Six Dao Harmonizers Enter the Trap

"Human Lord, are we going after Marquis Huoyun or Marquis Zhennan now?" The party of two had become a party of four. Neither Marquis Yunshui nor General Yingwu had brought their subordinates along, choosing instead to leave them hidden. After all, they weren't sure how long they would remain on Su Yu's side; they might have to run for it in a matter of days. General Yingwu had barely finished asking when Marquis Yunshui cut in with a soft, delicate tone. "Yunshui is even more curious about where the Human Lord ascended to the Upper Realm from." Su Yu smiled. "Via the Torchbearer passage." Seeing that he had not given a specific location, Marquis Yunshui smiled and pressed no further, maintaining her gentle, unassuming demeanor. Su Yu sent a voice transmission to King Dazhou. "Keep an eye on Marquis Yunshui. Women who look fragile like that are fiercer than anyone when they turn ruthless!" "How does Emperor Yu know that?" "There are plenty of explanations in books!" Su Yu scoffed internally. Did you think I've never read books? I, Su Yu, have truly read ten thousand scrolls. Someone like General Yingwu was easier to deal with; someone like Marquis Yunshui was far more troublesome in Su Yu's eyes. Just listen to her question: where did he ascend to the Upper Realm from? Could he say he came from Soul Burying Mountain? That was an obvious attempt to scout out the exact location. How could he tell her? "Her relationship with Hundred Battles isn't great, right?" Su Yu asked another question. King Dazhou transmitted back, "Just average. Not really bad either..." Su Yu nodded and took the initiative to speak. "General Yingwu, from what you said earlier, Hundred Battles King was entangled with some woman, and you even tried to advise him against it?" At those words, General Yingwu snorted coldly. "Who else could it be but that seductive vixen Yueluo!" King Dazhou frowned slightly and spoke up. "You mean Yueluo? Wasn't there very little entanglement between Yueluo and Hundred Battles King?" "What do you know!" General Yingwu sneered with contempt. "What do you men understand? Hundred Battles and Yueluo had hooked up long before that! I even walked in on them once. Back then, I warned him that she was far too alluring and dangerous, that he had better not mess with her—that even Marquis Yunshui would be a better choice..." Marquis Yunshui cast a gentle, smiling glance at her. General Yingwu cleared her throat softly and hurried on. "And what did that idiot Hundred Battles do? Treated my words like hot air and completely ignored me! What kind of woman was Yueluo? Before him, she had flirted ambiguously with several genius warriors, playing hard to get! Did she take us for fools? Who couldn't see through her schemes? In the end, she hooked Hundred Battles. He had the greatest talent back then, and she reeled him right in. The moment she did, I knew he was bound for disaster sooner or later!" Hindsight is always twenty-twenty! King Dazhou silently grumbled to himself, but soon smiled and said, "Yueluo... If I recall correctly, she didn't take part in the final battle, did she? Her strength wasn't particularly high..." "Heh!" General Yingwu let out a cold laugh. "Didn't take part? Of course she didn't! In that final battle, to protect her, Hundred Battles probably kept her inside his own weapon! He was afraid the chaos of the myriad races would harm her. That wretched woman is either dead, sealed away alongside Hundred Battles, or... she was the one who set him up!" "Much as I despised Hundred Battles' obstinate arrogance, calling him completely useless wouldn't be fair either!" General Yingwu offered an honest assessment. "He was genuinely powerful. If three to five quasi-kings ran into him, they would most likely be killed! In that final battle, Hundred Battles lured away six or seven quasi-kings and over a dozen top-tier Dao Harmonizers... Even if he couldn't win, there was no way he would be sealed without taking a single one down!" General Yingwu continued in a heavy tone, "And yet, you all saw the result. In the final battle, Hundred Battles vanished without a sound! Not the slightest disturbance! If you claim Hundred Battles betrayed us—if he had truly turned traitor and come out to hunt us down alongside them, not one of us would have survived! Yet he ended up sealed. Betrayal is unlikely, but he must have been schemed against when his guard was completely down!" "Aside from Yueluo, who else could it possibly be?" General Yingwu shook her head. "It was definitely Yueluo. Hundred Battles had zero defenses against her. He even hid her inside his weapon, or perhaps not a weapon, but a dedicated spatial artifact... carried right against his body! If anything was wrong with Yueluo, Hundred Battles was guaranteed to be doomed!" King Dazhou's expression shifted repeatedly. After a long silence, he sighed. "If that was indeed the case... his easy sealing becomes understandable!" Keeping an expert hidden right against one's body—an undercover powerhouse of the Prison King lineage. With zero defenses! The moment that person turned, he would be completely sabotaged. Otherwise, no matter how strong the myriad races were, sealing Hundred Battles without losing two or three quasi-kings would have been next to impossible. Su Yu merely listened in silence, not interjecting. Fascinating! Yueluo! A powerhouse from the Prison King lineage? If so, someone capable of subduing Hundred Battles was no ordinary figure. Her cultivation was likely formidable, and hiding her true strength in front of Hundred Battles was no small feat either. Yueluo, Ziyan... Su Yu thought of his own situation and suddenly felt like laughing. Right now, he was also carrying a woman of the Prison King lineage with him, and a very strong one at that—a Heavenly King. Looked at this way, he wasn't so different from Hundred Battles. Of course, Hundred Battles had carried hers to protect her, while Su Yu carried his ready to be used as a bomb at any moment. If the Western Consort hadn't been sealed and were instead lurking inside the civilization chronicle, then at a crucial juncture, even with Su Yu's Heavenly King combat strength, facing a powerful enemy could easily result in him being assassinated by a Heavenly King from within. *He didn't lose undeservedly!* Su Yu muttered internally. Hundred Battles' defeat was completely deserved. Bringing a woman along for protection right before a major war—if not you, who else was supposed to get screwed over? Yueluo! Su Yu noted the name down. Perhaps he could find time to ask the Western Consort. She might even be a relative of the Western Consort! Along the way, Marquis Yunshui remained largely silent. Su Yu did not speak much either. King Dazhou, who was usually a man of few words, became quite talkative, chatting with General Yingwu mainly to probe for intelligence. It was inconvenient for Su Yu to ask directly, but King Dazhou had no qualms about prying for information. After six thousand years in the Upper Realm, much of their intelligence was long outdated. ... As they flew, they gradually approached Mount Divine Fire. Only then did General Yingwu realize they had come to Mount Divine Fire first. After some thought, she cautioned, "Marquis Huoyun has a fiery temper, and his strength is formidable—greater than ours." General Yingwu possessed the combat strength of a third-tier Dao Harmonizer. Marquis Yunshui was at the peak of the third tier, approaching the second tier. None of the surviving marquises were simple. Even Marquis Dingjun had third-tier Dao Harmonizer combat strength. As for Marquis Huoyun, he was likely near the peak of the second tier, on the verge of stepping into the realm of Heavenly Kings. "Marquis Zhennan and Marquis Huoyun are both extremely powerful. The late Marquis Minshan was a true quasi-king, but unfortunately, he fell. Setting Marquis Minshan aside, it is hard to say whether Marquis Zhennan or Marquis Huoyun is stronger. "Marquis Anying is the most mysterious, possessing combat strength close to the peak of Dao Harmonization..." All in all, among the six Dao Harmonizers, Marquis Dingjun and General Yingwu were roughly equal, Marquis Anying and Marquis Yunshui were comparable, and the remaining two were a cut above. Su Yu nodded slightly. Few had survived, but every one of them was an elite. Here at Mount Divine Fire, Marquis Huoyun could likely contend with a Heavenly King. Approaching Mount Divine Fire, the Heavenly Gate surfaced in Su Yu's eyes as he peered toward the range. The area was packed with volcanoes, the power of fire raging intensely. Su Yu swept his gaze across them one by one as they pressed onward. Marquis Yunshui seemed somewhat uncomfortable in the heat. Just as Su Yu was about to speak, she said gently, "I will be fine following along." So considerate! Yet Su Yu disliked it! He truly disliked this type. He preferred people who couldn't guess what he was going to do. General Yingwu was great—talking non-stop. Those who kept quiet and guarded were always harder to deal with. Naturally, Marquis Yunshui had no idea what Su Yu was thinking. She was also quietly observing Su Yu. This Lower Realm Human Lord gave her a faint sense of familiarity, as if she were looking at King Wen of old. Yet she was very perceptive; looking closely, they weren't truly alike—it was merely an impression. At that moment, Su Yu sent a voice transmission. "King Dazhou, if you and I join hands, are we confident we can take down Marquis Huoyun?" "Difficult!" King Dazhou replied via transmission. "Here at Mount Divine Fire, the difficulty is exceedingly high! His strength is close to a Heavenly King's. For the two of us to subdue him... holding our own is no problem, but capturing him is another matter!" "Lan Tian can arrive at any moment," Su Yu transmitted. "His clone is here, so his main body can reach us instantly." King Dazhou drew in a breath. *Damn, that works too?* No wonder Su Yu insisted on carrying a clone of Lan Tian with him wherever he went. "With him added, so long as Yunshui and Yingwu don't interfere, subduing him shouldn't be an issue." Shortly after Su Yu finished transmitting, he suddenly looked in a certain direction. At that moment, on a volcano, Marquis Anying also sensed a disturbance—someone was spying on him. Su Yu had not concealed his presence. Around here, aside from Marquis Anying, there was no one else. Near the volcano, Marquis Anying felt a jolt of shock. *Why did this person come here?* Earlier, Su Yu had ordered him to contact the other marquises. Naturally, the first one he thought of was Marquis Huoyun, and he had arranged to meet him here, though the marquis had yet to show up. Sensing Su Yu's aura, Marquis Anying hesitated briefly before swiftly flying out from the volcano, his body dissolving into a shadow. A moment later, Marquis Anying materialized, looking astonished. Yunshui and Yingwu were here too! Keeping his distance, he said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Wuming!" Su Yu looked at Marquis Anying and smiled faintly. "Waiting for Marquis Huoyun here?" "Yes." "Your efficiency is rather slow." "..." Marquis Anying was left speechless. Su Yu had told him to contact the others, yet he was still stuck at Mount Divine Fire, while Su Yu had already gathered two Dao Harmonizers at his side. *Talk about efficiency!* Still, he wasn't as audacious as Su Yu, daring to roam anywhere. He had always acted with utmost caution, which was precisely why he had remained active and survived to this day. Su Yu had spent less than two days in total, yet two Dao Harmonizers were already accompanying him. Helpless, Marquis Anying could only say, "I was worried about drawing attention, so I proceeded with caution." Furthermore, he did not know the exact hiding spots of the other marquises—only their general regions. Naturally, establishing contact was much harder. Having said that, he asked, "Fellow Daoist's visit here... is it to seek Marquis Huoyun?" Su Yu nodded slightly. "Go meet Marquis Huoyun. Tell him he owes me a life. He might not know it, but you do! I don't wish to say more. He is to serve under me for three years. Go!" Marquis Anying pondered for a brief moment and said gravely, "Fellow Daoist Wuming, if you wish to bring Marquis Huoyun into the fold, I believe... perhaps a gentler approach could be used... Demanding repayment for a favor..." Su Yu replied calmly, "I am demanding repayment for a favor! I don't need him to submit to me. Everyone says Marquis Huoyun has a fiery temper. Having a fiery temper is fine; people with hot tempers are usually straightforward! But if someone has a fiery temper yet isn't straightforward... what use do I have for such a person?" There was no fault in that logic. Marquis Yunshui and General Yingwu looked on with some surprise. This man felt... different from before. General Yingwu turned toward Marquis Anying and asked, "You two have already met?" She eyed him warily. "Marquis Anying, whose side are you on?" *Whose side?* Marquis Anying was griping internally when General Yingwu added, "The Human Lord intends to contest Hundred Battles for the leadership of the human race. Whom do you support?" "The Human Lord?" Marquis Anying was slightly taken aback and looked toward Su Yu. Su Yu had not revealed his identity to him previously, but now he had changed his mind. Marquis Anying... wasn't going anywhere either! Hence, he did not mind Yingwu giving away his identity. Seeing Marquis Anying look over, Su Yu offered a faint smile. "I am the Human Lord of the Lower Realm. Does that surprise Marquis Anying?" Marquis Anying's heart shook. *The Human Lord! No kidding, of course I'm surprised.* Yet he knew more than Yingwu and the others. This man was not to be provoked—he could turn hostile in the blink of an eye! Moreover, he was calculating and deep, with multiple powerhouses under his command. Above all, he had opened the Heavenly Gate! The Heavenly Gate... the Human Lord... Marquis Anying now felt enlightened. If the Human Lord had opened the Heavenly Gate, it made complete sense. Marquis Anying spoke cautiously. "I am indeed somewhat surprised. Anying pays his respects to the Human Lord! Forgive me for not recognizing your identity earlier and neglecting you!" Su Yu chuckled softly. "No need to be so courteous! Go. Marquis Huoyun is beneath the seventh volcano. Go meet him and tell him: repay the life you owe me with three years of service. That is all." "And... what if he doesn't agree?" Marquis Anying hesitated. Su Yu replied calmly, "For someone who is ungrateful and refuses to repay a debt of life, what do you think should be done?" Marquis Anying's heart trembled, his willpower slightly probing the surroundings. He wanted to know whether that person with countless clones had come. If that person was here... with this man possessing the Heavenly Gate, Marquis Huoyun could hide from the myriad races, but never from him. Once that clone-master arrived, combined with the experts present, if Marquis Huoyun truly refused to comply, he might die! Furthermore, he knew full well that Marquis Dingjun had been captured and hauled off back then! Only afterward did Dingjun obediently work for him. This man was no benevolent saint! With heavy thoughts, Marquis Anying said, "Very well, I shall go meet Marquis Huoyun!" "Thank you for your trouble!" "I dare not accept your thanks, it is my duty!" Marquis Anying vanished swiftly. General Yingwu looked surprised and turned to Su Yu. "You knew him? That fellow is normally as gloomy as could be, yet today he was quite easy to talk to." Su Yu smiled. "He doesn't know I intend to oppose Hundred Battles, so he showed me some respect. If he knew, he might not be so polite." "True!" Yingwu nodded. "Those fellows are all stubborn fools. If he knew, he'd probably oppose you. By the way, when you said you saved Huoyun, was it because of that matter with the Dragon race earlier?" Su Yu nodded with a smile. "Indeed. I led people to kill the Dragon race experts, which relieved the crisis here. Marquis Huoyun owes me a life, doesn't he?" "Certainly!" Yingwu nodded. There was nothing wrong with that. ... At the same time. Beneath a volcano. Marquis Huoyun was startled. Anying was heading straight toward him! *How could this be? I'm hiding here—how does Anying know where I am? Just passing by?* He had been observing Anying all along, worried that Anying might have been compromised. Added to the fact that Anying had just gone to the periphery to talk with someone, Huoyun felt increasingly uneasy. But seeing Anying making a beeline for this spot, Marquis Huoyun became extremely vigilant, not daring to be careless. Marquis Anying also knew Huoyun would inevitably be suspicious and confused. Flying out above the volcano, he looked down toward it. A powerhouse who had opened the Heavenly Gate had declared Marquis Huoyun was here, so he was definitely here. Without questioning it, Anying called out in a deep voice, "Huoyun, do not be nervous, listen to me! When you were surrounded here earlier, it was someone launching a surprise attack on the Dragon race—slaying Marquis Xuelong and five other Dao Harmonizers—that caused turmoil among the myriad races and broke your siege!" "Now that person has entrusted me to tell you: you owe him a life. Whether you acknowledge this debt or not is up to you!" ... At the bottom of the volcano. Marquis Huoyun frowned. *Owing a life? Someone killed six Dao Harmonizers of the Dragon race, including a quasi-king? Is that real or fake?* Still, that would explain why Marquis Duanxue and the others had retreated so hastily. If that were the case, everything made sense. "Huoyun, I know you are down there. Don't overthink it. If someone truly wanted to deal with you, or if this were tied to the myriad races, knowing your exact position would allow three quasi-kings to eliminate you effortlessly without taking any losses! No matter how strong you are in this place, you only rival a quasi-king at best. Your greatest card was that nobody knew your precise location!" "Right now, Dingjun, Yunshui, and Yingwu have all joined him. He entrusted me to ask you: you owe him a life, and he wants three years of your service in return. Are you willing?" Inside the volcano. Marquis Huoyun was certain his location had been exposed. Hearing the names of the other marquises, he furrowed his brows and suddenly materialized outside the volcano. Looking at Marquis Anying nearby, he asked in a deep voice, "Serve him? Who is he? Is everything you said true?" Marquis Anying looked at Marquis Huoyun and nodded. "Every word is true! Back then, I was the one who went to see Dingjun, hoping they could rescue you. Afterward, that person led a raid on the Dragon race, forcing Duanxue and the others to pull back to deal with the crisis!" "Who is he?" "The Human Lord of this generation!" "The Human Lord?" Marquis Huoyun laughed. "What kind of joke is that? Where would a Human Lord come from..." "From the Lower Realm!" Marquis Huoyun's laughter cut off. Anying had not actually heard Su Yu state he was from the Lower Realm, but he had deduced it. That group had all come from the Lower Realm! A Human Lord, quasi-kings, Marquis Dingjun submitting... Those people had to have come from the Lower Realm. He quickly added, "That person came from the Lower Realm, and now the other three have already followed him! At this moment, he is waiting right outside Mount Divine Fire. He asks you to serve him for three years to repay the life-saving favor. Are you willing or not?" Marquis Huoyun said with some agitation, "Three years? What use are three years! He came from the Lower Realm... Does the Lower Realm still have human experts?" "Yes!" Marquis Huoyun pressed impatiently, "How strong?" "Perhaps slightly stronger than me, but not at the quasi-king tier." Marquis Huoyun was instantly filled with disappointment. *Not even a quasi-king!* "Then how did he kill Marquis Xuelong?" "He has quasi-king powerhouses under his command." "The Lower Realm still has quasi-kings?" "Born in this current tide." Marquis Huoyun was shocked. "A quasi-king was born in this tide, yet this Human Lord of yours isn't even a quasi-king? Are you kidding me? Even if there is a Human Lord, shouldn't it be that quasi-king expert?" "I am not clear on the details. Perhaps Dingjun knows better." "Where is Dingjun?" Marquis Anying shook his head. "I don't know, he didn't come. I only saw Yunshui, Yingwu, and Zhou Tiansheng from back then—that Eternity. Though he should be at the peak of Dao Harmonization now, unless he's hiding his true strength." Anying had recognized King Dazhou immediately. Nobody knew King Dazhou's identity from the ancient era, but his identity from the previous tide wasn't much different from his current one. Marquis Huoyun frowned. "He said he wants me to serve him for three years? Did he say anything else?" "Nothing!" Marquis Anying shook his head. "This person... acts in mysterious ways. What he is truly thinking, I cannot say. I've only met him once! Within an hour of our meeting, the Dragon race was crippled. He acts decisively. I was stunned that day as well." Marquis Huoyun narrowed his eyes. "There seems to be more to your words." Marquis Anying was quiet for a moment before speaking. "You could say that. During our meeting that day, though we didn't speak much, the impression he gave me... was of supreme arrogance, domineering beyond measure. He reminded me of certain people, of certain times. Whatever he wants done must be done. If you cannot do it... you no longer have any value in existing!" Marquis Huoyun's heart shook, his face shifting. "What do you mean? If I refuse to serve him, could he actually kill me?" "Possibly!" Marquis Anying looked at him. "The likelihood is very high. You know Dingjun isn't a good-tempered man, yet when I saw him last time, he was exceptionally respectful to this person. Furthermore, only the day before yesterday, I met his subordinate—that quasi-king expert—who instructed me to notify you all for a meeting... Yet in the blink of an eye, Yunshui and Yingwu have appeared by his side. Clearly, some development occurred, and he requires our service, or rather... demands that we do not stand in his way!" Marquis Anying took a deep breath. "In two days, Yunshui and Yingwu came out of hiding and submitted. In two days, when I couldn't even locate them... Huoyun, do you understand what I mean?" "I understand." Marquis Huoyun's eyes flickered. "You mean he can find me at any time and kill me at any time, is that it?" "Yes." Marquis Huoyun frowned. "He is human, and so am I! Even if he is the contemporary Human Lord, I am still an ancient marquis!" "You owe him a life!" Marquis Anying stared at him. "Not just you, but the subordinates under you survived because of him. Now he asks for repayment. Are you going to give it or not?" Marquis Huoyun felt exasperated. "I don't even know him! Can't this guy at least speak with some courtesy? I am a senior veteran no matter what. Demanding I serve him, with the implicit threat of death if I refuse—what is that supposed to mean?" He simply felt that this new Human Lord showed him no respect at all! Not even a polite word! The moment he arrived, he sent Anying to threaten him, leaving Huoyun deeply annoyed. Marquis Anying said softly, "You know the state of the Lower Realm. For him to fight his way up from down there... I shouldn't need to say more; you ought to understand what kind of person he is." Marquis Huoyun knitted his brows and remained silent for a long time before saying, "So you mean I should serve him for three years?" "That is for you to decide." Marquis Huoyun cursed under his breath. *Decide my ass!* After a while, rubbing his aching temples, he said, "I just feel this won't lead to anything good... Had I known, I might as well have let Duanxue besiege me! Fine, three years it is. Three years... isn't that long anyway! Alright, let me make some arrangements, and I'll go over by myself. Dammit, this guy feels hard to get along with." Marquis Anying said nothing. Marquis Huoyun soon vanished. He had no intention of bringing his subordinates along. Even though Mount Divine Fire had been exposed, his subordinates were safer staying hidden here. Following an unknown new Human Lord—ghosts only knew what would happen. ... On the outskirts of Mount Divine Fire, Su Yu waited for roughly two hours. Only then did he spot Marquis Anying and a burly man with fiery-red hair flying toward them. From a distance, the red-haired burly man adopted a somewhat aloof posture, cupping his hands. "Huoyun greets the Human Lord!" He cupped his hands toward King Dazhou! Whether it was intentional or because he truly believed King Dazhou was the Human Lord was unclear, though it was far more likely deliberate, since Anying had already mentioned King Dazhou. Yet King Dazhou vanished from the spot in an instant. His expression shifted slightly, and he chuckled softly. "Marquis Huoyun has mistaken me. I dare not accept such an honor. This humble one is Zhou Tianqi, formerly an attendant under the ancient Human Sovereign, in charge of duties concerning the Human Sovereign Palace's hidden guards. My status is low; my lord, please do not bow to the wrong person!" The moment those words fell, the faces of several experts changed. They all turned their eyes toward King Dazhou, including General Yingwu. Marquis Yunshui was visibly shaken as well. "It's you! No wonder... you looked familiar. You served directly under the Human Sovereign Palace?" King Dazhou smiled. "A nameless nobody, unworthy of comparing myself to you noble marquises." Yet the expressions of the group remained grave. *A nameless nobody?* Even the gatekeeper of a prime minister held the influence of a seventh-rank official, to say nothing of the Human Sovereign! Even King Wen's dog possessed greater strength than an ancient marquis, let alone an attendant under the Human Sovereign. Those were personal aides! Unless one possessed the Human Sovereign's utmost trust, how could one ever become such an attendant? The group stared at King Dazhou. King Dazhou smiled and said, "Zhou has made a fool of himself before you all. I met several of your lordships in the past, but burdened with other duties, I did not dare be forthright. The Torchbearer lineage has now become a thing of the past..." With a sigh, King Dazhou shook his head. "Back then, I advised Danyu and Bingku against exposing the entire Torchbearer faction in one fell swoop. The two refused to listen. Alas, powerless to stop them, I could only let it be!" He gave a bitter smile. "Now, I may be the only one left of the Torchbearer lineage!" At that moment, Marquis Huoyun asked in shock, "Rumor had it that the Torchbearers had three giants overseeing them. Danyu and Bingku were two of them. You knew them and could even counsel them... Are you the third?" He looked astonished. "Back then, Hundred Battles King asked who the third person was, but neither was willing to say. They only said the third person was their true core, the final spark of the Torchbearers... Were they speaking of you?" King Dazhou chuckled lightly. "You flatter me! The three of us simply received the Human Sovereign's decree together, jointly responsible for passing down the spark! How could I possibly be the core?" Saying so, he sighed once more. "Alas, the accumulated foundation of the Torchbearers was wiped out in a single stroke!" Though he downplayed it, the marquises all wore solemn expressions. The true core figure of the Torchbearers! He wasn't at the quasi-king tier. They had once assumed the third person must be a quasi-king, but he wasn't. Not a quasi-king, yet the core figure... That made him even more extraordinary. It signified that the Human Sovereign had trusted him deeply back then! "Danyu and Bingku were both quasi-kings..." Marquis Anying murmured. King Dazhou smiled. "Their talent was superior to mine. My talent is lacking; after idling away all these years, I have barely stepped into the peak of Dao Harmonization." Those words left the marquises feeling rather embarrassed. *Aren't we the same?* Besides, they weren't necessarily stronger than him. At this moment, perhaps only Marquis Huoyun was on par with his strength, while the others were a cut below. Having revealed his identity, King Dazhou quickly smiled and said, "So Marquis Huoyun has mistaken his target. I am no Human Lord. His Majesty Emperor Yu is the Human Lord; please do not make the same mistake again." Those words gave everyone even more food for thought. Su Yu also glanced at King Dazhou. He had always known this man was not simple, but only today did he learn that this fellow was actually the innermost core of the Torchbearers. *He can endure!* Perhaps that was why the Human Sovereign had chosen him as the core. Without King Dazhou, the human race might have been wiped out in this tide. Strength wasn't necessarily the most important factor. In this tide, even if King Dazhou possessed Heavenly King combat strength, it would have been useless. Had he exposed himself early, the myriad races would have marched upon him long ago. The key was his ability to endure. Ordinary people truly couldn't bear it. Marquis Huoyun, who had been somewhat unruly moments ago, underwent a slight change in attitude. Adopting a more respectful tone, he said heavily, "Huoyun greets the Human Lord. Thank you, Human Lord, for saving my life. For the next three years, whatever orders the Human Lord has, feel free to command me. I, Huoyun, am no ungrateful scoundrel!" Only repaying a favor, without mentioning submission. Completely normal! Su Yu didn't mind. So long as he listened to orders, everything else could be set aside. Three years from now, a mere peak Dao Harmonizer wouldn't even catch his eye! Su Yu smiled and nodded without saying much. Soon, he turned toward Marquis Anying. Sensing Su Yu's gaze, Marquis Anying broadly deduced that Su Yu intended to rein in all the surviving ancient powerhouses. Exhaling, he said, "Anying is willing to exert his strength for the Human Lord!" "You are too polite!" Su Yu smiled. "We are merely exerting our strength for the human race together. 'Human Lord' is just a title." After responding, Su Yu added with a smile, "With that, only Marquis Zhennan remains unaccounted for." Out of six Dao Harmonizers, five were now brought under his banner. Whether through submission, tactical calculation, or biding their time... it didn't matter. Keeping them close and monitored was far better than letting them act on their own. Su Yu smiled. "Do you all think Marquis Zhennan will obey orders?" The group exchanged looks before Marquis Anying said softly, "Marquis Zhennan is an old veteran after all; he does understand the bigger picture. It's just..." He preemptively laid out a caveat. "It's just that Marquis Zhennan is somewhat proud and unyielding..." Su Yu chuckled lightly. "Proud and unyielding? In what way?" Marquis Anying hesitated to say more, but Marquis Huoyun scoffed dismissively. "That guy has a temper even worse than mine, and... he yields to almost no one! To be blunt, the Human Lord can use a life-saving favor to make me work, but you have no such favor over Marquis Zhennan. He might not give you the time of day. In his eyes, the only Human Lord all these years has been Hundred Battles King!" Su Yu nodded with a smile. "I understand!" Then he laughed. "If I intend to take him down, are you all willing to lend a hand?" "Take him down?" Marquis Huoyun froze, while General Yingwu and Marquis Yunshui were also visibly taken aback. Marquis Anying asked solemnly, "Just take him down... or... execute him?" Su Yu replied calmly, "It depends on the situation. If he refuses to obey even on pain of death, and we cannot guarantee control over him, then our only choice will be to execute him!" At those words, everyone's expressions changed. Marquis Huoyun grew agitated. "You want to kill him? People like us have struggled bitterly in the Upper Realm for so many years for the sake of humanity's heritage..." Su Yu chuckled softly. "Did I tell you to struggle? Did I cause your predicament? Why flaunt that as some great merit before me? Furthermore, that is not merit—it is shame, and that shame was not brought about by me! "You squandered a splendid situation, leaving the Lower Realm balancing on the edge of destruction. Shouldn't you feel ashamed? Shouldn't you apologize to the Lower Realm?" Su Yu smiled faintly. "Why is it that such a shameful thing sounds like a badge of honor coming from your mouths? Am I the true sinner here? Shouldn't the blame fall on Hundred Battles King? I am truly curious: why do you harbor the notion that your struggle to survive in the Upper Realm was for our sake?" Su Yu looked at the group and smiled gently. "Enough talk. Everyone, I will ask once more: if I intend to take down Marquis Zhennan, are you willing to act?" After a silence of five or six seconds, Su Yu smiled. "It doesn't matter. After all, you were comrades-in-arms, and you aren't familiar with me either. "If you were so quick to turn on your own comrade, I wouldn't feel at ease anyway. "However... I hope this will be the one and only time you disobey an order. There will not be a second!" Su Yu spoke placidly. "Since you have agreed to help me, I expect you to listen to me. Strive to accomplish whatever I tell you to do; if you truly cannot, explain the reason. I do not wish for anyone to take matters into their own hands!" None of them uttered a word. At this moment, both General Yingwu and Marquis Yunshui looked distinctly unsettled. Marquis Yunshui glanced at Yingwu, her eyes speaking volumes. *Is this the pitiful, tragic new Human Lord you spoke of?* *Is this the puppet Human Lord from your words?* Yet Su Yu paid them no heed. He raised his hand slightly, revealing what looked like a bamboo ring wrapped around his wrist. Su Yu chuckled softly. "Lan Tian, you heard it all. Put Mount Chaos on hold for a moment and come over. As for Marquis Zhennan, we will probably have to rely on our own strength to take him down!" "Understood!" A light chuckle echoed, and in the next instant, space began to ripple. Su Yu waited in place for a short while as the bamboo ring slipped from his wrist, gradually taking human form. Soon, the figure solidified. Moments later, Lan Tian transformed into the likeness of a young boy and giggled. "Emperor Yu, shall we go take that fellow down now?" "Sooner rather than later!" Su Yu smiled. "How are things at Mount Chaos?" "Not bad," Lan Tian replied, then added with a grin, "Also, Marquis Dingjun has already made his move." Su Yu nodded slightly. Glancing at Marquis Yunshui and the others, he smiled. "If you don't mind, please wait here for a moment." Marquis Anying said heavily, "Why don't we come along? We could also reason with Marquis Zhennan..." Su Yu was actually planning to subdue him directly! That posture was by no means that of a normal recruitment. Su Yu smiled. "No need, I will be back shortly. Rest assured, if he can be persuaded, I will do my best to persuade him. Do not run around recklessly while staying here. If you encounter danger, you may leave first..." Turning to Lan Tian, he added, "Lan Tian, leave them some means of contact." Lan Tian chuckled mischievously. The small boy plucked a few strands of hair from his head and said with a grin, "Hold onto these carefully, everyone, and don't go running off!" Frowning, they took the hairs, which immediately wrapped around their wrists like cords. "Let's go!" Su Yu laughed, and the trio vanished instantly from the spot. Sky Cave Ridge was also in the south, not far away. ... Once Su Yu and his party were gone, General Yingwu suddenly said, "Why... do I feel like he isn't pitiful in the slightest?" *Pitiful?* Marquis Anying looked at her with an odd expression. "Why would Yingwu say such a thing?" General Yingwu hesitated. "His cultivation hasn't reached the quasi-king tier, yet he reportedly has three quasi-kings under his command. Even that Zhou Tiansheng seems stronger than him, not to mention possessing a noble status under the Human Sovereign... He is young, suppressed by others, with zero say in anything. Isn't that pitiful?" It had sounded very pitiful. Yet now, she vaguely felt he wasn't pitiful at all! Why? That newcomer seemed to be a quasi-king, yet he was exceedingly deferential to Su Yu. Whatever Su Yu ordered him to do, he did—told to fight, he fought; told to come, he came; told to leave, he left... And that Zhou Tiansheng—no, Zhou Tianqi now—was also completely obedient. The entire way, he had treated Su Yu with great respect. Marquis Anying was somewhat speechless. After a long pause, he said, "Those were merely your speculations, Yingwu. I think... we may need to wait and see before knowing what the situation in the Lower Realm is truly like." The group nodded slightly. The four looked at one another until Marquis Huoyun asked in a low voice, "Will Marquis Zhennan agree?" "Hard to say." ... At the same time. King Dazhou asked the very same question, and Su Yu smiled. "Forget him, just take him down directly! Suppress him first! I don't have the leisure to persuade him; suppress him and we'll talk later. Since he even dispatched his subordinate to recruit allies and prepare to rescue Hundred Battles... willing to do something so dangerous for Hundred Battles, I have no interest in slowly trying to move his heart!" Su Yu added with a laugh, "Besides, among the six ancient powerhouses, I need to kill a chicken to warn the monkeys. Otherwise, they'll assume I'm easy to push around. This Marquis Zhennan... consider it his bad luck. If possible, I won't kill him for now; I'll keep him suppressed until this crisis passes!" Neither Lan Tian nor King Dazhou objected. Lan Tian giggled cheerfully. "Then let's take him down! An expert who isn't even a Heavenly King—with the three of us working together, we'll subdue him in an instant!" ... Sky Cave Ridge. Tens of thousands of caverns and countless tunnels were interconnected like a labyrinth. At this moment, within an enormous cave, bright light illuminated the space. Marquis Zhennan was pacing back and forth, frowning. *Why hasn't Wenqi returned yet? Could something have happened to him?* He knitted his brows with growing unease. *Could the Iron Eater race have detained him? That shouldn't be!* Right then, his gaze shifted slightly. Footsteps echoed from a tunnel in the distance. Marquis Zhennan's heart jolted, and he barked in a low voice, "Who is it?" "My lord, it is I!" Wenqi! Marquis Zhennan let out a sigh of relief. Indeed, among these tens of thousands of caverns, who else knew he was here besides Wenqi? Even if enemies searched, it would take them years! Sky Cave Ridge had countless caves. He had not even gathered his subordinates in one place for fear of being wiped out in a single blow, stationing small pockets scattered across the entire ridge. The only one who could head straight for his location was Wenqi. He had just been fretting, and now the fellow was finally back. Marquis Zhennan walked outward, asking as he walked, "Did the Iron Eater fellows agree? Did you see Marquis Juzhu?" Outside the cavern, Su Yu, disguised as Wenqi, approached from the opposite direction and spoke. "They agreed, and I saw Marquis Juzhu..." Less than a hundred meters separated the two. As they walked, Marquis Zhennan's intuition flared, and he suddenly asked, "Wenqi, was someone tracking you?" "How could that be!" Su Yu smiled. "My lord worries too much!" The moment he smiled, Marquis Zhennan's face warped, and he roared, "You sold me out?" He spun around to flee, only to freeze in shock. Behind him, King Dazhou appeared, smiling. "Don't run!" Marquis Zhennan's expression changed again as he whipped his body around, aiming to sprint into another tunnel. Lan Tian materialized there, giggling. "No way through here!" "Bastard!" Enraged, Marquis Zhennan charged straight at Su Yu! That cursed traitor—he had been betrayed by Wenqi! He knew Wenqi's strength well. Unable to flee in the other directions, he lunged straight for Su Yu. *I'll slaughter you, traitor!* Yet a brush suddenly materialized in Su Yu's hand. *I am no Wenqi.* *Wenqi is still locked up; you might as well join him.* With a thrust of the brush, ten million phantom brushes manifested in an instant, striking straight toward his Great Dao! Lan Tian and King Dazhou unleashed their power simultaneously. Three great powerhouses exerted overwhelming suppression. Lan Tian's countless clones formed a colossal net, descending over him! King Dazhou pushed his Dao of Endurance to the peak, no longer shouting, but suppressing Marquis Zhennan's ability to even utter a sound! Su Yu unleashed his full combat strength! He was already no weaker than Marquis Zhennan, and with the man suppressed by the others, the ten million brushes struck forth, piercing through all of Marquis Zhennan's origin apertures in the blink of an eye. Marquis Zhennan wanted to roar in fury. Disbelief washed over him. *Who is this guy? This isn't Wenqi!* Before he could shout, he saw a small stone hurtling directly at him. On top of that, Su Yu's Human Lord Seal erupted with blinding radiance, the destiny of the human race crashing down like a mountain! "Suppress!" Su Yu barked softly. Could he not even suppress a marquis? You aren't even a Human King; how could you resist the destiny of the human race? Marquis Zhennan's face contorted again. *What is this? The Human Lord? Impossible! Even if he is the Lower Realm Human Lord, the Lower Realm's human destiny is insufficient—the Lower Realm humans are weak! How could it suppress an ancient marquis like me? Impossible!* *Boom!* Amidst his utter disbelief, the grand seal crashed down upon him. With a thunderous boom, it pinned him flat to the ground. The cavern floor was as solid as a divine weapon; he couldn't even burrow into it! "Don't move. I am only suppressing you, not killing you!" Su Yu said calmly. "I am the Human Lord. If you obey, I will spare your life. Do not force me to behead you!" Marquis Zhennan struggled violently. Su Yu showed no mercy, jabbing down with the giant brush until his physical body cracked repeatedly, even extracting a massive amount of his blood essence. In the blink of an eye, his aura dwindled to near extinction. Curling his lip, Su Yu wielded the brush to trace seals across him continuously. After a moment, he completely sealed his Great Dao. Next, the civilization chronicle materialized, swallowing him within, and finally, the Holy Transformation Seal crashed down upon it. Su Yu let out a breath. "This civilization chronicle is unusable now!" It was now suppressing three powerhouses: Wenqi, the weakest, and the other two—a second-tier Dao Harmonizer and a Heavenly King. For now, the chronicle could no longer be deployed in battle. "Done, mission accomplished!" Su Yu laughed. "This fellow looked obstinate from the start! Marquis Dingjun saw the Human Lord Seal and King Wen's brush and obediently stayed still, yet he actually dared to struggle!" King Dazhou chuckled. "That was because Marquis Dingjun was weaker, while this fellow has more strength." Su Yu laughed as well. "No matter, so long as he's suppressed! With the civilization chronicle and the Holy Transformation Seal holding him, it will be hard for him to stir up any waves!" The three exchanged glances and smiled. The teamwork had gone without a hitch. A second-tier Dao Harmonizer had been brought down in an instant without putting up much of a struggle. "Let's go back!" The trio vanished into thin air. ... Less than an hour later, Marquis Yunshui and the others were still waiting. Su Yu reappeared, wearing a smile. "He has been suppressed. We don't have to worry about trouble from that side anymore!" The group's hearts trembled! *Suppressed?* How long had it been? Just the time needed to travel there and back, and Marquis Zhennan was already suppressed! This... meant there hadn't been any time for discussion at all! Clearly, Su Yu hadn't bothered talking; he had simply gone there and captured the man outright. Was that it? They stole glances at General Yingwu once more, especially Marquis Yunshui, who felt an overwhelming urge to curse. *You said he was pitiful and tragic, so why does he feel unimaginably domineering?* He had captured Marquis Zhennan just like that!