Seeing Su Yu deep in thought, King Dazhou also pondered for a moment before speaking up. "Emperor Yu, it wasn't easy to draw the myriad races' attention toward Mount Chaos. Once we make a move, unless we can still conceal our identities, otherwise... that would give Mount Chaos room to breathe instead."
If their identities were exposed, their whole scheme against the Dragon race would go down the drain.
The myriad races would quickly realize that a third faction existed in the Upper Realm.
He continued, "Furthermore, even if we strike, the myriad races will wonder why the Prison King faction is making frequent moves and whether it's a trap.
"Besides, I suspect the Prison King faction still has ears and eyes in the Upper Realm!"
King Dazhou said gravely, "Impersonating them once is fine. But after twice or thrice, if the other side uncovers our identities... that would also be a massive headache."
In short, striking wasn't easy!
Attacking made it far too easy to blow their cover, and it was far too risky.
Marquis Juzhu had posed a monumental dilemma for humanity this time.
King Daming also said in a deep voice, "I also feel it's not the right time to act. It's too easy to throw away the advantage we just built up. Marquis Juzhu putting forward this condition right now, and giving us only ten days... I suspect he doesn't just want to see our strength!"
It was actually far harder than anticipated.
Was there hope of killing three Dao Integration experts?
Yes!
And the chances weren't small.
If worse came to worst, Su Yu, Lan Tian, and King Dazhou could each launch an ambush against one target and flee immediately afterward, which indeed had a chance of succeeding.
However, the targeted nature would be too blatant, and it would look far too much like deliberate trouble-stirring.
Killing three Dao Integration experts held little inherent significance.
The myriad races weren't all fools. Seeing that situation, even if they had originally planned to assault Mount Chaos, they would reconsider whether to go through with it!
That style of attack looked far too much like a third party sowing discord!
Xinghong also chimed in, "What is this Marquis Juzhu thinking? Emperor Yu should explain things clearly to him. Now isn't the right time..."
Su Yu shook his head and smiled. "Wrong. He is a clever man! Marquis Juzhu is an exceptionally wise powerhouse. Does killing three Dao Integration experts benefit him? Judging strength—purely judging strength—are we incapable of killing three Dao Integration experts? He can see that as well. He knows full well we framed the Prison King faction, and he even brought it up himself!
"Marquis Juzhu wants to see our ability to adapt and handle the situation. The slightest carelessness, and everything falls into chaos!"
Su Yu let out a breath. If handled poorly, killing a few Dao Integration experts wouldn't be an issue, but the key problem was that several of his own plans would be disrupted.
"Then what does this fat old cat actually want to do?"
Lan Tian said softly, "Why does it feel like he wants us to stir up trouble so the Prison King faction gets an opportunity to react? Could this fat old cat be colluding with them?"
"Colluding?"
King Dazhou frowned slightly as well, glancing at Su Yu. "Lan Tian's words... might not be entirely impossible!"
Asking them to make another move right now truly felt ill-intentioned.
Su Yu sighed. "Colluding... probably not to that extent. But seeing how our methods measure up against the Prison King faction's is certainly true! We've stayed in the shadows, whereas Marquis Juzhu would rather see us come out into the open to see if we can contend with the various factions!"
Su Yu smiled and added, "He wants greater certainty. The Iron-Eater race isn't weak, possessing two Heavenly King-level powerhouses. Marquis Juzhu has the capital to be particular. We should try to understand his position; after all, a wrong choice means the annihilation of his entire race. It's no joke."
Su Yu smiled again. "In the Lower Realm, everyone has seen our capabilities. But to be frank, in the Upper Realm, striking the Dragon race merely caught them off guard. Such methods don't showcase our true ability!"
Marquis Juzhu hadn't personally witnessed Su Yu's prowess. No matter how much Jiu Yue bragged, it was still only one side of the story.
He wanted Su Yu and his companions to demonstrate the same prowess that had allowed them to dominate the Lower Realm, especially at this critical juncture.
The myriad races were on high alert right now.
This was precisely the time that best tested their adaptability, methods, boldness, and strength.
King Dazhou said gravely, "Then as of now, there are three options! First, Mount Ren. Second, the Dao Origin Land. Third, the headquarters of the three races! Where to strike is the question. Mount Ren... is actually very dangerous. I would almost rather strike their headquarters..."
King Dazhou paused, then continued, "Also, if we strike, there must be a purpose. If we attack the myriad races for no apparent reason, they'll wonder what we're after. Just to flex our muscles? Are we mad? Any fool would sense something wrong! If we strike, we need a pretext. What is our target, and what is our goal?"
King Dazhou analyzed the situation for Su Yu and slowly stated, "Striking their headquarters would be to eliminate top-tier powerhouses and seize Rule Daos! Striking Mount Ren would be to disrupt the assembly of the myriad races! Striking the Dao Origin Land is the most dangerous... I advise against that. But if we do, the excuse could be to liberate the Hundred Battles King!"
Establish the goal first!
If they didn't even have a clear objective before taking action, it would appear far too jarring and contrived.
Everyone turned their gaze toward Su Yu.
Where should they strike?
Su Yu pondered for a while before finally speaking: "Our first priority is the Dao Origin Land, our second is Mount Ren, and the headquarters of the three races is only our third!"
Everyone felt a jolt in their hearts.
King Dazhou had feared this very outcome the most, and his expression turned grave.
He knew Su Yu was audacious. Given three choices, the likelihood of him choosing to attack the Dao Origin Land was the highest.
"We know nothing about the Dao Origin Land!"
King Dazhou said heavily, "Even if Marquis Dingjun knew everything, that was six thousand years ago. Six thousand years is enough to change everything! Striking the Dao Origin Land is, in my view, the most dangerous move! The Heavenly Kings stationed there might exceed ten!"
Su Yu nodded. "I know."
"You know... yet you still..."
Su Yu smiled. "No rush!"
After a moment of thought, Su Yu laughed. "Lan Tian, you will be in charge of intelligence gathering over the next few days. Gather intelligence on the Dao Origin Land, and scout out Mount Ren and the headquarters of the three races as well!"
"Understood!"
Lan Tian was unusually solemn, making no jokes this time.
"King Daming!"
"Present!"
Su Yu looked at King Daming, weighed his thoughts, and said, "Take some of Lan Tian's clones and head to Mount Chaos!"
King Daming furrowed his brows. Su Yu smiled and continued, "Go to Mount Chaos and stir up some commotion. It won't be without risk! Draw the myriad races' attention first, and ideally lure out a few ancient beasts. Even if they don't emerge, create some turbulence in the Mount Chaos area! You excel at arrays, and Lan Tian excels at fishing in troubled waters. If possible, kill one or two ancient beasts and set up some cloaking arrays."
Su Yu hesitated briefly before adding, "The two of you might not be enough... Xinghong, go assist them!"
Xinghong's face grew serious as he nodded. "Understood!"
Su Yu looked around at the remaining few. With Jiu Yue absent, only King Dazhou, Marquis Dingjun, and Chongming remained.
"Marquis Dingjun..."
Marquis Dingjun looked toward Su Yu, and Su Yu met his gaze. After a long pause, Su Yu asked gravely, "Are you afraid of dying?"
Marquis Dingjun hesitated, opening his mouth before finally answering, "I am. But I've lived long enough, so I'm not afraid either!"
Su Yu smiled. "If I give you a mission, can you carry it out?"
"Command me, Emperor Yu!"
"Launch surprise raids on the various minor and moderate races! Just you and Chongming!"
Marquis Dingjun's expression shifted slightly.
Su Yu said softly, "Raid the minor races and kill! You don't necessarily have to kill Dao Integration experts; Eternals and Sun Moons are fair game! You are a familiar face to everyone. Kill a few, leave behind warnings: anyone who dares participate in the assembly of the myriad races will be annihilated!"
Su Yu said in a heavy voice, "It is extremely perilous. You know how dangerous it is; the slightest misstep and you will die! Moreover, I don't think you are particularly bright. You might end up falling into someone's trap and dying..."
Marquis Dingjun replied helplessly, "Emperor Yu, if nothing else, I have a knack for escaping with my life. Otherwise, I wouldn't have survived until now! It's just that Emperor Yu has too many capable people around him, so you don't need me devising strategies!"
Who was he looking down on!
This was blatant contempt!
Su Yu laughed. "Cut the chatter. Do you dare? Aside from the major races, the Underworld and Phoenix races aren't easy to provoke either. Focus primarily on races with no more than three Dao Integration experts. Slaughter them until they dare not attend the assembly, slaughter them until they are forced to defend their homes! Make the myriad races believe we simply don't want them uniting!"
Marquis Dingjun took mental note of everything and asked after thinking it over, "No need to prioritize killing Dao Integration experts?"
"Of course!"
Su Yu smiled. "Even joining forces, your and Chongming's strength is only mediocre. You'd struggle against a second-tier Dao Integration expert, and if a Dao Integration expert pins you down, you're dead! Instead, avoid Dao Integration experts and focus on slaughtering those below that level—kill as many as you can!
"Spare the Hou, Ancient Space Beast, and Destiny races. The rest are fair game!"
Marquis Dingjun nodded, then asked, "What if an opportunity to kill a Dao Integration expert arises?"
"Pass on it!"
Su Yu said with a grin, "Because ninety-nine percent of the time, it's a trap. If an opportunity to kill a Dao Integration expert presents itself right now, most of the time it's bait! Remember your objective: not to kill Dao Integration experts, but to sow chaos and make the minor races fear for their survival!"
"Understood!"
Marquis Dingjun nodded. This was his first time receiving a solo mission from Su Yu—though Chongming was his subordinate, of course.
"Everyone, take a Lan Tian with you!"
"..."
In an instant, strange expressions crossed everyone's faces.
Su Yu chuckled. "Transmitting messages in the Upper Realm isn't easy, and I'm worried transmissions might be intercepted. After all, we didn't establish the Upper Realm's transmission network, so it's far too easy for the myriad races to intercept and decipher! Having each person take a Lan Tian solves that. They're just a few clones; Lan Tian isn't short on them. It makes staying in touch and exchanging information convenient. Lan Tian can sense his own clones within a certain range."
Marquis Dingjun was actually quite reluctant, as Lan Tian was exceedingly eccentric.
Yet since Su Yu had commanded it, he had no choice.
Lan Tian flashed a radiant smile. The next moment, he transformed into a little girl and leaped onto Marquis Dingjun. Marquis Dingjun's face went completely pale. *I don't like children, get off!*
Su Yu chuckled. "Stop fooling around, turn into something else!"
The little-girl Lan Tian pouted unhappily, sulking for a moment before indignantly transforming into a stalk of spirit grass, perching right atop Marquis Dingjun's head.
Marquis Dingjun was at a loss.
Truly exasperating!
Around the others, various objects gradually appeared: stones, vegetation, and in Xinghong's case, a toad atop his head!
Xinghong felt the bastard Lan Tian was deliberately mocking him.
*I'm not a toad!*
*I'm a fish-headed monster!* Clearly, Lan Tian had remembered him eating bugs on Soul Burying Mountain last time and deemed him a toad.
"Alright, let's move out separately. Marquis Dingjun's side is the most dangerous, and concealing your aura won't help much. Best of luck."
Marquis Dingjun felt a somber, tragic air settling over him. The way Su Yu phrased it, it sounded as if he were guaranteed to die once he went out.
Soon, the group dispersed.
...
Only King Dazhou remained by Su Yu's side.
King Dazhou looked at Su Yu and asked softly, "What about us? What do we do?"
Su Yu smiled. "Go meet some people."
"Meet people?"
"Yes, a few human powerhouses."
Su Yu gave a faint smile. "If we can persuade them, wonderful! If we can't... take them down! And if we can't take them down, force them into the open, let the myriad races expend their strength killing them, and throw this Upper Realm into chaos!"
King Dazhou drew a sharp breath. "Isn't that... a bit too ruthless?"
Su Yu shook his head. "Not ruthless at all! If they listen to reason, that's ideal. If they don't, this is the only way. These people are already interfering with some of my plans. I didn't let Marquis Dingjun accompany me precisely because I didn't want him interfering in this, and I believe King Dazhou is a smart man!"
Su Yu sighed. "I have no interest in wiping out the Upper Realm's humans, nor do I even have an interest in subjugating them. But these fellows refuse to listen, single-mindedly intent on rescuing the Hundred Battles King... Their intentions are fine, but they're disrupting my plans! Especially after our battle against the Dragon race; these people seem to think an opportunity has presented itself, and they can hardly wait to charge into the Dao Origin Land to rescue the Hundred Battles King... I'm not afraid of anything else, but I fear that when I launch a raid on the Dao Origin Land, I won't be exposed by my own actions, but by these fools!"
Su Yu let out a sigh.
King Dazhou gave a bitter smile. "They don't know our circumstances. Even if they truly charge into the Dao Origin Land, it wouldn't be intentional."
"I know,"
Su Yu nodded. "But this kind of reckless meddling without knowing the situation gives me an even bigger headache!"
Su Yu shook his head. "It must be dealt with! Otherwise, this issue will plague us endlessly and create massive problems and vulnerabilities later on!"
"However, these fellows aren't weak!"
King Dazhou said gravely, "And there are only two of us. They are all holed up in treacherous domains where even the myriad races can hardly touch them. If we make a move, it might be the same!"
"Leaving aside Marquis Anying for now, we currently have Marquis Zhennan, Marquis Huoyun, Marquis Yunshui, and General Yingwu."
Su Yu smiled. "Let's seek out General Yingwu first. Her strength should be the weakest, right? It's best if we deal with them within seven days, then figure out how to handle the myriad races!"
King Dazhou rapidly thought through the scenario.
There was a high probability Su Yu still intended to strike the powerhouses in the Dao Origin Land. The risk was enormous, and if something went wrong...
While he was pondering, Su Yu remarked lazily, "Don't worry. Don't forget that I still have a powerhouse in my grasp—one from the Prison King faction. At the critical moment, she can be put to good use! Whether for framing, sabotaging, or even detonating as an explosive, she can serve a massive purpose!"
King Dazhou's heart jolted, and he said in a low voice, "Killing her... the Prison King faction will know someone from the Lower Realm has arrived!"
Su Yu nodded and laughed. "So what if they know?"
Su Yu said languidly, "They might know, but she really is their person, isn't she?"
Su Yu toyed with an ink-jade token in his hand and said softly, "If they know, so be it. I wonder if shattering this token would summon powerhouses to her aid. If it does... that will cement everything!"
Su Yu said with amusement, "Holding an ace in hand—a Heavenly King-level powerhouse dying... do you think the myriad races will treat it as a joke? Do you think the myriad races won't investigate thoroughly to uncover her origins? At that point, even if the Prison King faction claims she came from the Lower Realm... what difference does it make?"
This was a Heavenly King!
Not some minor figure. If such a powerhouse died, the myriad races would scrutinize the matter down to the smallest detail.
Of course, Su Yu hadn't fully finalized the specifics of the plan yet.
As they walked, Su Yu said, "She must be utilized properly this time! Leaving that identity unused would be a waste!"
King Dazhou nodded.
The identity of the Western Consort was indeed very useful.
A genuine Heavenly King from the Prison King faction!
"Unsealing the Hundred Battles King wouldn't feel right without her participation!"
Su Yu laughed. "Along the way, we can test the Hundred Battles King's depth, inspect the Dao Origin Land, and..."
Su Yu said in a heavy voice, "At the Dao Origin Land, it might be possible to return to the Lower Realm."
"A passage?"
"No, the River of Time!"
Su Yu made an assessment. "An opening to the River of Time should exist over there, though it must be quite far from the Lower Realm. I can't determine the exact stretch right now. Under normal circumstances, a Heavenly King probably can't return to the Lower Realm, or someone would have tried long ago.
"However, I have opened the Heavenly Gate. Perhaps I can sense the surroundings, find where the Brush Dao lies, and see whether I can return to the Lower Realm! If I can... we could come and go from the Dao Origin Land at will, with nothing to fear!
"What a pity I burned away so much of my lifespan. Otherwise, no matter how far, I would dare make the attempt!"
Su Yu chuckled. "Even if that doesn't work, the Brush Dao should be perceptible over there. My comprehension of the Great Dao has improved somewhat lately; even if we can't leave, boosting my strength wouldn't hurt."
"Congratulations, Emperor Yu!"
King Dazhou marveled inwardly. *Another breakthrough? This fellow is truly a monster.*
Su Yu waved his hand. "Let's go. Off to Yixian Gorge. I wonder if we'll be able to see this General Yingwu. I hear she's a woman... Women are difficult to deal with, especially an old woman over a hundred thousand years old."
King Dazhou was speechless.
"Do you know her?"
Su Yu asked. King Dazhou nodded. "I've seen her a few times."
"Do you know what her hobbies are?"
"Hobbies?"
King Dazhou shook his head. He truly had no clue.
Su Yu smiled again. "Whose subordinate was General Yingwu previously?"
"Roughly under King Ming."
"Did she idolize King Wen?"
"That... I'm not sure. Most female generals of that era idolized King Wen."
Su Yu appeared thoughtful. King Dazhou suddenly thought of something and wore a peculiar expression. "*Ahem*, that... you aren't planning to... that wouldn't be appropriate, would it?"
Su Yu laughed. "Planning what?"
"Seduction?"
King Dazhou whispered. Even if she idolized King Wen, he shouldn't stoop to that.
How improper!
Su Yu sneered. "Am I that vulgar?"
"Then... acknowledging her as a master's wife?"
King Dazhou gasped. "That really isn't suitable. The South King was one thing, but if you do it again... If King Wen truly returns someday, I suspect... you might end up in a rather awkward situation with him..."
King Wen wasn't around, so Su Yu shouldn't play around like this.
Finding a bunch of Dao companions for someone out of thin air wasn't right.
"I won't. General Yingwu isn't worth that price,"
Su Yu said calmly. "In this world, everything depends on whether it's worth it! The South King is powerful and oversees the dead spirit realm; she was worth me using a scheme. General Yingwu... isn't worth that price for now!"
It was blunt, but it was the truth.
Su Yu said indifferently, "Why would I go out of my way to saddle myself with so many mothers-in-law?"
"The South King cannot enter the living realm, so I didn't mind according her some honor. As for General Yingwu, she's essentially a remnant of Baizhan's faction. If I accord her excessive honor and people take it seriously, treating her as King Wen's Dao companion, then if I, Su Yu, deal with her or Baizhan later, wouldn't I be accused of burning bridges and acting against King Wen?"
King Dazhou fell silent.
Su Yu truly calculated everything with crystal clarity.
Addressing someone as 'master's wife' wasn't something just anyone qualified for.
He had worried over nothing.
The two quickly flew toward Yixian Gorge. Yixian Gorge was also located in the southern region. Among humanity's powerhouses, only Marquis Yunshui was outside the south; the others were all clustered in the southern area.
Mount Shenhuo, Tianku Ridge, and Yixian Gorge were all there.
...
Yixian Gorge.
One of the southern treacherous domains.
Easy to defend and hard to attack, it was formed by two colossal mountains pressing closely together, creating the treacherous chasm known as Yixian Gorge between them.
Both giant mountains stood in the sea.
Monsters lurked within the waters.
The sole primary passage featured an immense waterfall cascading from above. It was said that during the human race's development of the Upper Realm, the firmament had been shattered, inadvertently piercing the sky and causing chaotic waters from the Chaos to pour down.
Over countless years, it had never run dry, constantly pounding downward and submerging portions of the two mountains.
There was only one main path here, but the interior was a maze of intersecting small pathways branching in all directions.
Straying inside was extraordinarily dangerous.
Worse still, finding alternative entrances from the outside was nearly impossible.
General Yingwu had taken refuge here three thousand years ago. The myriad races knew she was inside and had attacked several times, only to suffer heavy casualties.
Two thousand years ago, a Heavenly King had personally led a force into the gorge. Before they could even find General Yingwu, they were attacked by native monsters within the depths. That foray cost them several Dao Integration experts.
From then on, rarely did anyone venture into Yixian Gorge. General Yingwu also seldom emerged—practically never, in fact.
Those unaware would have thought she had already fallen.
...
Before long, Su Yu and King Dazhou arrived at Yixian Gorge.
From a great distance, they could see the towering waterfall crashing down with immense force. King Dazhou glanced at it with a strange look, then turned to Su Yu. Su Yu nodded slightly. "It looks a bit like the Time Waterfall on Starfall Mountain, but this isn't a Time Waterfall; it's a stream composed of the power of Chaos..."
Su Yu observed it for a moment, then smiled. "Interesting. Does this place connect upward to the Chaos?"
He tilted his head toward the sky, watched for a while, and said, "In other words, beyond the Upper Realm, there might still be another heaven!"
"The Chaos!"
Su Yu smiled. "Fascinating. The heavens truly exist in layer after layer! The dead spirit realm, the myriad realms, the Upper Realm, and perhaps another realm of Chaos above the Upper Realm... If the world was originally a murky expanse, and the master of the River of Time existed back then, he opened up the myriad realms! Many years later, the master of the Dead Spirit Dao opened the dead spirit realm. Some years after that, humanity arrived to open up the Upper Realm... Once humanity finished opening the Upper Realm, they could have continued opening new heavens!"
Su Yu said with deep emotion, "The world is vast. The more you see, the more wondrous it becomes. Contemplating the Dao of Heaven, we in this world are truly too insignificant!"
King Dazhou felt a shared sentiment. "Emperor Yu means that we inhabit a realm within the Chaos! In the dark Chaos, powerhouses opened the heavens, which brought about our existence. So where did those powerhouses come from?"
Su Yu smiled. "Can the Chaos have no living beings?"
He smiled, scooped up a drop of water, and sighed. "Can there be no creatures in this water? There are! In the eyes of these creatures, a single drop of water is an entire world! If a creature in the water grows strong enough, it too can open a heaven! It opens and opens, until finally breaking through this drop of water, only to realize—the world is vast!"
Su Yu chuckled. "Where did the ancient chaos beasts come from? Aren't they creatures born from the Chaos?"
Su Yu sighed softly. "If King Wen and the others had enemies, the possibility of them being chaotic lifeforms isn't small!"
As Su Yu spoke, he looked toward the sky with profound emotion.
The more one understood, the smaller one felt.
Looking up at the heavens, one could never see the end of them!
King Dazhou felt deeply moved as well. He looked toward the sky, toward the water without a source, toward the chaotic waters falling from above, and sighed. "Our sky is too small, too low, too cramped!"
The sky of King Wen and his peers was vastly higher!
Watching Su Yu gaze at the heavens, King Dazhou seemed to see many figures of old—the Human Sovereign, King Wen.
Back then, they too had often looked up at the sky like this.
Standing higher allowed one to see farther.
Su Yu's strength might not have reached the level of King Wen and the others yet, but his horizons were constantly expanding.
"Emperor Yu, this place isn't easy to enter."
King Dazhou interrupted Su Yu's contemplation.
Even the myriad races found it hard to enter this place; if the two of them went in, it would be easy to run into trouble.
Su Yu nodded. "I know, and I had no intention of going inside."
With a smile, Su Yu took out a few items: the small stone and his Human Lord Seal. Su Yu chuckled softly. "I want to see whether General Yingwu is willing to come meet me."
King Dazhou's expression changed. "This... is ill-advised! Once the Human Lord Seal is activated, General Yingwu might be able to sense your presence, Emperor Yu. But... the Human Lord... aside from someone from the Lower Realm, the only Human Lord of this era in the Upper Realm is the Hundred Battles King! If General Yingwu has any wit, she'll deduce that someone has arrived from the Lower Realm—and that it's the Human Lord of the Lower Realm!"
If the other party turned traitor, the consequences would be unimaginable!
King Dazhou felt Su Yu shouldn't take such a gamble.
Su Yu said calmly, "She can sense my presence, and I can quickly sense hers! That way... finding her will be much simpler! If her heart remains with humanity, she ought to come see me no matter what! Just like Marquis Lanshan back then—her heart remained with humanity, so when the Human Lord of this era arrived, she came out to meet me regardless, even if she didn't approve of me!
"If her heart isn't with humanity and she has turned traitor, she might still come to meet me. If she doesn't come... that means she's determined not to care about this so-called Human Lord. In that case... we force our way in, lock onto her position, and execute her!"
Su Yu said evenly, "If she isn't even willing to meet, then what does she consider important? Killing her wouldn't be any real loss, would it?"
King Dazhou's expression was grave. "What I worry about is that she might not acknowledge the Human Lord of this era."
Su Yu said calmly, "Even if she doesn't acknowledge me, the hidden hazard must be resolved. Usually, I wouldn't bother, but now I must! If she doesn't acknowledge me, she must either be subdued or killed. We cannot leave her unchecked!"
King Dazhou let out a sigh.
Su Yu said no more and looked toward the waterfall. "Let's head in. This is fine too; fighting inside won't cause much commotion outside!"
King Dazhou said nothing more, following Su Yu as they surveyed their surroundings.
A few scouts were stationed in the vicinity.
However, they were few and weak. Their purpose wasn't to guard against Dao Integration experts, but merely to prevent lower-level cultivators from wandering in and out of Yixian Gorge, thereby gathering intelligence and resources for General Yingwu.
Su Yu and King Dazhou swiftly passed through the waterfall, entering the interior of the two massive mountains.
The moment they entered, Su Yu sensed the peril of the area.
Right after stepping in, an enormous crocodile-like monster lunged at them with jaws wide open. With a casual wave of his hand, King Dazhou cleaved the beast in two.
Su Yu took a closer look and laughed. "She knows someone has entered!"
King Dazhou moved slightly, divine light flickering in his eyes as he looked at the cleaved monster. He frowned slightly and soon said, "I was careless. This beast seems to have been reared."
Who would have guessed a monster suddenly leaping out was captive-bred? Clearly, it was an eye for General Yingwu.
Su Yu ignored him and said as they moved forward, "Let's head deeper. There are plenty of such reared monsters here, carrying faint traces of the power of rules. They're likely spread across the entire Yixian Gorge! General Yingwu certainly has good methods; this is her defensive perimeter. As you fight your way through, she'll know where you came from and where you've reached...
"As long as there's a vital aura, these beasts will attack instinctively, making them impossible to guard against! If you kill them, she knows your location; if you don't, she still knows! No wonder she managed to escape multiple encirclements."
Su Yu smiled. "Interesting. Unfortunately... I don't think I even need to use the Human Lord Seal. These monsters have pros and cons. The greatest drawback is that to link them together, faint threads of Dao power connect them all. A normal person can't see the power of the Great Dao, but do you think I can't?"
Hearing this, King Dazhou grinned. Su Yu had opened the Heavenly Gate!
General Yingwu had tethered wisps of Dao power to these beasts. While it served as a top-tier warning system, it also exposed her hiding place.
King Dazhou marveled, "With the Heavenly Gate, few things remain secrets. Traps and seals always leave behind some trace of Dao power. Without Dao power, they pose little threat to us; with Dao power, they're easily spotted... In this world, there are those who can overpower Emperor Yu by force, but anyone trying to assassinate Emperor Yu would find it impossible!"
Killing Su Yu required brute force.
Ambushing him, scheming against him, or assassinating him were complete jokes in Su Yu's eyes.
The Heavenly Gate... was simply too formidable!
Back when Su Yu opened his 720 acupoints, he felt it wasn't particularly useful once he reached the stage of comprehending the Great Dao. In reality, the Heavenly Gate provided more aid than anything else, allowing him to comprehend the Great Dao with half the effort.
Su Yu said nothing, keeping his Heavenly Gate open as he looked at the myriad beasts scattered across the various branching paths.
Each beast bore an almost imperceptible thread.
"General Yingwu... is quite a capable figure."
Su Yu walked in the direction where the threads converged, saying as he walked, "Her Dao is quite interesting, and her control is formidable! Splitting it into countless threads tells me she isn't a reckless brute. She might be on par with or even stronger than Marquis Dingjun! Her comprehension of the Great Dao is far from low!"
Su Yu explained as he advanced, "Splitting it into so many strands... she is also a powerhouse of the control system!"
King Dazhou nodded. "From what Emperor Yu says, she is indeed not weak!"
"She is the sole surviving titled general of humanity. When so many marquises have died, for a titled general to survive and even reach Dao Integration speaks volumes!"
Su Yu smiled. "She has already noticed us and seems to be preparing to evacuate. Let's frighten her a little and have some fun."
...
At the same time.
Deep within Yixian Gorge.
Beneath the pitch-black waters, past the subterranean rocks and traversing a great distance, an open cavern emerged.
A valiant female general suddenly had a drastic change of expression!
Someone was coming!
Not only were they coming, but they were heading straight for her hiding place.
A coincidence?
An accident?
Or... did they truly know where she was!
"Assemble!"
General Yingwu barked softly. From all directions nearby, a large number of armored soldiers swiftly converged.
A close look revealed over ten thousand troops.
Far more than Marquis Dingjun had.
Among them were many female warriors, also far outnumbering Marquis Dingjun's forces.
General Yingwu looked grim. In her perception, the enemy was steadily closing the distance, bypassing all illusions, hazards, and branching paths.
Not only that, but several formidable native creatures inhabited Yixian Gorge, yet the encroaching foes effortlessly avoided them as well, as if knowing in advance where the danger lay!
General Yingwu had paid a hefty price to discover the locations of those perilous zones.
She had chosen to base her hideout here precisely because anyone seeking her would have to pass through those dangerous areas.
Yet the intruders today seemed more terrifying than the Quasi-King from two thousand years ago. Along the way, they fought no battles and made no stops, heading directly toward her.
Too familiar!
They knew the layout of Yixian Gorge too well.
General Yingwu's expression shifted. *I've been betrayed!*
*Was I?*
If not for a betrayal, why would the enemies come straight for her?
Yet she had never told anyone about the perils of certain areas!
For a moment, she couldn't make sense of the situation, but she knew danger had arrived.
"Get inside!"
With a wave of her hand, an enormous banner unfurled, revealing an expansive spatial opening. Beside her, a female deputy general asked crisply, "Milord, is an enemy invading? Allow me to lead the troops to intercept them..."
"Get inside!"
General Yingwu snapped!
Sweat gradually beaded on her brow.
Too fast!
The enemy was closing in on her hideout at an unbelievable speed.
Damn it!
Could the perilous Yixian Gorge not delay them in the slightest?
Seeing this, the others sensed their general's urgency and swiftly filed into the banner's internal space.
General Yingwu quickly stowed the banner, glancing with reluctance at the sanctuary she had inhabited for years. But she had no choice; she had to flee. The enemy actually knew where she was!
She darted out of her hideout, slipping silently into the side passages of the gorge.
However, after moving for a short distance, her face turned pale. In her perception, the enemy was now heading toward the exact area she had relocated to.
"Impossible!"
General Yingwu was stunned.
Why?
Could... could someone be carrying a tracking item?
She looked down at the banner in her hand with rising fury. Could someone among her troops be carrying a tracking device, allowing the enemy to pinpoint her repeatedly?
"If that's the case..."
She looked at the banner, struggling internally. If so, she couldn't take these people with her!
Otherwise, she wouldn't escape death either.
"Let's test it again!"
She continued fleeing, yet no matter how she ran, she couldn't shake off the pursuit.
Through those monsters, she could sense the other party tailing her relentlessly.
"Bastards!"
General Yingwu cursed inwardly!
*I've been betrayed!*
Someone had tracked her location; otherwise, this was impossible!
...
Meanwhile, Su Yu chuckled. "She must be questioning reality right about now!"
King Dazhou sighed helplessly. "Emperor Yu... this amusement of yours... is truly peculiar. If she panics, assumes she's been betrayed, and executes her subordinates, that would be terrible."
Don't take the joke too far!
Su Yu smiled. "No, I want to test her character! What kind of person do you think she is? Sacrificing the pawns to save the king? Abandoning her subordinates? If she abandons them, will she hide them or simply kill them all to keep her secrets safe? If she hides them, that's prudent; if she slaughters them all, that's ruthless, but it lacks humanity..."
King Dazhou frowned. "Emperor Yu, human nature isn't worth testing. You said so yourself."
Why bother?
Su Yu smiled. "It's fine. I can sense her Dao power. If she prepares to strike, I'll vibrate the Human Lord Seal, and she'll realize her subordinates haven't betrayed her!"
*What twisted taste!* King Dazhou grumbled inwardly.
Right at that moment, Su Yu paused, then chuckled. "Guess what she did?"
"What?"
"She seems to have hidden her people, but... she didn't run. She actually wants to ambush and kill me, hiding right near where she stashed her troops!"
King Dazhou chuckled. "She's bold. Believing the tracking device is among her subordinates, she hid nearby to deliver a fatal strike?"
"Roughly that."
Su Yu nodded and grinned. "Quite courageous and bold. Isn't she afraid the intruder is a Heavenly King?"
"Even if it were a Heavenly King, she has to gamble. Otherwise, losing all her subordinates and fleeing alone would leave her with little chance of making a comeback."
"True enough."
The two chatted leisurely, in fine spirits.
Soon, they approached an entrance. Su Yu could see it clearly: a strand of Dao power lay concealed beneath the chaotic waters below. The water possessed corrosive properties.
At this moment, General Yingwu lay submerged in the water, not using any energy to shield herself to avoid emitting power ripples.
She waited silently, like a beast stalking its prey.
Waiting for the enemy to appear!
Since the foe had caught up, she would find an opportunity to kill them.
Her eyes stayed wide open, enduring the water's sting without blinking as she stared outside the passage. Two figures gradually materialized.
*A little closer...*
General Yingwu thought to herself, praying for them to step closer.
Yet right as she prayed, the two halted their footsteps.
Su Yu looked toward the junction and laughed. "King Dazhou, how long do you think a person can endure this chaotic water corroding their flesh with purely physical strength before crying?"
King Dazhou laughed. "She's a Dao Integration expert after all; crying... shouldn't happen, right?"
Su Yu said with a grin, "True, but I suspect it's quite agonizing!"
With that, he laughed again. "Right now, she might be thinking: *What are you chatting about, hurry up and get closer! Fuck, if you don't get closer, I'm going to lose my mind.*"
Submerged in the water, General Yingwu felt a profound jolt in her heart.
*Who is he talking about?*
*That's exactly what I was just thinking!*
Su Yu continued playfully, "Right now, she must be thinking: *Who is he talking about? Could I have been discovered? That's impossible!*"
*"...Impossible!"*
General Yingwu's heart trembled violently once more. It was impossible; they couldn't have found her unless they had placed a tracking item on her personally!
Su Yu laughed again. "She must be thinking: *Did they place a tracking item on me? No way, I'm not carrying anything unusual. Should I just toss my weapon away...*"
"Courting death!"
At this moment, General Yingwu could endure it no longer!
She had been discovered, and the other party was deliberately mocking her!
She couldn't take it anymore; she had to kill him!
Her heart was reeling with shock. Why could the other side spot her?
It made no sense!
Where had things gone wrong?
With that thought in mind, she attacked. It was a single sword, but the moment it struck, it multiplied into ten thousand blades, steered by countless strands of Dao power as it hurtled toward Su Yu.
Su Yu swiftly assessed her strength—a third-tier Dao Integration expert!
Truly not weak. As a titled general, it meant she hadn't been in the Dao Integration Realm during the ancient era, yet she had reached the third-tier Dao Integration Realm, comparable to Marquis Dingjun. Truly commendable.
"Insolence!"
King Dazhou snapped in a low voice, "Halt!"
General Yingwu fell into a momentary daze. *Halt? Why should I halt?*
The next instant, a massive seal materialized before Su Yu, radiating a gentle glow. In that moment, General Yingwu's expression shifted, struck by an innate sense of affinity, pressure, and shock!
This... this was... the Human Lord Seal?
The Human Lord!
Overwhelmed with shock, she stared abruptly at Su Yu, instantly withdrawing her sword and taking a step back, her mind a swirl of bewilderment and astonishment.
The Human Lord?
Where did a Human Lord come from!
The Human Lord Seal could not be wielded by anyone other than the Human Lord himself, or someone granted permission by him!
Could... could this be the Human Lord?
The Human Lord of which era?
At this moment, bewilderment, shock, delight, doubt, and suspicion exploded in General Yingwu's mind all at once.
This bastard who had just deliberately mocked her was the Human Lord?
*Why have I never seen him before!*
She retreated rapidly, keeping her guard up as she looked at Su Yu, then at King Dazhou. Confusion flickered in her eyes, followed by a slight change of expression. Staring at King Dazhou, she hesitated before uttering, "Zhou Tiansheng?"
King Dazhou was taken aback. "You recognize me?"
"I'd recognize you even if you turned to ash!"
General Yingwu said coldly, "The moment I saw you during the previous tide, I felt something was off about you. I told the Hundred Battles King to investigate you, but nobody paid any mind. As expected, you were problematic!"
King Dazhou drew a sharp breath. *How is that possible!*
Women were terrifying.
No wonder Su Yu avoided women. Marquis Lanshan had already died, yet the first time she saw him, she claimed to recognize him. *Damn it, my aura and appearance have both changed, yet she still recognized me, remembering me even in death!*
And now, General Yingwu recognized him as well.
In contrast, that fool Marquis Dingjun had spent ages with him and only remembered who he was after an explicit self-introduction.
Was this the difference between men and women?
For a moment, King Dazhou's feelings were thoroughly complicated. Su Yu's avoidance of women made all the sense in the world!
Meanwhile, General Yingwu's mind raced.
Zhou Tiansheng... she had met him during the previous tide.
Then who was the person beside Zhou Tiansheng?
The Human Lord?
From this tide?
No, wasn't Zhou Tiansheng supposed to be in the Lower Realm? Why had he appeared here?
Her gaze flickered erratically. The Lower Realm!
These two... came from the Lower Realm?
Su Yu cast a glance at King Dazhou and sighed inwardly. *Why are all the people who recognize you women? Just how many women have you wronged?*
Truly pitiful!
Chapter 723