Everything in Place

Cultivating the Dao, no matter how excruciating, becomes enjoyable when you have company suffering alongside you. Everyone suffering together! When dark history was made, let everyone leave behind a piece of dark history. When everyone had embarrassing moments, no one would bring them up again; they would simply allow those rumors to dissipate into the long river of history. Perhaps one day in the future, some unofficial history book might record a line or two: In such-and-such year and month, Emperor Yu and various experts cried out in agony for their mommies and daddies to save them... Of course, future generations might not believe it. Within the River of Time. People howled and shrieked in pain. This was perhaps the very first time a gathering of beings below the Rule Master level comprehended the primal Dao within the long river—the authentic, untamed power of the wild Dao that had never been conditioned by the Great Dao of Time. The gaps and fractures were steadily being mended by them. The river water leaking outward gradually dwindled. Below, Lan Tian was still regulating the power of the Daos. Probably only Lan Tian and a few individuals who had not yet reached the Eternal Realm had not ascended. Lan Tian needed to tune the entire Dao force to avoid mistakes that could degenerate into chaos. Of course, whether he went up or not did not matter; an entire book could not hold Lan Tian's embarrassing history, so no one would care anyway. As these experts repaired the Dao, several who were on the verge of a breakthrough began advancing one after another! On the human race's side, King Dahan and his peers had long been near the threshold of breakthrough, but had consistently fallen just a sliver short. That shortfall lay in their lack of understanding of the Great Dao—a lack of direct, intuitive contact. Today, Su Yu had provided them that opportunity. King Dahan and several others had previously switched Daos. King Dahan cultivated the Dao of Force. It resembled the Dao of the Physical Body, yet differed: he sought to prove his Dao through pure force, not through physical toughness alone. At that moment, King Dahan roared. This consistently mighty presence among the human Eternals finally shattered his bottleneck and broke through the barrier today! With a rumbling boom, his aura surged exponentially—he officially stepped into the Harmony Realm! He was not the only one! Over there, Tian Mie's old companions—guards like Shuangxue who had yet to advance—did not follow the Dao of the Physical Body. They had all cultivated the Weapon Melting Method, integrating different Daos. Now, they too advanced in succession. Back when Tian Mie and the others had broken through, these guards had been just one step away. They were all veteran high-stage Eternal experts who had virtually all stepped into ninth-stage Eternal when slaying dead spirits. Over these past days, some of them had even gone up to fight in the Upper Realm and had now gained comprehension of this raw Dao power. In an instant, several guards crossed directly into the Harmony Realm! On the Iron-Eating race's side, Ba Yue gave a roar. This deeply aggrieved crown prince of the Iron-Eating race threw his head back and bellowed to the heavens, shouting wildly, "Your father has advanced!" He had been so aggrieved! He had served as crown prince for ages. His father had died, and Liu Yue had agreed that he would be the next to succeed the throne. Yet before he could take the seat, he had somehow ended up as the retired emperor! Yes, his son Jiu Yue had advanced to Harmony first and claimed the throne before him! Now, he had finally crossed into Harmony! It was considered a branch of the Dao of the Physical Body, achieving Harmony via the Iron-Eating Seventy-Two Forgings rather than Jiu Yue's Devouring Dao. Ba Yue roared without end! At this juncture, the Iron-Eating race presented an intriguing sight: San Yue, Si Yue, Wu Yue, Liu Yue, Ba Yue, and Jiu Yue had all stepped into the Harmony Realm. Together with Ju Zhu and Yuan Yue, this race had produced a staggering eight Harmony experts across both the Upper and Lower Realms, none of them weak. The Five Elements race had produced six Harmony experts, while the Iron-Eating race had produced eight. As for the formerly powerful Destiny race, hardly anyone had come this time around; only the Destiny Emperor was present, while the other Eternals had stayed behind. Meanwhile, the Destiny Emperor's aura was ethereal and unfathomable. In that moment, one could hardly tell whether he had advanced or not. But when Su Yu swept his gaze over him, his eyes flickered slightly. The silent, unassuming Destiny Emperor had likely crossed into the Heavenly King Realm! As for the Hou race, the Hou Emperor had also stepped into third-tier Harmony. Yet, the Hou Emperor looked somewhat despondent. Aside from him, though a few Eternals of the Hou race had grown somewhat stronger, none had achieved Harmony. Every race was making progress, yet the Hou race alone seemed to show little headway. Tuntian of the Hou race had successfully proved his Dao, and his aura was swelling rapidly, attaining roughly sixth- or seventh-stage Eternal strength in the blink of an eye. Yet that was not enough; the disparity remained far too vast. The Hou race seemed on the verge of decline, unable even to match the Five Elements race! However, Su Yu noticed the Hou race's situation at this time. In truth, Su Yu was not particularly familiar with the Hou race. Even with Tuntian, who had followed him later on, he was not deeply acquainted. He was more familiar with the Hou Emperor's son; members of this race all looked rather alike. Even so, Su Yu recognized one of the ancient hous at a glance. It was the Hou King who had scrambled onto Bright Light Island back then to catch Bright Light Birds! Back then, Su Yu had mentioned that Bright Light Birds were delicious, and this fellow had eagerly trotted off to gorge himself on them until grease smeared his mouth, even declaring he would enclose the Bright Light Bird Realm to raise them as his personal feeding grounds. That had been Su Yu's very first interaction with the Hou race. Later, when Su Yu visited the Hou race, it had been he and Tuntian who came out to greet him. At this moment, Su Yu looked at that ancient hou, who was madly devouring Dao power yet still unable to step into Harmony. He smiled and called out, "Xiuwu, don't just recklessly swallow Dao power!" Yes, his name was Xiuwu. A rather peculiar name. The Hou Emperor's father had actually possessed immense status—at least from the perspective of the myriad races—because he had been King Wu's mount. The Hou Emperor was also extremely ancient, but his aptitude seemed mediocre; previously, he had only wielded fourth-tier Harmony strength, perhaps not even quite that. Only now had he crossed into the third tier. This Xiuwu was a grandson of the Hou race's progenitor, yet his strength was not particularly high either. Xiuwu... perhaps that name bore some connection to King Wu. The ancient hou was fretfully devouring all sorts of Dao power. Hearing Su Yu call out to him, he looked up with a mixture of agitation and frustration. Even the Five Elements race had produced six Harmony experts, yet in his Hou race, his father was the only Harmony to this day. In the Upper Realm, the Hou race was weak as well, possessing merely a single second-tier Harmony expert. He wanted to step into Harmony! Yet why couldn't he? Being chosen as King Wu's mount meant his grandfather had been exceedingly powerful; otherwise, King Wu would never have looked his way. Why, then, did each generation decline compared to the last? The first generation was certainly a Rule Master, the second generation reached third-tier Harmony, and the third generation wasn't even Harmony. Such a regression was severe indeed. Under normal circumstances, the first-generation bloodline of a Rule Master could easily reach the Heavenly King Realm. The second generation reaching Heavenly King was also normal; even if one didn't reach Heavenly King, it shouldn't degrade to being unable to achieve Harmony at all. There were so many experts among the myriad races back in that era, and King Wu had been one of the Four Directional Human Kings, holding supreme status. When King Wu sought a mount, even as a mere steed, its status might well have been higher than the emperors of some myriad races. In truth, Su Yu felt somewhat puzzled as well. After all, whether it was the Iron-Eating race or others, the direct bloodline descendants of a Rule Master could not be this weak. The Hou race... He observed them more closely today. This race seemed to walk the Devouring Dao as well. Tuntian's name alone revealed some of his ambitions, and his talent was not weak either; he had previously ranked near the top of the Dao Attainment Chart. Yet after watching for a while, and observing carefully once more... Su Yu's mind drifted for a moment. This race might have been royally screwed by King Wu. King Wu might not have done so intentionally, but... in all likelihood, they really were led astray by that musclehead King Wu. Logically, a peerless expert who had opened the Heavenly Gate and attained the stature of a Four Directional Human King wouldn't be so disastrous... yet there was always that one chance in ten thousand. Su Yu observed attentively for a moment, opened his Heavenly Gate, and scrutinized them from head to toe. After a pause, he called out, "The Hou race probably isn't a ferocious beast race at all!" "..." At that moment, the Hou Emperor, Xiuwu, and Tuntian all turned to stare at Su Yu. Not just them—everyone else looked toward Su Yu as well. What the hell? With the Hou race's fierce, sinister looks, they weren't ferocious beasts? Over there, Tian Mie wasn't crying anymore; he clutched his belly and laughed uproariously. "Old Hou isn't a ferocious beast? Then what is he, a violent beast?" Su Yu glared at him. Embarrassed, Tian Mie cut his laughter short instantly. Su Yu declared in a clear voice, "The Hou race being ferocious beasts is probably something even they themselves believe, because the first-generation Hou Emperor served beneath King Wu. King Wu was fond of battle, and he likely brought the first-generation Hou Emperor along to conquer the myriad realms countless times! "Over time, perhaps even the first-generation Hou Emperor was influenced, coming to believe he was a cruel and savage entity... "However, when I observe your Great Dao, there isn't much ferocious hostility in it!" Su Yu looked toward the old turtle in the distance. "Senior Hongmeng, you are the oldest among us. Did you have any contact with the Hou race in the early days?" In the distance, the old turtle paused slightly, sinking into reminiscence. His existence was extremely ancient; he was a being from after the creation of the world, born strictly speaking in the early primordial era. The Hou race... The old turtle possessed far too many memories from his long life. After recalling vaguely for a moment, he replied with uncertainty, "I did have contact, very long ago. Back then, the first-generation Hou Emperor was extraordinarily powerful. I remember... vaguely, that taking the first-generation Hou Emperor as a mount was actually King Wen's idea... King Wen... King Wen seemed to have said that King Wu possessed an impulsive temperament, and having the first-generation Hou Emperor by his side might help temper him." Su Yu chuckled. "That explains it! When I observe the Hou race's Great Dao, it is lucid and pure, devoid of ferocious or volatile malice. It is clearly a Dao of clarity, so how could it be so brutal? Devouring heaven and earth, devouring everything, devouring all things... this feels wrong! "The way I see it, King Wen's suggestion for King Wu to partner with the Hou race wasn't to give King Wu another brawler, but to provide him with an overseer! The Hou race possesses a lucid mind and a fierce countenance, yet excels in discerning and judging matters. This is clearly an auspicious beast, not a ferocious beast..." The Hou Emperor and the others were completely stunned. What kind of joke was this! With looks like ours, we're auspicious beasts? What nonsense! Our lineage devours all things, battles dragons and wrestles phoenixes, eating our way across the world. And you're telling us we're auspicious beasts? How absurd! Su Yu smiled and said, "That is simply the truth. The first-generation Hou Emperor's function was actually to admonish and advise King Wu! King Wen found the first-generation Hou Emperor as King Wu's companion so King Wu would have more counsel and judgment by his side. However... the first-generation Hou Emperor was likely led astray by King Wu!" King Wu undoubtedly possessed charisma. Through prolonged companionship, not only did the first-generation Hou Emperor fail to influence King Wu, but he was instead corrupted by King Wu, transforming from an initial advisor and overseer into a ferocious, savage beast! Naturally, the descendants of the first-generation Hou Emperor were affected by this as well, believing their race was a savage beast race whose purpose was to devour the myriad races. At these words, everyone was dumbfounded. The first-generation Hou Emperor was an advisor? You have to be kidding! Yet Su Yu smiled and said, "This is merely my conjecture, but it is reasoned from observing the Dao! Your Dao is not so vicious. Blindly pursuing savagery will not necessarily bring you progress! The Hou Emperor is considered a veteran Harmony among us, yet he has struggled to step into the Heavenly King Realm, barely managing even third tier... Why not change your mindset? Don't just blindly pursue ferocity and endless killing... Soften your approach appropriately." The formidable members of the Hou race froze. But... we've been savage for countless years. All we know is eating, eating, eating, devouring, devouring, devouring. What, that's wrong now? The Hou Emperor said in bewilderment, "Emperor Yu, how do we soften it?" We don't understand! We eat dragons and eat phoenixes; we eat everything, tearing flesh and blood apart as a habit. You're asking us to be gentle, but we don't know how! Su Yu felt a headache coming on. True enough. Habits ingrained to the bone were hard to alter. Did one strictly have to tread the exact path of predecessors and fit their mold? Thinking of this, Su Yu said suddenly, "If it really doesn't work, switch Daos! You belong to the Hou race, so naturally it was easy to merge into the first-generation Hou Emperor's Dao, and your Dao attainment back then was probably barely scraping by... In truth, your nature doesn't match the first-generation Hou Emperor's Dao! Since you've always considered yourselves walkers of the Devouring Dao, then walk the Devouring Dao!" Su Yu quickly continued, "Right now, there are several paths to choose from. First, walk Jiu Yue's Devouring Dao, but Jiu Yue is nine out of ten chances to become a Rule Master; I won't allow you to contest the Dao with him! "Second, walk Senior Chuibing's Devouring Dao... with the same outcome. Both of their Daos are about devouring, though of different branches. However, Senior Chuibing is an innate Dao Spirit and might produce another Rule Master... "Third, I will locate another Devouring Dao for the Hou race to cultivate!" Su Yu declared loudly, "Among the world's Daos, there are countless branches of the same type. Within the Devouring Dao itself, multiple Daos exist! Now that my comprehension of the Dao has deepened, finding another Devouring Dao in the River of Time shouldn't be difficult. Whether it already has a master, I cannot say! But I believe that if you don't switch Daos... even the Hou Emperor will likely have no hope of reaching Heavenly King!" He was the legitimate son of an authentic Rule Master, yet possessed no hope of reaching Heavenly King. It sounded cruel, but Su Yu judged that this was the most likely reality. With a ferocious expression—not out of anger, but simply his natural look—the Hou Emperor struggled, "Emperor Yu, are you saying we walked the wrong Dao? That my father's Dao doesn't suit me?" How could that be! Su Yu nodded. "Your father was not inherently ferocious. King Wu is to blame for this; his influence on your father was too profound, ultimately causing your father's path to deviate..." It was almost comical. Was this real? The Hou Emperor found it hard to believe. His father had been a brutally violent figure who had followed King Wu across the heavens, devouring experts of the myriad races with utter ruthlessness. And you're telling me my father was inherently benevolent? What a headache! Yet Su Yu had opened the Heavenly Gate and directly observed their Dao. Furthermore, he truly had been stuck in Harmony for countless years. Others had stepped into Heavenly King while he remained a low-grade Harmony, only now barely scraping into third tier through sheer accumulation of time. Had they truly been wrong? He glanced at Tuntian and the others. If they were wrong... then the entire Hou race might never produce a truly top-tier expert in the future. Switching Daos... that carried immense risk, as an alternative Dao might not suit the Hou race either. Yet after pondering for a moment, he said with savage resolve, "Since Emperor Yu believes my father's Dao doesn't suit me... then I am willing to switch Daos! I will switch to a new Devouring Dao. As for Jiu Yue and the others... forget about theirs!" Merging with someone else's Dao wasn't good. If friction arose later, that would be even worse! Su Yu smiled. "Very well, but let's put it aside for now. Everyone, continue comprehending. Once I finish opening this breach and stabilize the tributary of the River of Time, I will take you into the River of Time to find a Dao that suits you better! Missing this opportunity doesn't matter; there will be more chances ahead..." The Hou Emperor nodded, a deep sense of trepidation lingering in his heart. I actually comprehended the wrong Dao power all along? Unbelievable! Well, he had to trust Emperor Yu. After all, look at Doubao—it had reached Heavenly King precisely because that fellow had also comprehended the wrong Dao previously. And the old turtle seemed to have been the same! For all these years, without a supreme expert possessing the Heavenly Gate to discuss the Dao with them, these figures had walked down divergent paths. It wasn't until Su Yu appeared, setting things right and explaining the essence of the Great Dao, that they had progressed one after another and stepped into the Heavenly King domain. Su Yu temporarily left the Hou race to their thoughts. The others were continuing to make progress as well. Now knowing that his Dao truly was the Devouring Dao, Chuibing devoured with immense relish. The Devouring Dao was wonderful; one didn't need to think much, just keep swallowing. Chuibing's mind was rather stubborn and single-tracked anyway; otherwise, he wouldn't have kept swallowing those Eternals back then and letting them self-destruct inside his belly. After a long time, an aura surged from Chuibing, devouring all things. Second-tier Harmony! Overjoyed, Chuibing continued to devour maniacally. As he swallowed, he almost started trying to devour Jiu Yue, suddenly feeling that Jiu Yue smelled quite appetizing! ... After an unknown period, a deafening rumble echoed! From below, Lan Tian's voice boomed, "The myriad Daos flow is stabilized!" A flash of joy appeared in Su Yu's eyes. He shouted, "Alright, everyone descend! The breach is stabilized!" Everyone had reaped considerable gains this time. However, Su Yu knew they could not linger any longer. He looked up, feeling a pang of heartache: both the Civilization Chronicle and the Xingyu Seal had been battered to the point of minor cracking. If they stayed any longer, both supreme treasures would be ruined! The group swiftly descended, each person's aura elevated and carrying a touch more wildness than before! The Daos were still their original Daos. Yet having absorbed the primal power of the wild Daos, their Dao power was no longer as mild as before, carrying instead the explosive vigor of a volcanic eruption. The number of powerhouses was growing. This time, two new Heavenly Kings had emerged: Doubao and the Destiny Emperor. With that, the ranks of Heavenly King-level experts under Su Yu's banner had grown even further. King Dazhou, Lan Tian, Wan Tiansheng, Marquis Huoyun, Fat Ball, Doubao, Destiny Emperor, Consort Qi, Hongmeng—and Su Yu, who could step into that realm at any moment. Counting him, there were a full ten Heavenly King-level beings! As for top-tier Harmonys—what Su Yu designated as second-tier Harmonys—there were also quite a few: King Daqin, King Daxia, Chuibing, General Yingwu, Marquis Dingjun, and King Daming, who had barely caught up to second tier; additionally, Marquis Tongtian, Jiu Yue, and Liu Yue, who had just barely reached second tier. Liu Yue had progressed very quickly as well. The Space Beast Emperor also seemed only a hairsbreadth away. Counting them, that made ten as well. At third tier, Xinghong and Tian Mie had reached third tier; in addition, the Hou Emperor, Book Spirit, and Tea Tree were also there. As for fourth tier, there were plenty: Yunxiao and the other guards who had advanced earlier, along with Duobao, Tianyue, Chongming, and others, were all at fourth tier. Furthermore, Yunxiao and her peers were very close to third tier. Yunxiao had advanced alongside Tian Mie and the others; it was just that later on, she had mostly stayed behind in the Lower Realm and participated in fewer battles. Previously, she had been slightly weaker than Tian Mie, and now Tian Mie had pulled ahead somewhat. Xia Longwu, upon advancing to Harmony, felt almost on the verge of fourth tier. Looking around, the assembly was brimming with talent. As for the unique existence that was Futuling, he would likely be just like Jiu Yue: given some time, he might step into the Heavenly King domain very soon. Because the Dao of the Five Elements had been pioneered by the Five Elements Ancestor, and Futuling was the origin of the Five Elements Ancestor. Having only just broken through, he hadn't made dramatic leaps yet, but so long as there was sufficient time, Futuling was bound to reach the Heavenly King realm. A radiant smile broke across Su Yu's face. On the human side, King Dahan, King Datang, King Dashang, and King Dasong had all crossed into the Harmony Realm. Under Marquis Dingjun, none besides Chongming had reached Harmony; however, under Marquis Huoyun, two experts—Huoyue and Huobao—had both attained Harmony. Under General Yingwu, a general named Yingchao had also stepped into the Harmony Realm. Descending from the River of Time, Su Yu's smile grew wider and wider! This time, their overall strength had not diminished; it had increased! A few had left—such as Anying, Yunshui, and the unaligned Zhennan—and Wen Qi had been lost. Yet his side was now far stronger than before! Su Yu looked at the crowd and soon chuckled. "First, stabilize this tributary of the River of Time. Everyone, continue comprehending the Dao to deepen your insights! Once this round of gains is settled, take three days of rest to digest what you've acquired. Then I will lead you all to the chaos to witness me open a Great Dao. You will have another chance to observe and advance further!" The crowd was overjoyed! This felt incredible! Any previous sorrow over migrating... what sorrow? This migration was practically a massive bounty! Forced flight and helplessness were completely an act directed and staged by Su Yu, intentionally abandoning the myriad realms. Otherwise, with ten Heavenly Kings joining forces, could Baizhan really have taken them down? What a joke! Baizhan was strong, capable of taking on three to five Heavenly Venerables, but how many Heavenly Kings could a single Heavenly King match? Lan Tian and Wan Tiansheng working together had been able to block Yueqin, merely falling slightly into a disadvantage. Ten Heavenly Kings joining forces certainly had nothing to fear from Baizhan. At that moment, the entire assembly bowed in unison and shouted at the top of their lungs, "We thank Emperor Yu!" The grace of imparting the Dao! The Dao was never to be imparted lightly! Yet Su Yu had harbored no reservations, teaching and revealing the Dao openly. This was a privilege people of other eras could never have enjoyed. Su Yu smiled. "Alright, everyone, stabilize the River of Time. For me, this has also been an exceptional realization. I must thank all of you for opening this breach together with me..." Saying no more, he swiftly helped Lan Tian stabilize the Heavenly River breach. Su Yu also began constructing the barrier for the time tributary, channeling the River of Time into this place so everyone could cultivate in the future without being unable to practice the Daos of the myriad realms simply because they were in the dead spirit realm. In the truest sense, he was carving out a pure land within the dead spirit realm! Back in the ancient era, King Wen and the others might have been capable of doing so as well. Yet they likely harbored certain reservations—for instance, this was the territory of the Dead Spirit Dao's master, and they might have felt awkward encroaching upon another's domain, choosing instead to open a breach in the Upper Realm. Su Yu, however, had no such qualms. Who cared! If you ancient beings have the ability, come out! If they truly showed up, wouldn't King Wen and the others return as well? When that time came, it wouldn't be my problem anymore. Constructing the barrier was no easy task, but Su Yu treated it as a trial, a rehearsal before opening the heavens. Had he not opened this Heavenly River breach first, numerous problems would likely have arisen when he opened his own Dao later on. Discovering issues now allowed him to remedy them; remedying them while opening his own Dao would be far more difficult. Su Yu built with immense care. Lan Tian and the others were equally diligent in helping comb through the Dao powers. The more one comprehended the Dao, the clearer it became. At that moment, the chaotic Dao power throughout the entire Tianyuan Realm was steadily being gathered and reined in. While Su Yu was erecting the barrier, Wan Tiansheng was also at work. He gathered those who no longer needed to assist and instructed them to level the terrain of the Tianyuan Realm, arranging the thirty-six ancient cities across various locations in a rational layout. Fifty million people would live in this realm from now on. Everything had to start anew! Food still had to be consumed. Although the grain they had brought was enough to feed fifty million people for decades, they could not simply sit and exhaust their reserves. Fields that needed cultivating still had to be cleared. It was best for everything to resemble how it had been before, allowing everyone to grow accustomed to living here. Everyone busied themselves. Across the vast Tianyuan Realm, figures were seen everywhere. Soon, Wan Tiansheng released some Shanhai and Lingyun realm cultivators to help build their homes. Next, he began releasing the Tengkong realm cultivators. They dispelled death qi and eliminated stray, scattered dead spirits. A flourishing scene! Full of hope, everyone worked together to rebuild their homeland in this realm so different from the Human Realm! Though they firmly believed they would fight their way back sooner or later, living better and more comfortably here was equally necessary. The newly opened Heavenly River breach still poured forth considerable power, saturating the realm with rich Dao force. Wan Tiansheng scattered sheets of primordial liquid across the four quarters of the world. Having plundered the myriad realms, their haul of treasures was staggering. Abundant Heaven Yuan Fruit Trees were planted in every direction. Using the resources of the myriad realms, they sustained these tens of millions of people. Even if they fought their way back one day, this realm of living beings rooted inside the dead spirit realm would remain an essential strategic foothold—so long as it was not destroyed, it would serve as a vital crossroads between the realms of life and death. Buildings rose from the ground one after another. Some structures had been transplanted intact from the Human Realm; now released, they stood tall in all directions. Academies, libraries, treasuries, ancient cities. Gradually, the dark Tianyuan Realm began to brighten. Wan Tiansheng and the others worked together to construct an enormous celestial body radiating dazzling light. The rotation of sun and moon! The giant star was half bright, half dark. "Residents of the thirty-six prefectures may reside in the thirty-six ancient cities according to their former affiliations!" "The ancient houses within the cities will no longer leak death qi; the thirty-six dead spirit passageways are sealed!" "..." People were steadily released. In the past, everyone had lived across thirty-six prefectures, and now there happened to be thirty-six cities. If they did not wish to intermingle, they could choose according to their original prefectures. "The Five Elements, Iron-Eating, Ancient Hou, and Space races possess differing customs and living environments; they may establish separate holy lands, with all expenses covered by the Emperor Yu Manor!" Wan Tiansheng and his aides made rapid arrangements, striving to settle the entire Tianyuan Realm before Su Yu finished constructing the barrier. Such was an era of powerhouses! Whatever needed doing was remarkably convenient. Vast amounts of resources could simply be transported via spatial teleportation or storage rings. Where buildings were lacking, massive stones could be shaped instantly into structures. Under Wan Tiansheng's request, over ten thousand experts from the Earth Element race were reinforcing the ground of the entire realm and constructing roads. With the Five Elements race present, many tasks were accomplished with ease. The Five Elements race excelled at leveling mountains, paving roads, channeling water for irrigation, and cultivating flora. Vast expanses of flowers, grass, and trees sprang up across the realm in an instant. Seeds fell, and lush groves formed in short order. Meanwhile, the ancient Space race assisted in constructing teleportation channels connecting the thirty-six ancient cities. As for the Iron-Eating race, they could only watch idly, asking the Five Elements race to plant more bamboo groves for them. ... Su Yu, currently constructing the barrier, watched as the dark Tianyuan Realm gradually welcomed the light. The Tianyuan Realm, previously as gloomy as the underworld, suddenly had a sun; green trees cast their shade, roads crisscrossed in every direction, buildings rose piece by piece, and ancient cities stood proud. A smile spread across his face—a smile of pure satisfaction! Though this was not the Human Realm, the renovations underway made it perhaps even better than the Human Realm. King Dazhou channeled rule power to bring down rain of primordial energy in various regions. King Daqin, King Daxia, and the others led over ten million soldiers to station themselves at the four cardinal borders, guarding against dead spirit incursions. King Daming led experts proficient in formations to erect great arrays across the land. Everyone was filled with joy. Gradually, Su Yu completed the outline of the barrier. While it might not be extraordinarily sturdy, it was sufficient to support the existence of this Great Dao of Time. However, upon reaching the terminus, it needed to be cut off; any Dao had to have an end. The terminus of the Human Sovereign's Dao was a broken edge from which vast amounts of masterless rule Daos flowed out without harming anyone. Su Yu could not achieve that; he could not sever it cleanly out of thin air. At this moment, Su Yu turned his gaze toward Fat Ball! The little white dog, who was wagging its tail, seemed to realize something upon meeting Su Yu's gaze. Looking at the constructed, severed Dao in the void, it couldn't help asking, "You... want to move Master's house here?" Su Yu beamed! His smile was extraordinarily radiant! "Yes! I want to move King Wen's residence to the end of the Dao to act as a blockage boulder! On one hand, it will prevent the water of time from the Heavenly River breach from leaking; on the other hand, moving it away from the Human Realm means that since this is only a tributary, the impact force won't be too strong, and Big Wood will be able to come out whenever he wants." The genuine River of Time had far too much impact force. Because of that, King Wen's former residence had always been unstable. If moved here, however, King Wen's former residence was formidable enough—capable of standing in the genuine River of Time, it could serve perfectly as a dam here! This would kill two birds with one stone. Fat Ball looked rather sorrowful. "But... if we move the house, Master won't know the way home!" Su Yu smiled. "Your master and the others cannot return right now anyway. Once I find them and bring them back, they will naturally know where home is! Otherwise, left in the Human Realm, I worry it will eventually be washed away!" If King Wen's former residence was moved, the Human Realm would truly have no good treasures left behind. Fat Ball pondered for a long time before replying with a pitiful whimper, "Alright! Then let's move it here! But... but we have to move it back in the future!" "Of course!" Su Yu smiled. As long as Fat Ball agreed, that was all that mattered. With that, the grand house-moving operation could commence! "Lan Tian, keep an eye on maintenance here. I'm going to the Human Realm to move King Wen's former residence... Tongtian, handle the teleportation!" Su Yu couldn't be bothered to travel on foot. With Marquis Tongtian around, he could teleport anywhere now. Despite the barrier between realms, Marquis Tongtian's teleportation capabilities were remarkably strong, especially now that he had reached the second-tier Harmony realm, making teleportation all the simpler. Marquis Tongtian wasted no words. He had been very obedient lately; having talked too much and said the wrong things last time, he hardly dared utter a peep these days. Whatever Su Yu said, went. If told to teleport, teleport he would. ... The Human Realm. Su Yu returned once more. This time, he didn't bother speaking to Marquis Zhennan and the others. He headed straight to Mount Xingluo and plunged directly into the Waterfall of Time. Where exactly King Wen's former residence sat within the Great Dao of Time was something even Su Yu wasn't entirely certain of. He had never encountered it in the River of Time. Since he hadn't found it swimming upstream, it was very likely situated downstream. Of course, wherever it was didn't matter much to Su Yu. King Wen had opened a breach here; as long as the Waterfall of Time was present, Su Yu could enter and exit at will without traversing the River of Time. "A breach..." When that thought crossed Su Yu's mind, he suddenly froze. Yes, a breach. Here... right, an independent breach seemed to have been opened here as well. Could it be that King Wen had also opened a Heavenly River breach at his former residence? Was the Waterfall of Time essentially a breach itself? Without dwelling on it, he stepped into King Wen's former residence, where flowers remained in bloom. In the entire residence, only Big Wood remained on guard. As soon as Su Yu stepped inside, he reached out and snatched a large seal into his hand. At this moment, various phenomena manifested upon the Human Lord Seal. With a single glance, Su Yu could tell it had grown much stronger than before. Faintly, it felt almost on par with the Xingyu Seal. The Xingyu Seal was extraordinarily formidable, representing the zenith of the human race; even as the seal the Human Sovereign used prior to unifying the heavens, it was extraordinary. Now, Su Yu's seal faintly gave the feeling of catching up. One had to realize that in this era, Su Yu did not even have a single Rule Master on his side, which paled in comparison to the ancient human race. "Did it incorporate the power of the myriad races?" The fortune of the Space race and other races seemed to have merged into it as well. This was likely where the difference between the Xingyu Seal and Su Yu's seal lay. Behind him, the little white dog seemed reluctant to part with the place. Seeing it gaze around with deep affection, Su Yu couldn't help saying, "Fat Ball, we're taking the house with us. You can look at it every day. We're just putting the house in a different place. If you're going to feel sentimental, you should feel sentimental about the River of Time outside—it might not look the same as what we have next!" Fat Ball was wasting its emotions! The house, the courtyard, the mountain—I'm moving all of it! It wasn't as if they were picking up a few items and leaving; the house was still there. What was it gazing at so nostalgically? Speechless! Fat Ball blinked in surprise, staring blankly at Su Yu for a long while before nodding. That seemed to make a lot of sense! Yes, they were only moving the house. Afterward, wouldn't it still live inside this house? It was just that the River of Time outside might look different in the future. Thinking of this, a touch of wistfulness appeared on the dog's face. "True enough. Tea Tree will have to change her bathhouse. If I'd known, I would have brought Tea Tree back. Who knows if she'll get used to a different bath?" Su Yu chuckled. Mid-laugh, he froze. Turning back to Fat Ball, he said suddenly, "Wait... did I overlook something?" Fat Ball looked at him quizzically. What was wrong? "Tea Tree... has always taken baths in the River of Time?" "Yeah!" Fat Ball answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Su Yu froze once more. Previously, he hadn't thought too deeply about it. Tea Tree usually manifested as a cute little girl, sometimes playing around with Lan Tian's little-girl avatars, and Su Yu hadn't bothered paying much attention. Now, however, he was taken aback. The River of Time was no public bathhouse! Back when he first met Fat Ball, Fat Ball had mentioned that Tea Tree bathed in the River of Time. At the time, Su Yu had merely marveled at it without thinking deeper. Only now, having walked the River of Time himself, did he realize how terrifying the water of the myriad Daos truly was. Lingering briefly was fine, but staying for an extended period was disastrous. The myriad Daos degenerated into chaos... yet Tea Tree had apparently been planted directly inside the River of Time. Su Yu's brow furrowed slightly. He asked abruptly, "Tea Tree is planted directly in the River of Time, isn't she?" "Yup!" Fat Ball nodded, looking at Su Yu strangely. I told you that already. The first time we met, I told you, and I even gave you tea leaves brewed from Tea Tree. Su Yu inhaled sharply. "In other words, Tea Tree usually draws water from the River of Time to grow?" "Yeah!" Su Yu couldn't help snapping, "Why didn't you say so earlier!" "I did say so!" Fat Ball looked thoroughly wronged. You're blaming an innocent dog! I did say so! The first time I saw you, I told you that Little Master and Master planted Tea Tree in the River of Time, and that she always bathed there. Since she's planted there, of course she absorbs the water of time to grow—isn't that obvious? Did you expect me to give a step-by-step lecture on how Tea Tree grew up? So weird! Su Yu gave a wry smile. "You... forget it! King Wen and the Time Master loved creating bizarre things. Doubao is a Dao Spirit, Book Spirit achieved the Dao from a book, Marquis Jiantian achieved the Dao as a spirit of fortune... Only you and Big Wood are somewhat normal." Tea Tree was not normal. Or rather, not ordinary. Su Yu said suddenly, "Tea Tree... achieved the Dao through chaos, didn't she?" "Huh?" Fat Ball looked at Su Yu. Su Yu gave a wry chuckle. "Was I really that negligent? Tea Tree should be considered part of the ancient chaos beast race... or rather, an ancient chaos tree! She spends all day disguised as a little girl, so I never paid much attention, and with Book Spirit constantly expounding the Dao to her, I didn't pry. Tea Tree cultivates the Dao of Chaos, doesn't she?" He could verify this by taking a closer look upon returning. If that was the case, Tea Tree had not achieved the Dao through the myriad Daos. She was a powerhouse of the Dao of Chaos! Fat Ball blinked. "Seems like it, probably! What's wrong with the Dao of Chaos? It's still a Dao!" "It's different!" Su Yu smiled. "The Dao of Chaos... whatever, we'll talk about it later! If she achieved the Dao through chaos, Tea Tree won't face bottlenecks in her cultivation, even up to Heavenly Venerable!" Su Yu said no more, walking straight out through the River of Time in the backyard to reach the outside. This was his first time entering the River of Time at this specific location. Looking around, the surroundings were unfamiliar; indeed, he had never been here. Within the long river, a house was enveloped in a sphere of light. Evidently, King Wen had anchored his home right here. "Let's go!" With a low shout from Su Yu, the Xingyu Seal suppressed the river's surging waves, while the Civilization Chronicle sank beneath the water, lifting upward. Slowly, the massive house was hoisted up by his Civilization Chronicle. It was quite heavy! Yet this house was extraordinarily sturdy! Battered by the long river, it remained completely unscathed. The little white dog looked around at the river with lingering attachment. The house was being taken away, and the river would be different. It sighed, "Tea Tree's bathhouse is gone. I wonder if she'll get used to a new one..." It seemed that was the only thing worthy of its lament. After all, everything else remained unchanged. Su Yu chuckled, hoisting the entire house. With a roaring shout, he tore through the long river and appeared before the Waterfall of Time in an instant. As he carried the house out of the Waterfall of Time, the waterfall vanished once more. Su Yu emerged upon Mount Xingluo, looking back with a sigh. King Wen had once opened a breach. Right here! The Waterfall of Time was a Heavenly River breach! His ability to open a breach meant King Wen might truly have gone off to pioneer his own Dao independently. Yet not a single trace remained. Where had King Wen opened his Dao? "King Wen... seems incredibly strong. The Time Master's older brother truly possesses some serious skill!" Fat Ball looked at Su Yu strangely. How bizarre—wasn't that obvious? Little Master naturally wasn't as formidable as Master! Su Yu chuckled. "I originally thought the Human Sovereign opening the heavens would make him stronger than King Wen... but the Human Sovereign only opened a fraction of it. If King Wen opened an entire world and could casually take it away... then who was truly stronger?" These ancient titans grew more mysterious the more one thought about them; every contemplation revealed an unfathomable depth! With a sigh, Su Yu held aloft the massive house and shouted, "Teleport!" Marquis Tongtian promptly unfolded an enormous gateway. Su Yu stepped inside, quickly vanishing from the Human Realm along with King Wen's former residence. Shortly after Su Yu's departure, Mount Xingluo fell into utter silence. The remaining Waterfall of Time soon dissolved completely, leaving behind not a trace. ... Boom! With a tremendous crash, an enormous house blocked the severed end of the river. The water of time slammed against the grand house, yet the structure remained utterly motionless. Terrifyingly sturdy! Here, there was not even a need for anyone to stand guard. A tributary was only a tributary after all; how could it compare to the genuine River of Time? That trickle of river water had no hope of jarring this house. At this point, this stolen, crude edition of the River of Time was completely constructed! Of course, it looked rather bizarre. Because the tributary of the River of Time was invisible. The house, however, was too large; protruding outside, it was fully visible. Consequently, throughout the entire Tianyuan Realm, one could see an enormous house suspended in the void, devoid of its previous secrecy. Yet Su Yu had no alternative. The time tributary was too small to enclose the house. Unless he expanded the River of Time to envelop King Wen's former residence, it would remain exposed—and doing so would require an effort far beyond what he could afford right now. It would have to do for now! Make do with it! At this stage, the transformation of the entire Tianyuan Realm was complete. The next step was to seal the boundary entrance of the Tianyuan Realm, ensuring outsiders could not enter and insiders could not leave. Unless Su Yu opened it himself! A total quarantine between the realms of life and death! Su Yu turned his gaze to Marquis Tongtian. Marquis Tongtian looked back blankly. Su Yu grinned. "The eighth floor of the Xingyu Mansion has no passageway; one cannot ascend from the seventh floor unless you open a door... In other words, you swallowed the passageway? Like this: swallow the passageway of the Tianyuan Realm as well. Unless people pass through your portal, no one enters or leaves!" Marquis Tongtian wore a look of helplessness. "I have to swallow it? What if I kick the bucket?" "If you die, would the passageway just disappear?" "I don't know." Marquis Tongtian shook his head. "Maybe it disappears, or maybe it reappears right on the spot." "Then whatever!" Su Yu smiled. "If you really die and it doesn't work, we'll figure out another way and open another breach. If all else fails, we can just crawl through this little hole and drill into the River of Time!" The passageway connecting the realms of life and death would not vanish completely. Marquis Tongtian could say no more and went off to swallow the entrance. Meanwhile, Su Yu called over the Hou Emperor. He intended to lead the Hou Emperor and his kin on a trip into the River of Time to switch to a new Great Dao. After that, it would be time to open his own Dao! At this moment, twenty days had elapsed since he had last descended to the Lower Realm. As for where to open his Great Dao, Su Yu had not settled on a location yet. He needed to resolve these minor matters as quickly as possible and withdraw completely into the Tianyuan Realm. After all, he had no idea how long he would have to remain holed up here.