The Upper Realm Iron-Eaters

The Dao Domain of the Iron-Eater race lay close to the southern region. Mount Shenhuo was also situated near the south. In this very area, Marquis Zhennan lay concealed within Tianku Ridge. The south was a rather complex region in the Upper Realm. Here were the Iron-Eaters, who were friendly toward the human race, as well as several hidden human Dao Integration experts. The remnants of the human powerhouse factions also preferred operating in the south. The Iron-Eater race was considered a formidable race. Their Dao Domain in the Upper Realm was not a colossal city, but an immense mountain range known as Mount Zhu. Mountains were plentiful in the south. The Iron-Eaters were few in number and lived scattered across Mount Zhu, living carefree and leisurely lives... ... A so-called Dao Domain was a territory overseen by a Dao Integration expert. When a Dao Integration expert's power of rules permeated a region, declaring it their domain, it became a Dao Domain. Outsiders—especially fellow Dao Integration cultivators—trespassing within it without the master's permission was seen as an act of hostility. At that moment, Su Yu and his companions quickly arrived from the direction of Mount Chaos. Along the way, they had bypassed the Dao Domains of several other races, but Su Yu had deliberately steered clear of them. With the Heavenly Gate opened, Su Yu's advantage was simply overwhelming. Whether any Dao Integration experts lay in ambush or where they were positioned, he could perceive them all. Although the various races had grown extremely active lately due to the near-annihilation of the Dragon race, so long as Su Yu chose not to cross paths with them, it was nearly impossible for them to bump into him by accident. Mount Zhu was a mountain range of staggering proportions. True to its name, it was lush with bamboo. Yuan qi was fairly dense here, and from a great distance away, one could see Iron-Eater Beasts rolling about and frolicking on Mount Zhu. Jiu Yue glanced over from afar, his mouth watering slightly. "There's so much bamboo here! Some of it looks wonderfully chewy!" He wanted to eat! Su Yu felt helpless. Why on earth did they have such a craving? Was bamboo really that delicious? Could it compare to the aroma of meat? You've already devoured a mountain of dragon meat, yet you still care about this bit of bamboo? Ignoring Jiu Yue, Su Yu manifested the Heavenly Gate on his forehead and surveyed the area. His gaze shifted slightly as he said, "The Dao Integration experts of your race are all gathered deep within Mount Zhu. Are they worried about being ambushed?" Previously, their Dao Integrations had been scattered. Clearly, the Iron-Eaters had also sensed the looming crisis. Looking closer, Su Yu's brows suddenly rose. There weren't three, but four Dao Integration experts! "Hmm?" Su Yu peered into the depths, his eyes narrowing as he said in a low voice, "There's an unfamiliar Dao Integration in your clan. Is it San Yue, or someone who broke through later?" Examining further, something still felt off. It didn't look like San Yue either! Moreover, Su Yu didn't seem to sense any Heavenly King–level presence among these four Dao Integrations. Hadn't they said Marquis Juzhu possessed Heavenly King combat prowess? Among the four Dao Integrations, Marquis Juzhu wasn't even included? Could all of them belong to the Iron-Eaters, with two having advanced at a later date? Puzzled, Su Yu glanced around, his eyes narrowing slightly. "There seem to be scouts near the Iron-Eaters." Lan Tian chuckled. "There are. I noticed them already. The God, Demon, and Immortal races have all posted scouts. None have entered Mount Zhu, though. Looks like they're just keeping an eye on the Iron-Eaters." Naturally, they had to watch them; this race was far from weak. Su Yu rubbed his chin, then suddenly smiled. "Since someone is watching, we shouldn't make a big commotion. If we barge in rashly, it might displease the Iron-Eater race. It'd be bad if a conflict broke out." "Jiu Yue, you go!" "Me?" Jiu Yue blinked naively. "I go alone?" Su Yu pondered for a moment, then smiled. "No, I'll accompany you!" With those words, Su Yu shook his body and transformed into an Iron-Eater Beast as well. Then, the Time Record rippled faintly, radiating the aura signature of the Iron-Eater race. Immediately afterward, his physical body trembled slightly as the Iron-Eating Seventy-Two Castings circulated to the extreme. Nowadays, Su Yu rarely disguised himself as others. However, that did not mean he was incapable of doing so. The Time Record contained the virtual Great Dao of the Iron-Eater race, and Su Yu himself was proficient in the Iron-Eating Seventy-Two Castings. At his current level, using the Time Record did not require blood essence to activate as it once had. With his deepened control, lightly channeling some virtual Great Daos was well within his capabilities. In an instant, two Iron-Eater Beasts stood in place. Jiu Yue stared at Su Yu, and Su Yu stared back at him. The others turned their heads away, struggling to hold back their laughter at the sight of the two staring at each other. Jiu Yue inspected Su Yu and gasped in admiration, "You look so much like one!" Even he could barely tell the difference. After looking him over, Jiu Yue suggested earnestly, "Then how about Emperor Yu disguises himself as Shi Yue?" "..." Are you trying to take advantage of me? Su Yu cursed inwardly. To think you, Jiu Yue, with your honest eyes and bushy brows, harbor such mischievous ideas. "No, I am Ba Yue!" I'm going to be your father! Jiu Yue replied innocently, "That won't do. My father is over six thousand years old. He lived through the previous tide." Su Yu was speechless. "Then just treat me as an ordinary Eternal Realm member of your race. I'll be your guard, Big Bamboo." "..." Jiu Yue wanted to laugh, but held it in. He nodded solemnly and said, "Alright, Big Bamboo!" He switched names astonishingly fast. Su Yu and Jiu Yue did not dawdle. Soon, they revealed themselves and walked toward Mount Zhu from the distance. ... Nearby, some of the watching experts glanced at the two and didn't bother to intervene. To their eyes, all Iron-Eaters looked virtually identical anyway. Coming and going was completely normal. Their watch was merely meant to monitor the general movements of the Iron-Eaters. If true powerhouses simply slipped away, they wouldn't necessarily notice either. ... Inside Mount Zhu. The moment Su Yu and Jiu Yue stepped in, they sensed a faint power of rules permeating the air. The two exchanged a glance and nodded slightly. The Dao Integration expert blanketing this area had likely already detected them. That was only natural; Su Yu hadn't instructed Jiu Yue to deliberately conceal himself, wanting to avoid a confrontation once they drew close. ... At the same time. Deep within Mount Zhu, inside an enormous grand hall forged from colossal emerald bamboo, three Iron-Eater Dao Integration experts were currently speaking with a humanoid Dao Integration. Right at that moment, an Iron-Eater Dao Integration who had been burying his head in food suddenly looked up and peered outside, his large eyes filled with bewilderment. Did I misjudge? No way! How did... our race suddenly sprout another Dao Integration? It is a Dao Integration, isn't it? Blinking his wide eyes, the eating Iron-Eater looked outside again. His Great Dao power rippled with strangeness. Are they from our clan? Could someone be impersonating us? The aura doesn't feel familiar! Soon, his Great Dao power began to fluctuate noticeably. Inside the hall, the other two Iron-Eaters and the humanoid Dao Integration all turned to look at him. "Wu Yue, what's wrong?" The Iron-Eater sitting in the center inquired. The outer perimeter belonged to Wu Yue's Dao Domain; Si Yue hadn't sensed anything out of the ordinary. Wu Yue munched on his bamboo and spoke slowly while chewing, "Nothing. Keep talking. I'm not interested anyway, so go on!" Seeing him say this, Si Yue refrained from pressing further. He resumed conversing with the humanoid Dao Integration. ... On the outer perimeter of Mount Zhu. A few Iron-Eaters had gathered around Jiu Yue. A chubby little Iron-Eater rolled over, sniffed Jiu Yue, and asked curiously, "Milord, how come I've never seen you before?" Su Yu didn't know how these creatures distinguished one another. He could only assume that, just like humans recognizing other humans, they had their own ways. Yet when looking at other races without distinct markings, it was truly hard to tell them apart, leaving them to rely mostly on aura. "I just returned!" "Oh!" The little Iron-Eater soon rolled away. Meanwhile, the surrounding power of rules grew slightly denser and drifted toward the two. It seemed to be probing them. Jiu Yue continued eating while chuckling naively, "We're family, no need to stare." What's there to look at! The power of rules rippled faintly, and a miniature Iron-Eater materialized in midair, wearing a look of confusion and doubt. It seemed... they really were of the Iron-Eater race. Not impostors! Granted, the Great Dao power felt somewhat peculiar, but the bloodline power was indisputably authentic. "Who are you?" The miniature Wu Yue asked with a strange expression. If an ordinary weakling had popped up, he wouldn't have cared. But an extra Dao Integration? What was going on here? Jiu Yue chuckled naively, "Guess!" He had learned that from Su Yu! Wu Yue looked somewhat blank, and then actually took a guess. "Are you a child Marquis Juzhu sired out there?" With that, he gasped in shock. "Did Marquis Juzhu actually sire a Little Juzhu in the Land of Dao Origin, and you've already reached Dao Integration?" That was fast! Judging by this young Iron-Eater's presence, his age wasn't that great, leaving Wu Yue with only this assumption. Marquis Juzhu wasn't at Mount Zhu right now; he was in the Land of Dao Origin. "Did Marquis Juzhu send you back because of the turmoil with the Dragon race?" Jiu Yue was momentarily stunned. Really? Was Marquis Juzhu that lustful, actually siring a Little Juzhu? "Not telling you. Which Yue are you?" Jiu Yue had been born late, so he truly didn't recognize these seniors. "Wu Yue!" Upon hearing this, Jiu Yue became even less inclined to reveal himself. Wu Yue held some hostility toward humans. He simply asked, "Is Senior Si Yue around?" "He is!" The miniature Wu Yue said, then looked at Su Yu beside him, curious. "Another even smaller one. Did Marquis Juzhu have two, or is this one yours?" Jiu Yue wanted to laugh, but quickly said, "His name is Big Bamboo. We can talk more after we meet." Big Bamboo! Wu Yue thought about it: an offspring of Marquis Juzhu! Big Bamboo, Juzhu—it all followed the same naming theme! Just like their own lineage using the months of the year. Did Marquis Juzhu intend to name his line Big Bamboo, Medium Bamboo, Little Bamboo, and Tiny Bamboo? "Right now?" Wu Yue hesitated. "It's best you don't come right now. It's not very convenient." "Why?" "An annoying human showed up, trying to form an alliance with us again. It's irritating. I don't want to deal with him, but Si Yue insisted on meeting him. Since he's my father, I had no choice, so we're meeting here. Listening to it is driving me mad." Beside them, Su Yu's gaze flickered. A human! Marquis Anying? No, the Great Dao he had observed didn't belong to Marquis Anying. Could it be someone else? Su Yu chimed in, "Where did this human come from?" "From over at Tianku Ridge." Wu Yue didn't hide it. Both of these appeared to be of his own race. He could sense their bloodline aura, and he could see that Su Yu had cultivated the Seventy-Two Castings with profound mastery, perhaps having completed all seventy-two! An outsider couldn't fake that. Let alone outsiders not knowing the Iron-Eating Seventy-Two Castings, even if they did, they could never reach such a high attainment. Su Yu's mind stirred. Tianku Ridge... Marquis Zhennan. He hadn't expected the Iron-Eater race to still be in contact with Marquis Zhennan. "Did Marquis Zhennan come in person?" "No." Su Yu paused. If not, then the person he had perceived was indeed a Dao Integration. "It's General Wenqi, a subordinate of Marquis Zhennan. He achieved Dao Integration a few years back." Su Yu understood. His luck was quite good. Achieving Dao Integration... Manager Chongming under Marquis Dingjun had also reached Dao Integration. When it came to such things, it wasn't that some people lacked the ability, but rather that they lacked the right opportunity. Once the right opportunity presented itself, advancing to Dao Integration was only natural. The intelligence Marquis Dingjun and the others possessed was from long ago, so a few discrepancies were to be expected. Su Yu said, "Then we'd like to go and listen as well!" "You want to listen too?" Wu Yue didn't object, merely muttering, "It's truly annoying, youngsters. I just want to leave. Humans are so irritating!" Hearing him say they were irritating without actually driving General Wenqi away, Su Yu felt somewhat reassured. Wu Yue wasn't particularly friendly toward humans, but it seemed he wasn't overtly hostile either. Su Yu and Jiu Yue said no more, quickly hurrying toward the inner depths. Su Yu also wanted to hear what this General Wenqi had to say, and observe the Iron-Eaters' attitude. This General Wenqi had chosen an opportune moment to visit the Iron-Eaters. Su Yu felt his timing was quite deft. ... Inside the Grand Bamboo Hall. Wu Yue's Great Dao power had been fluctuating continuously. Si Yue glanced at him several times, rapping his knuckles on the table. "Wu Yue, you're neglecting our guest!" What are you doing? Since a human has come, show some courtesy. Hearing this, General Wenqi said softly, "No matter. Dao Lord Wu Yue may do as he pleases. My visit this time also brings Marquis Zhennan's apologies. When the war broke out back then, the human race failed to provide adequate protection, leading to the fall of Dao Lord Wu Yue's descendant. His Lordship has always expressed deep regret over this matter..." Wu Yue couldn't be bothered to respond. During the Third Tide, his descendant had fallen, which was why Liu Yue had risen to power today. Otherwise, the leadership of the Iron-Eaters would still belong to their line. Of course, the current Liu Yue was his grandnephew, so it made little difference. Many tens of thousands of years had passed; Wu Yue had no desire to dwell on it. Still, since the man had spoken to him, Wu Yue replied, "It's not the first time anyway. Wasn't Qi Yue run into the ground to his death as well? In this tide, who knows if Ba Yue will be sent to die, or Jiu Yue, or Shi Yue... You don't care either way." General Wenqi sighed. "Regarding the events of the previous tide, His Lordship and I are also deeply remorseful. Had we known Prince Qi Yue would march to battle in person, we would have protected him at all costs..." Wu Yue sneered disdainfully, paying him no further mind. What was the use of saying all this now? As they spoke, Si Yue started slightly and looked toward Wu Yue. Wu Yue had also sensed the two arriving and said, "Marquis Juzhu's descendant has returned. Back from the Land of Dao Origin." "Marquis Juzhu's descendant?" Si Yue was taken aback. Marquis Juzhu had an offspring in the Land of Dao Origin? How come I didn't know about this! Sensing carefully, it truly was the Iron-Eater bloodline. Puzzled, he soon frowned slightly and looked at Wu Yue. Are you sure he's Marquis Juzhu's descendant? Don't make a mistake! Beside them, General Wenqi's heart stirred as well, and he asked softly, "Senior Marquis Juzhu's descendant has returned?" "Then Marquis Juzhu..." Si Yue explained, "Marquis Juzhu likely won't be able to return anytime soon. The situation in the Land of Dao Origin is complicated right now. Several unowned Great Daos of rules have surfaced recently, and all factions are vying for them." As they spoke, Su Yu and Jiu Yue walked through the doors. The moment they entered, Si Yue's expression shifted slightly as he looked at Jiu Yue. Jiu Yue chuckled naively. Seeing that Si Yue appeared quite vigilant—far more so than Wu Yue—he beamed naively. "Greetings, Senior Si Yue, Senior Wu Yue." With that, a token flashed in his paw before disappearing in an instant. Si Yue's mind was violently shaken! The Iron-Eater Token! What in the world! Isn't that thing in the Lower Realm? Held by Liu Yue! At this moment, Si Yue was completely bewildered. What was going on? Where had this fellow come from? He clearly wasn't Marquis Juzhu's descendant, yet he possessed the Lower Realm's Iron-Eater Token, was a Dao Integration expert, and was indeed of their own clan's bloodline... For a moment, he was thoroughly dazed. Jiu Yue chuckled naively, "Senior Si Yue, we happened to hear Senior Wu Yue mention that a human had arrived, so we came to listen in. Would that be alright?" Endless questions swirled in Si Yue's mind. After a brief deliberation, he nodded. "Sit down to the side. Don't wander around, and don't interrupt carelessly." "Understood!" Jiu Yue smiled broadly and soon walked over to Wu Yue's side. Currently, there were four Dao Integrations in the hall. Si Yue, Wu Yue, General Wenqi, and another Iron-Eater Dao Integration who felt as though she had only recently broken through. Seeing Jiu Yue looking at her, that Iron-Eater also spoke naively, "Yuan Yue!" Jiu Yue froze. "A female?" It was actually a female Iron-Eater, and at the Dao Integration realm no less! How rare! Jiu Yue, who had originally been walking toward Wu Yue, abruptly changed directions and headed toward Yuan Yue. As he walked, he asked, "Yuan Yue, how old are you?" "The great pillar has grown nine nodes." "Oh, oh... that's not bad." Nine thousand years old. She was slightly older than him, but well within an acceptable range. He quickly sat down beside Yuan Yue. Su Yu... felt an urge to curse. What is this fellow doing? Is there even any difference between a female Iron-Eater and the rest of you? Don't you all look identical? Above them, Si Yue and Wu Yue also looked toward Jiu Yue with strange expressions. This newcomer, the moment he arrived, wanted to hit on the most beautiful and powerful Yuan Yue of their clan? Outrageous! While they were thinking this, General Wenqi observed them for a moment, then smiled. "Since Marquis Juzhu's descendant is here, Dao Lord Si Yue, would you mind if I repeat what I said earlier?" "Go ahead." Si Yue was far more concerned about where these two fellows had come from. The Lower Realm? Could people from the Lower Realm come up now? How strange! General Wenqi looked toward Jiu Yue and Su Yu and smiled. "It is like this. You two have arrived, so you must be aware of the upheaval among the Dragon race! This matter was an ambush spearheaded by Marquis Dingjun of our human race, and several hidden human powerhouses have revealed themselves this time." General Wenqi smiled and continued, "Now, Marquis Xuelong of the Dragon race has been slain. While the human race's strength has not returned to its peak, we possess a certain capacity to strike back! Furthermore, King Baizhan will soon be unsealed... Therefore, Marquis Zhennan's intention is to re-form the human alliance." "The Iron-Eater race has always been our most loyal ally. Lord Marquis Zhennan hopes to reach a consensus with the Iron-Eaters..." Su Yu listened to a few sentences and understood the gist of it. He was here to recruit allies! From the sound of it, he might even be trying to pull a fast one on them. Su Yu immediately seized on the crux of the matter and spoke bluntly without standing on ceremony. "We have indeed heard of this matter! Marquis Juzhu takes it very seriously as well, and sent us back this time precisely to inquire about the situation. According to the general, the powerhouses who ambushed the Dragon race were all humans?" "Indeed." General Wenqi smiled. "All humans." "Oh, then could you tell us where these people came from?" Su Yu smiled. "Why had there been no movement from them until now?" "Previously, several seniors were lying low in various perilous lands. After Marquis Minshan fell, Lord Marquis Zhennan contacted some of the hidden seniors scattered across the realm, and they chose to emerge. Originally, they planned to emerge only to unseal King Baizhan, but given the tense situation, they had no choice but to appear ahead of time..." Su Yu smiled. "As far as I know, there is a Quasi-King among them. Quasi-Kings are all ancient seniors. Could you disclose who this senior Quasi-King is? Could it be one of the ancient human marquises? Otherwise, a Quasi-King expert couldn't have appeared out of thin air..." General Wenqi smiled. "Naturally, there is a Quasi-King, otherwise Marquis Xuelong could not have been slain. As for this senior Quasi-King's name... it is difficult to say. The main concern is that if the news leaks and the myriad races find out, uncovering the Quasi-King's identity might allow them to lay targeted traps." Su Yu chuckled. "We are on the verge of forming an alliance, yet you cannot even disclose a name? In that case... we wouldn't dare recklessly ally with you. Who enters an alliance knowing nothing about their ally!" General Wenqi raised an eyebrow slightly, glancing at Su Yu, then at Si Yue. Si Yue also found it peculiar. Previously, he had only listened without interrupting much. Seeing this newcomer asking question after question felt rather odd. Since when did the descendants of their clan have so many questions? Despite his confusion, he still nodded. "This..." Su Yu spoke up, "My name is Big Bamboo!" Fine then! "Big Bamboo makes a valid point. General Wenqi, tell us about this human Quasi-King. Perhaps I even know them." General Wenqi's expression remained unchanged, appearing to contemplate. After a moment, he sighed. "Very well then! The senior who emerged this time for our human race is the ancient Marquis Wen'an." "Marquis Wen'an?" Si Yue said in a deep voice, "Wasn't Marquis Wen'an rumored to have fallen?" "He was merely in hiding, not dead..." Wenqi offered an explanation. Su Yu had basically figured it out. He didn't think much of it; Marquis Zhennan was in dire need of gathering allies right now, so a bit of bluffing was perfectly normal. However, bluffing to the point where even the person was fabricated—once exposed, that would not end well. A bluff had to be half-true and half-false to work. Yet from this fellow's mouth, not a single word was true. Su Yu smiled and asked again, "Then Marquis Zhennan wishes to form an alliance. After allying, what is our Iron-Eater race expected to do?" Wenqi breathed a sigh of relief, glad they were no longer dwelling on the previous matter. He said quickly, "Isn't Lord Juzhu in the Land of Dao Origin? Recently, the myriad races have been making moves, likely gathering to discuss countermeasures against Marquis Dingjun and the others. Powerhouses from the Land of Dao Origin might even be deployed." "Lord Marquis Zhennan's intention is for us to join forces, locate King Baizhan's sealing site, and rescue Lord Baizhan first! As soon as Lord Baizhan is freed, all problems will cease to be problems!" Wenqi said excitedly, "Lord Baizhan's strength is immense, having truly approached the realm of a Master of Order. Even three or four Quasi-Kings would be no match for him and could even be slain!" A single Quasi-King, even one like the Eastern Heavenly King, could handle five or six Dao Integrations. In other words, Baizhan could take on twenty to thirty Dao Integrations single-handedly. His strength was formidable indeed! Marquis Zhennan's true aim was actually to unseal Baizhan. No wonder he had come looking for the Iron-Eaters at this juncture. Marquis Juzhu possessed Heavenly King combat prowess and was currently in the Land of Dao Origin. San Yue might still be alive as well; if Marquis Dingjun knew, Marquis Zhennan likely knew too. If they could win over the Iron-Eaters and unseal King Baizhan, there truly was substantial hope of countering the myriad races. Wenqi added hastily, "Marquis Dingjun and his forces will help tie down the myriad races and draw away more of their experts. So long as the Iron-Eater race is willing to assist in unsealing King Baizhan, the human race stands a great chance this time!" His voice was filled with anticipation. Su Yu looked at him for a moment before speaking again. "Unsealing King Baizhan? After all these years, if he could be unsealed, the humans would have done so long ago. Although the Iron-Eater race possesses a Quasi-King, the Land of Dao Origin is fraught with peril... It won't be easy, will it?" Wenqi said anxiously, "It might have been difficult before, but now, the opportunity is right before us! With such a catastrophe befalling the Dragon race, their powerhouses in the Land of Dao Origin will inevitably return immediately. Without the Dragon race, each clan will pull back a portion of their experts... The smaller races must look to self-preservation, leaving only the three major races with surplus strength in the Land of Dao Origin..." Wenqi pressed on urgently, "As long as Lord King Baizhan emerges, the Iron-Eaters will be our human race's staunchest ally from then on. If the human race can unify the heavens once more, the Iron-Eater race will surely stand above the myriad races, second only to humanity!" Su Yu thought for a moment and asked, "Then how many people will your human faction deploy to act alongside us?" Wenqi's expression shifted slightly. After a brief hesitation, he said, "Myself, Lord Marquis Zhennan, and we will do our utmost to notify several others to act together. We will not let the Iron-Eater race bear too much pressure..." He then added, "Of course, even if other members of our human race do not go, they will create chaos for the myriad races across various regions!" "Will that human Quasi-King truly act alongside us?" "Naturally!" Su Yu narrowed his eyes. "If your side cannot coordinate with us, and we fail to pin down the powerhouses of the myriad races, unsealing King Baizhan will cause no small commotion. If the experts of the various races return, we will be in grave trouble!" "Rest assured!" Wenqi said quickly, "They will definitely provide support!" Nonsense! Support my foot. He simply wanted to dupe them into it first. Once they actually went to the Land of Dao Origin to break the seal and the myriad races rushed back, it would be too late for regrets; they could only pin their hopes on freeing King Baizhan. A clever scheme indeed. Su Yu smiled. "How about this: we don't dare put full faith in your assurances. Why don't you... have Marquis Wen'an come to our Iron-Eater race in person to negotiate?" General Wenqi said hurriedly, "Marquis Wen'an is currently being watched by the myriad races and cannot move lightly. If he comes to the Iron-Eater race, it might bring immense disaster upon your clan!" "That is true!" At this moment, Su Yu seemed to have become the spokesperson for the Iron-Eater race. Su Yu pondered and said, "How about this: it's fine if no one comes from that side, but among yourself, Marquis Zhennan, Marquis Huoyun, Marquis Yunshui, Marquis Anying, and General Yingwu, at least three or more must come before we dare take action. Otherwise, if this is solely Marquis Zhennan's idea... wouldn't that harm our clan?" General Wenqi's expression shifted repeatedly. Soon, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I will do my best to contact the other lords. We will certainly satisfy the Iron-Eater race!" Su Yu smiled. "Then once everyone arrives, we shall talk again!" Wenqi looked toward Si Yue. Si Yue smiled and said, "We will do as Big Bamboo says! It's not that our race refuses to aid humanity, but while helping humans, we must also ensure the safety of our clan's powerhouses and the survival of our race! Unsealing Baizhan is no simple matter. Relying solely on General Wenqi as a lobbyist... our clan cannot place blind trust in this." General Wenqi felt helpless. The negotiations had been going fairly smoothly before. Yet as soon as this descendant of Marquis Juzhu arrived, things had turned rocky. Ah, whatever! He had no choice but to say, "Then I shall take my leave for now. Please await my next visit; it will certainly carry even greater sincerity than today!" Su Yu smiled faintly and said nothing. Watching General Wenqi rise and take his leave, Su Yu waited until he had walked away for a bit before speaking to the bamboo stalk held in his paw with a smile: "Go capture him. Keep it quiet and don't cause a scene, lest these fellows ruin my plans!" Previously, he had planned to leave these people alone. Poaching my allies was one thing, but if they actually ran off to unseal King Baizhan... to hell with that, wouldn't the battle at Mount Chaos be completely undermined by them? Damn it all! They never shied away from causing trouble, but when it came to fighting, they were useless. Unsealing Baizhan would definitely cause the myriad races to temporarily set other matters aside. The myriad races wouldn't let Baizhan escape. At that point, they might deploy Heavenly Kings back to guard the Land of Dao Origin, leaving insufficient forces to deal with Mount Chaos. That was the last thing Su Yu wanted to see. The large bamboo stalk in his hand was an avatar of Lan Tian. As for this Wenqi, Su Yu couldn't be bothered to judge whether he was good or bad. A villain? Perhaps not; unsealing Baizhan was the established strategy of the Upper Realm humans. As for throwing the Iron-Eaters under the bus... driven to a dead end, throwing allies under the bus was hardly unprecedented for them. But in Su Yu's eyes, do whatever you want, just don't ruin my affairs. If you mess with my plans, I will deal with you! Meanwhile, Si Yue, Wu Yue, and Yuan Yue were all stunned. Who was he talking to? Capture whom? They instantly looked toward Jiu Yue and Su Yu. Si Yue said in a deep voice, "Young friend, why do you possess the Iron-Eater Token?" Jiu Yue, who was chatting with Yuan Yue, heard this and chuckled naively, "Ancestor Si Yue, I am the current Iron-Eating Beast Emperor, so naturally I have the Iron-Eater Token." Si Yue froze. Jiu Yue scratched his head, grinning naively. "Ancestor Liu Yue passed the position of Beast Emperor to me. I am Jiu Yue, so now... I should be considered the Beast Emperor, right?" He asked innocently, "Does being the Beast Emperor of the Lower Realm count in the Upper Realm?" At this moment, Wu Yue's mouth fell open, and he stammered, "You... aren't you Marquis Juzhu's descendant?" Yuan Yue also looked at Jiu Yue in surprise. Jiu Yue chuckled naively, "Nope. I never said I was; you were the one who said it, Ancestor Wu Yue. I am Ancestor Liu Yue's descendant!" "You come from the Lower Realm?" "Yes!" Jiu Yue stood up, bowing respectfully and earnestly toward the two ancestors. "I came up from the Lower Realm. It's been a while since I arrived in the Upper Realm. The matter with the Dragon race was our doing!" Both Si Yue and Wu Yue shuddered! "Then Wenqi..." "He's just a big liar!" Jiu Yue chuckled naively. "The incidents at the Moonflower Valley and the Dragon race were all done by us. I even swallowed eight Dragon Cities in one go, eating nearly a million dragons..." With that, he opened his mouth and let out a burp. A tiny dragon materialized, and in the next moment, it was snapped in half with a crunch. Burping, he grinned, "I still have a lot that hasn't been digested, so I'm eating slowly. Do Ancestor Si Yue and Ancestor Wu Yue want some? It can last us a long time!" "..." The Iron-Eater Dao Integrations were completely flabbergasted. The Dragon race had been devoured by Jiu Yue! And he had eaten nearly a million of them! Us? Si Yue's eyes flickered as he looked at Su Yu, then back at Jiu Yue, asking in a low voice, "How did you come up? And who did you come with?" "I came up through another passage, together with the Lower Realm's Human Sovereign..." Before they could speak, Jiu Yue beamed and said, "Our clan has already formed an alliance with the human race in the Lower Realm. Our clan, the Ancient Space Beasts, the Hou race, and the Fate race have all allied with the humans, slaying the Dao Integrations of the various races in the Lower Realm and forcing the God, Demon, and Immortal races to seal their own domains!" Jiu Yue added quickly, "I also advanced to Dao Integration with Emperor Yu's help! I inherited Ancestor Er Yue's Devouring Dao!" "This time, we fought our way up from the Lower Realm, successively slaying two Demon Dao Integrations and six Dragon Dao Integrations, merely to test the waters of the Upper Realm!" Though Jiu Yue still seemed simple and honest, he spoke with rapid excitement, chuckling, "Before I came up, Ancestor Liu Yue told me that once in the Upper Realm, I should listen to the advice of the ancestors! He also told me to bring gifts for the ancestors. Coming from the Lower Realm, I feared ordinary gifts wouldn't catch your eye, so I swallowed a million dragons to share with the ancestors. The flavor isn't bad!" Si Yue, Wu Yue, and Yuan Yue—all three Iron-Eaters—stared at him with wide, bulging eyes. This earth-shattering upheaval that devastated the Dragon race wasn't the work of hidden humans, but newcomers from the Lower Realm! And Jiu Yue, one of their own clan, had actually taken part in it! "You..." Si Yue asked in shock, "Where did a Quasi-King come from in the Lower Realm?" Jiu Yue chuckled naively, "One born in this tide, a battle general under Emperor Yu! Only one came this time, but there are more in the Lower Realm! Emperor Yu has already conquered both the realms of life and death, slaying the Eastern and Western Heavenly Kings, subjugating the Southern Heavenly King, and driving off the Northern Heavenly King... In order not to alarm the Upper Realm, he held back from wiping out the three major races; otherwise, the myriad realms would have been unified long ago!" Listening to this sounded like listening to a myth; Si Yue grew dazed as he listened! Wu Yue, however, suddenly barked, "You said Wenqi is a liar. Are... are you deceiving us by saying all this?" Humans were all cunning and deceitful. Although the fellow before him was a clansman, Wu Yue was furious that he had just tricked him! Jiu Yue chuckled naively, "I'm not lying. Everything I said is true! I am the Beast Emperor of the Lower Realm Iron-Eaters now, why would I deceive the ancestors?" Jiu Yue added earnestly, "If you don't believe me, I can call them all over. We came to the Upper Realm this time to accomplish great things. Among the myriad realms, only the Upper Realm remains unconquered!" The hall fell utterly silent. Si Yue's expression shifted continuously before he asked in a heavy voice, "In the Lower Realm, did you participate in the war?" "Yes!" "The lesson of the past is right before us. In the previous tide, all the allied races that helped King Baizhan were wiped out..." Jiu Yue shook his head. "It's different. Emperor Yu in this tide is extraordinarily wise! Since our clan entered the war, we have suffered virtually zero losses. Instead, I advanced to Dao Integration, and various races flocked to pledge allegiance, including Guardian Hongmeng and his peers! The Hou race and others all scrambled to join. When Emperor Yu was only at the Tengkong Realm, thirty-six Guardians protected his Dao. Slaying Dao Integrations of the myriad races, suppressing Baizhan's faction, unifying the human race, and reshaping the land—he had no veterans from the previous tide protecting him..." Jiu Yue continued swiftly, "Emperor Yu is different from Baizhan. All the races that pledged allegiance to Emperor Yu gained benefits, suffering no harm whatsoever! Unifying both the realms of life and death, not a single allied Dao Integration perished! Meanwhile, dozens of enemy Dao Integrations were slain..." Beside him, Su Yu listened in silence. I can't help feeling that you're deliberately flattering me, but alas, I have no evidence. Whatever, I'll just listen. Jiu Yue remained exuberant and excited. "Yes, our current strength is still no match for the races of the Upper Realm, but those who came up this time represent at most a third of our Lower Realm strength. If all of us ascended, we could contend with the major races of the Upper Realm!" "As for Baizhan... Emperor Yu's stance is to ignore him. Let him be. If he dares block the path, kill him!" Jiu Yue said spiritedly, "Ancestors, this is a new era. The Lower Realm is already in the First Year of Xinyu. It is no longer the ancient era; the dynasty has changed!" "..." Si Yue was somewhat bewildered. Had the Lower Realm truly become like this? Wu Yue was also shaken, asking hastily, "Then what realm is this Emperor Yu at?" Jiu Yue smiled. "A peak Dao Integration!" "Only a peak Dao Integration?" Wu Yue froze, then couldn't help cursing, "Nonsense! Not even a Quasi-King?" Jiu Yue chuckled naively, "Emperor Yu is still young. By human counting, he is only twenty-two years old, yet he already has multiple Quasi-King combatants under his command!" At these words, Wu Yue froze again. "Twenty-two years old?" He asked suspiciously, "Twenty-two tide years?" "No, twenty-two human years!" Jiu Yue chuckled naively. "About the time it takes us to take a nap. Yes, just that young!" Jiu Yue added with utmost earnestness, "Emperor Yu possesses extraordinary talent and treats all races kindly. He reached Tengkong at nineteen, integrated his Dao at twenty-one, and stepped into peak Dao Integration at twenty-two. I reckon he will soon become a Quasi-King... perhaps in just a few days!" At this moment, the three Iron-Eater powerhouses felt as though they were listening to a fairy tale. It was simply too absurd! Was this Jiu Yue pulling their leg? Yet... they soon calmed down. Si Yue looked toward Su Yu. "Is he... a powerhouse of our clan?" He felt like one, yet didn't quite feel like one. Jiu Yue chuckled. "Sort of... let's set Big Bamboo aside for now." Jiu Yue smiled. "My visit this time is also to consult the ancestors' opinions." "To join forces with you?" Si Yue asked in a low voice, "Is that what you mean?" "No." Jiu Yue replied naively, "It's to consult the ancestors on whether to migrate the Iron-Eater race to the Lower Realm. The Upper Realm is dangerous right now, and a great war will erupt soon. Our idea is to migrate the Iron-Eaters to the Lower Realm, confronting the Upper Realm with the boundary barrier as the dividing line!" Migrate the entire clan to the Lower Realm! Si Yue's mind was shaken once more. It wasn't about using them to kill enemies. Si Yue said in a heavy voice, "This matter is of monumental significance; even I cannot make such a decision. Moreover... I cannot tell whether your words are true or false! Though you hold the Iron-Eater Token... I will notify Marquis Juzhu to return as soon as possible!" "Alright!" Jiu Yue chuckled naively. "Then let's leave it at that for now. We won't be leaving for the next few days. Ancestor, notify Marquis Juzhu to return as quickly as possible. As for Wenqi and Marquis Zhennan, ignore them! Baizhan's faction are all reckless brutes, no need to pay them any mind!" "..." To hear such words... Si Yue hardly knew whether to laugh or cry. "Does that Emperor Yu you speak of... share this attitude?" "Naturally!" Jiu Yue smiled. "Baizhan is a massive pit. Emperor Yu's view is that even if he gets out, he will only draw the hatred of the myriad races. Pay him no heed; this is a new dynasty now!" Si Yue's eyes flickered as he listened, and he soon said, "Then I shall notify Marquis Juzhu to return at once!" Compared to his perfunctory handling of General Wenqi just moments ago, his current attitude was far more serious!