An Agreement Reached

Tian Ce departed. As he took his leave, a deeply meaningful smile played upon his lips. Evidently, mentioning Changhe and Jiu Yue showed he had known all along. Since Changhe had returned to the Destiny race, what about Jiu Yue? ... Su Yu remained impassive. *Know all you want. If I refuse to admit it, what can you possibly do about it?* He gave the matter no further thought. Right now, he might well end up cooperating with the myriad races. Even if his identity were truly discovered, the worst-case scenario would simply be pulling out. The myriad races were hardly likely to pay an exorbitant price to cause trouble for him while the Chaos race was still right there. ... He returned to the Iron Eater encampment once more. It was located on the third tier. The three major races—the Gods, Demons, and Immortals—were all stationed together on the second tier. In truth, it would have been better for only one race to occupy that tier, and it was not as though they couldn't claim a superior area. However, if one settled on the second tier while the other two went to the third, it would create an impression among outsiders that the two races on the third tier were inferior to the one on the second. For that reason, all three major races chose to station themselves on the second tier. Meanwhile, the third tier was occupied by the other races that possessed Celestial Venerables. The Destiny race's territory lay not far from that of the Iron Eaters. At that moment, Marquis Juzhu and the others were staking out their ground. Seeing Su Yu return, Marquis Juzhu quickly flew over and asked, "How did things go?" "Quite a few experts have revived. On the human side, five powerhouses awakened, allegedly including one at the Celestial Venerable level. Not a single one escaped; all were captured." Marquis Juzhu's expression shifted slightly. *All captured?* Then again, being in secluded death-seclusion meant they were completely unaware of what had transpired outside; otherwise, they would have emerged long ago. Caught completely unawares during a sweep by the myriad races, escaping would indeed have been exceedingly difficult. Su Yu did not dwell on the matter, speaking quickly: "The three major races intend to form nine vanguard armies to serve as cannon fodder... Well, not quite cannon fodder, more like bait! Marquis Juzhu, go gather as many people as you can. The more, the better—and the safer!" Su Yu briefly laid out the plan, and Marquis Juzhu treated it with great gravity. Of course, they already had a Quasi-King on their side: that fellow from the Nine-Headed Bird race. Still, the more, the merrier. Without delay, Marquis Juzhu flew off in another direction, intending to recruit some experts first. ... At the same time. Celestial Venerable Yue and the others had thoroughly swept the Dao Origin Land, and even more experts now stood gathered at their sides. As for the five human powerhouses, all were currently imprisoned. Stepping out beyond the shimmering curtain of light encircling the Dao Origin Land, Celestial Venerable Yue looked toward the other Celestial Venerables, including the avatars of Celestial Venerable Ming and several others. Celestial Venerable Yue spoke up: "We should still talk!" Excluding the Dragon and Phoenix Celestial Venerables, the other nine Celestial Venerables had already held a lengthy discussion. They felt it was feasible to hold talks with the Torchbearer lineage. Of course, the Dragon Celestial Venerable knew nothing of this. Had he known, he might not have agreed; after all, Su Yu and his people had nearly wiped out the dragons of the Upper Realm. Celestial Venerable Ming's avatar said coldly, "We can talk, but only on the condition that they weren't the ones behind the recent incident with my race. If they weren't, I have no objections!" Although it was largely confirmed that the strike against the Underworld race was not the work of the Torchbearer lineage, who could say for certain that this lineage hadn't deliberately shifted blame onto others? Celestial Venerable Yue nodded. "We will confirm the information! Right now, we hold sufficient bargaining chips to have a proper discussion with them. It isn't like before, when we knew nothing about them... Now, with one Celestial Venerable, two Quasi-Kings, and two top Dao Integration experts in our hands, such leverage will allow us to state some demands!" Previously, Su Yu and his side held their weakness: over a hundred pseudo-Dao experts. Now, the tables had turned. Could five top-tier human experts be traded for those pseudo-Dao cultivators? Celestial Venerable Dao was the oldest and most weathered among them, yet he still carried an air of transcendent, immortal grace. He gave a soft chuckle. "There is no need to be overly fearful. Even if the other side can control those pseudo-Dao experts, doing so should still present some difficulty. It is simply that... they possess an inherent advantage against them, which is a fact. Nevertheless, holding talks to probe each other's hidden cards is indeed worthwhile." Celestial Venerable Mo also spoke up: "Then let us talk! This time, make the lineage master of the other side step forward in person. Even if not their true body, an avatar must be present!" The others exchanged glances and nodded. Discovering who the lineage master was truly necessary. The next moment, Celestial Venerable Yue glanced around the surroundings and suddenly barked, "Insolent rascal!" His thunderous shout left the people behind him bewildered. *Where is this rascal?* *No one is there!* Soon, Celestial Venerable Yue rose into the air and flew toward a distant mountain peak. Not long after, further in the distance, the ground peeled open, and a stone golem swiftly flew toward Celestial Venerable Yue. This sight set several onlookers deep into contemplation. What was the meaning of this? ... Atop the high mountain. Celestial Venerable Yue looked at the stone golem before him, his brows knitting slightly before quickly smoothing out. "Just an avatar. I thought you had planted someone right by my side. It seems you didn't." The stone golem that Lan Tian had embodied wore an utterly simple, honest expression and nodded. "I haven't planted anyone!" "..." Celestial Venerable Yue decided against pressing further. The more the fellow said that, the more uneasy it felt. Better to drop the subject and observe for himself. "We want to meet your lineage master. Choose a place so we can have a proper discussion! Last time was merely an expression of intent; this time will be a formal negotiation before the great battle... If we can reach an agreement, both sides can cooperate on dealing with the Chaos faction going forward." Celestial Venerable Yue said calmly, "Remember, we have captured quite a few human experts and haven't killed them. I hope you will show genuine sincerity rather than empty words! We are acting in good faith, and we hope you do the same!" "If an accord is reached, we might even release your human Celestial Venerable!" Lan Tian's avatar replied quickly: "We will treat this with due gravity! In that case, three days from now, we negotiate at Mount Daoshi!" "Mount Daoshi?" Celestial Venerable Yue frowned. "I have never heard of it." "It lies on the outer fringes of Mount Chaos." Celestial Venerable Yue's expression soured slightly. Lan Tian said naively, "Rest assured, it is merely the outer perimeter. Everyone can negotiate using avatars; true bodies need not be present. This is not some ploy to trap and slaughter you, but merely for greater safety! Mount Daoshi is also equipped with a sealing formation laid down by the Chaos race, ensuring the ancient beasts won't detect us... You can also take the opportunity to see the effects of the sealing formation with your own eyes! Before entering Mount Daoshi, if one moves swiftly enough and severs their Dao connection, they can arrive in a single instant!" With that, Lan Tian waved a hand, conjuring a map before them. Pointing toward a small mountain, he said, "Right here. This was once the residence of the human Marquis Anbei during ancient times." Celestial Venerable Yue memorized the location of Mount Daoshi, narrowing his eyes. "You people are residing within Mount Chaos?" Lan Tian smiled. "A portion of us are, precisely to scout out the full strength of the Chaos faction. We rarely fight battles unprepared!" Celestial Venerable Yue's brow furrowed, then relaxed into a smile. "Very well, three days from now! This time, I hope both sides can reach an accord... Furthermore, a Celestial Venerable of the Dragon race has revived. I hope you give serious thought to how you intend to give an accounting to the Dragon race..." Lan Tian chuckled. "We are natural enemies; what accounting is there to give? If you cannot reach terms with them, that is your problem! Making the Dragon race keep their mouths shut is also your responsibility. The Council of Myriad Races can only have one voice, not a chorus of contradictory opinions. If your own ranks cannot reach a consensus... then in this three-way struggle, your council will be the first to be eliminated!" Celestial Venerable Yue gave him a profound look, said nothing more, and swiftly vanished. Meanwhile, Lan Tian's stone avatar detonated on the spot, leaving behind not a trace. Once the stone avatar blew apart, several Celestial Venerables materialized simultaneously. Soon after, Celestial Venerable Dao remarked softly, "Fascinating... This is no ordinary avatar technique. Any avatar seems capable of serving as the primary body, carrying the essence of severed soul fragments... There is no telling how many avatars this individual has split into." Celestial Venerable Huang frowned. "Can his true body's location be tracked down?" Celestial Venerable Dao gave a light laugh. "As I said, this is not a standard avatar technique, nor is there any definitive 'true body'... Perhaps there is a comparatively stronger avatar that you might treat as the primary one! However, killing this person will be far from easy! It would be best to force him to gather the strength of most of his avatars, then slay that converged main body first. That way, the number of his avatars would be drastically reduced. Afterward, we could seal off an area and purge them one by one. Even if he cannot be eradicated entirely, he would be thoroughly stripped of his power!" "He is that difficult to kill?" Several of them frowned. Celestial Venerable Dao smiled. "Not necessarily!" He then looked toward Marquis Tianming, speaking softly: "If Brother Tianming employs his Heaven-Peeking Technique to peer into his fortune, the resonance of his fortune should be linked. Even if he assumes myriads of forms across different Daos, his karmic fortune remains unified. Brother Tianming should have a chance of locating all his avatars." Marquis Tianming gave a slight smile. "After he is severely wounded, there will indeed be a chance! Right now, each of his avatars holds only a minuscule sliver of fortune hidden throughout the Upper Realm. I cannot perceive strands of fortune that faint. But if he is gravely wounded and suffers a karmic backlash, creating fluctuations in his fortune, I might well be able to locate all his avatars!" The others pondered for a moment and nodded in unison. As long as there was a way to deal with him, it was fine. Still, Tianming was not necessarily entirely reliable. Aside from the Heaven-Peeking Technique, the others were also considering whether similar methods existed to handle such an adversary. After all, having countless avatars that could all maintain the guise of a true body was far too unnerving. "Mount Daoshi... A fine name! We shall meet them three days from now!" Celestial Venerable Dao chuckled. "There is one point he wasn't wrong about: if the Council of Myriad Races cannot even achieve unity within its own ranks, how can we contend against them? Therefore, during the negotiations, there shall be only one voice. Others may provide supplementary points... but none may make decisions!" He looked toward the assembly. "As for who will truly make the decisions... let us leave it to Celestial Venerable Yue!" Celestial Venerable Yue hastily replied, "No, Brother Dao is far more suitable than I..." Celestial Venerable Dao smiled faintly. "It is better for Celestial Venerable Yue to lead. The Immortal race today is hardly on par with the God race." Celestial Venerable Yue cursed inwardly. *All those roundabout words just to slip that jab in, wasn't it?* Too impatient to dwell on it, he quickly shifted the topic: "When we go this time, let us exercise utmost caution. If our true bodies do not need to attend, do not send them. In all things, caution is paramount." The others nodded in agreement. San Yue also nodded along with an earnest, simple-minded look, though a whirlwind of thoughts churned in his mind. *Su Yu has actually managed to hook up with these fellows.* *What sheer audacity!* ... "Three days from now, at Mount Daoshi!" Lan Tian reported back to Su Yu, adding, "They insist on seeing the lineage master. What should we do?" *Where would we get a lineage master!* Su Yu pondered for a moment, then chuckled. "Have King Dazhou send over a divine character avatar. If he doesn't play the lineage master, who will? This time, both King Dazhou and I will only send divine character avatars. Our true bodies will stay behind. Going once was fine, but going a second time makes me worry those fellows might catch us!" "We must also be careful that they don't trace their way back through the avatars!" Su Yu nodded. "I know. I'll be careful!" Five human powerhouses were well worth negotiating for. Soon, a divine character avatar took shape, and Su Yu handed it to Lan Tian. "Find a way to deliver this avatar into Mount Daoshi. I'll notify King Dazhou and have Marquis Tongtian find a way to transmit an avatar over as well." Lan Tian asked with a grin, "How about I impersonate King Dazhou?" "No need!" Su Yu chuckled. "There has to be some truth mixed in; we can't fabricate everything! What if someone recognizes King Dazhou? King Dazhou knows countless things that neither you nor I might be aware of. A single careless word could arouse suspicion." Seeing this, Lan Tian said no more. Since Su Yu had made his decision and their true bodies wouldn't be going, there was little cause for concern. ... Mount Chaos. Deep within the inner reaches, inside a mountain cave. King Dazhou and his group were lying low in closed-door cultivation. Suddenly, King Dazhou opened his eyes, having apparently received a message. He looked utterly speechless for a long moment before finally saying, "What daring!" Su Yu was actually aiming to form an alliance with the myriad races! Such a thing had never occurred even in ancient times. That lad Su Yu was always prone to whimsical notions, pulling off the most unexpected feats. Even though he knew Su Yu was effectively bargaining with tigers, King Dazhou could find no fault with it. Under the circumstances, this was likely the best course of action available. "Tongtian, first send my avatar to Mount Daoshi..." King Dazhou gave the instruction, then glanced toward King Daming. "Old Zhu, stop eyeing Old Qin and Old Xia. If they truly give you their bones, their strength will decline. They only stepped into the second-class Dao Integration realm recently; don't cause them to drop a grade!" Not far off, King Daqin and King Daxia wore dark expressions. King Daming was truly shameless! Over the past few days, he had nearly skinned them and pulled their sinews apart! King Daming beamed with a broad smile. "Nonsense, it was merely friendly consultation!" Saying so, he smiled again. "I wonder when Wan Tiansheng will return, and whether he has found anything." Wan Tiansheng had taken a formation base out to scout the area. There was no telling if he could uncover anything; deep within these parts remained perilous. The Ancient Space Beast race had carved out a safe zone, but safety was confined solely to this spot. ... While they were discussing him, Wan Tiansheng was currently hiding upon a small hill. Wan Tiansheng had not ventured out alone; he had brought along the curious Fat Ball. That was his greatest source of assurance. Fat Ball's combat prowess might be comparable to theirs, but the key lay in the sheer number of fine treasures the dog possessed. If nothing else, King Wen's shoe was extraordinarily potent. Carrying it along gave a solid sense of security wherever one went. At this moment, Wan Tiansheng was on high alert, well aware that the Prison King lineage seemed to have methods of tracking the Great Dao. He had even severed his Dao connection, maintaining only the state of the Sun Moon Realm—a move carrying extreme risk! Bringing Fat Ball along was also because Fat Ball possessed an ability to peer into things. When Su Yu first used Fat Ball's blood essence, he had been able to perceive the Great Dao and see its phantom manifestation, learning where to bite and sever it. That was Fat Ball's unique innate gift. By now, Fat Ball had severed its connection to the Great Dao as well. Sniffing the air, it wagged its tail and muttered, "There are lots of experts nearby. I smell an enticing aroma! My Dao wants to bite and sever theirs!" A golden radiance flickered within the dog's eyes as it surveyed the surroundings. The power of the Great Dao held immense appeal for it; snapping Daos was its instinctual drive. After surveying the area, Wan Tiansheng's gaze ultimately locked onto a high mountain sitting just beyond the primeval chaos forest. There were numerous other peaks nearby, yet from that particular mountain, he seemed to perceive traces of desire. Human desires! As long as one was human, they had the seven emotions and six desires. He could faintly sense waves of joy, delight, excitement... various emotional energies drifting from that direction. Emotions could not be concealed. Unlike offensive Dao power, emotions radiated outward unintentionally. No one went out of their way to suppress their joys, sorrows, or elation. After sensing it carefully, Wan Tiansheng sent a voice transmission: "I feel their joy, their excitement, their bloodlust... There are likely experts residing over there." He cast a sidelong glance toward the mountain. Outwardly, it seemed no different from any other peak, with no people in sight. Yet he knew experts were there. As for how many, it was difficult to tell. He dared not look too closely, knowing powerful figures were extremely vigilant. "Senior Fat Ball, do not look directly, lest we draw attention." Fat Ball pulled its gaze back as well. Wan Tiansheng added, "This place is probably not their main base. The mountain isn't large; even if it contains a hidden dimension inside, it cannot hold very many people. Moreover, it sits too close to the outer perimeter. It is likely an advance outpost... The experts who ambushed the Underworld race last time might well have marched out from here." He made a quick deduction. If so, to instantly slaughter two Heavenly Kings, the number of experts stationed here would hardly be small. Wan Tiansheng began to slowly retreat. He couldn't afford to linger or stare. Nor could he venture closer, lest he alert the enemy. Discovering one of their bases was already a tremendous success. However, Wan Tiansheng's brow soon furrowed slightly. The next instant, a surge of desire power suddenly erupted from his body, washing right over Fat Ball! Horror filled Fat Ball's eyes: "What are you doing?" *What does this fellow want to do to me?* *I'm just a dog!* Wan Tiansheng said nothing as that burst of desire power swiftly expanded across a small localized area. In the blink of an eye, several weak ancient beasts on the mountainside were affected. Taking advantage of the distraction, Wan Tiansheng led the terrified Fat Ball away in haste. Not long after their departure, two figures materialized. Completely silent and without a trace! They soon reached the spot where Wan Tiansheng had just stood—a man and a woman, both looking slightly puzzled. Yue Hao had abruptly instructed them to investigate, sensing something amiss. Yet they felt nothing out of the ordinary. Landing on the mountaintop, the two looked around. Soon enough, their eyes fell on something on the slope: two small ancient beasts rolling and tumbling over each other in a frenzy... The female powerhouse frowned slightly. "Mating season? These creatures..." She could even detect the lingering scent of heightened primal desires in the air. So it was just a pair of ancient beasts rutting. The woman could not help but remark, "Could Yue Hao have smelled this scent?" The man wore a peculiar expression, carrying a faint smirk. "Perhaps... so!" He then looked at the woman with a suggestive glint in his eye. "Tell me, while Yue Hao was conversing with us so seriously, could his mind have been wandering to such things?" The two exchanged a look and burst into laughter. Forget Yue Hao; they knew what had happened in their hearts. After a quick scan of the surrounding area, they departed. There was nothing abnormal—merely two ancient beasts mating. This was deep within the inner reaches of Mount Chaos; how could anyone infiltrate so easily? Yue Hao had simply made a mountain out of a molehill. Meanwhile, the retreating Wan Tiansheng swiftly pulled Fat Ball away, his heart pounding. There were definitely experts over there, quite possibly of the Celestial Venerable tier! Just moments ago, he had felt an abrupt prickle of crisis and hastily withdrawn. He only hoped he hadn't left behind any clues; otherwise, having someone discover an infiltration into the inner reaches of Mount Chaos would be disastrous. ... Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The outer reaches of Mount Chaos. Mount Daoshi. Inside the cavern, the avatars of Su Yu and King Dazhou had arrived well in advance. The two were casually reading books with utmost composure; the cave had originally contained some rare ancient tomes left behind by Marquis Anbei. As for the Celestial Venerables of the myriad races, Su Yu surmised they had likely arrived early as well, merely staying hidden. Whether they had arrived in person or sent avatars remained unknown. As the two continued reading, a light chuckle drifted in: "You two seem quite at ease. I wonder, are you two individuals, or just one?" Su Yu smiled. "I am Zhou Tiandao. We met last time, Celestial Venerable Yue!" At the cave entrance, multiple figures phased into view. Su Yu remained completely unruffled, quickly smiling: "Allow me to introduce everyone. This is the lineage master of our Torchbearer faction, Master Zhou!" "Perhaps some of you have met him before, or even recognize him." At the mouth of the cave, nine figures emerged simultaneously. All nine Celestial Venerables had arrived! They attached immense importance to this meeting! Naturally, all were avatars. Su Yu spotted San Yue and refrained from staring too closely. Yet soon, a thought struck him, and he smiled: "Fellow Daoist San Yue, Fellow Daoist Tianming, Fellow Daoist Lei Bao, it has been a long time!" "..." All three looked toward him at once. Lei Bao muttered gruffly, "I don't recall ever meeting you!" Su Yu smiled. "If you say so!" He said no more. Meanwhile, King Dazhou remained seated, looking up at the group with a sigh of wistful nostalgia. After a long pause, he gave a faint smile: "Gentlemen, it is between us that it has truly been a long time! What outstanding talents you all are, possessing extraordinary strength. What a pity the ancient era collapsed; otherwise, all nine Daoist friends before me would surely be Rulers of Rules by now!" At these words, Celestial Venerable Yue sized him up intently. Celestial Venerable Dao, being the most aged, scrutinized King Dazhou for a long time before finally saying, "Have you and I met before?" King Dazhou smiled and nodded: "We have. Let me think... It has truly been too long! Roughly 120,000 years ago, His Majesty the Human Sovereign hosted a banquet for the mighty of the heavens. On that day, Marquis Daoming seemed to have arrived in the company of Marquis Xiansheng. Marquis Xiansheng drank excessively, unable to hold his liquor, and caused an altercation in the Human Sovereign's palace..." King Dazhou sighed reminiscently: "Marquis Xiansheng had already attained the realm of a Ruler of Rules, making him difficult to punish. As it happened, Marquis Daoming was present and served as the scapegoat. On that day, it was I who led the guards to seize Marquis Daoming and personally meted out the discipline to warn the rest, striking Marquis Daoming's Dao body with a hundred lashes until he wept bitter tears... I wonder if Marquis Daoming still recalls this?" The moment those words fell, Celestial Venerable Dao's expression changed dramatically! He stared hard at King Dazhou. Though it was merely an avatar present, faint memories stirred in his mind! After a long silence, he said in a low voice, "It's you!" King Dazhou offered a gentle smile. "You remember?" He chuckled: "Among the experts present, Marquis Daoming and I have a bit of history. I only hope Marquis Daoming won't take it to heart!" The others turned their gazes toward Marquis Daoming in astonishment. *Did such a thing happen?* *We knew nothing of this!* Celestial Venerable Dao took a deep breath, fixing his gaze on King Dazhou: "I know who you are now!" His voice sank low. "I remember you. I even investigated you later on. You were the Human Sovereign's scribe back during the Human Realm period, specifically drafting imperial edicts for him... Later, as more powerhouses emerged and King Wen took charge of governance, you seemed to only handle miscellaneous chores in the Human Sovereign's palace." King Dazhou chuckled lightly. "You could say that. After all, my talent was lacking; I was unable to step into the realm of a Ruler of Rules. King Wen possessed immense strength and unmatched wisdom, so I could only attend to miscellaneous affairs." He smiled faintly: "Marquis Daoming must find it amusing. Back then, I was merely acting under orders." Celestial Venerable Dao looked deeply at him, only speaking after a lengthy silence: "Now I understand why you are the core of the Torchbearer lineage. It turns out... you truly were an intimate attendant of the Human Sovereign! Compared to you, the likes of Bingku held far too low a status back then..." King Dazhou chuckled. "You flatter me. My standing was not particularly high either. Bingku and Danyu were the true core; I merely patched holes and handled logistical duties." The Celestial Venerables looked on with shifting expressions. They realized that this man was indeed a close retainer of the Human Sovereign, having followed him since his days in the Human Realm. "To think you are still alive!" Celestial Venerable Dao said faintly, "You are quite advanced in years; your lifespan hasn't run out yet... And from what I can see, you don't look like someone who just awakened from slumber." King Dazhou smiled: "Having served His Majesty the Human Sovereign for so many years, there were perks. When King Wen suppressed the Immortal race, he severed the Daos of several Immortal Rulers of Rules and slew Dao Venerable Changsheng. Refining his blood essence, he produced three Undying Longevity Pills and presented them to His Majesty. Mindful of my advancing age, the fact that everyone else had become Rulers of Rules, and my poor aptitude that left me with no hope of reaching that realm, the Human Sovereign bestowed one Undying Longevity Pill upon me... Thus, I have no fear of my lifespan running dry." Celestial Venerable Huang flared in sudden fury: "You court death!" King Dazhou smiled faintly: "I am merely speaking the truth. During the era when King Wen suppressed the Immortal race, he indeed severed the Daos of several of your Rulers of Rules and slew Dao Venerable Changsheng. This is no secret. We should face the past squarely rather than deny it. The ancient glory of my human race and our current decline are also indisputable facts, which I have never denied. Why must Marquis Huangyuan take offense?" He wore an enigmatic smile throughout. Even Su Yu beside him was left utterly dumbfounded by the performance. *Incredible!* King Dazhou's bearing... One had to admit, he possessed that uncanny composure where Mount Tai could crumble before him without causing him to blink. No matter how furious they became, he remained as steady as a boulder. Ignoring their ire, King Dazhou smiled: "Come, gentlemen, let us sit and talk. There is no need to fly into a rage upon arrival and damage our harmony." The Celestial Venerables exchanged glances and took their seats. The massive square table easily accommodated them all. "Tiandao, serve tea to the Celestial Venerables!" King Dazhou looked toward Su Yu. Su Yu maintained his smile while inwardly cursing. King Dazhou truly had a wicked sense of humor at times—was he trying to get himself killed? King Dazhou chuckled: "Pardon the display, everyone. This is my grandson, still quite young. But I am old now; most of the time, it is my grandson who manages the Torchbearer lineage!" Celestial Venerable Yue looked at Su Yu, smiling faintly: "He is quite a distinguished talent. When we met last time, Fellow Daoist Tiandao showed immense courage." Su Yu offered a modest smile: "Celestial Venerable Yue flatters me." With that, he served tea to everyone... Well, he merely stirred up some origin qi casually to put on a show. None of them minded; Su Yu hadn't brought anything with him, so where would he find actual tea to serve? The others paid it no heed either. Drinking tea was an excuse; discussing business was their true purpose. Celestial Venerable Yue got straight to the point: "I spoke with Fellow Daoist Tiandao last time. Now, the sweep of the Dao Origin Land is complete. On the human side, Marquis Jufu has advanced to Celestial Venerable, while Marquis Nanxi and General Xuelan have reached the Quasi-King realm." King Dazhou paused slightly, then smiled faintly: "General Xuelan is still alive?" "I was quite surprised as well," Celestial Venerable Yue said flatly. "Her status is no small matter. I imagine the lineage master knows better than any of us." King Dazhou nodded slightly, smiling toward Su Yu: "My grandson was born after the ancient era, so he likely does not know General Xuelan. Back when the 360 Human Marquises were enfeoffed, many people were not granted titles later on... General Xuelan holds noble status, being the daughter of King Xue! King Xue was one of the few female Human Kings, making General Xuelan a true, direct descendant of a Human King!" He sighed with feeling: "It is only that General Xuelan was young back then, and I heard nothing of her afterward. It turns out she was in secluded death-seclusion. Had she been around, she could have served as a generation's Human Ruler, preventing the human race from falling into gradual chaos..." Celestial Venerable Yue smiled: "It is best that the lineage master recognizes Xuelan's status. I feared someone might remain ignorant and fail to value her. She is... quite possibly the sole surviving direct descendant of a Human King!" King Dazhou sighed: "Perhaps so. Excluding the Prison King, that may very well be true!" With that, he smiled: "Speak plainly, then. What will it take for you to release them?" Celestial Venerable Yue pulled no punches, stating bluntly: "Unseal the Human Sovereign's seal and allow us to step into the realm of Rulers of Rules!" King Dazhou's brow furrowed slightly: "This matter... is not as simple as you make it sound! Were it that simple, my human race would have unsealed it during our peak!" The Celestial Venerables felt a stir in their hearts. *He truly knows?* King Dazhou said softly, "Unsealing it is exceedingly difficult, and now is not the time! The Prison King lineage does not exclusively cultivate the Dao of Chaos; they have Celestial Venerables among them who cultivate other Daos as well... If it is unsealed, they will advance as well!" Celestial Venerable Yue said indifferently, "Then tell us first how it can be unsealed. Otherwise, how can we know whether you speak the truth?" King Dazhou chuckled. "In truth... it isn't some great secret! There is more than one method. First, the Human Sovereign perishes! Second, the human race is eradicated! Third, the human race unifies the heavens once more! Fourth, shatter several core seals!" He looked toward the group, smiling: "Currently, unsealing it is impossible, so none of you should bring this up. Even if I told you, you couldn't do it." Celestial Venerable Yue said in a deep voice, "Since we cannot do it, why not tell us anyway?" King Dazhou laughed again: "Very well, I will briefly mention some of the core locations of the seals. First, the Martial Emperor's Heaven-Piercing Aperture, situated in what used to be the King Gong Mansion! Second, the ninth floor of the Star Residence Mansion, directly above the corpse of King Yue..." The expressions of the Celestial Venerables changed slightly. Celestial Venerable Dao couldn't help but interject: "The Martial Emperor's Heaven-Piercing Aperture? King Yue's corpse?" King Dazhou sighed and nodded: "King Yue fell in battle. Near his death, His Majesty the Human Sovereign placed one of the core seals directly above his head..." He chuckled softly: "There is no need to deceive you, nor any point! Furthermore, it is perilous. Even if you descend to the lower realm, do not dream of attempting it! It is true King Yue has fallen, but a killing intent remains contained within him. If anyone other than a human approaches, death is certain! Unless you have the confidence to withstand a full-power strike from King Yue..." He spoke of these profound secrets as though they were cheap gossip picked up from the street. Yet the faces of the Celestial Venerables shifted continually as they listened! The more casually he spoke, the more weight his words carried. *King Yue is dead!* His corpse remained, and not only that, directly above his body hung a rule that sealed their advancement. In other words, to become Rulers of Rules, they would have to venture to the ninth floor of the Star Residence Mansion and break that seal! And then there was the Martial Emperor! That was equivalent to confronting two Rulers of Rules. The difficulty was terrifying to contemplate. No wonder this man disclosed it so readily; it was genuinely impossible to accomplish. King Dazhou smiled: "Gentlemen, I harbor no intention of deceiving you. If you truly wish to attempt it, wait until the lower realm opens. However... I believe that even if all of you join forces, three to five of you might perish! Both the Martial Emperor and King Yue are Rulers of Rules. The Martial Emperor is still alive, and that is no small matter. While he despises King Wu, he hates the myriad races just as much... You had best consider this carefully!" Beside him, Su Yu listened in silence. *King Dazhou, that old fox!* *He's digging graves for people without charging a copper!* Nine parts of what he said were true, and one part false. King Yue's corpse was real, the contained strike was real, the seal above was real, and the Martial Emperor being alive was real... The only critical falsehood was that none of this had anything to do with unsealing their path to becoming Rulers of Rules! He had even warned them of the dangers, especially King Yue's dormant strike—a secret he had revealed outright! If the myriad races truly believed him, once they reached the ninth floor and saw King Yue's corpse along with the spatial-temporal fluctuations above it, they might genuinely attempt it. After all, to become Rulers of Rules, paying a heavy price was not out of the question! The Celestial Venerables were currently processing this information. Celestial Venerable Mo said flatly, "And you simply tell us this just like that?" King Dazhou chuckled: "If you dare go, if you can slay the Martial Emperor and withstand King Yue's strike... then if it is unsealed, so be it! But even if all nine of you go together, assuming fewer than three to five of you would die would be underestimating a Ruler of Rules far too much!" King Dazhou smiled: "I would be glad to have you investigate. As for whether it is true or false, you can judge for yourselves!" Celestial Venerable Mo frowned, dropping the subject and asking, "Have you taken control of the lower realm?" King Dazhou slowly nodded: "You could say so, or not! In order not to alarm you, we haven't touched the three major races. Even though we could kill them, we haven't..." Celestial Venerable Mo fell silent for a moment, then looked toward Celestial Venerable Yue. Celestial Venerable Yue said profoundly, "If you want your people back, fine. Hand over captives in exchange!" Su Yu interjected, "Are you referring to those fellows in the lower realm?" Su Yu laughed. "Out of the question! Those fellows in the lower realm know far too much about our foundation. Once brought up here, our secrets would be exposed! That will not do. Of course, we can guarantee that if you hand over our people, we will not lay a finger on those fellows in the lower realm." "Nonsense!" Celestial Venerable Huang spat coldly. "Empty promises! We release captives, and all you offer is a verbal guarantee? Are you joking?" King Dazhou smiled: "Calm yourselves! There is no need to fret over those in the lower realm. If we wanted to kill them, we would have done so long ago! We simply do not wish to expose too much right now, which you gentlemen should understand..." "Moreover, once the lower realm passage is discovered by you, everything we have will be laid bare before your eyes. That would be an insurmountable loss that strikes at our very foundation. Even if it means giving up several human experts, we will never agree to it!" At this point, King Dazhou said softly, "In cooperation, naturally, neither side can expect to give nothing. We are acting in good faith! We will directly provide you with the formation core to enter Mount Chaos, rather than relying on formation talismans." "That is the first point. Second, we will temporarily refrain from touching any pseudo-Dao experts. On this matter, we can even establish binding rule pacts!" "Third, in the upcoming war against the Chaos faction, we can serve as the vanguard... Once we achieve tangible results, you gentlemen can choose to join the fray as the situation dictates!" King Dazhou said calmly, "For every human expert you release, we will slay a corresponding powerhouse from the Chaos faction! A life for a life! If you release Marquis Jufu, we will kill a Celestial Venerable in exchange! This is our sincerity! However many people you release, we will kill an equal number of Chaos experts. That way, whatever strength you return to us will be balanced by what we slaughter from them... It will not result in the myriad races being weakened while humans are strengthened! That way, it cannot be called aiding an enemy!" The pupils of several Celestial Venerables contracted slightly. *What immense swagger, and what ruthless resolve.* Even Su Yu felt a tremor in his heart. *This fellow King Dazhou... I never agreed to that.* Yet on second thought, Su Yu realized that without concrete proof, the other side would never dare hand over the prisoners rashly. After all, that would be aiding an enemy. However, if they killed experts of equivalent rank, handing over the prisoners would incur no net loss! The Celestial Venerables exchanged looks, subtle expressions flickering across their faces. Celestial Venerable Yue smiled: "Since the lineage master puts it this way... we are not petty individuals either! How about this: you make the first kill. Slay one Quasi-King, and we release one..." King Dazhou shook his head: "That is impossible. Without securing our people first, if we suffer catastrophic losses, the cost would outweigh the gain! Furthermore, we require additional strength to support us! Let us do this: General Xuelan can remain in your hands... Rest assured, as the daughter of King Xue, we will never abandon her! But we need Marquis Jufu's strength to back us; otherwise, how can we hope to slay a Celestial Venerable?" King Dazhou sighed: "I possess the power of a Celestial Venerable, but how can one man turn the tide alone? If Marquis Jufu returns, we will have a fighting chance. Otherwise... we would rather forgo this transaction entirely!" *Release Marquis Jufu!* The Celestial Venerables rapidly exchanged voice transmissions. Soon, Celestial Venerable Yue smiled: "How about this: Marquis Jufu stays with us for now, but we can release the other four, including General Xuelan! As long as you slay two Quasi-Kings and two top Dao Integration experts, we will believe your sincerity... Then we will release Marquis Jufu. As for whether you kill a Celestial Venerable... that will dictate our subsequent cooperation, not the present exchange!" Su Yu and King Dazhou cursed inwardly at the exact same moment! *Who the hell wants General Xuelan? We want Jufu!* *That's a Celestial Venerable!* *As for a descendant of a Human King... who gives a damn about that right now?!* *Useless!* Both felt utterly helpless; the myriad races were not about to part with Marquis Jufu so easily. King Dazhou sighed: "Then... we can only say we will do our best. Without Marquis Jufu's assistance, plunging deep into Mount Chaos to slay numerous experts will be extraordinarily difficult!" Celestial Venerable Yue chuckled: "Not necessarily; I have faith in the strength of the Torchbearer lineage! As long as the lineage master agrees, we will release Xuelan and the others shortly, and we will never go back on our word!" King Dazhou pondered for a moment, then nodded with a sigh: "So be it, then. I understand your intentions: once we engage the Chaos faction in battle and slaughter a large number of their experts, their hostility will fall entirely upon our shoulders. In passing, you will also be able to gauge the strength of both our sides." He offered a bitter laugh: "Forget it, forget it. Since matters stand as they do, I accept! Who asked that fellow Baizhan to squander all my prior efforts!" The others exchanged glances, smiles breaking out across their faces! With that, the foundation for cooperation was established! *Go kill a few powerhouses for us to see first; otherwise, who knows if you two factions are simply putting on a show together!* The talks deepened further, and both sides grudgingly came to an agreement.