Tian guarded his flanks, wary of danger. Who knew what conditions awaited inside this passage? What Zhao Chuan and his companions said might not be the whole truth. ... The moment Su Yu's group departed, Yunxiao fixed her gaze squarely on Tianmie, leaving him feeling utterly exhausted. How dull! It wasn't as if I said I'd follow them, honestly. Just as they were watching the passage and waiting for the entrance to vanish, a figure approached silently in the distance. A great distance away, the figure came to a halt and looked over. It was none other than Marquis Jiantian. At this moment, Marquis Jiantian's expression was calm. As he gazed into the distance, streaks of light flickered in his eyes. Soon, the silhouettes of Tianmie and the others appeared in his vision, pillars of light rising above their heads. "Destiny surging like a rainbow!" Marquis Jiantian chuckled softly with some emotion. These guardians now possessed destiny that surged like a rainbow, unstoppable! Six Dao Integration guardians! "Su Yu truly has remarkable methods!" He sighed. There were six Dao Integrators stationed here alone, and Su Yu had taken several others with him, without even mobilizing the Iron-Eating Beast Emperor and other allies. The human race still retained multiple top-tier Dao Integrators as well. The God-Devouring race and the old turtle hadn't moved either. In such a brief span, Su Yu had amassed such vast capital. What a terrifying individual! Just as he was contemplating this, his expression shifted slightly. In the next moment, nearby space tore open. Wan Tiansheng, clad in white robes, arrived alone. Looking at Marquis Jiantian in the distance, he said calmly, "Do not cause trouble. We will grant you a chance to decide victory against Su Yu! If you cause trouble, I will pay whatever price is necessary to finish you off while Su Yu is away!" Marquis Jiantian chuckled softly. "You?" Wan Tiansheng shook his head. "No, many of us! Including genuine Heavenly King-level experts! If you think you can match the combined might of the Southern King, Fat Ball, Hongmeng, and me, feel free to try!" "The Southern King?" Marquis Jiantian smiled. "What about the other three kings?" "Dead." "As expected!" Sighing, Marquis Jiantian smiled. "Let me ask a question. Answer me, and I won't cause trouble." Wan Tiansheng said impassively, "Lan Tian inherited the Dao of Paper. Even if you obtained it, you could never succeed! To help Lan Tian open the Dao successfully, Su Yu burned one hundred thousand years of lifespan. If you believe someone is willing to open a Dao for you like that, you are welcome to try!" Marquis Jiantian froze. After a long moment, he gave a self-deprecating laugh. "No wonder his aura felt off, as if one foot were in the grave. So that was why!" With a sigh and an exclamation, Marquis Jiantian smiled. "I don't feel disappointed anymore. You are right—even if I obtained it, I couldn't have succeeded! In that case, King Wen never intended for me to inherit the Dao of Paper when he left it behind." "No, he merely wanted a true monstrous genius to do so!" Wan Tiansheng replied evenly, "The Dao of the Brush and Dao of Paper he left behind can only be inherited by peerless monstrous geniuses, as is the Dao of Ink! As for the Dao of the Desolate Heaven Beast, it is somewhat inferior; it wasn't his own Dao, so the requirements were lower, which was why it was left with Fat Ball to find a reliable successor! Yet the Daos he left in the myriad realms were known to all, but inherited by none." Indeed, everyone knew of the Dao of Paper and Dao of the Brush, though this knowledge was confined to a small circle. People knew the Civilization Tombstone could allow one to take that step, and whenever it appeared, countless people fought for it. So what? The Civilization Tombstone had rested in the Human Realm for countless years, touched by countless individuals, yet in the end, wasn't Su Yu the only one who succeeded? Marquis Jiantian smiled. "True enough. King Wen was an arrogant man! If someone caught his eye, anything was possible; if they didn't, he wouldn't spare them a single extra word!" With an emotional sigh, he smiled again. "King Wen... what a pity, he made mistakes too. He was not a flawless man! When he punished the Prison King, he probably never imagined the Prison King would dare rebel!" After reminiscing for a moment, Marquis Jiantian said softly, "Since that is the case, I won't linger. Wan Tiansheng, you cannot kill me. Even if you could, what price would you pay? And even if you could, would you dare? Kill me, and my destiny would gather upon you. Would you compete with Su Yu for the seat of the Human Sovereign?" He smiled brilliantly. "Apart from Su Yu, whoever kills me may end up opposing him in the end! So let us stay out of each other's way. I have no interest in tipping off Tiangu and the others..." Wan Tiansheng said faintly, "Nor would you dare! Unless you're willing to forfeit your final chance at a gamble! Besides, even if Tiangu and the rest found out, what of it? The Upper Realm opens early? Then let it open!" "You people... every one of you has a silver tongue." Marquis Jiantian smiled and sighed. Stepping through the void, he laughed. "I'm leaving. It's time for me to enter closed-door seclusion and await that battle! I hope that day comes soon." Wan Tiansheng did not stop him. Su Yu had said not to initiate battle. Unless Marquis Jiantian posed a genuine threat to Su Yu, Wan Tiansheng would not start a fight right now. Yet the moment Marquis Jiantian turned his back on Wan Tiansheng to leave, a solemn look flashed across his face. Only after putting considerable distance between them did he glance back. Far off in the void, three pairs of eyes suddenly materialized. Yes, three pairs. One pair belonged to Doubao, one to the old turtle, and one to... Fat Ball! In the next moment, Fat Ball said in a fluster, "We're not fighting anymore, right? I'm leaving, I have things to do at home, so busy!" Whoosh! It vanished! Too busy! Su Yu had taken the small stone. Although Big Wood had gained sentience and could suppress things for a short while, once Fat Ball left, King Wen's former residence would collapse within a day! This time, Wan Tiansheng had called for its aid, and it had only squeezed in time to come; it was frantic with worry. "Hey, doggy, who are you? I think I know you..." From behind, Doubao rushed to catch up. The little white dog ran exceptionally fast, but Doubao was not slow either, quickly pursuing while shouting, "Doggy, have we met before?" "We have. I even kicked you!" The little white dog accelerated, and Doubao sped up as well. "Really? You're the dog from King Wen's household, so why didn't I see you later on?" "I stayed at the old home with the Little Master. You left later." "Oh," Doubao replied, then quickly asked, "Is my lad over at your place?" "Yes." "Hasn't attained the Dao yet?" "Soon." "Oh, doggy, why did you kick me back then?" "You're too annoying." "Am I annoying? I rarely talk; I only talk when I see someone familiar..." "You're being annoying right now! I'm going home!" "All right then!" "..." The dog and the ball exchanged a few words and quickly departed. ... Back where they stood. The old turtle stepped forward and said in a heavy voice, "Why didn't we make a move on him?" A rare opportunity! With all four supreme experts present, fighting Marquis Jiantian would very likely result in his death. Wan Tiansheng took a deep breath. "He was right. If we kill him, his destiny might disperse onto whoever strikes the blow. For us to kill him... is inappropriate! Let us wait for Su Yu to return! Let him kill him personally!" "As long as he doesn't stir up trouble, we'll give him that chance!" Once Wan Tiansheng finished, the old turtle said heavily, "He might have stepped into the Heavenly King realm!" Wan Tiansheng nodded. "Then... can Su Yu match him?" "Probably!" The old turtle pressed in a deep voice, "And if he can't?" "We gang up and slaughter him!" "..." Hongmeng rolled his eyes. Scholar types truly were shameless! He had assumed Wan Tiansheng would say that if Su Yu couldn't match him, they'd accept their fate. "Fine, then I'll head back first!" Wan Tiansheng nodded. "Senior Hongmeng, head back first. I should return as well." With that, both vanished on the spot. With so many experts gathered here, Tianmie and the others in the distance had sensed nothing, clearly showing the vast disparity between the two sides. ... At the same time. The group stepped into the passage, where astral winds raged violently. Fierce astral winds scraped past everyone. Even as strong as Su Yu was, he felt a bone-chilling pain. Those who were weaker, such as Hu Xiansheng who had yet to attain the Dao, were nearly flayed to death by a single gust. Fortunately, King Dazhou pulled him aside and shielded him from the wind. Su Yu paid it no heed; they had only just entered, and dying wouldn't be that easy. Opening his Heavenly Gate, he observed for a moment, then advanced along the passage, saying in a low voice, "Follow me, and do not make any reckless moves!" "Understood!" The group responded and followed close behind Su Yu. With his Heavenly Gate open, Su Yu's predictive abilities reached the pinnacle. From time to time, he barked out warnings: "Astral wind incoming, dodge!" "Lightning tribulation manifesting—King Dazhou!" "..." With each sharp instruction, the group cooperated with tacit precision, continually dodging the punishment forces. Ahead of them, Su Yu brought out the small stone to stabilize the volatile passage. Astral winds and punishment forces could be evaded or countered as long as the passage itself was not destroyed. Among the group, some laid formations while others sliced apart space, making their forward journey remarkably smooth. After traveling for a while, even King Dazhou could not help marveling, "Those fellows who managed to descend alive were truly lucky. Even an ordinary Dao Integrator coming down would have to rely on sheer luck—a single misstep would mean death!" It really did come down to luck! Of course, someone like Su Yu who could see directly through rule force wasn't relying on luck; he was cheating outright. Su Yu remarked calmly, "With your strength and Lan Tian's, even forcing your way through would result in injuries at most; it's very hard for you to die!" Saying so, he turned toward Lan Tian with a dark expression. "Enough! What are you leaving a clone in this godforsaken place for?" Everyone was rendered speechless. Lan Tian even wanted to leave a clone here? Unbelievable! In the form of a little girl, Lan Tian giggled. "It's fun! I want to see whether the clone gets blown away or shredded to death. And if it's blown away, where will it end up? Just experimenting—it's not like I'm short of a clone." "..." Having countless clones truly made one willful. Su Yu could not be bothered to chide him further. Looking ahead, he took a deep breath. "We're almost there. I can feel the rule force weakening. Once we exit, if anyone is there, subdue them instantly!" Excitement stirred within everyone. They were about to reach the Upper Realm! ... At this very moment. Within a perilous region of the Upper Realm known as Soul Burial Mountain. A remarkably hazardous place. The immense mountain range was pitch-black, casting a dark pall across the sky. Thriving in this place were soul-boring insects. They were tiny and individually weak, yet exceptionally terrifying. Silent and invisible, if you were slightly careless, they would bore into your sea of will and physical body, quickly parasitizing and devouring everything. Many experts had fallen victim to them. Even if you knew they existed, you couldn't see or smell them; you had to maintain defensive barriers constantly, which was immensely draining. Thus, unless left with no alternative, no one would come to this place. At this moment, deep within the mountains inside a pitch-black cave, two figures lurked silently, keeping their eyes trained on a dark vortex within the cave. "Liu Shan, do you think there's still hope? Are any of those fellows who went down really alive?" "Hard to say! My lord said some might still be alive since the soul tablets they left behind haven't all shattered." Liu Shan added via sound transmission, "Besides, something seems to have happened in the Lower Realm. Word is that a massive battle broke out and quite a few experts from the myriad races died. The sweeps against us have loosened slightly lately, and rumor has it they're discussing how to deal with the human experts in the Lower Realm." "Are there really experts down there? At the end of the previous tide, everyone fled up here. The Lower Realm might not even have a single Eternal left..." "Who knows!" "..." The two had stood watch here for a long time, holding onto a sliver of hope, wondering whether anyone who descended would return. Yet several months had passed without the slightest stir. Either they had stayed in the Lower Realm and refused to return, or they were all dead. The one who had spoken first transmitted again, "It's about to close. Most likely no one is coming this time either. Once the six-month mark arrives, we have to withdraw! Those soul-boring insects in this damned place are far too dangerous. Why did they set the passage here of all places..." "Nonsense. Only a place like this is safe. Did you want them to build it in the Immortal or Demon Dao Arenas?" "..." The two chatted idly. There wasn't truly much to discuss, but the environment was too quiet and hazardous; conversing helped stave off their inner dread. "Liu Shan, do you think our human race still has hope? Even Lord Marquis Minshan has fallen... Sigh... The more I think about it, the more hopeless it seems!" "Du Bing, speak less gloom! The Marquis said that as soon as the Upper Realm opens, the Hundred Battles King will return, and we will still have hope..." "The Hundred Battles King... fine, let's hope so!" His tone carried uncertainty and dejection. Could they really succeed? The previous tide had driven them to despair. Yet the Hundred Battles King was their sole hope and spiritual pillar. Even knowing he had been defeated once and ruined a splendid situation, everyone had no choice but to rely on him. The ancient marquises were not ignorant of the reality, but what else could they do? Without offering a glimmer of hope, could they expect the few remaining Dao Integrators to take on the myriad races? In such dire times, establishing a spiritual pillar for the human race was the only way forward. Do not despair! Hope still existed, even if that hope wasn't terribly reliable—after all, his strength was undeniable. Such was the mindset of the Upper Realm's humans. We know the Hundred Battles King doesn't seem very bright, but he is strong! We are in utter despair right now. Having a peerless expert who is still alive is far better than having no hope at all. It had to be said that the Hundred Battles King had rendered a great service simply by staying alive, which gave the surviving humans the confidence to keep resisting! Otherwise, they would have either surrendered or turned traitor. To endure until now, the name Hundred Battles King was still effective. These two were clearly the same, clinging to some hope while lacking true confidence. They had lost last time; could they win this time? Whatever! At least the Hundred Battles King was still alive, wasn't he? While they were chatting, Liu Shan suddenly paused. "Huh? There's movement..." "What?" "Hush!" Right at that moment, a faint, eerie chuckle drifted over. Their minds spun in a daze, and in the next instant, a giggling voice sounded beside their ears: "Don't move! What delightful little darlings!" In a flash, dozens of figures manifested. The pair's eyes widened, yet they couldn't move an inch. A pair of small hands clamped onto their necks, instantly severing their connection to their Great Daos! Before long, a white-haired young man appeared before them. Frowning slightly, the white-haired youth waved his hand, causing countless tiny motes of light to appear in the cave. In the next moment, Su Yu remarked with disgust, "What are these things? So many tiny bugs!" "Soul-boring insects!" Xinghong chimed in. Suddenly opening his mouth wide, he inhaled countless insects in one gulp, let out a burp, and chuckled, "Tastes pretty good!" He was not human by nature, but a fish-headed monster. Eating these insects now, he did so with relish. This sight terrified Liu Shan and Du Bing to their cores. Who... who were these people? Wait, there seemed to be non-humans among them! Were these people humans or from the myriad races? They couldn't tell; there seemed to be humans, but also non-humans. Su Yu paid Xinghong no attention. After assessing the surroundings, he said, "It should still be Soul Burial Mountain. Looks like the coordinates didn't shift. Didn't they say the soul-boring insects were extremely dangerous?" Su Yu wore an odd expression. Zhao Chuan had claimed this place was fraught with danger. Soul-boring insects were supposedly terrifying! Terrifying my foot! Not scary in the slightest! To think he had wondered what kind of nasty critters they were—turns out it was just these things? Having said that, he looked at the two captives and smiled. "Two Eternals, both at the seventh stage—not bad! Lan Tian, secure them and keep them under control. Let's leave this place before interrogating them!" "Sure thing!" Lan Tian giggled, clutching the two like helpless chicks as he walked. "We've arrived! The Upper Realm doesn't seem any different. The passage guards are just two little kids who'd die from a single punch. I thought there would be Dao Integrators to fight." Su Yu laughed. "What's the rush? We've only just arrived!" "True!" Lan Tian nodded and giggled, "Word is the human race only has six Dao Integrators up here. Why don't we capture them all and consolidate our forces? These two are probably subordinates of that Marquis Dingjun. How about I go capture Marquis Dingjun?" "No rush!" Su Yu stepped out of the cave. Sensing the surroundings, he smiled. "The place isn't bad—no living souls around! Just a bit too many little bugs. King Daming, lay down a grand formation and clear an area of insects; they're rather annoying." "Understood!" King Daming said no more, quickly heading off to set up the formation. Meanwhile, the two captured Eternals were filled with horror. These people... were they human? King Daming... they didn't know him, but they knew of King Ming! And so strong? Capture six Dao Integrators... capture Marquis Dingjun? Were they joking, or were they serious? Both were terrified out of their wits. They were high-stage Eternals after all, yet they had been seized before they could even react. What a terrifying group! Could these people truly be from the Lower Realm? For a time, the two felt completely lost in a daze.