Catching Up with the Martial Emperor

Star Residence Mansion. Eighth floor. Heaven and earth churned in turmoil. As Su Yu stepped out from the ninth floor, an immense surge of rule power converged upon him. He had been here before and knew how perilous this place was; massive amounts of rule power pooled directly above the parliamentary council. Ninety-nine phantoms materialized, countered by the phantom of a human powerhouse holding down the myriad heavens. At this moment, as Su Yu descended from the ninth floor, ninety-nine beams of radiant light abruptly shot toward him! "Audacious!" A low bark rang out—not from Su Yu, but from the towering human phantom suppressing the council. It was not a living soul; everything here was merely a projection of rule power. The colossal human figure held down the ninety-nine beams of light. Su Yu glanced over. On one side was the manifestation of the human race's will; on the other, the unified will of the myriad races. Without lingering on the sight, he casually tossed out two seals: one his Human Lord Seal, and the other the Star Residence Seal. Both seals melted into the phantom of human will. With a thunderous boom, the phantom's aura surged wildly. Where it had previously been beaten back step by step by the ninety-nine beams of light, it suddenly grew immensely stronger, swiftly driving down and suppressing the barrage. This was a contest of wills, and equally a battle of destiny. Had this been before, Su Yu would have had no way to alter the outcome. Now, however, even if his personal strength had not increased by much, humanity's destiny had coalesced around him, and having acquired the Star Residence Seal, his fortune had skyrocketed, faintly overpowering the destiny of the myriad races. Rumble! Deafening roars shook the void without pause. Su Yu gave it one last glance, choosing not to intervene further. He looked downward toward the council grounds below. Fixing his gaze on the area, he barked, "Where is Tongtian? Come see me at once!" His voice reverberated like thunder. A moment later, a doorway materialized in the void and swiftly shifted into the form of an old man. Marquis Tongtian stood there slack-jawed, his mouth gaping open. In the next instant, he hurried over at a frantic pace, overcome with feverish excitement. "Your Majesty Emperor Yu, it really is you!" His sheer joy seemed entirely genuine. *Scared the life out of me!* *I thought someone else had arrived!* The ninth floor had been booming relentlessly, and he had been terrified out of his wits. If the Human Sovereign returned, that was one thing; what he truly feared was that the Human Sovereign had been slain and the powerhouses of the myriad races were storming back. That would have been horrifying! Marquis Tongtian rushed over, his gaze sweeping across the group, before he called out in delighted surprise, "Dingjun, Anying, Huoyun, Yunshui, Yingwu... you're all here!" He then looked at King Dazhou, staring at him for a moment with some uncertainty. In the end, he decided not to dwell on it and excitedly asked, "Your Majesty Emperor Yu, did you go to the Upper Realm? Did you raid the homes of those ancient human relics? Did Your Majesty win the war?" Su Yu found him entirely too chatty. Too lazy to waste words bickering, Su Yu glanced up at the hundred phantoms still wrestling in midair, then looked down at Marquis Tongtian. "How has the Martial Emperor been lately?" "That bastard bullies your servant every single day!" Marquis Tongtian immediately lodged his complaint. "He unsealed part of himself and condensed a willpower clone. It's incredibly strong—far stronger than me! Right now, I can only guard the eighth floor. That scoundrel even wanted me to teleport him up here... Your servant never betrayed Your Majesty, of course!" Marquis Tongtian spoke rapidly: "I sternly refused him every time, and he even threatened to kill me! Your Majesty, he is terrifyingly powerful. Even though it's just a clone, it's far stronger than your humble servant... Can Your Majesty handle him? If not, I can teleport Your Majesty down to the first basement level so you can pull out all his hair!" At this, Marquis Anying and the others could not help but stare at Marquis Tongtian. *This fellow is still alive?* *And he talks just as much as ever!* So many had perished, yet this guy had somehow survived. Truly, those who deserved to die lived on, while a host of those who didn't had already fallen. Marquis Tongtian suddenly turned to them, his eyes darting. "Are you lot cursing me in your heads?" "..." None of them paid him any mind. "Your Majesty, they're cursing me!" Marquis Tongtian said indignantly. "Back in the day, they always spoke ill of me behind my back, jealous that Lord King Wen favored me. Whenever I greeted them, they completely ignored me!" At this, General Yingwu could no longer hold back. "Marquis Tongtian, when on earth did you ever earn King Wen's favor?" "My title was personally conferred by Lord King Wen! Who in the myriad heavens doesn't know that?" Marquis Tongtian protested. "Could that possibly be a lie?" The others were at a loss for words. That was technically true. Yet with Marquis Tongtian... one always felt there was some hidden catch. Su Yu couldn't be bothered with the banter. He swept a measuring look over Marquis Tongtian and remarked with mild surprise, "How did you reach the third-class Dao Integration level? Weren't you only around fourth-class before? You've improved recently?" Marquis Tongtian chuckled. "Your Majesty might not know, but previously your servant had to suppress the rampaging rule power on the eighth floor. Lately, the disturbances have lessened considerably, and the rule power has been showing signs of dissipating. Last time, when quite a few people stepped into Dao Integration here, they also dispersed a fair amount of the chaos." Su Yu gave a slight nod. "Not bad, then." With a slight smile, he added, "If things go smoothly this time and we pacify all the rule disturbances on the eighth floor, you will be free to leave!" Seeing Marquis Tongtian's expression freeze slightly, Su Yu teased, "Happy?" With a mournful face, Marquis Tongtian nodded. "Happy!" Su Yu remarked mildly, "Glad to hear it!" He knew exactly what the old fellow was thinking: the outside world was far too dangerous. How cozy it was to just guard the gate here! Su Yu, however, had no intention of letting him idle about. He said flatly, "If you don't come out, once the Martial Emperor breaks free, he'll slaughter you first to sacrifice to his war banner!" Marquis Tongtian stiffened, then nodded. "That makes sense. He's been picking fights with me constantly lately. Thank you, Emperor Yu!" This time, he didn't argue. Deep down, he recognized the danger. Perhaps because he had chatted with the Martial Emperor too much recently, the Martial Emperor had grown thoroughly sick of him, and his attitude was turning nastier by the day. Marquis Tongtian felt that making a run for it might not be such a bad idea after all! "The Martial Emperor?" Only now did the other ancient marquises register the name with surprise. Earlier, when the Martial Emperor had been mentioned, they hadn't paid close attention. Now, they were thoroughly astonished. What Martial Emperor? Off to the side, Lan Tian let out a cackling laugh. "You didn't know? How pitiful! Floors one through seven of the Star Residence Mansion were forged from the Martial Emperor's physical body. The Martial Emperor is still alive, and you had no idea? Did I never tell you?" Their expressions shifted erratically, none of them speaking. Marquis Yunshui ignored Lan Tian and looked at Su Yu, asking softly, "Emperor Yu, could this Martial Emperor be... the one suppressed by Lord King Wu at the end of the Archaic Era?" Su Yu nodded slightly. "The very same." They exchanged glances, unsure whether to be thrilled or dismayed. General Yingwu asked excitedly, "Then is he a Ruler of Rules? A living one... wouldn't that mean...?" Su Yu said calmly, "Don't get your hopes up. The Martial Emperor harbors a venomous hatred for King Wu and the others. I might be fine, but as for you remnants of antiquity, the moment he lays eyes on you, he'll want nothing more than to tear you to pieces! King Wu, King Wen, and the rest forged his physical body into this mansion and used his backside as a flower garden. Where King Gong Mansion sits is hardly a flattering location... If you were in his shoes, how would you feel?" "..." Their faces paled. General Yingwu's expression turned exceedingly strange. "Emperor Yu means... he... he's upside down?" Su Yu nodded slightly. "Thrilling, isn't it?" "..." They were utterly speechless. Not a single word came to mind! General Yingwu pondered for a moment before declaring, "Stay far away from him!" There was nothing more to say. It truly was thrilling! If they were in the Martial Emperor's position and saw them, they too would want to kill everyone in sight. No wonder Su Yu said not to count on his help. Marquis Anying, on the other hand, let out a sigh. "The Martial Emperor... he might very well be the only living Ruler of Rules left today! He is significantly stronger than ordinary Rulers of Rules. If he were willing to aid humanity, then..." Then humanity would become truly formidable! With a genuine Ruler of Rules present, what would the Celestial Venerables of the Upper Realm amount to? Naturally, if several Celestial Venerables joined forces, a Ruler of Rules might not necessarily secure an effortless victory, as their realms of comprehension were comparable. Even so, it depended on what tier of Ruler of Rules one was facing, and the Martial Emperor was considerably more formidable than ordinary masters of the Great Dao. Su Yu, however, seemed largely indifferent. He said casually, "Let him be. So long as he doesn't cause trouble, that's already the greatest boon. If he does... then he's an enemy, and we'll simply have to find a way to deal with him!" Their expressions changed yet again. Deal with him? That... that was a task as difficult as ascending to the heavens! Su Yu didn't dwell on the topic. Looking around at the warring rule powers, he smiled. "The timing is right. King Daming, go take a look at King Ming Mansion. That is your ancestor's domain; you might find some unexpected harvests there!" As for King Wen Mansion, Su Yu had visited it last time, though two rooms remained unopened: the Ink Dao room and the Paper Dao room. "Lan Tian, head over to King Wen Mansion and see if you can open the Paper Dao room. If you can't, leave it be. We can go back once we retrieve the Heaven Hunting Ranking later." The Heaven Hunting Ranking was still with Liu Hong. In time, they could find an opportunity to claim the benefits of both the Ink Dao and the Paper Dao at once. "As for King Wu's side..." Su Yu pondered. Mansions belonging to powerhouses of that caliber might not be easy to breach. As for King Wu's descendants, Su Yu knew of one: Zhou Hao, who was still fighting across the myriad heavens. "We don't need to bother with King Wu Mansion for now!" "King Yu Mansion probably doesn't hold anything good either!" "Marquis Huoyun, each of you should go to your respective mansions and reclaim what belongs to you. As for the other estates, search through them thoroughly and take anything useful!" Finally, Su Yu looked toward the parliamentary council chamber. He wondered if there were treasures inside. On second thought... a venue meant for holding meetings was unlikely to house any genuine treasures. The residential mansions, on the other hand, ought to hold quite a few. While the rule powers were still locked in combat, Su Yu smiled. "Go on, don't just stand here waiting. Any good things you can use, carry them all away! Leaving them behind would just be a waste." "Understood!" The group was genuinely thrilled. Figures like Marquis Huoyun had not returned here in countless ages. Even during their time in the Lower Realm whenever the Star Residence Mansion opened, they had almost never entered this place. The eighth floor was exceedingly perilous, and previously, Marquis Tongtian had barred many from entering. Su Yu glanced up at the sky, then turned to King Dazhou, who had remained behind. With a chuckle, he said, "King Dazhou, keep watch here over the Human Lord Seal and the Star Residence Seal. Keep the local rule powers suppressed so everyone can search for treasures. I'm going to pay the Martial Emperor a visit." King Dazhou said gravely, "Emperor Yu, perhaps I should accompany you..." He worried something might go wrong. "No need. As he is now, he won't fight me. He hasn't fully unsealed himself yet and fears dragging us both down in mutual destruction." Seeing Su Yu's insistence, King Dazhou found it inappropriate to dissuade him further. In truth, Su Yu wanted to see just how far the Martial Emperor's unsealing had progressed. He needed to gauge roughly when the man would be able to break free. Saying nothing more, Su Yu glanced at Marquis Tongtian. Comprehending instantly, Marquis Tongtian swiftly opened a portal, allowing Su Yu to descend to the seventh floor. *** Seventh floor. The Martial Emperor's willpower clone manifested. Suddenly, a portal swung open, and in the next moment, a familiar figure descended. The Martial Emperor's expression flickered. Su Yu! This fellow had improved at a terrifying pace. It had only been a few days, yet the aura he gave off suggested his mastery over the Brush Dao had reached an exceptionally high level. "Martial Emperor, it's been a while!" Has it really been that long? The Martial Emperor remained silent. It hadn't been long at all; in fact, just days ago, they had clashed when Lan Tian opened his Dao! During that encounter, he had suffered a minor loss. Su Yu was an overbearing madman. The moment he had spotted him, he had smashed down with his seal without giving him any chance to speak. The Martial Emperor had witnessed Su Yu's entire rise. In just a single year, Su Yu had gone from struggling to slay ninth-layer Sun Moons upon his first entry to now possessing the might of a Quasi-King. Back then, Su Yu had claimed that even if he broke his seal and stepped out, Su Yu would have nothing to fear! At the time, the Martial Emperor had dismissed it as the empty boasting of a tiny bug! Yet today... meeting again, the Martial Emperor's gaze grew considerably heavier. When he finally shattered his seal and emerged, would this fellow truly be unable to match him? "Su Yu!" The Martial Emperor stared at him, his eyes flickering with complex emotions. "You came down from the ninth floor?" Su Yu smiled. "Indeed." With a wave of his hand, a table and two chairs appeared. "Have a cup of tea and sit down to chat." Su Yu chuckled softly. "The Martial Emperor surely doesn't want to fall out with me right now, does he? Of course, I don't have the time to bother with you either." The Martial Emperor's expression turned frigid. "Even if I were to fall out with you, what could you do? Do you honestly think you can kill this Emperor?" Su Yu laughed. "Hard to say. Even if I can't kill you... you won't have an easy time of it either, will you? Come now, Martial Emperor, why be like this? Sit down and talk. My people are upstairs gathering some things. Once they're done, I'll naturally take my leave and won't keep you long." With a cold snort, the Martial Emperor strode through the air and took a seat. Smiling, Su Yu sat down as well, glancing at Marquis Tongtian. Marquis Tongtian caught the hint at once, trotting over obsequiously to brew tea. Su Yu smiled, then looked toward the Martial Emperor with a warm, gentle expression. "Martial Emperor, do you mind if I ask a few questions?" The Martial Emperor glared at him coldly without a word. Su Yu smiled. "I ask you a few things, and you can ask me a few things in return." The Martial Emperor sneered, "Whatever you know, there is no need for me to care!" Su Yu chuckled. "Listen to you. Where the Human Sovereign and the others went—you don't want to know? Where King Wu went—you don't want to know? What the current state of the myriad realms is and who the reigning powerhouses are—you don't want to know?" Taking a sip of the freshly brewed tea Marquis Tongtian handed him, Su Yu smiled. "Martial Emperor, you're out of touch! Over these past hundred-plus millennia, how much information could you possibly have received? There are bound to be things you don't know, aren't there?" The Martial Emperor fell silent. After a long moment, he said coldly, "Fair enough. For every question you ask me, this seat gets to ask you one in return!" He added, "Answer truthfully!" Su Yu laughed. "Distrust me that much?" The Martial Emperor said nothing. Su Yu didn't mind. "Then let me ask the Martial Emperor first. During the Archaic Era, there must have been numerous powerhouses. King Wen and the others were considered powerhouses of the late Archaic Era. What, then, defined the Archaic Era?" The Martial Emperor furrowed his brow. "You mean its origin?" Su Yu nodded. The Martial Emperor pondered for a long while before speaking: "The Archaic Era... what you call the Archaic Era was simply the age we lived in. It was a chaotic period where the myriad races vied for supremacy. If you speak of its origin, or what event marked its beginning... it should probably be the emergence of the dead spirit realm?" He sounded somewhat uncertain, but continued to explain: "We did not personally live through that earliest period. There are two prevailing views. From humanity's perspective, it began when the Human Ancestor led the human race to rise; that marked the origin of the Archaic Era. From the perspective of the myriad races, it was the emergence of the dead spirit realm that marked its beginning." Su Yu's eyes flickered slightly. "You mean the Human Ancestor originated from the Archaic Era and was a contemporary of the master of the Dead Spirit Dao?" The Martial Emperor nodded slightly. Just as Su Yu opened his mouth to ask more, the Martial Emperor cut in coldly, "I've answered. It's my turn!" Su Yu was left speechless. "Ask away." "Where is Taishan?" Su Yu smiled, having known he would ask about this. "King Wu, King Wen, and the Time Master are likely together. As for where exactly they are, I don't know..." The Martial Emperor's expression turned icy. Su Yu said calmly, "Don't get angry; anger harms the body! In truth, their exact location isn't important. What matters is that all three are currently fighting and have encountered formidable foes. King Wu might already be dead for all we know! A few years ago, the Time Master could barely hold on any longer. Do you know the Time Master?" "Never heard of her!" the Martial Emperor denied flatly. Su Yu smiled. "She is King Wen's younger sister, an extraordinary powerhouse in her own right. In my view, you aren't even worthy of carrying her shoes." "..." The Martial Emperor's face turned frostier still! Su Yu laughed. "Why look at me like that? It's the truth! In my eyes, among the ancient Human Sovereign and the Four Kings... only the Human Sovereign can perhaps compare to the Time Master. The Four Pole Human Kings fall short. What, do you fancy yourself stronger than the Four Pole Human Kings?" "..." Frowning, the Martial Emperor said, "Are you serious? King Wen's sister? Why has this seat never heard of her?" "Because you're ignorant and ill-informed, of course you wouldn't know," Su Yu said with a grin. "I'm only sharing what I know. The three of them are likely together, and in all probability, the Time Master discovered some peril. It likely pertains to the River of Time. The Time Master roamed the River of Time and possessed vast knowledge; she likely uncovered something, which led to her crisis, prompting King Wen and King Wu to rush to her rescue." With a faint smile, he continued, "How do you like that news? Three peerless powerhouses trapped, perhaps even dead. If you actually found them, what do you think you could do?" The Martial Emperor was momentarily stunned. Three peerless powerhouses—and in Su Yu's telling, King Wu was perhaps the weakest among them. He claimed the Time Master was even more formidable than King Wen, and now said all three were in mortal danger, or perhaps already dead. Even if he learned where they were and went there, what could he possibly accomplish? While he was still lost in thought, Su Yu smiled and asked, "Before the Archaic Era, was there another era?" "The Creation Era!" The Martial Emperor snapped back to reality, his tone remaining aloof. "If we go by your classifications, the history of the myriad realms consists of the Creation Era, the Archaic Era, the Ancient Era, and the present! During the Creation Era, the myriad realms did not exist; everyone lived upon the vast Desolate Land! Back then, ancient beasts reigned supreme, while the myriad races struggled to survive. In the Archaic Era, the myriad races rose up, quelled the chaos of the ancient beasts, and opened up the myriad realms! In the Ancient Era, the Human Sovereign unified the heavens, achieving the grand unification of the myriad realms!" Su Yu nodded, then began, "Then..." "My turn!" The Martial Emperor couldn't wait any longer. "Where are the Human Sovereign and the others?" "..." *Didn't you claim you weren't interested?* Su Yu shook his head in amusement, but answered swiftly, "Within the River of Time, likely somewhere upstream. You've opened the Heavenly Gate, so you should understand how it works. Going against the current, the flow of time differs from ours. To them, a battle might feel like several centuries, while here, a hundred thousand years have passed! Of course, it could also be the reverse, feeling like hundreds of thousands of years to them... However, my assessment is that they might be returning soon." "Hm?" The Martial Emperor was shaken. "Returning?" Su Yu said calmly, "Eventually, time will balance out, achieving unity. In this era, all the trump cards of the myriad races and realms have been played, and their foundations are thoroughly exhausted. When things reach this stage, it will be time for them to take the stage." Su Yu smiled. "Maybe in three years, maybe five, maybe ten... who knows? But they should be returning soon." The Martial Emperor took a deep breath. "You don't know the exact time?" "Nonsense. If I knew, I'd just drag things out for three to five years." Su Yu chuckled. "Now it's my turn. In your memory, were there any powerhouses capable of threatening the likes of King Wen? Also, did the Human Ancestor cultivate the Physical Body Dao? Where is he now? And the Dead Spirit Dao—you mentioned before that it was an unfinished Dao. Where is its master?" The Martial Emperor glared at him with a scowl. "Is that supposed to be a single question?" *Do you take me for a fool?!* Su Yu laughed. "Answer first. You might not even know that much anyway. You can ask me more questions later." Frowning, the Martial Emperor relented. "The Human Ancestor was likely the pioneer of the Physical Body Dao. Because of him, the human race was able to grow strong rapidly. By treading the Physical Body Dao, a cohort of top-tier powerhouses quickly emerged, buying time and opportunity for later generations to pioneer their own paths! As for the master of the Dead Spirit Dao, as I said, in that era there were only legends about him; there are few detailed records. Whether he died or vanished, I do not know. As for whether there were powerhouses capable of threatening King Wen and the others..." He pondered carefully for a while. "In my memory, there shouldn't have been any. Unless several Rulers of Rules joined forces, or figures like the Immortal Emperor and Demon Emperor fought desperately to the death, they might have stood a chance. But in a one-on-one fight, those fellows might not have even been able to defeat Taishan!" Su Yu knitted his brows. None? Then what on earth had King Wen and the others encountered? Su Yu let out a breath. Before he could fully collect his thoughts, the Martial Emperor pressed urgently, "Tell me about the current situation. Are there still Rulers of Rules among the myriad races?" Su Yu chuckled. "The current situation... I'm not sure about the myriad races. There are some Celestial Venerables, but I haven't heard of any Rulers of Rules." "Celestial Venerables?" "Top-tier Dao Integration experts who possess the realm and comprehension of a Ruler of Rules, but haven't taken full control of a Great Dao." The Martial Emperor looked thoughtful. Su Yu continued, "However, I took a little trip up there recently. It's quite interesting up above. Do you know of King Yu?" *Nonsense, of course I do!* Su Yu said with a grin, "That lineage is fascinating! They actually established a separate race up there, boasting countless powerhouses. I suspect they have Rulers of Rules." The Martial Emperor said solemnly, "Didn't you say it's impossible to advance? Are they survivors from the past?" "No." Su Yu shook his head. "I mean combat prowess comparable to a Ruler of Rules. Do you catch my drift?" "Like those who tread the Physical Body Dao?" The Martial Emperor naturally understood. Su Yu smiled. "Not the Physical Body Dao, but the Chaos Dao! We orthodox cultivators are currently barred from stepping into the realm of Rulers of Rules because the Great Daos were tampered with by the Human Sovereign! But the Human Sovereign couldn't tamper with the Chaos Dao. King Yu's lineage lives in the chaotic regions, walking the same path as the ancient beasts—the Chaos Dao! In doing so, they might bypass those restrictions and achieve combat prowess on par with a Ruler of Rules!" "The Chaos Dao?" The Martial Emperor was, after all, a genius who had opened the Heavenly Gate; his knowledge was vast. He furrowed his brow. "Put that way, it isn't impossible! If someone specialized in the Chaos Dao for over a hundred thousand years with monstrous talent, they could indeed hope to match the ancient Human Kings who walked the Physical Body Dao!" Not true Rulers of Rules, but akin to the ancient Human Kings of the Physical Body Dao! Su Yu grinned. "Interested in going up to play with them?" The Martial Emperor shot him a sidelong glance and sneered, "You want to use me as your blade?" *Keep dreaming!* Su Yu chuckled. "Don't get so worked up. One mountain cannot hold two tigers! King Yu's lineage wants to unify the heavens. Let me ask you: if this world only has two Rulers of Rules—one among them and the other you—do you think they'll leave you alone?" "That depends on whether they have the ability!" The Martial Emperor declared arrogantly, "Even among Rulers of Rules, this Emperor is no weakling!" Su Yu smiled. "Are you so sure their lineage only has one?" The Martial Emperor sneered again. "If they had two or three, would you bugs still be alive? Even if they have one, that's their absolute limit; otherwise, they would have wiped you all out long ago! Su Yu, do not take this Emperor for an idiot!" "Fair point," Su Yu conceded with a laugh. "Still, their lineage likely possesses quite a few Quasi-Kings. If they gather ten or twenty experts of my caliber, backed by a hundred Dao Integration experts, do you think you can take them?" "How could that be possible..." Su Yu cut him off: "It's very possible!" He smiled faintly. "The myriad races have developed for so many years amid ceaseless wars. On this trip alone, I killed nine Quasi-Kings, and plenty more are still alive! I didn't even kill half of them. Let's assume the myriad races have twenty Quasi-Kings; King Yu's lineage certainly won't have fewer!" The Martial Emperor fell silent. Su Yu was clearly baiting him! He would never fall for it! To think he would serve as Su Yu's blade to kill people—Su Yu was dreaming! Seeing his silence, Su Yu didn't mind. He chuckled, "Fine, then I'll ask one last question. Martial Emperor, do you know what the Gate of Hell is?" "The Gate of Hell?" The Martial Emperor's expression shifted slightly. He stared at Su Yu for a long while before asking, "Who told you about that?" "King Yu guarded it back in the day, so I'm curious." The Martial Emperor said solemnly, "The Gate of Hell... I've heard of it, but never visited. The Gate of Hell, as the name implies, is a portal leading to hell! Or rather... the boundary between Chaos and the myriad realms!" He explained, "After the creation of the world, Chaos and the myriad realms were separated, but there remained a critical boundary where the power of Chaos eroded the realms. Legend has it that to resolve this issue and prevent chaotic power from encroaching, the creator forged the Gate of Hell to block the erosion... That is the first account. The second account claims that at the dawn of the Archaic Era, when the myriad races rose up, ancient beasts ran rampant; a group of archaic powerhouses forged the Gate of Hell to drive the ancient beasts beyond the realms and bar them from ever returning." "It is called the Gate of Hell because, whether defending against chaotic energy or ancient beasts, any powerhouse of the realms who steps beyond that gate faces mortal peril and the constant threat of death!" *This fellow really does know a thing or two.* Su Yu committed the information to memory. Two legends—and as the Martial Emperor said, either way, it was exceedingly dangerous. Back then, King Yu had guarded that post and was said to have been covered in scars. Perhaps he had battled ancient beasts there. Did that mean behind the gate lay the world of ancient beasts, or pure primordial Chaos? Having learned this, Su Yu had nothing left to ask. There was no need! The Martial Emperor, however, asked urgently, "Then let me ask you one final question: how much of the Brush Dao do you control?" "..." Su Yu smiled. "That's personal privacy!" The Martial Emperor sneered. "You said it yourself—answers without reservation!" Su Yu burst out laughing. "The Martial Emperor certainly knows how to seize an advantage. Very well, there's nothing to hide anyway. Roughly just over eighty percent!" The Martial Emperor quickly calculated in his mind, then said in a low voice, "How much longer do you think you need to fully master the Brush Dao?" Su Yu smiled sweetly. "That falls outside the scope of my answer. I haven't asked any more questions." The Martial Emperor frowned, pondering for a moment. "If you answer me, I will tell you a secret!" "A secret?" Su Yu chuckled. "Not interested." The Martial Emperor glared at him, growing thoroughly infuriated! *When you asked, I answered everything.* *Now that I ask, you claim you're not interested!* Gritting his teeth, he said, "Don't be so quick to refuse! I know of a place where a divine weapon is hidden..." "Oh!" Su Yu replied perfunctorily with a nod. "A fine place indeed. The Martial Emperor should keep it for yourself. Once unsealed, you can go claim the divine weapon and bolster your strength!" "..." *Damn it!* The Martial Emperor cursed furiously in his heart. A divine weapon—and this bastard didn't even care? What an arrogant wretch! Seeing his fury, Su Yu found it somewhat amusing and offered, "How about this: do me a favor, and I'll tell you." "Impossible!" The Martial Emperor snorted. Use him as a blade? Wishful thinking! Su Yu remained unhurried. "It's nothing grand, just a minor matter. I intend to take Marquis Tongtian with me. Once he leaves, the passage from the seventh to the eighth floor will be severed, making it inconvenient for me to visit in the future—unless I pass through the Martial Emperor's body every single time..." The Martial Emperor glared at him coldly. What did he mean? Su Yu explained, "Here is my thought: I'd like to borrow a path. Open a specialized passage through your body so Marquis Tongtian's portal power can penetrate floors one through seven. That way, once I take him away, I can teleport directly into the eighth floor anytime without passing through floors one through seven." "Out of the question!" the Martial Emperor roared in anger. "You want to carve a path through this Emperor's body?" Su Yu said coldly, "It's merely a small matter. Must the Martial Emperor insist on me passing through floors one through seven every time? Do you really enjoy having to face me every single visit? As long as you lift the restrictions and allow Marquis Tongtian's power to pierce through to the eighth floor from the outside, whenever I return, I will naturally enter the eighth floor directly without traversing your body!" "Carve the path yourself, or have me walk through your body every time—decide for yourself, Martial Emperor!" The Martial Emperor felt thoroughly stifled! He wanted neither option. Yet just as Su Yu said, if he refused, Su Yu would simply teleport in every time, marching right through his physical form. After a long silence, the Martial Emperor gritted his teeth. "Fine! I can open a passage for him. In the future, if you come, you are not permitted to pass through my acupoints!" Su Yu smiled. "Naturally! It saves time and effort; why would I bother walking through the Martial Emperor's body? This benefits us both!" Su Yu was in high spirits! With this, once Marquis Tongtian's power penetrated through, there was hope of linking the dead spirit realm, the myriad realms, and the Upper Realm. Of course, Marquis Tongtian was still a bit weak. Su Yu turned to Marquis Tongtian. "Without the power restrictions of floors one through seven, could you teleport from the myriad realms straight to the eighth floor?" Marquis Tongtian nodded. "Yes, I could." "What about the dead spirit realm?" Marquis Tongtian bared his teeth. "That's a bit tricky, but since the Martial Emperor's body connects to the dead spirit realm, using his body as a transit point makes it possible." Su Yu let out a breath. "And the Upper Realm?" "No!" Marquis Tongtian shook his head directly. "The Martial Emperor's body doesn't pierce into the Upper Realm. Unless we drag his thighs up and punch through the Upper Realm with them, but that would be exceedingly difficult!" Ignoring the Martial Emperor's terrifyingly cold expression, Marquis Tongtian muttered to himself, "The Martial Emperor's legs were snapped and left dangling. If we find a way to stand him upright and poke through the Upper Realm's barrier, then there's hope of directly linking the three realms! Otherwise, it's impossible..." The Martial Emperor glared at him with chilling malice. "Are you seeking death?" "..." Marquis Tongtian shrugged. *I'm just speaking the truth.* *Honestly, why can none of these people handle the truth?* *Fine, I won't say another word!* Su Yu, however, laughed and nodded. "Understood. Regardless, taking you out might grant us a few extra tricks in the future; not bad at all! You need to work hard and grow stronger. You are a spirit born of a portal; if you become powerful enough, all the barriers and defenses in this world will be nothing more than a joke. You'll be able to open a door anywhere!" A spirit born of a portal truly possessed immense potential. Many thoughts crossed Su Yu's mind before he smiled. "If you can become a Ruler of Rules and erect a gate, you might even be able to intercept the River of Time!" Marquis Tongtian wanted to retort: *How would you know? You're not me!* Well, on second thought, never mind. This young man was not someone to cross. If he talked back too much and displeased him, what if Su Yu shattered him to pieces? He wisely chose to keep his mouth shut. Su Yu then looked at the Martial Emperor, chuckling softly. "You asked when I could fully master the Brush Dao. That's truly hard to say. If everything goes smoothly, perhaps... by the time the Lower Realm opens, I will have mastered it! If things go poorly, there's no telling! Broadly speaking, it will probably coincide with the time you break your seal." Su Yu added with a genial smile, "When that time comes, the Martial Emperor can have a proper spar with me. Who knows? Perhaps my Brush Dao will fall short of the Martial Emperor!" The Martial Emperor took a deep breath, cursing wildly in his heart. *I don't believe it!* Well... he believed a bit of it. Still, he refused to accept it! He had cultivated for countless ages before finally becoming a Ruler of Rules; on what grounds could Su Yu be this fast? With a cold sneer, he said, "Let's hope so! That would make things far more interesting! Furthermore, there is an issue with the Daos of the myriad realms right now. Didn't you say it's impossible to become a Ruler of Rules?" "I naturally have my ways to resolve that!" Su Yu paid little heed to the matter. He stood up, and the table and chairs dissolved into nothingness—including the chair beneath the Martial Emperor's backside. The Martial Emperor's expression darkened. This fellow changed faces faster than turning a page! Even he couldn't flip as quickly! "Martial Emperor, open the path. Tongtian, head up and fetch everyone. We shouldn't linger here too long; it smells a bit foul..." Su Yu turned to leave. The Martial Emperor's face turned livid, his gaze chilling as he glared at Su Yu. "Do not provoke me repeatedly!" Where was this place? His backside! Su Yu was clearly using innuendo to mock him—no, it was outright provocation! Su Yu looked back, flashing a wide grin. "No provocation intended, Martial Emperor. Don't misunderstand; there's no need to provoke you, I'm merely speaking the truth! Though, of course, there's a bit of provocation mixed in..." The Martial Emperor stared at him with a stony face. Su Yu said calmly, "I've been contemplating whether I should find a chance to kill you, but I worried you might reconcile with me. If you did, I wouldn't have an excuse to kill you anymore. And if I can't kill you, one of my myriad Daos might remain incomplete... So, let us continue being enemies! Whatever you do, don't you dare make peace with me!" At that moment, the Martial Emperor felt like spitting blood. Driven nearly mad with rage, he roared, "In your dreams! Su Yu, the moment I break this seal, I will slaughter you!" Su Yu chuckled. "Good, that's more like it! Lately, I've been terrified that you ancient human powerhouses might try to reconcile with me; that would make it so troublesome to perfect my Dao... Keep resenting me. The more you hate me, the easier my conscience will be when I kill you. After all, I'm a softhearted man!" The Martial Emperor was enraged beyond measure! To his ears, Su Yu's words were pure mockery. Yet Su Yu was genuinely not mocking him. He was truly pondering how to perfect his Dao of Humanity. As for himself, he wasn't walking the Dao of Humanity. Whether it was Hundred Battles or the Martial Emperor, neither needed to make peace with him. There was no need. He was entirely serious! His words held no falsehood; he truly was softhearted. If those two suddenly shamelessly begged to become his lackeys, he would find it hard to strike them down. Being softhearted was a curse. If he didn't kill them to perfect his Dao of Humanity, was he supposed to kill Lan Tian and Old Wan? How inappropriate that would be! The same went for King Yu's lineage: they had best not pull any sudden twists of redemption. There was no need. Wiping them all out would settle everything nicely, as he was still waiting to perfect his own Great Dao powers. Thoughts flashed across Su Yu's mind one after another. With a casual wave of his hand, he vanished from the seventh floor in an instant. Left behind, the Martial Emperor's face was completely ash-gray! That bastard Su Yu was rampant beyond belief! Did he truly think this Emperor's status as a Ruler of Rules was just for show? "We shall see!" The Martial Emperor snorted coldly. Did anyone think this Emperor would actually fear a wet-behind-the-ears brat?