Rewarding Merit

"Sovereign Yu!" "Your Majesty!" When Su Yu arrived on the eighth floor once more, the group was thoroughly elated, having reaped no small harvest. Su Yu glanced around, his gaze falling upon the Ming King Mansion among the Four Kings' mansions, and he raised an eyebrow slightly. "King Daming hasn't come out?" "No," King Dazhou replied swiftly. "I went to look, but there is an array binding the Ming King Mansion, so I couldn't enter." Su Yu strode through the air, rapidly flying toward the Ming King Mansion. At that moment, a massive array rose outside the estate. Su Yu raised an eyebrow, extending a hand in a beckoning motion. Through the void, the Human Lord Seal descended. Su Yu sensed it carefully; within the seal, the territory representing the Great Ming Prefecture was thick with the power of destiny, channeling an enormous surge of destiny into the Human Lord Seal. After feeling it for a moment, Su Yu smiled. "He must have come across a fortuitous encounter. Good. Everyone has their own opportunities. King Ming is his ancestor, so there shouldn't be any major problems!" With that, Su Yu said, "Let's go. We'll head back first. With the Martial Emperor paving the way, Tongtian can teleport us to the eighth floor whenever we want from now on, so there's no need to wait around here." He still had matters to attend to, and he had to head to the Upper Realm right away. Who knew when fighting might break out up there? If he didn't go and grasp firsthand intelligence, Su Yu wouldn't feel at ease. King Dazhou asked in slight surprise, "The Martial Emperor is paving the way? Sovereign Yu, you mean..." "It just means borrowing his path to travel. We can let Tongtian's power permeate the Star Residence Mansion. After all, it's his own body, so he can still exert some control over it." King Dazhou drew in a breath. How had he managed that? Hadn't they said the Martial Emperor harbored boundless hatred toward the human race? Why would he listen to you? The other ancient marquises were equally astonished and shocked. That worked, too? Su Yu offered no further explanation, saying quickly, "Marquis Tongtian, can you teleport us out?" Marquis Tongtian sensed the surroundings for a moment and nodded. "I should be able to! It seems I can sense external power now! However, the eighth floor doesn't connect directly to the outside world, so we'll have to transit through the dead spirit realm. Later on, I'll see if I can teleport directly to the myriad realms." Right now, he could detect waves of dead spirit power. After all, the seventh floor possessed a passage to the dead spirits. Su Yu pondered for a moment and nodded. "Then we'll go through the dead spirit realm first." Without wasting words, Marquis Tongtian swiftly transformed into a portal. As the gate gradually opened, a phantom image projected from the other side, appearing to be the dead spirit realm. *** A moment later, Su Yu and his group stepped into the portal. With a fluctuation of power, the group materialized in the dead spirit realm in an instant. As they emerged, the aura of living beings stirred, and the River of Dead Spirits began to churn with unrest. Lan Tian waved a hand, dispersing a shroud of death qi that concealed their life qi. Su Yu also suspended the Human Lord Seal above him, cloaking their auras. This prevented triggering upheaval in the Heavenly River of Dead Spirits, where quite a few dead spirit experts had recently been born. Not long after they touched down, waves of formidable dead spirit auras rippled outward. Marquis Dingjun and the others grew rather tense; this was the dead spirit realm, after all. Although Su Yu had previously claimed this was his turf, still... Before their doubts could settle, Marquis Lanshan's excited voice rang out from far away: "Your Majesty!" Moving like lightning, Marquis Lanshan flickered and materialized in a flash, dropping to one knee with boundless excitement. "Greetings, Your Majesty! When did Your Majesty return?" "Lanshan?" Someone gasped in surprise. Marquis Lanshan looked up, scrutinized the speaker, and seemed to recognize them, saying with joy, "Yingwu? You're still alive?" General Yingwu was also overjoyed. "I heard earlier that you were in the dead spirit realm, and I thought..." A smile spread across Marquis Lanshan's dark face. "It has been so many years. Yingwu, are you following His Majesty now as well?" "..." General Yingwu was left speechless. Bringing that up the very second they met—how boring. Marquis Lanshan paid no mind to her reaction and rejoiced once more. "Congratulations, Your Majesty, on gaining another valiant warrior! Back then, Yingwu was a fierce commander of a battalion, but luck wasn't on her side; she couldn't step into the Dao Integration stage in time and failed to earn a marquisate. If she had died as early as I did, she could have been posthumously enfeoffed!" "..." No matter how one listened to those words, they sounded completely off. Did that mean a living Yingwu didn't deserve a marquisate, and only dying would earn her a posthumous title? General Yingwu looked thoroughly dispirited. "Lanshan, why bring up old history now!" Marquis Lanshan laughed. "No, His Majesty must be told! Your Majesty, Yingwu was brave and skilled in battle back then, yet a marquisate was so hard to attain! If Your Majesty unites the myriad heavens once more and Yingwu renders service, please grant her a marquis title... to fulfill her lifelong dream!" Su Yu could not help laughing. "I haven't seen you for a few days, yet the first thing you do upon seeing me is plead for a title on someone else's behalf?" Marquis Lanshan said enthusiastically, "I'm just a bit excited to see an old friend! Though we weren't in the same battalion, Yingwu was exceptional in battle, and the Yingwu Guard and the Lanshan Guard were nearly equal in renown back then. This subordinate is simply delighted!" Su Yu roared with laughter. "Fine! Out of respect for you, Lanshan, if General Yingwu renders service in the future, a marquisate will certainly be hers!" "Thank you, Your Majesty!" Marquis Lanshan beamed, looking over at General Yingwu. General Yingwu was somewhat bewildered, but after a moment, she hurried to say, "My humble thanks to Sovereign Yu!" Su Yu smiled and said nothing more. Marquis Lanshan then glanced at the others, remaining silent simply because they weren't well acquainted. Even though they were all ancient powerhouses, there had been countless experts in antiquity; not everyone knew each other. Though she wasn't familiar with them, several other dead spirit marquises soon arrived. Marquis Zhengyang and the others were indeed acquainted with Marquis Huoyun's group, and before long, these veterans who hadn't met in millennia were chatting away. Up ahead, Su Yu was conversing rapidly with Marquis Lanshan and Hetu. *** Hetu had no interest in those old relics. Right now, he was excited about something else, saying hurriedly, "Your Majesty, we may have found a few of King Wen's students! However, they've only just revived and aren't entirely lucid, resembling that simpleton from before. It must be because the River of Dead Spirits has been constantly turbulent lately, allowing them to awaken! Once they steady their minds and cultivate for a while, they should recover quite a few of their memories." Su Yu nodded. "It's good that you found them! They must be well protected." Su Yu valued King Wen's students greatly, and he was in a fine mood. "These people could even dismantle the Brush Dao, showing a deep comprehension of the Great Dao. They will be of no small help to my upcoming Dao attunement! In this era, far too few people dedicate themselves to pure research!" Su Yu truly placed immense importance on King Wen's students. Whether they possessed combat strength did not matter; as long as their brains worked, that was enough! Attuning to the myriad Daos next would be no small task. Last time, he and Lan Tian had studied the Chaos Dao together, and many of its components had yet to be separated or broken down. That required time and deep understanding of the Great Dao, and where would Su Yu find the time to focus solely on research? If he could bring these students of King Wen out, or simply resurrect them, it would certainly aid him in pioneering his own Dao. After chatting for a while, the Southern King also sensed Su Yu's presence and quickly arrived. The Southern King was far prouder than Marquis Lanshan. She swept a cold, indifferent glance over Yingwu and the others without a second look, stepping forward to speak with Su Yu and inquiring about matters in the Upper Realm. *** "The Southern Heavenly King!" At this moment, several ancient powerhouses were secretly communicating via voice transmission. Yingwu felt rather disgruntled and transmitted, "This person is quite arrogant. Seeing us, her face went pitch-black." "Her face was already dark to begin with!" Marquis Dingjun chimed in through transmission, adding with a chuckle, "Who can blame her when she's so powerful? Besides, her status is high. As one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the dead spirits, her rank is equivalent to a Human King! We ancient marquises are a full tier lower! Not to mention you—you're two tiers lower, just a titled general. Why would she bother acknowledging you?" At those words, Yingwu had no retort. She quickly transmitted back, "Didn't you hear? Once the myriad heavens are united again, I'll be made a marquis!" "Even as a marquis, you'll still be a tier below the Southern Heavenly King!" Marquis Dingjun dealt another stinging blow. Yingwu was irritated, yet there was nothing she could do, for it was the truth. She felt rather gloomy. Marquis Anying, on the other hand, did not dwell on this, transmitting instead, "I never expected the new Human Lord to truly subdue the dead spirit realm! Aside from the ancient era, in none of the previous tides would anyone dare walk through the dead spirit realm so brazenly and unhindered!" A group of living beings walking so unrestrained through the dead spirit realm was a first in a hundred thousand years. The others said nothing, though they took it all in, shock reverberating through their hearts. Fortunately, having seen Su Yu slay eight Heavenly Kings at once, they had built up a decent tolerance for shock. Marquis Yunshui cast another glance at Yingwu. The others did the same. Didn't you say before that the new Human Lord had it miserable? That he was just a puppet? Look at this: the moment he stepped into the dead spirit realm, how were these dead spirit powerhouses flanking him? Whether it was the Southern King or Marquis Lanshan, neither dared take a single step ahead of him as they walked. Su Yu walked in front, and they followed behind. Even as haughty as the Southern Heavenly King was, she strictly observed propriety before Su Yu. Yingwu was speechless once more. What are you looking at? How was I supposed to know things were like this back then! *** "How is the Land of Return?" Ignoring the others, Su Yu looked at the Southern King. The Southern King answered swiftly, "Chaotic! Lately, the Northern King's side seems to have clashed with some of the sealed experts in the Land of Return! Those sealed fellows took control of a group of people and are engaged in a fierce war against the Northern King's subordinates! "A number of experts who revived in the Heavenly River of Dead Spirits were also driven into the Land of Return by me and joined the fray." The Southern King said solemnly, "There is one matter I must mention! Under the Northern King, the Dragon Blood Marquis is deeply favored. In several major battles, the Dragon Blood Marquis led the Northern King's subordinates into combat, growing stronger and stronger. Five or six dead spirit marquises have already fallen in the Land of Return!" She continued, "As for this Dragon Blood Marquis, his current strength is probably not inferior to Lanshan's. If this continues, I suspect he might become the next Heavenly King expert!" Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "His strength improved so fast, and the Northern King didn't intervene?" "The Northern King can't intervene!" The Southern King shook her head. "Because the Northern King isn't having an easy time right now. His other subordinates seem to have entanglements with those sealed fellows, leaving him no choice but to rely on the Dragon Blood Marquis. The Land of Return is exceedingly perilous now. In just this short span, five or six dead spirit marquises have perished. I foresee a battle of Heavenly Kings erupting sooner or later!" She added with grave concern, "I worry they might fight their way into the Four Kings Domains." Su Yu smiled faintly. "It's fine. With you here, they would also suffer some suppression in this region. For now, they likely won't dare push back here." The Southern King nodded. "We still need to make follow-up preparations." Su Yu acknowledged this, then asked, "With several dead spirit marquises dead, is there hope for you to advance further?" The Southern King sighed and shook her head. "It is difficult. After the Eastern King and Western King died, my strength improved somewhat, making me stronger than before. But taking another step forward... that would approach the strength of a true Master of Rules! Unless several more Heavenly Kings die..." Thoughtful, Su Yu smiled. "That's not impossible! Let's wait and see. If a few more Heavenly Kings die, perhaps you can reach the Celestial Venerable level." "Celestial Venerable?" "The realm Hundred Battles occupied." "Ah!" The Southern King understood, nodding. "If three to five more Heavenly Kings die, there really might be hope... provided no one competes with me for the power." "There is hope. Even if there aren't enough Heavenly Kings, slaying some dead spirit marquises works just the same!" Su Yu grinned. Keep it up, Dragon Blood Marquis! I can already feel my Dead Spirit Dao being nourished until it's plump and thriving thanks to you. Keep going—devour the Northern King's subordinates, the subordinates of those fellows in the sealed lands, and all the experts who crossed over from the Heavenly River of Dead Spirits. You should soon be able to step into the Heavenly King realm! When the time comes, kill off the Northern King, and after the Northern King is dead, kill off those sealed fellows. I have high hopes for you; you can definitely become a Celestial Venerable, and then I will draw out your Dao! When that time came, perhaps his dead spirit page wouldn't be inferior to the Demon race page—it might even be stronger! After all, the Demon page had only absorbed a Master of Rules who had been dead for countless years. Devouring multiple living Heavenly Kings ought to yield an even better result! "Don't touch the Dragon Blood Marquis!" Su Yu instructed once more. The Southern King gave him a thoughtful look, while Marquis Lanshan, not understanding, asked outright, "Your Majesty, is the Dragon Blood Marquis one of ours?" "No." "Then..." "If you don't know, don't ask." "Understood!" Marquis Lanshan nodded. Su Yu laughed. "Hurry up and step into the Heavenly King realm. How many dead spirit experts have you eaten by now? How have you still not reached it?" Marquis Lanshan felt helpless, sensing that Su Yu was disdaining her. "Your Majesty knows I am not as clever as Hetu; I don't comprehend the Dao as quickly as he does, and the Dead Spirit Dao isn't my specialty to begin with..." Su Yu chuckled. "Forget it, just grind it out slowly!" He then looked at Lan Tian. "How is Liu Hong doing?" Lan Tian sensed for a moment and smiled. "He's still in that place. The Heaven Hunting Ranking is still there, so that fellow should still be alive." "He hasn't come out yet?" Su Yu was surprised, but soon smiled. "Not bad!" With that, his Heavenly Gate snapped open, and he peered upward, searching for the location of the Ink Dao! He wanted to see how much progress Liu Hong had made. In the myriad realms, there were too many branches along the River of Time, making it hard to see clearly. But here, the entire Dead Spirit Dao had only a single branch, making it easy to observe the Ink Dao. Soon, Su Yu's eyes lit up. He spotted the Ink Dao; right now, that minor path was intertwined around it, showing signs of encircling the Great Dao. In other words, Liu Hong was likely close to stepping into the Dao Integration stage! Su Yu narrowed his eyes and said briskly, "Once Liu Hong emerges, Southern King, go find him. Have him stir up the River of Dead Spirits and force out all the hidden experts in the Heavenly River of Dead Spirits, then drive them all into the Land of Return!" The Southern King nodded slightly, noting the instruction. Arranging things as they walked, the dead spirit realm was currently in good shape overall. Aside from the unrest in the Land of Return, the Four Kings Domains and the Spirit-Subduing Domain were entirely peaceful. Most of the powerhouses who had revived from the river had been driven away, joining the great battle in the Land of Return! After chatting for a while, they arrived beneath the Hongmeng Ancient City. In an instant, Old Turtle Hongmeng materialized, a smile on his face. "Sovereign Yu has returned. Pardon this old official for not welcoming you from afar." "You are too polite!" The old turtle smiled and greeted the ancient marquises. Su Yu looked at the old turtle and remarked with a smile, "It feels like you're close to becoming a Heavenly King. Senior Hongmeng, have you gained some enlightenment?" "A slight comprehension. I was already merely a sliver away; now I have taken a small step forward, so it is nearly complete." The old turtle had originally been a peak Dao Integration expert capable of contending with Heavenly Kings. Now, he gave Su Yu the impression that he could take that step at any moment. Su Yu's mood improved even further. The old turtle, the Southern King, Lan Tian, Feiqiu, Wan Tiansheng, King Dazhou, Marquis Lanshan—these figures had either reached that level or were on the verge of it, all close to becoming Heavenly Kings. Consequently, the combat strength under his command was growing ever more formidable. This provided Su Yu with plenty of confidence! Encountering so many experts during this trip to the Upper Realm had left him somewhat uneasy, but seeing how rapidly his own faction was progressing put his mind at ease. Chatting along the way, Su Yu soon exited the dead spirit realm. *** Stepping out of the dead spirit realm, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The dead spirit realm was, after all, rather oppressive. "Let's go, back to the Human Realm!" Su Yu called out, swiftly treading the air toward the Human Realm, and the others followed close behind. Halfway there, Su Yu abruptly changed direction, flying toward the Destiny Realm. Wan Tiansheng might still be there. Meanwhile, Marquis Dingjun and the others looked around, their expressions growing solemn as they observed the surroundings. Across the entire battlefield of the myriad heavens, slaughter seemed to be unfolding everywhere. However, it was human armies attacking the various small realms. Looking toward the major realms of the Gods and Demons, an invisible barrier now enveloped each of them. Realm seals! The lower realm had truly fallen into Su Yu's hands! The more they looked, the more alarmed they became. Hearing of it was one thing, but witnessing the scene with their own eyes left them deeply shaken. Even during the peak of Hundred Battles' era, the human race had never accomplished this, failing to conquer the myriad realms. A moment later, they reached the Destiny Realm. The Destiny Emperor had long sensed their aura. Sure enough, Wan Tiansheng was also here. Seeing Su Yu, the Destiny Emperor was equally shocked. This man's advancement was far too swift—this strength... had reached the Quasi-King level? While he was shocked, the others were equally astonished to see the Destiny Emperor coming out in person to welcome them. Marquis Huoyun could not help transmitting, "This fellow—I remember during the last tide, when Hundred Battles wanted to take the Destiny Realm, Marquis Tianming descended to fight him personally. Why is he so obedient now?" The double standard was staggering! Hundred Battles had been stronger than Su Yu, and the human race's power back then was considerably greater than it was now. "Greetings, Sovereign Yu!" Su Yu waved a hand. "No need to be polite! While in the Upper Realm this time, I saw Marquis Tianming. He is indeed powerful, having reached the so-called Celestial Venerable level! Wuming, I didn't have the chance to make contact with Marquis Tianming this time, but I'll find an opportunity to speak with him next time." "Naturally," the Destiny Emperor smiled. "I, too, am waiting for an opportunity when Marquis Tianming communicates with the lower realm. As soon as he does, I will certainly facilitate this exchange..." Su Yu smiled. "Then I shall trouble you!" Su Yu glanced at Wan Tiansheng and said with a smile, "Director Wan, I must trouble you to make a trip. I want to summon the Dao Integration experts of all allied races for a meeting in the Human Realm! Also, call back everyone at the Torchbearer passage! Aside from the powerhouses stationed at the four major realms, all remaining Dao Integration experts must return!" "Understood!" Wan Tiansheng complied, then asked, "What about the Dao Integration experts suppressed in the various realms...?" "Bring them along as well!" The four Dao Integration experts of the Ape, Phoenix, Kunpeng, and Dragon races had all been suppressed, with the Dragon expert held by Su Yu inside King Wen's former residence. At this moment, Su Yu was already contemplating whether he should simply execute these fellows. Keeping them suppressed still left room for trouble. Of course, slaying them in the lower realm would easily trigger rule anomalies. However, King Wen's former residence was a rule-less zone, so killing them there might not cause any disturbance. The only concern was that killing them might be sensed by powerhouses in the Upper Realm. As for the Dragon race, Su Yu wasn't afraid; he had already killed a batch of them. But strong races like the Phoenix race... Su Yu soon smiled. If all else failed, he could take them to the Upper Realm to execute them, which might even lure several experts from those races to their deaths! *** Without lingering in the Destiny Realm, Su Yu met Wan Tiansheng, gave his instructions, and quickly led his group back to the Eastern Rift Valley. Another round of pleasantries ensued. Everyone was thrilled by Su Yu's swift return in less than a month. In particular, Su Yu bringing back several ancient powerhouses invigorated King Daqin and the others. The human race's strength was growing increasingly formidable! Yet as soon as he returned, Su Yu left the crowd and vanished without a trace. Even so, word that he was convening a Dao Integration assembly spread swiftly. *** Eastern Rift Valley. Experts began returning one after another. The human faction currently possessed a considerable amount of Dao Integration combat strength. From the Space Beast race, the Space Beast Emperor arrived with Huang Jiu. The moment he reached the Eastern Rift Valley, shock gripped his heart as he sensed numerous Dao Integration auras. While he was still reeling, the Hou Emperor of the Ancient Hou race tore through the air from afar. Spotting the Space Beast Emperor, his eyes flickered, and he transmitted, "Old fellow, did you sense that?" "I did!" The Space Beast Emperor was equally stunned, replying via transmission, "Just how many Dao Integration experts are here?" "I'm not sure; not everyone has arrived yet!" As they spoke, Wan Tiansheng stepped out and smiled. "Everyone, please gather in the great hall first. Sovereign Yu has stepped out and has not yet returned. Please wait a moment, get to know one another, and exchange pleasantries so our own people don't fail to recognize each other!" Hearing this, the two beast emperors said nothing more. Transforming into human form, they cupped their hands slightly and walked toward the nearby Yu Sovereign Great Hall. *** Inside the hall, an assembly of extraordinary talents had gathered. The Guardian faction, including Old Turtle, boasted a full ten Dao Integration experts. Six had come today, while four remained stationed at the four realms. Among the Iron-Eating, Space, Ancient Hou, and Destiny races, totaling five Dao Integration experts, four had arrived. On the human side, there were King Daqin, King Daxia, King Dazhou, King Daming, Tianyue, Lan Tian, and Wan Tiansheng, joined by Dingjun and the others from the Upper Realm, as well as Chongming, who had recently attained Dao Integration—a full thirteen Dao Integration experts. King Daming had also been brought back by Marquis Tongtian. Meanwhile, Marquis Tongtian and Duobao were huddled in a corner, acting suspiciously and chatting via voice transmission. From King Wen's former residence, the Book Spirit and Tea Tree had also arrived. Including the God-Devouring race, two large fur balls were looking around curiously, wondering why Su Yu had summoned them this time and marveling at the sudden influx of Dao Integration experts. At present, aside from the four absent Guardians, Jiu Yue had not arrived, nor had Feiqiu or Big Wood from King Wen's residence. In the hall, King Daqin was deeply moved, transmitting to King Daxia, "Incredible. Our human race originally didn't have a single Dao Integration expert, yet now, dozens of Dao Integration powerhouses are gathered right here!" Over thirty of them! Compared to the previous tide, it was naturally fewer, but in this tide, just one year ago, the human race had possessed none. Now, the number of Dao Integration experts in this hall almost rivaled their previous count of Eternals! And that wasn't even counting the dead spirit realm; including them, it surpassed the number of Eternals humanity had once had. The human powerhouses were thrilled and excited, and the experts of other races were equally shaken. One truly wouldn't know without seeing it. Seeing it now, there were over thirty living Dao Integration experts alone. In such a short span, Su Yu had assembled powerhouses from all sides, turning the human race into a top-tier hegemon once more in the blink of an eye. In the lower realm, to say nothing of the three major races sealing their realms, even if they hadn't, seeing so many Dao Integration experts would drive them to despair. Just as everyone was murmuring among themselves, two auras suddenly made themselves known. In an instant, Su Yu strode forward atop the River of Time. Arriving alongside him was none other than the little white dog, Feiqiu. Feiqiu was peering around with curiosity. Seeing so many people, it looked somewhat surprised, glancing back at Su Yu. Su Yu chuckled. "Stop looking, don't worry. I left the Star Residence Seal and the Human Lord Seal over there; they can suppress it for three to five years without issue!" "But my flowers..." "Big Wood will water the flowers!" "Then... fine." Feiqiu had no choice but to accept it. After all, Su Yu had returned the small stone, and his Human Lord Seal was also providing suppression. Even without the little white dog, the suppression held. Furthermore, Big Wood had gained sentience and was fully capable of handling the watering duties. As such, leaving for ten days to half a month would pose no issue. Su Yu landed, and the little white dog looked around with curiosity. After a moment, it flew over to Doubao's side and settled down. Doubao's large eyes showed a trace of confusion. "My lad didn't come?" Did he lose my lad again? Feiqiu shook its head, and from its ear canal, a little fur ball flew out. Carrying a hint of grievance, it glanced at Su Yu up above and flew resentfully atop the big fur ball's head. The yummy one doesn't love me anymore; he won't even let me hide in his sea of will. Su Yu paid no mind to this. There were far too many powerful things inside his sea of will right now; if the little fur ball went inside and triggered something, disaster could easily strike. Seeing Feiqiu hop over to Doubao's side, Su Yu said nothing. Looking around at the assembly, he smiled. "A few Dao Integration experts haven't arrived, and I didn't summon anyone from the dead spirit realm. "Seeing all of you puts me in a much better mood." Su Yu smiled. "During this trip to the Upper Realm, seeing so many Dao Integration experts and numerous Heavenly Kings from the various races initially gave me immense pressure. But looking now... my Yu Sovereign Mansion's strength isn't weak either!" Below, Lan Tian stepped forward and smiled. "Sovereign Yu need not be overly modest. On this trip to the Upper Realm, Sovereign Yu slew ten Heavenly Kings and eight Dao Integration experts, exalting the prestige of our Yu Sovereign Mansion..." At this moment, Lan Tian had transformed into an elderly man, appearing dignified and prudent. The moment he spoke, a tremor ran through the crowd. What a joke! How many had he killed? How long had he even been up there! Su Yu pressed down a hand and smiled. "Alright, no need for flattery! Back when my strength was weak, I needed battle records to proclaim my might. Today, that is no longer necessary! Though I am not invincible throughout the myriad realms, at my current level, I have no fear of those old fellows in the Upper Realm!" Su Yu laughed softly and looked at the crowd. "There are many powerhouses in the Upper Realm. According to my classification, as you all know, above peak Dao Integration lies the Heavenly King level. Only now do I know that above Heavenly Kings, there are Celestial Venerable experts—beings in the realm Hundred Battles once occupied—and their numbers are not few! "Our Yu Sovereign Mansion still has a gap compared to them, and a significant one at that! "Counting my faction, among those present, only Feiqiu, Hongmeng, Lan Tian, and I have stepped into this tier. King Dazhou, Director Wan, Doubao, Marquis Huoyun, and the Destiny Emperor are merely second-tier Dao Integration experts!" Everyone turned to look at the Destiny Emperor. The Destiny Emperor wore an impassive expression, merely offering a smile without speaking as everyone's eyes fell upon him. Su Yu smiled. "The Destiny Emperor's strength is not weak; no need for everyone to stare. Others, such as Marquis Yunshui, Marquis Anying, King Daqin, and King Daxia, are all a hair's breadth away from second-tier Dao Integration! "Such strength is not weak!" Su Yu said solemnly, "However, it is not enough—far from enough! "We are still far short!" Below, the entire crowd turned somber. Of course, not everyone felt the weight; Tianmie rolled his eyes. Am I not even worthy of having my name mentioned? How tragic! With so many powerhouses around, has a Dao Integration expert like me become worthless? How heartbreaking! Ignoring what Tianmie was thinking, Su Yu said in a heavy voice, "Over the past few days, I imagine Marquis Anying and the others have already briefed everyone on the situation in the Upper Realm! That includes those traitors from the Prison King's lineage, whose strength may exceed all imagination! "If a three-way war broke out right now, our Yu Sovereign Mansion would likely be the weakest!" King Dazhou stepped forward and smiled. "Your Majesty, that might not be the case! Our Yu Sovereign Mansion still has allies. The Iron-Eating race has already agreed to an alliance! San Yue possesses Celestial Venerable strength, and Marquis Juzhu possesses Heavenly King combat power! If the Destiny race is also willing to ally, Marquis Tianming possesses Celestial Venerable strength as well... We might not be the weakest after all!" Su Yu raised a hand to silence him. "Those are all unknowns; let us not bring them up for now! Relying on others is never as good as relying on ourselves! Do not pin hopes on unknowns; counting on them might only bring disappointment! "Before this, the number of Dao Integration experts in our Yu Sovereign Mansion kept increasing, but advancing in the Dao Integration stage proved difficult—our Dao comprehension was insufficient, and our rule power was lacking! "On this trip to the Upper Realm, I harvested a vast amount of unowned rule power! "Furthermore, I obtained a Great Dao Diagram left by the ancient Human Sovereign!" Su Yu looked at the crowd and said in a ringing voice, "I am not one to hoard treasures for myself! Good things, I am willing to share with everyone! This will allow all of you to elevate your strength, empower yourselves, and face stronger adversaries with confidence, without having to pay a price in blood! "From the moment I became the Human Lord, every battle we fought was an ambush or a blitzkrieg. Strictly speaking, we have never fought a large-scale frontal war! "I am not saying we must fight frontally, but... our strength cannot remain hidden forever!" Su Yu's voice resounded clearly: "Sooner or later, the myriad races will discover our true strength! When that time comes, it will be a direct clash of cold steel! Some among you may perish; on that point, I can give you no guarantees! "All I can do is strive with all my might to make everyone stronger, ensuring you have sufficient power to overcome the enemy!" Su Yu looked upon them and said gravely, "Without further ado, I will bestow corresponding rule power upon each of you according to your prior contributions! Everyone will have the opportunity to comprehend the Great Dao Diagram. However, for those who have rendered immense merit, I will personally guide you on a journey through the River of Time to inspect the exact location and condition of your own Dao, and I can even open a temporary Heavenly Gate for you to comprehend the Great Dao! "This time, I hope several Heavenly King experts will emerge from among us! King Dazhou, Doubao, and the rest of you—I hope you can all step into the Heavenly King realm! "As for the others, I hope everyone makes some progress!" At this point, Su Yu smiled. "If a few more Heavenly Kings emerge, I will head back up to the Upper Realm very soon, bringing even greater strength to participate in the upcoming battle of Mount Chaos! "As for King Daqin and King Daxia..." Su Yu looked toward the two men and said sternly, "If the two of you cannot step into the second-tier Dao Integration realm this time, my Wild Heavenly Beast corpse will have gone completely to waste! If both of you reach second-tier Dao Integration, I will take you to the Upper Realm and let you see Mount Chaos, to see what the chaotic lands where the Wild Heavenly Beast originally lived are truly like! There, the two of you may find further opportunities! "However, if you cannot reach second-tier Dao Integration... then continue staying in the Human Realm!" "..." King Daxia and King Daqin felt immense pressure weighing upon them. How humiliating! They had practically been singled out for criticism. They had devoured the Wild Heavenly Beast—a genuine Master of Rules—yet remained at the peak of third-tier to this day. Hearing Su Yu put it like that, neither of them had the face to speak. Su Yu then looked at the ancient marquises, particularly Marquis Huoyun. "Huoyun, you are at the peak of second-tier, close to being a Heavenly King! However, your contributions under my command are not yet sufficient for me to take you through the River of Time to comprehend the Dao... As for your thousands of years of struggling in the Upper Realm, that has nothing to do with me, and I will not count it as merit!" Marquis Huoyun turned exceptionally grave, saying in a low voice, "To receive a reward without merit is undeserved; I would not dare presume upon Your Majesty Sovereign Yu!" Su Yu nodded slightly. "However, I need capable hands right now. If you can step into the Heavenly King realm, it will be a boon for me as well! I can grant you an opportunity, advancing a major merit reward to you. But moving forward, you must slay a Heavenly King for me! Until you kill a Heavenly King, no matter how much merit you earn, no rewards will be conferred!" Marquis Huoyun took a deep breath, stood up, stepped forward, and bowed. "Huoyun expresses his profound gratitude for Sovereign Yu's generous bestowal! I shall certainly slay a Heavenly King to repay this favor!" Su Yu nodded slightly, saying no more to him. As for the Destiny Emperor, he did not mention him; that could wait until he met with Marquis Tianming. The Destiny Emperor had self-awareness and didn't speak up at all. His contributions were few, and he had submitted to Su Yu late; he certainly wasn't as worthy of investment as the Iron-Eating race. Su Yu continued, "Powerhouses like Marquis Tianlong of the Dragon race have all been personally suppressed by me and will be taken to the Upper Realm! The three major realms are currently sealed. This time, I will leave behind a small number of Dao Integration experts to stand guard, while the rest will be brought to the Upper Realm at my discretion... Naturally, third-tier Dao Integration is the baseline! Second-tier Dao Integration is preferred; those who are too weak are not needed!" "..." Below, someone finally couldn't hold back. Tianmie blurted out, "Then what about me..." Su Yu glanced at him. "You only possess fifth-tier Dao Integration strength; you're too weak. If you can reach third-tier Dao Integration this time, I'll take you along. Otherwise... you'd better remain behind to guard the myriad realms!" Tianmie's face turned purple. How is that even possible! I'm getting left behind again! As he fumed indignantly, Xinghong beside him maintained a calm, impassive expression, transmitting quietly, "Stop looking. I'll be taken up. I was already at the fourth tier before, and after comprehending the Great Dao Diagram, I'll soon reach the third tier... Tianmie, looks like you'll be eating my dust again!" "..." I want to bash you to death with a club! Tianmie was on the verge of madness! He felt overwhelmingly depressed. I refuse to accept this! Every single thing was snatched up by this bastard Xinghong—becoming City Lord was like this, going to the Upper Realm was like this, and now this bastard Xinghong had actually surpassed him in strength. This was sheer bullying! This trip to the Upper Realm had indeed yielded immense gains for Xinghong: a vast amount of rule power, comprehending the Great Dao Diagram, participating in several Heavenly King battles... All in all, the harvest was far greater than staying in the lower realm. Now, catching up to him wouldn't be easy for Tianmie. Xinghong remained outwardly expressionless, yet he was gloating inside, transmitting once more, "Take good care of the house in the lower realm. Later, when I go up and slay a few, I'll record the footage and bring it back for you to watch." Go die! Tianmie raged internally! Su Yu said no more. Streams of rule power flew toward the Dao Integration experts according to their merits. Those who had accompanied him to the Upper Realm received no further share. On the lower realm side, figures like Liu Yue, Doubao, and Hongmeng clearly received far more than the others, as did King Daqin and King Daxia. The Guardians also received quite a bit, with Tianmie getting a relatively large share. Once Su Yu finished distributing the resources, the civilization chronicle materialized, and the book cover crafted from the Great Dao Diagram was presented before everyone's eyes. With a wave of Su Yu's hand, the entire hall was engulfed in black and white. "Observe the Dao well!" Su Yu's voice rang out like a great bell: "This contains the Human Sovereign's comprehension of the Great Dao, as well as some of my own insights. With these insights and sufficient rule power, any gains you make can quickly be converted into your own strength! "This time, only the Dao Integration stage is being rewarded. Those beneath Dao Integration will have their merits rewarded together next time!" With those words, Su Yu drifted out of the hall, while the others sat cross-legged one after another, their faces flush with excitement. Back in antiquity, Dao Integration experts likely lacked the qualifications to view the Human Sovereign's Great Dao Diagram; perhaps only Masters of Rules had been permitted to study it, and even then, not necessarily in its entirety. Today, being able to witness the Great Dao Diagram was a stroke of incredible fortune for them. *** Outside the Yu Sovereign Great Hall, Su Yu exhaled and glanced back, hoping these people could reap some gains. The pressure was real. Returning to the Upper Realm, if circumstances shifted, another massive war might erupt at any moment. Moreover, he still needed to take several people on a journey through the River of Time to see it for themselves; in the Upper Realm, one could not view the true River of Time. Beside him, Lan Tian materialized with a giggling grin. No longer the elderly man from before, he had taken the form of a familiar little girl, giggling, "Brother Sovereign Yu, do you think Brother Tiansheng can become a Heavenly King this time?" Su Yu was speechless, though he had grown accustomed to it. He smiled. "Hard to say! He opened the Dao of Humanity, and lately I see he should be comprehending the Dao of Death. There might be hope, or there might not; it depends on luck!" Wan Tiansheng was indeed a monstrous talent, and the Dao of Humanity was a formidable Dao. However, his foundation was still somewhat lacking, so Su Yu couldn't be certain whether he could advance to Heavenly King. Lan Tian giggled. "He definitely can. Brother Tiansheng is a freak, and freaks can go further!" "..." There was no way to respond to that! Su Yu ignored him and looked over at King Dazhou nearby, smiling faintly. "Let's go, King Dazhou. Take a walk through the River of Time with me. Let me see whether your two Daos of Endurance can be merged. If not... and you fail to enter the Heavenly King realm, your importance in the days ahead will drop considerably!" King Dazhou nodded, feeling a prickle of crisis. I'm doomed! I have to advance to Heavenly King! Otherwise, with so many monstrous talents in this era, it won't even be my turn to devise schemes and strategies. People like Wan Tiansheng are stepping in to replace my position one step at a time—this absolutely cannot happen! In an instant, the River of Time was torn open, and the two figures vanished into it.