Changes in the Three Races

"Your Majesty, weren't you worried they'd strike just now?" Great Axe was practically breaking into a cold sweat; he had genuinely been frightened moments ago! The myriad races possessed quite a few Celestial Venerables. If they had truly attacked, the four of them might not have been able to hold them off. "Hmm?" Su Yu asked, puzzled. "Why would they strike? Are they out of their minds? We came to help, and we even delivered their people back to them. We were so friendly. Aside from the Dragon race, who suffered heavy casualties at our hands, why would anyone risk their lives to attack their own reinforcements?" *Reinforcements?* Great Axe inwardly scoffed. *You harbor nothing but foul intentions—how could this count as reinforcements?* Su Yu smiled. "Don't worry. If the myriad races had the guts to strike, they would have attacked the Eight-Winged Tiger and his lot long ago. Why wait until now? These people certainly possess strength, talent, and the will to fight. They lack only one thing: the ability to reach a consensus. Every single one of them has their own petty calculations!" Celestial Venerable Long, for instance, feared that if he died, the Dragon race would be finished. Celestial Venerable Feng feared that if she fell, the Phoenix race would be finished. Celestial Venerable Dao feared that if he died, the Immortal race would be suppressed... Every one of them harbored the exact same mindset! In truth, whenever a great war erupted, this very mindset was what proved most debilitating. The myriad races lacked an outstanding leader. If they could truly unite the power of the myriad races, they would be far from weak. Even now, counting Dao, Ming, Huang, Mo, Mo, Ri, Yue, Long, and Feng, that was nine Celestial Venerables. In addition, Lei Bao and Tianming were still serving them for the time being, making eleven Celestial Venerable–level experts. San Yue had defected, but he was only one person. Eleven Celestial Venerables—and that was not all. The Immortals and Demons had each concealed at least one more, which brought the number to thirteen. Adding the Former Imperial Concubine, that made fourteen top-tier powerhouses, not to mention a dozen or so Heavenly King–level figures. Such a force was undeniably stronger than Su Yu's side. The critical issue lay in who could control the strength of the myriad races. That was the crux of it all! At these words, both Great Axe and San Yue nodded. Great Axe chuckled. "Your Majesty is right. If they were truly capable of cooperation, they would have cooperated back in the day. When we fought across the myriad realms in the past, we defeated them one by one!" It seemed the myriad races had never truly cooperated—aside from the time when the Human Sovereign swept them all up at once, which had finally forced them to band together. "Let's head to Mount Zhu first!" Su Yu said no more. For now, they needed to establish a foothold in the Upper Realm. Once the myriad races delivered the Iron Eater race, they would discuss further plans. …… Meanwhile. The crowd silently watched Su Yu and his companions depart. The group exchanged looks, remaining silent for a long while. Just then, looking frail with age, the Former Imperial Concubine gave a soft cough. "Let us head back first!" Celestial Venerable Yue hurried to say, "Imperial Concubine, we have now relocated to Human Mountain, where all the races of the Upper Realm have gathered." "A good thing." The Former Imperial Concubine nodded slightly. It was indeed a good thing. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "When Su Yu previously ascended to the Upper Realm, did he suffer defeat?" Celestial Venerable Yue gave a brief account of what had occurred. The Former Imperial Concubine pondered for a long time before replying, "Not necessarily. It might have been a tactic to divert attention. No matter; even if Su Yu has accumulated strength, he likely has no intention of dealing with us for the time being. His primary target remains the Prison King lineage." Celestial Venerable Yue fell silent. By the Imperial Concubine's words... had Su Yu's previous defeat merely been a smokescreen? Surely it hadn't gone that far? While they were conferring, Tiangu and the delegation welcoming him had already met up ahead. Turning his head to look back toward Celestial Venerable Dao and Celestial Venerable Huang, Tiangu calmly said, "You two, let us return to the Immortal race's encampment first! I have matters to discuss!" Celestial Venerable Huang and Celestial Venerable Dao exchanged glances, gave Celestial Venerable Yue and the others a slight nod, and swiftly flew in that direction. The Former Imperial Concubine glanced over, coughing several times. "With Tiangu ascending to the Upper Realm, it remains to be seen who will preside over the Immortal race's overall situation! As for our God race..." She looked toward Jiwu. "Jiwu, your strength is insufficient. For now, leave the affairs of the race to the two Celestial Venerables, Ri and Yue!" Jiwu gave a slight nod. The Former Imperial Concubine coughed continuously, her aura fluctuating. "Yueshi, you and Rimian... back in the ancient days, you both would have long become Rule Masters, transcending the mundane. Let Jiwu handle the trivial affairs of the race for now. Once the seal is broken and you both become Rule Masters, you won't need to waste thought on mundane matters. Devote more energy to cultivation." Celestial Venerable Yue nodded slightly. The Former Imperial Concubine held great seniority and high status; now that she had ascended to the Upper Realm, proper deference had to be given. Her coughing grew heavier. "The Prison King lineage must be eradicated. I am not entirely clear on the details, but it is said they possess a top-tier powerhouse—is that correct?" "Yes." The Former Imperial Concubine fell silent for a moment before speaking: "I am dying, and I likely won't live to see the late Emperor return! Leave that person to me. I will use my final battle to resolve them! Aside from that person, from our race, you and Rimian must slay another Celestial Venerable... Cough, cough..." She broke into coughs, looked around at the others, and panted, "We must act quickly. Su Yu's arrival in the Upper Realm means things will not stay quiet! We must destroy the Prison King lineage at the minimal cost, and then join hands... join hands to deal with Su Yu and his side!" Her speech grew increasingly urgent: "The Upper Realm may not take Su Yu seriously, and even though his faction possesses multiple Celestial Venerables, some may still look down on him. But in my eyes... Su Yu is far more troublesome than the Prison King lineage! The Prison King lineage amounts to little; after lying dormant for a hundred thousand years, they failed to create any significant waves. One can only say we previously underestimated them. In reality, now that we know of their existence... they are merely strong foes, not mortal enemies!" The crowd was shaken. Celestial Venerable Yue could not resist asking, "Does the Imperial Concubine mean to say that Su Yu's faction is even more troublesome than the Prison King lineage?" "Naturally!" The Former Imperial Concubine nodded. "In less than four years—in scarcely three—he stirred up storms across the myriad realms and campaigned across the Lower Realm. Do not say the Lower Realm's strength was weak... If the Lower Realm was weak, the Human race was weaker still! Neither Tiangu nor Jiwu is incompetent. They already held Su Yu in exceptionally high regard, dispatching their strongest forces time and again to slay him... By the third attempt, Tiangu and the others personally took the field!" They had intervened personally on the third attempt! These were the sovereigns of their races! Who would have the sovereign of their race join the battle on merely the third attempt just to crush a youngster? Yet Tiangu and his peers had done precisely that! Even so, it had still been too late. The Former Imperial Concubine was not truly afraid of the Prison King lineage, who had barely developed after a hundred thousand years. She was far more worried about Su Yu. Perhaps the figures in the Upper Realm did not understand, and perhaps they even looked down on Su Yu because of his recent crushing defeat, but she would never make that mistake. Not just her—no one who had come from the Lower Realm would underestimate Su Yu. Even if Su Yu appeared arrogant, reckless, and impulsive, it was all an act. He was young, yet extraordinarily calculating and full of deceit. Whenever he made a move, apart from the early days when he had had no choice, every subsequent action was taken only when he was completely confident of success—predicated on the foundation that his own side would not fail and would not lose lives. Otherwise, he was like a venomous serpent lurking in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment, withdrawing swiftly if the blow failed to land. His ascension today could mean only one thing: he was confident! When it came to Su Yu, the Former Imperial Concubine did not mind considering the worst-case possibilities. Her words made some feel that she was overestimating Su Yu. Off to the side, Celestial Venerable Long said dismissively, "They are strong, but they are only a few people. Many ants can bite an elephant to death. The number of our Dao Harmonizers alone is enough to surround and kill them!" The Former Imperial Concubine glanced at him, then sent a voice transmission to Celestial Venerable Yue: "Stay away from him! That man has no brains and will die sooner or later! As long as the Three Great Races do not underestimate Su Yu, it will suffice. As for the other races, if they wish to court death, let them try on their own! "I was the God Emperor's Dao companion and have guarded the God race for a hundred thousand years. I will never wish to see our race perish... I am willing to shed my last drop of blood to lay an eternal foundation for the God race, but I do not want... our God race to be ruined by fools! You and Rimian are intelligent; I hope no such folly occurs!" Celestial Venerable Yue's heart tightened as he transmitted back, "Imperial Concubine, how do you think Su Yu compares to Hundred Battles?" "Hundred Battles is no fool... Of course, as for the specifics regarding Hundred Battles, I am not entirely certain. He may have his own calculations, but as for him... he is hard to judge. His desire to protect the Human race is not particularly strong... But Su Yu, if one were to make an analogy, might bear some resemblance to the Human Sovereign of ancient times!" This was the highest possible praise! Celestial Venerable Yue felt an even greater chill. The Former Imperial Concubine added, "It is quite simple, really! Are San Yue and Great Axe complete idiots? If not, why would they follow Su Yu without hesitation? How old is Su Yu? Among those who cultivate to the Celestial Venerable realm, how many are fools? San Yue in particular is exceedingly shrewd and perceptive. The Iron Eater race has survived all these years without being destroyed, and since the first tide, he never took a definitive stance... Yet now, he has openly aligned with Su Yu. What do you make of that?" Growing increasingly solemn, Celestial Venerable Yue transmitted, "Then according to your view, Imperial Concubine, perhaps... we should deal with Su Yu first?" "No!" the Former Imperial Concubine replied. "Deal with the Prison King lineage first. Su Yu is leaving even us alone to go after the Prison King lineage, which indicates that lineage might currently pose a greater danger! As for Su Yu... I advise against clashing with him directly. Stall him!" "Stall?" Celestial Venerable Yue was startled. What did that mean? "Stall until the late Emperor and the others return..." she transmitted. "It will not be long. I can already sense the power of the Great Dao fluctuating and leaping with excitement—they are returning soon!" Murmuring softly, she continued her transmission: "Stall! In this era, Su Yu is truly difficult to handle. Stalling until the seal shatters and the late Emperor and the others return is the only real opportunity to deal with him! "If we cannot stall, then defend! If defense fails... we can even contact Hundred Battles first to resist Su Yu, placing Hundred Battles at the forefront... "When fighting the Prison King lineage, we can also stall!" she added swiftly. "Fight, we certainly must, but we must buy time!" Faced with her words, Celestial Venerable Yue momentarily did not know what to decide. What kind of reasoning was this? They were wary, yet dared not fight. And against Su Yu, the Former Imperial Concubine actually claimed he was more troublesome than the Prison King lineage. There was even a faint hint of dread! The Former Imperial Concubine was no weakling; she had been a Rule Master in ancient times. Could it be that even a Rule Master feared Su Yu? Celestial Venerable Yue pondered, his regard for Su Yu growing several notches deeper. Was he truly that troublesome? They had had too little contact with Su Yu, the last instance being his defeat. Brash and impulsive—that was the impression Su Yu had left on them. …… Meanwhile, the atmosphere among the Immortal race was far more solemn. Tiangu remained silent as he led his entourage flying toward Human Mountain. Behind him, the two Celestial Venerables, Dao and Huang, slightly furrowed their brows and said nothing, following closely along. Marquis Xianzhan, who had come to welcome Tiangu, noticed the heavy atmosphere and sought to change the subject: "My Sovereign, the weapon I threw down last time... did Your Majesty not bring it up?" "It's with Su Yu!" Tiangu replied without hesitation, asserting it as fact even without knowing the precise details. He said calmly, "I never communicated with you. If there was any communication, it was all Su Yu's doing!" Marquis Xianzhan froze. "Then... but I was in the Fate realm with him..." "The Lower Realm's Fate race has likely defected to him. It's hard to say for the Upper Realm, but do not place too much trust in Tianming!" As Tiangu walked, he asked, "Huang, is Marquis Sheng around?" Celestial Venerable Huang's expression shifted slightly. "He is in seclusion!" "Have him come out!" Tiangu said calmly. "Inform Marquis Sheng that it is time to emerge. The moment of life and death is upon us!" Celestial Venerable Huang frowned slightly. "Tiangu..." Tiangu turned to look at him, speaking only after a long pause: "I do not wish to seize power from you, but you know nothing about Su Yu. If I do not take command, you will all die by his hand sooner or later!" Coldly, Tiangu declared, "Inform Marquis Sheng to exit seclusion! I will take charge of the Immortal race! If you and Dao find this improper, you may strike at me and test your luck!" Authority? One could say Tiangu cared about it deeply, or that he cared very little. Yet he had to seize power! He did so not for the sake of mere authority, but to keep the Immortal race from walking into a dead end. These people knew nothing of Su Yu and would never understand how terrifying he truly was! They would only underestimate him! If their only opponent were the Prison King lineage, he would not seize power now; there would be no need. They could simply go ahead and fight. His own strength was insufficient, having only reached the Heavenly King realm—why would he turn against two Celestial Venerables? Yet at this moment, even if it meant turning against them, he had to take command! The expressions of both Celestial Venerables turned rather grim. Tiangu, however, paid them no further heed. Moving swiftly, he soon reached Human Mountain. Ahead, Marquis Xianzhan cleared the path, rapidly deactivating the mountain's restrictions. Tiangu stepped straight inside and flew toward the Immortal territory. Ahead, Marquis Yuansheng arrived with his subordinates. Seeing Tiangu, he wore a forced smile, though he spoke politely: "Tiangu has arrived. I was just preparing to host a welcoming banquet for you..." Like Tiangu, Marquis Yuansheng cultivated the Immortal Emperor Great Dao! Previously, many who cultivated that Dao had either perished or switched paths; only Marquis Yuansheng had persisted with it. Between Marquis Yuansheng and Tiangu, there was indeed a connection. The two could even be considered martial brothers! Both had studied under the Immortal Emperor and belonged to the same lineage, which was why they both focused on the Immortal Emperor Great Dao. However, Marquis Yuansheng was older; Tiangu belonged to the late ancient era. "No need!" Tiangu brushed past him directly. Marquis Yuansheng's face darkened, but Tiangu did not even spare him a glance as he headed straight for the core of the Immortal territory. The moment he arrived, without another word, his aura surged violently and erupted in an instant as he barked, "Marquis Sheng, I have arrived!" As the words fell, a small hill within the Immortals' new territory suddenly split open. The next instant, an ancient figure emerged, tearing through the void in the blink of an eye to appear before Tiangu, his eyes filled with delight and excitement. "Your Highness..." Tiangu raised a hand, emotion showing in his eyes as well. "Marquis Sheng, I am here!" "Your Highness!" the elderly man said with agitation. "Your Highness should have ascended long ago; advancing in the Lower Realm is so difficult..." "No!" Tiangu shook his head. "The Upper Realm is not necessarily better. The Great Daos here are hollow; at equivalent combat strength, it still falls short of the Lower Realm!" Cutting himself off, he said briskly, "Let us not speak of that. Now that I am here, it is what it is! Convene the Immortal Council. Summon all Dao Harmonizers—I will take command of the Immortal race!" "Understood!" Marquis Sheng's aura surged powerfully. In the next instant, a seal floated into the air as he shouted, "Immortal race, convene the Immortal Council! All at or above the Dao Harmonization realm, whether in seclusion or away, report immediately to the Council Hall!" "Marquis Sheng!" Celestial Venerable Dao frowned slightly and began to speak, but Marquis Sheng cut him off in a deep voice: "Dao, do you have an objection?" As his aura rolled outward, he suppressed both Celestial Venerables single-handedly, exerting palpable pressure on them both. Meanwhile, Marquis Xianzhan and his cohort of experts unleashed their auras as well, pressing down menacingly on Marquis Yuansheng and his faction! Tiangu's expression remained calm. Since he had arrived, and since Marquis Sheng was still here, the sky would not fall! Did Yuansheng wish to contend with him? He fell far short! Even with the two Celestial Venerables, it would not suffice. A tremor ran through the crowd. A short while later, the Immortal race's long-sealed Council Hall swung open. …… Inside the hall, powerhouses flooded in. Only now was the full foundation of the Immortal race laid bare. At this moment, an outside observer would finally realize just how powerful the Immortal race truly was. Within the immense hall, the empty thrones were quickly filled. Three Celestial Venerables! Six Heavenly Kings. And sixty-five Dao Harmonizers beneath the Heavenly King realm. A single race possessed seventy-four top-tier experts, and that was after Su Yu had slain a considerable number, including several pseudo-Dao Heavenly Kings. Otherwise, the Immortals would have had even more. Among the seventy-four supreme experts, the three Celestial Venerables and Tiangu sat side by side. Marquis Yuansheng, Marquis Xianzhan, and several others were seated one step below, signifying the difference in status. Marquis Yuansheng sat expressionless, his thoughts unreadable. Tiangu looked down at the crowd and spoke bluntly and calmly: "Whether you are willing or not, from this day forth, my command alone represents the command of the Immortal race! Aside from me, no one may issue orders to mobilize any Dao Harmonizers!" At these words, several people frowned. Below, a Heavenly King said in a heavy voice, "Tiangu, this is not the Lower Realm!" Tiangu fixed a cold gaze on him. "It is the same in the Upper Realm!" "Tiangu, you..." The Heavenly King looked displeased. "Are you not being too overbearing? Do you understand the Upper Realm? The moment you arrive, you demand control? Did you do so well in the Lower Realm? You were beaten so badly you had to seal your realm and await rescue!" It was not as though he had achieved glorious success in the Lower Realm; he had been beaten by a newcomer until he was forced to seal the realm and plead for aid. No one knew where Tiangu found the nerve to demand power the moment he arrived! The Heavenly King continued, "The Upper Realm is different. Over the years, under the leadership of the Celestial Venerables and Marquis Yuansheng, our experts have grown in number, and our race has developed better than any other. In my opinion, Tiangu, as a newcomer, perhaps you should wait a while before..." "Impudent!" Marquis Xianzhan roared in fury. "Insolence! A newly advanced quasi-king like you dares to spout nonsense here?" The newly advanced Heavenly King looked sullenly at Marquis Xianzhan, who snapped coldly, "What are you staring at? In ancient times, you would have been executed for high treason! After the Immortal Emperor vanished, His Majesty took charge of the Immortal race through a unanimous vote. For a hundred thousand years, the race's prosperity has been solely His Majesty's achievement! In which tide did His Majesty not awaken from slumber to win one tide war after another? "What, are you not convinced?" Marquis Xianzhan sneered, "Even if you aren't convinced, choke it down! It was one thing while His Majesty remained in the Lower Realm, but now that he has ascended, the Upper Realm is His Majesty's domain!" No one uttered a sound. Above, seeing this, Marquis Sheng gave a faint smile. "Since no one objects, we shall proceed according to His Highness's words. Until the Immortal Emperor returns, the Immortal race will continue to be governed by His Highness..." Celestial Venerable Dao furrowed his brows slightly. "I feel Tiangu may not be sufficiently familiar with the Upper Realm. How about this: let Tiangu study under Yuansheng for a time..." Marquis Sheng remarked impassively, "No need. The Upper Realm is a tiny patch of land—what is there to learn? Is there anyone present who does not recognize His Highness? That being the case, the handover of other matters will be simple. Yuansheng, complete the transition to His Highness within three days!" Marquis Yuansheng's expression flickered. Soon, he replied softly, "I obey the order!" Tiangu glanced at him, knowing full well that his senior martial brother did not truly yield. Years ago, they had fallen out over the Immortal Emperor Great Dao. At present, Tiangu had no desire to bicker with these people. Infighting would only diminish the Immortal race's strength. Yet even if he thought so, the other party might not. "Yuansheng, step forward!" Tiangu's sharp command caused everyone to frown. Was he going to make trouble right now? Wasn't that too soon? Tiangu had never been an impatient person, yet upon ascending to the Upper Realm, he seemed in an incredible hurry. Why? Marquis Yuansheng's eyes flickered with suspicion. *He's picking a quarrel already?* Tiangu's ascent this time was truly different from before! Marquis Yuansheng cursed internally. *Relying on Marquis Sheng's backing, you think you can act without restraint?* *Over all these years, even if I have no merit, I have toiled hard. During the periods when Celestial Venerables Dao and Huang were in seclusion, I was the one presiding over the Immortal race. Do you dare strike at me right now?* Countless thoughts raced through his mind. He stepped forward toward the dais. *I'd like to see if you, Tiangu, dare to execute me before everyone's eyes!* *Do you dare?* At this moment, Celestial Venerable Dao and the others wore grave expressions. They glanced at Marquis Sheng, only to see him watching them coldly, leaving them helpless. Marquis Sheng was part of the Immortal race's deepest foundation. He was a powerhouse on the level of Rimian—or perhaps Rimian was slightly inferior to him. Now that Tiangu had ascended, Marquis Sheng had immediately stepped forward to support him, alongside Marquis Xianzhan and his cohort. Unless they wanted the Immortal race to fracture, they had no choice but to comply with Tiangu's will to take command once more! Step by step, Marquis Yuansheng walked forward. Soon, he stood on the steps just below Tiangu. Less than a meter separated the two as their eyes met. Defiance flashed in Marquis Yuansheng's gaze. *Do you dare kill me?* Both were disciples of the Immortal Emperor! He was even older than Tiangu! He was Tiangu's senior brother! He simply refused to submit. In the past, Tiangu had stayed in the Lower Realm while his own strength stagnated, whereas Yuansheng had stepped into the Heavenly King realm for many years. Even though Tiangu had broken through now, he was merely newly advanced! Their status was comparable, and in raw power, Yuansheng was slightly stronger. Why should Tiangu lead the Immortal race instead of him? Setting aside earlier history, Tiangu had performed terribly in this tide. The Immortals in the Lower Realm had achieved nothing, routed until they fled before the Lower Realm's humans! What right did Tiangu have to ascend and seize power immediately? Filled with resentment, he stared haughtily at Tiangu. Tiangu's voice was calm as he met his gaze. "You are my senior brother. I know you have never accepted my leadership." Marquis Yuansheng said nothing. *It's best that you know!* "In earlier years, I was too proud, too overbearing..." Marquis Yuansheng blinked in surprise. Tiangu continued placidly, "Over the years, not everything I did was right, but... my dedication to protecting the Immortal race has never wavered. I believe the same is true for you! We are both disciples of the Immortal Emperor. The Emperor departed in haste without choosing a successor to lead the race, but as his disciples, it is our duty to preserve this race for him! "My ascension this time is not for power; such things are meaningless. Fame and fortune may have blinded me in my youth, but by now, I have seen through them. "Without the Immortal race, we are nothing. Today, my only wish is for the Immortal race to endure. "The Immortal Emperor may return soon... He is still alive!" Tiangu looked at Marquis Yuansheng. A trace of mockery surfaced in Yuansheng's eyes as he said faintly, "Junior Brother intends to appeal to our old bond now?" "There is no need!" Tiangu replied impassively. "Between you and me, there is little sentiment to speak of. Years ago, I asked you to sever your Dao, and you refused; our grudge was planted long ago. I merely wish to say that now is not the time to settle personal scores." Marquis Yuansheng laughed! How absurd! Did he think a single dismissive comment would wipe the slate clean? This man certainly dared to dream! Tiangu said calmly, "How about we bring our grievances to an end today?" "Hmm?" Marquis Yuansheng was taken aback. Tiangu continued coldly, "I cultivate the Immortal Emperor Great Dao, and so do you. Both of us have reached the Heavenly King level. Let our Daos clash today to determine victor and vanquished, so that you cause me no further trouble!" "What do you mean?" "A contest of Daos!" Tiangu said coldly. "We will devour each other's Great Dao power. The victor becomes a Celestial Venerable, while the loser severs their Dao! Trading two Heavenly Kings for one Celestial Venerable is no loss!" "You cannot!" The three Celestial Venerables called out in unison to stop it! This was unacceptable; whichever of them severed his Dao, it would be a severe blow to the race! Tiangu ignored them, looking squarely at Marquis Yuansheng. "Do you care to try?" With a heavy expression, Marquis Yuansheng stared at him and said coldly, "You think you have me beat?" "No!" Tiangu said calmly. "It depends on one's comprehension of the Great Dao. I have only just advanced; my comprehension might not match yours!" Yet Marquis Yuansheng lacked confidence. His innate talent was indeed inferior to Tiangu's, and his comprehension of the Great Dao might not equal his either. It was simply that Tiangu had remained in the Lower Realm for so long, where Great Daos were condensed and solid; by and large, Lower Realm Heavenly Kings were somewhat stronger than their Upper Realm counterparts. Today, the moment Tiangu arrived, he wanted to compete in Daos! Mutual devouring! Clearly, this man wanted to use his power to become a Celestial Venerable! Marquis Yuansheng's thoughts churned. *Will I lose?* *Most likely, yes!* *Yet... I am unreconciled!* Celestial Venerables Dao and Huang evidently shared this view. Celestial Venerable Dao frowned slightly. "Tiangu, this is inappropriate! We are all of the same race, and Yuansheng is your senior brother. How can you do this..." Clearly, he believed Marquis Yuansheng would lose! Countless thoughts raced through Marquis Yuansheng's mind until finally he laughed, gritting his teeth. "Fine! Let us compete! I refuse to believe I will lose to you my entire life! Tiangu, I have never yielded to you, and that remains true! Very well, let us decide the victor today... If I lose, you become a Celestial Venerable... That works too, lest others say not a single Celestial Venerable could emerge from beneath the Immortal Emperor's seat!" *Come!* *I simply refuse to accept you! Why should you occupy the throne?* *Because of your talent?* *Then from now on, let us judge everything solely by talent!* *If I lose, I will step aside and hand the Immortal race to you. It will also allow you to better control the race as a Celestial Venerable.* Marquis Yuansheng manifested the power of his Great Dao, staring coldly at Tiangu. His Dao power was somewhat diffuse, as was typical of Upper Realm experts. Tiangu also manifested his Great Dao power. It was somewhat weaker in volume than Yuansheng's, yet far more condensed. This was the manifestation of countless years of accumulation and depth. One was a steel pillar; the other, a wooden club. Which was stronger? At this moment, everyone present had a clear idea: in all likelihood, Marquis Yuansheng would be no match for Tiangu! Their feelings were complicated. Even if Tiangu won... all these years in the Upper Realm, it was Marquis Yuansheng who had led them to this point, not Tiangu. Why must he push things to such an extreme? Since it was already agreed that Tiangu would take charge, why drive him into a corner? Regardless of what the others thought, Tiangu unleashed his Great Dao power. In the next instant, the two Great Daos collided, linking together in a flash to form a vastly more powerful Great Dao! In an instant, the auras of both men vaguely touched the Celestial Venerable realm. Of course, this was only in their fused state. Everyone watched in silence. Devouring a Dao was an exceptionally perilous endeavor. They could all vaguely see Tiangu's Dao power swiftly suppressing Marquis Yuansheng's! Marquis Yuansheng struggled violently, but his Dao was diffuse, clearly no match. In actual combat, who lived and who died might still be uncertain! Yet in a contest of Daos, everything depended on comprehension. Yuansheng was outmatched! "Roar!" Marquis Yuansheng bellowed, his Dao thrashing, yet Tiangu pinned it down ruthlessly. Despair, exhaustion, a trace of reluctance, and a sense of relief washed over him... *I... truly am inferior to him!* Everyone called Tiangu a genius, but no one had ever called Yuansheng one. Sure enough, even though they were now at the same cultivation realm, he remained inferior! Marquis Yuansheng laughed self-deprecatingly. *Forget it!* *One mountain cannot hold two tigers!* *Perhaps I truly should step down.* *So be it!* Yet at that very moment, within the Great Dao suppressing him, bursts of Dao comprehension and Dao rule power suddenly began surging into Marquis Yuansheng's Dao! Before the others could notice, Marquis Yuansheng's despair turned to sheer astonishment. *Did Tiangu... make a mistake?* *This is supposed to be devouring, not spitting out!* *Why are you channeling your own Dao comprehension and Dao rule power into me?* *Did this fool mix it up?* *Impossible!* Marquis Yuansheng found it unbelievable. How could anyone be so foolish? Just as he was about to speak, Tiangu's voice sounded in his mind, cold and filled with disdain: "Comprehend it and cultivate, or you will never become a Celestial Venerable in your life! You fool, the Master took away the strong and talented. I was left behind because I was young; you were left behind purely because you were weak and stupid!" "..." Marquis Yuansheng's mind shook. He wanted to curse, but could not speak—his Great Dao was completely suppressed! "Hurry up, you useless waste!" Tiangu transmitted. "I only hope that once you become a Celestial Venerable, you won't be the weakest of them all! Do not disgrace the Immortal Emperor Great Dao!" "Then... what about you?" Marquis Yuansheng's will fluctuated in disbelief. *What about you?* "Xianzhan seized the Physical Body Dao from the pseudo-Daos; I will borrow it for now. The Dao of the Physical Body is a foundational Great Dao; I can swiftly become a Heavenly King or even a Celestial Venerable through it! It is not weak—it simply seems constrained by Su Yu for now... No matter, I will switch Daos sooner or later anyway! The Immortal Emperor Great Dao cannot produce a Rule Master, making it perfectly suited for a fool like you! "And it happens to grant our Immortal race another Celestial Venerable!" Under Yuansheng's stunned gaze, before the onlookers could discern what was happening, Tiangu let out a muffled grunt. With a resounding boom, he severed his own Great Dao power, channeling all his comprehension entirely into Marquis Yuansheng's Dao! The next instant, Tiangu reached out. With an expression of sorrow, Marquis Xianzhan presented a strand of Great Dao power with both hands! Tiangu integrated it swiftly, his aura reaching the Dao Harmonization realm in the blink of an eye! The Physical Body Dao! This was the Great Dao that Marquis Xianzhan and Marquis Duanxue had contested previously. Xianzhan, a Heavenly King, had wanted to switch to it, and so had Duanxue. But before they could, rumors spread that the pseudo-Daos had flaws! Xianzhan had been forced to give up on it! Now, Tiangu had taken it for himself! In a flash, Tiangu's aura climbed steadily, while beside him, Marquis Yuansheng's aura erupted, surging toward the Celestial Venerable realm! Only at this point did the others sense what had happened. In disbelief, someone whispered, "Yuansheng... won?" Marquis Sheng frowned slightly, while Marquis Xianzhan gnashed his teeth in fury. "Won? What do you mean 'won'? His Majesty yielded his own Great Dao power! Otherwise, what could Yuansheng have possibly used to defeat His Majesty?" The crowd froze! *Why?* Meanwhile, Tiangu rapidly integrated the pseudo-Dao of the Physical Body. Moments later, his aura stabilized, faintly reaching the power of a second-tier Dao Harmonizer. Powerhouses of their caliber were no strangers to the Physical Body Dao; it was precisely because switching to it allowed for rapid advancement that they had considered it in the first place. Before long, Tiangu would likely become a Heavenly King of the Physical Body Dao. Opening his eyes, Tiangu said calmly, "With Yuansheng becoming a Celestial Venerable, my combat power will not suffer, effectively granting our race an additional Celestial Venerable! The survival of the Immortal race is right before our eyes; the situation is far from as simple as you imagine! The Prison King lineage is merely dangerous, but the true threat of extinction comes from Su Yu! Whether you believe it or not, this is my governing policy from now on! "Maintain strict vigilance and be wary of Su Yu. In all matters concerning Su Yu, think thrice before acting!" *Boom!* A burst of explosive energy rang out as Marquis Yuansheng's aura surged into the Celestial Venerable realm. Opening his eyes, he looked at Tiangu with a deeply complicated expression. "You..." Tiangu said coldly, "I do not need your gratitude; it is far too cheap! From now on, do not oppose me. Obeying my commands will be the best outcome! The Immortal Emperor Great Dao is not omnipotent; it relies heavily on comprehension of life! That this Dao cannot achieve breakthrough to the Rule Master realm is perhaps the price it demands. Of course, it is too early to speak of such things!" Marquis Yuansheng was speechless. After a long silence, he bowed deeply. "Yuansheng... understands! I shall obey Your Majesty's commands!" At this moment, he chose to submit. Tiangu was different from what he had imagined. Though Tiangu's personal strength had declined for the moment, the three Celestial Venerables nodded slightly in approval. Soon, voices of submission echoed from below. "We obey Your Majesty's command!" The shout shook the Immortal race! On his very first day in the Upper Realm, Tiangu had completely secured control over the entire Immortal race. Likewise, the Former Imperial Concubine swiftly reclaimed authority over the God race. Over in the Demon race, Moji and his companions argued passionately, seeking to establish their own voice among the Demons. All of them shared a single conviction: the crisis posed by the Prison King lineage was nothing compared to the crisis of Su Yu!