Inside the Heavenly Gate, most of the realm was an endless void, akin to a land of primal chaos.
Few ever opened a heaven and earth in this world.
Even if someone did, they rarely allowed outsiders to set foot within.
A heaven and earth here was a dao arena—a true dao arena. My domain is entirely my Dao!
The myriad realms were a dao arena opened by the Master of Time.
The Master of Time was absent; otherwise, the myriad realms would be his heaven and earth, his domain reaching wherever his influence extended. In that domain, unless someone was far more powerful than the Master of Time himself, no one could match him there.
Hence, many within the Heavenly Gate had no territory of their own. They lived with no fixed abode, drifting between heaven and earth.
There were also powerhouses who opened small worlds, but those never lasted long. The overarching world was far too unstable, prone to frequent tremors, and any small world opened would easily collapse.
Here, periods of world-destruction occurred regularly.
At this moment, Gui swiftly shifted away from where Su Yu's Heavenly Gate projection was located.
Before long, Gui returned to a cluster of dark mountains floating in the void.
This was his lair.
Sensing Gui's return, a patrolling expert soon came forward to greet him: "Dao Master, Mount Guiyun has shown signs of tremors lately. We do not know if a period of destruction is upon us. We must trouble Dao Master to investigate so we can make preparations!"
Gui frowned slightly. *So soon?*
Knitting his brows, he said with solemn majesty, "I understand. The Heavenly Gate is about to open, so anomalies are frequent. It seems it is on the verge of overlapping with the myriad realms!"
An expectant look surfaced on the patrolling expert's face. Soon, he whispered, "I hope that once we reach the myriad realms, we can rebuild Mount Guiyun!"
Gui said nothing.
In the past, he might have thought the same: upon reaching the myriad realms, just build his dao arena and claim some territory.
Now, however, he had inadvertently picked up the signal from Su Yu's Heavenly Gate and had a chance to descend into the myriad realms ahead of time. He was no longer satisfied with his previous plans. Reach the myriad realms just to build a dao arena... how humble and pitiful was that?
*If I can enter the myriad realms a few years early, my options will be vastly greater!*
*A 16-dao powerhouse should be invincible in the myriad realms today!*
Thinking this, he refrained from saying more and quickly asked, "Over the past few days, I sensed fluctuations in the world. Have those outsiders been clashing with others again?"
"King Wen and his companions?"
The patroller said hurriedly, "They're fighting again! Even that overlord was drawn out. Dao Master may not know, but word is that the one from Mount Yongsheng stepped out of the forbidden ground..."
Gui drew in a light breath. *So fast?*
*I've only been gone a few days, and even that one has come out?*
Mount Yongsheng was one of the forbidden grounds behind the Heavenly Gate, home to an overlord from the Heaven-Opening Era and the main adversary King Wen and his ally had been fighting all these years.
The patroller added, "However, when he walked out of the forbidden ground... he didn't go after those outsiders... but went looking for the overlord of the Dead Spirit Forbidden Ground!"
Gui frowned slightly. *The Dead Spirit Overlord.*
*Is he planning to wage a massive war before the Heavenly Gate opens?*
These overlords of the forbidden grounds were boundlessly powerful, each a supreme, top-tier powerhouse. In the past, they had maintained a tacit understanding, and no major clashes had occurred. The greatest conflict was long ago, when the Lord of Dead Spirits entered the Heavenly Gate; on that occasion, because he too was considered an outsider, a top-tier war erupted.
Yet with his immense might, that man suppressed all sides, leading the other forbidden ground overlords to look the other way and let him secure a foothold behind the Heavenly Gate.
Now, after countless years without widespread war, was one about to begin?
He fell into thought, then asked a moment later, "So King Wen and the other aren't being hunted down?"
"Indeed. Those two vanished together without a sound. They might be battling in secret, or they might not have crossed paths at all."
The patroller replied, sounding somewhat expectant: "Dao Master, do you think a battle will erupt between those two?"
Gui said in a deep voice, "Don't wish for a war to break out. You might think it fascinating to watch beings of that caliber clash... but once such supreme experts go to war, the conflict sweeps across heaven and earth... and then you'll understand what true devastation means!"
Hearing this, the patroller nodded at once. That was true.
If a war broke out between those supreme beings, it would be extremely perilous.
"Understood..."
Gui had urgent matters to attend to, so without lingering on the topic, he quickly instructed, "Conduct more patrols over the next few days. Oh, and notify several of my old friends that in a few days, I will host a dao discussion assembly at Mount Guiyun!"
"Is Dao Master going to speak on the path of advancement?"
The patroller was instantly intrigued and somewhat excited. Their Dao Master had advanced to the 16-dao realm; even behind the Heavenly Gate, that made him a formidable power, and Mount Guiyun's standing was growing by the day!
However, the Dao Master had only recently advanced and had kept very quiet during this period.
Hosting a dao discussion assembly now would surely draw the interest of many prominent figures. After all, reaching 16 daos—even as a newcomer—was something that only occurred once in many years.
"Dao Master, I will send invitations to the various experts immediately... Does Dao Master have any other orders?"
Gui pondered for a moment, then said, "Tell them to bring some rule fragments and the like. If circumstances permit during the assembly, we can conduct some trades. We haven't seen each other in many years, so everyone can use this opportunity to exchange treasures they need."
"Understood!"
The patroller was delighted as well. Trading was wonderful; behind the Heavenly Gate, trading was exceedingly difficult.
The void was boundless, making it hard to find a fixed location to trade, and even if one found such a place, no one dared trade lightly.
Top-tier experts had little interest in such things, no interest in shielding anyone, and even less interest in establishing markets.
The weak certainly wished to, but lacked the strength.
In the past, someone had opened one, only to suffer misfortune by setting it up near a forbidden ground. An overlord of the forbidden ground found the market noisy and wiped it out with a casual strike, causing countless deaths and injuries. Since then, hardly anyone dared open a market carelessly.
Behind the Heavenly Gate, what was prized above all was quiet and dead silence—that was the prevailing norm in this era of ruin.
Gui said no more. At this moment, he was still somewhat hesitant.
Looking for King Wen... was perilous.
King Wen and King Wu were both ruthless killers. They had been fighting a forbidden ground overlord all these years without falling into a disadvantage; joining hands, the two of them might truly rival that being.
It was only because that overlord had existed for far too long, and supreme experts had emerged among his descendants and lineage—they had numbers on their side. Otherwise, King Wen and King Wu would not necessarily fear him.
Such beings were terrifying to Gui.
When confronted by overwhelming power, the two might retreat, but if Gui went searching for them, he would likely find them—because those two might well be itching to slay a first-rank expert to vent their frustration!
*Should I go or not?*
Thoughts raced through his mind before Gui gritted his teeth. *I'm going!*
If he didn't go, and simply told Su Yu that King Wen refused to give anything... that fellow would almost certainly not believe him.
As for whether King Wen would actually give anything, Gui felt the chances were slim; after all, King Wen didn't even know Su Yu. Yet... what if he did?
The identity of the tenth Master of Humanity might carry some weight.
Thoughts flashed through Gui's mind, and soon he said, "I am going out for a few days. If anything arises, notify me promptly!"
"Yes, Dao Master!"
The patroller answered and watched Gui depart, feeling a bit puzzled. The Dao Master rarely traveled far; why had he suddenly taken an interest in moving about lately?
Their Dao Master's courage... wasn't particularly great.
Then again, in this place, the slightest misstep could lead one to blunder into a forbidden ground and get slaughtered by experts. Perhaps the Dao Master felt that after reaching 16 daos, there was no need to be so cautious!
...
Gui only knew the general area where King Wen and his companion stayed. Those two had remained there consistently and rarely left.
Rumor had it that the one from Mount Yongsheng had captured King Wen's sister to lure and kill the two of them. Gui was not privy to the details, but he knew that King Wen and King Wu had lingered in the Mount Yongsheng forbidden zone for many years.
Even when defeated and forced back, they would return quickly without staying away for long, keeping unrelenting pressure on Mount Yongsheng and exhausting them.
The master of Mount Yongsheng had attempted several times to slay them, but had failed every time.
Those two possessed immense strength. At critical moments, the instant they saw they could not prevail, they would swiftly flee. Pursuing them was useless; King Wen had exquisite methods. If they were outside the Heavenly Gate, it would be hard to say who would triumph.
However, having entered the Heavenly Gate, King Wen was likely weakened somewhat.
Thoughts stirred in Gui's mind as he stepped into a region of absolute darkness and profound silence.
Outside this region, some small dao arenas still existed. A few first-rank powerhouses had carved out territories of their own; some Dao Masters even liked creating light, and with a fair number of people around, it wasn't completely dead and desolate.
Outside the Mount Yongsheng forbidden ground, however, reigned absolute desolation. No one dared venture here. Anyone who did was either slain by the powerhouses of Mount Yongsheng or casually finished off by King Wen and King Wu.
Over the years, this place had long become a dead zone.
At this moment, Gui felt somewhat anxious.
Of course, he wasn't a fool. His true self hadn't come in person; his true body remained hidden on the periphery, while he merely controlled an avatar to scout ahead.
Gui was on edge. Before, he would never have dared approach this place. After becoming first-rank, his courage had grown slightly, but unless necessary, it was best never to set foot in this godforsaken place.
Over the years, no small number of unfortunate wretches had been killed here.
Humanoid beings fared decently, but non-humanoids? Word was that when King Wu caught sight of them, his eyes practically gleamed green. Rumor had it he was starved—who knew if it was true?
With such thoughts in mind, he was exceedingly careful, probing forward step by step.
Fearing he might be killed by mistake, he could only transmit a faint whisper: "Lord King Wen, I request an audience on an urgent matter!"
This way, if they spotted him from the shadows and launched a sneak attack, hearing his voice might prevent them from instantly obliterating his avatar.
He called out for a while, but there was no response.
Gui grew anxious. That fellow Su Yu had only given him three days.
*That bastard is pushing me too hard.*
"Lord King Wen, Gui requests an audience..."
He called out repeatedly.
...
At the same time.
Not far from his avatar, King Wen, clad in white robes with hands clasped behind his back, silently observed Gui's avatar. Divine radiance gleamed in his eyes as he studied the avatar, deducing the location of the true body.
King Wu said impatiently, "What are you doing? Just kill him and be done with it! What are you staring at?"
*He clearly harbors ill intent!*
*Just slaughter a fellow like that and get it over with.*
King Wen paid him no mind. Divine light flickered in his eyes, and after a long moment, he glanced toward the distant void. *This fellow's true body seems to be over there.*
Roughly outside the range of the forbidden ground.
King Wen raised his brows slightly. "First-rank!"
"Oh!"
King Wu didn't care much. *What of first-rank?*
First-ranks had their own disparities, and looking at this fellow, he didn't seem all that impressive.
He had no interest in tangling with this person named Gui either, so he said, "Now that that fellow has stepped out, why don't we charge into his lair, wipe out his lineage, and rescue Wen Yu..."
King Wen ignored him. It wasn't that simple.
"Say something! She's your sister, aren't you going to care about her?"
King Wen turned to look at him and chuckled. "What's the rush? Do you really think that fellow went far? It's just deliberate. He found an excuse, wanting to lure us into his domain. Once we're in, running away won't be easy!"
"But..."
King Wu wasn't completely ignorant, but at this moment he said irritably, "Once he comes back, it'll be even more troublesome! Doesn't he want to bait us? Then let's take this chance to strike him!"
King Wen didn't reply. He looked at Gui's avatar again, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Tell me, is he a pawn sent as bait, or has he truly come to seek us out for business?"
"What business could he possibly have?"
King Wu sneered dismissively. "A guy who was completely unheard of before suddenly popping up—of course he's bait! For all we know, that grandson of a turtle arranged for him to come!"
King Wen smiled. *Not necessarily.*
Evaluating and weighing his options quickly in his mind, he suddenly vanished in a flash.
Over there, Gui was still calling out cautiously when his vision blurred. By the time it cleared, terror gripped him. *This...* Though he was only an avatar, he was a first-rank expert; even an avatar of his was exceedingly strong.
Yet without sensing a thing, he had been pulled away!
*Terrifying!*
Just as Gui opened his mouth to speak, a figure appeared before him—clad in white robes, possessing an ethereal aura and extraordinary bearing. The moment he appeared, an illusion of a revolving world unfolded before Gui's eyes, resolving into a spacious courtyard.
A towering tree rose toward the sky; a stone table and stone stools materialized.
"Take a seat."
King Wen's gentle laugh rang out. He took a seat casually, and a cup of tea materialized out of thin air in Gui's hand. Gui went pale with horror!
*Too strong!*
Even as an avatar, he was thoroughly shaken, his aura trembling. Subconsciously licking his dry lips, he said cautiously, "I dare not... May I ask... are you Lord King Wen?"
"You are a senior. I dare not accept such deference."
King Wen raised his teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile in his eyes, "Were you looking for me?"
"Yes... no..."
Gui suddenly grew flustered and stammered, "My lord... please do not misunderstand, someone entrusted me to seek out Your Lordship..."
"Oh?"
King Wen smiled. "From inside the gate, or outside?"
Gui's heart leaped!
*How do you know it might be someone outside the gate?*
*People outside the gate shouldn't be able to contact those inside at all!*
At this moment, a burly figure materialized beside King Wen, grumbling impatiently, "Just grab his true body and search his memories! Why bother with all this fuss?"
"Silence your racket!"
King Wen chided him, then smiled. "Please continue, Senior!"
Gui was immensely nervous. He had bragged extravagantly before Su Yu, but now that he stood before these two, terror seized him. A first-rank powerhouse was formidable!
Yet these two were supreme powerhouses who had tangled with an overlord of a forbidden ground for countless years!
Over the years, Mount Yongsheng had lost first-rank experts to them as well.
Save for that forbidden ground overlord, anyone who encountered them ran the risk of perishing.
With these thoughts churning, he dared not dally and said hurriedly, "It's... it's someone outside the gate..."
King Wu's eyes widened instantly, but King Wen held up a hand to calm him. After a moment of thought, he smiled. "What did he ask you to find me for?"
Gui was taken aback. Was King Wen feigning composure, or did he genuinely not care? When Gui said "outside the gate," his reaction had been so placid!
He didn't even ask who was looking for him?
Though silently grumbling and suspecting King Wen was merely putting on a calm front, Gui dared not be remiss. He said cautiously, "It is... the tenth Master of Humanity of the human race who entrusted me to seek Your Lordship. The tenth Master of Humanity is... the tenth master of the human race after the Human Sovereign..."
"I know."
King Wen smiled. "No need to explain that. Speak plainly: why does he seek me?"
Gui found it hard to get the words out. He feared that if he spoke, the two would treat him as a fraud and beat him to death. He felt anxious; he hadn't asked Su Yu for a token of proof earlier... though of course, ordinary objects couldn't be transmitted over anyway.
"He... he wants..."
Gui struggled. *How am I supposed to say this?*
*He told me to take all the treasures you've accumulated over the years and give them to him—all the rule power and rule fragments from the Rulers of Rules you've slain, hand them all over so I can bring them back!*
The more Gui thought about it, the more uneasy he grew.
At that moment, King Wu said coldly, "Dilly-dallying and sneaking around—are you looking to die?"
A ferocious aura washed over him, leaving Gui suffocating.
King Wen waved his hand slightly to suppress the aura and said with a chuckle, "Taishan, stop causing trouble. Why intimidate Senior?"
*Intimidate Senior...*
Gui felt awkward and didn't dare complain. He spoke again: "It's... it's like this. That person... he... he wants Lord King Wen... wants Lord King Wen to..."
Seeing his hesitation, King Wen smiled. "Out with it. In asking you to find me, does he want something? Does he want to ask something? Or did he simply send you to pass along a message and curse at us a few times?"
Gui's expression changed completely!
Truth be told, all three points hit the mark! Su Yu indeed wanted something, wanted to ask something, and also wanted to curse at King Wu!
*King Wen... Su Yu...*
Countless thoughts swirled in Gui's mind. At this point, terrified, he dared not stall any longer and quickly said, "He wants all of Lord King Wen's rule daos, rule fragments, and rule power... He said he needs them to elevate his subordinates..."
King Wen looked at him with a smile. "Are you the one linked to his Heavenly Gate?"
Gui's eyes flickered. "Yes. However... Lord King Wen also knows that if I sever my connection to his Heavenly Gate, his gate phantom will vanish, so Your Lordship shouldn't think of..."
King Wen said indifferently, "Rest assured, I have neither the interest nor the time. If that bastard from Mount Yongsheng discovered it, it would do no good. The true Heavenly Gate cannot be opened, but if a projection of it were projected outward... that would spell trouble for the myriad realms! As long as you understand that, it's fine. Your profile is small, whereas I am watched at all times!"
Gui breathed a quiet sigh of relief. *That was my thought too. Otherwise, I would truly have been terrified.*
Beside them, King Wu's eyes went wide. *Heavenly Gate... projection... linked party!*
*Who?*
*That kid from last time?*
*Wait, that kid was still very weak just days ago. Reasonably speaking, he shouldn't be capable of opening the Heavenly Gate to link with such a powerful entity.*
After all, no matter how weak the fellow before them was, he was still a first-rank!
*Could it be someone else?*
For a moment, King Wu found it hard to guess, and he couldn't be bothered to ponder it further—it was too troublesome.
*Using one's brain less keeps a person alive longer.*
King Wen sank into contemplation, then smiled a moment later. "Agreed!"
*What's agreed?*
While Gui was still dazed in confusion, King Wen tossed an orb casually into his hands. King Wen chuckled softly and said, "Give it to him! Of course, I've placed some seals on it; do not open it on your own. If you want a reward, ask him for it—I have nothing to offer you right now."
Gui was utterly dumbfounded. Unable to help himself, he whispered, "Lord King Wen... knows Su Yu?"
"I don't."
King Wen laughed. "Do I need to know him?"
"..."
What kind of answer was that?
Gui was completely stupefied. You don't know him, yet you handed over the goods just like that, without asking about the situation? King Wen truly asked almost nothing, just like an idiot!
I came to ask, and he gave it.
True, rule fragments and rule daos weren't of immense use to beings like them, but to those who had not yet reached the realm of Ruler of Rules, these were peerless treasures.
In fact, even experts like them could find uses for them.
Yet here he was: Gui merely asked, and King Wen gave it without the slightest hesitation.
At this moment, Gui began to question his entire existence.
He was thoroughly bewildered.
What was going on between King Wen and Su Yu?
One was utterly certain King Wen would give it, and the other actually gave it!
Gui felt no excitement, only a rising chill. The more it unfolded like this, the more he felt a looming sense of danger—immense danger!
He didn't know whether this dread came from King Wen or from Su Yu.
These two communicated across space—in fact, without even communicating directly, they reached an accord.
Gui would bet his life that Su Yu had no means of contacting King Wen, or else he would have done so directly instead of sending him. Likewise, King Wen had no way to contact Su Yu, or he would have reached out himself.
Neither could!
Yet in this moment, the two displayed an astonishing tacit understanding.
You ask, and I give—even if you didn't come in person.
Gui held the sphere in his hands. It had been sealed by King Wen, so he dared not tamper with it, nor did he know how much rule power was stored inside. But he knew one thing: it had to be substantial, for he could vaguely sense surging, boundless power within!
Perhaps... there were even first-rank rule daos!
His breath quickened slightly. *A first-rank Dao!*
*Could there be?*
It was entirely possible, for King Wen had slain first-rank experts!
Gui's mouth felt dry as he whispered, "My lord... are you not worried that I might take this and run?"
King Wen smiled. "Not at all. I trust you!"
A bone-deep chill suddenly seized Gui's heart!
*Trust, my foot!*
*We're not familiar at all. I only know of your reputation, but I've never dealt with you. What trust could there be?*
The more King Wen acted this way, the more terrified Gui became.
King Wen smiled again. "Is there anything else?"
"...Yes!"
Gui took a deep breath. "Su Yu also asked me to inquire... where... where is Lord King Wen's lair?"
"At Mount Xingluo, where else could it be?"
King Wu chimed in, unable to hold back: "You're bearing the Heavenly Gate, so you..."
King Wen raised a hand, cutting off King Wu's words. Smiling, he looked at Gui, and after a moment asked, "Let me ask first: do you know the Human Sovereign's current condition?"
"The Human Sovereign?"
Gui hesitated. "Isn't he... rumored to still be battling the experts of all races?"
*How would I know that?*
King Wen evaluated this for a moment. *Lair... does he mean my heaven and earth?*
Last time, Su Yu had asked whether he had opened a heaven and earth.
As for the lair at Mount Xingluo, Su Yu definitely knew of it; if he didn't, he wouldn't have obtained those things.
*Has something happened to the Human Sovereign?*
If Xingyu was fine, it didn't matter. But if something was wrong, King Wen genuinely worried that in his absence, he might get badly set up by the man.
That point was rather hard to discern.
Had Su Yu made contact with the Human Sovereign yet?
Surely not?
It was too soon!
Su Yu shouldn't have reached that level yet, right?
Yet he had linked with Gui, a first-rank expert, which meant his Heavenly Gate was already remarkably powerful!
His strength had naturally grown substantially as well.
Crucially, after linking with Gui, he was actually able to manipulate Gui into running errands for him. King Wen had to admit he was somewhat surprised; that fellow he saw last time truly possessed plenty of tricks!
*Did he succeed in opening a heaven, which fueled such massive growth?*
When he last saw Su Yu, the young man was in the midst of opening a heaven and comprehending the Dao of Life and Death. In that case, he might truly have succeeded!
Thinking of this, he suddenly smiled and said, "The path lies beneath his feet; let him search for it himself! No one helps another all the way to the end. Let him figure out a way on his own!"
Gui dared not object.
King Wen asked again, "Anything else?"
"N-nothing else!"
Gui dared not relay Su Yu's insults, fearing King Wu would beat him to death.
King Wen laughed. "Nothing else? Just tell me plainly: did he curse at me, or at Taishan? Then we're done!"
"N-no... Your Lordship must be joking!"
Gui's heart shook violently. *No, I can't say it.*
King Wen chuckled. "Never mind, then. Go on back. It's not safe to linger here; that fellow from Mount Yongsheng is still keeping an eye on me..."
At this point, King Wen fell silent for a moment before suddenly adding, "Tell him not to worry about us, and just handle his own affairs! Before the Heavenly Gate opens, I will find a way to eliminate the major enemy and make preparations for the gate's opening!"
"..."
*What grand boasts!*
Gui was shaken. Did King Wen mean he could resolve the threat of Mount Yongsheng's master before the Heavenly Gate opened?
*There is still a gap between you and that being!*
*Otherwise, you wouldn't have been deadlocked for so long.*
King Wen smiled and added, "One more thing: tell that fellow not to connect to the Heavenly Gate every day if nothing's going on. It can easily cause the gate to open ahead of schedule... Of course, opening the gate benefits you, so feel free to do as you please; you don't have to tell him if you prefer."
Gui looked sheepish and stammered, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"
"Go on!"
With a wave of King Wen's hand, Gui vanished from the spot.
When Gui regained his senses, King Wen and King Wu were nowhere to be seen. Terrified, he dared not delay and fled swiftly. He didn't merge back with his true body immediately either; he had to run all over the place, ideally until he reached a point where King Wen would not dare pursue, before reuniting with his true form.
The impression King Wen gave him was terrifying!
...
At the same time.
King Wu's eyes shone brightly. "Old Wen, the one you were talking about just now was that kid from last time, right? Has your son come looking for you?"
"Shut up!"
King Wen raised an eyebrow, still deep in thought, while King Wu said excitedly, "Why didn't you just grab that fellow and establish contact with that kid? His Heavenly Gate can support a first-rank now! That means you could channel some of your own world power through him. Even if it isn't much, channeling first-rank world power would still make you stronger than you are now..."
He was thrilled!
This was an opportunity!
King Wen shook his head slightly. "What's the rush?"
What was there to be anxious about?
"Let this Gui do it!"
He smiled. "Our profile is too conspicuous, whereas he... is just right! He has ambitions; he wants to leave behind the gate and enter the myriad realms. Since he dared take the risk to seek me out, it means he has already taken the bait!"
There was no need to exert too much effort themselves, which would only risk ruining things. A single careless slip could get them discovered.
Right now was ideal!
Over the years, he had actually wanted to recruit some figures behind the gate, but the ongoing war with Mount Yongsheng deterred other experts from getting involved, leaving him in a difficult bind for years!
His gaze drifted toward the distance, where a colossal mountain loomed!
Eternally present!
Even as worlds collapsed in ruin, it endured. That was Mount Yongsheng, the adversary he had been locked in struggle with all these years. Even joining forces with King Wu, they could barely match him.
Of course, that was behind the gate; outside, he wouldn't necessarily fear the man.
Here, however, he could not channel the power of his own heaven and earth, leaving him disadvantaged against the foe.
Now that the Lord of Dead Spirits had gotten involved, King Wen didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse.
Still, if that fellow from Mount Yongsheng truly clashed with the Lord of Dead Spirits, he wouldn't necessarily gain an advantage.
Thoughts arose one after another, and he soon murmured, "I wonder how many daos that kid opened when creating his heaven? Now that he needs rule power to nourish his world, and has linked with Gui, he might possess second- or third-rank strength?"
He wasn't entirely sure.
Now, separated by the Heavenly Gate, with the Brush Dao messed up beyond recognition by the kid, he couldn't sense the specifics at all.
His gaze turned once more to the distant mountain standing in the void for countless ages, and after a long silence, he said, "Wen Yu is nearing her limit!"
King Wu's expression changed slightly!
King Wen remained impassive. "Therefore, before anything happens to her, we must take that fellow down! We've wasted far too many years here. He is growing anxious now too; the Heavenly Gate is about to open, yet I've been obstructing him and causing trouble... He knows that once I return to the myriad realms, my strength will surge, and he fears I will retaliate against him then. So he wants to get rid of me now as well!"
"Is it really about to open?"
King Wu's tone turned solemn. "About how much longer?"
"Soon!"
King Wen made an estimate, then added, "Be careful lately. Wait for a while and see if Su Yu can provide some assistance..."
"Your son... I think he's pretty capable... There might be a chance!"
King Wen chuckled and said faintly, "Talking nonsense in front of me is one thing, but if you actually meet him, you'd better keep your mouth shut. Believe me, he's exceedingly petty and will look for a chance to kill you."
*I don't believe it!*
King Wu curled his lip. *Who am I?*
*King Wu!*
*I'm mighty and formidable; except for you and the Boss, I fear no one!*
King Wen chuckled and ignored him.
Turning toward the direction Gui had left, he fell into deep thought. *Has Su Yu rendezvoused with the Human Sovereign?*
*What is the situation in the myriad realms right now?*
There were matters he hadn't asked about. If he asked too much, who knew how Su Yu had deceived this Gui? Exposing the lie would spoil the game. As a scholar, King Wen understood this principle well.
*The less said, the fewer mistakes made!*
Thus, meeting Gui this time, he had said little and asked even less.
Even so, King Wen felt faintly shaken.
It was not surprising that Su Yu had opened the Heavenly Gate. What startled him slightly was that Su Yu had already succeeded in opening a heaven and had linked with a first-rank powerhouse. This meant Su Yu's strength was growing at a staggering pace, advancing day by day!
Could Su Yu funnel enough power from his heaven and earth to him before the Heavenly Gate opened?
As for where his own heaven and earth was... he hadn't elaborated, but Su Yu would definitely find it. King Wen had no doubt about that. If the boy couldn't find it, that would only prove Su Yu was an idiot—and an idiot didn't deserve to discover his heaven and earth!
...
It didn't take three days.
Gui was remarkably efficient this time.
A single day later, he contacted Su Yu.
Because that grandson of a bitch, Su Yu, was too treacherous!
Not only had Su Yu shut the Heavenly Gate, he had also been gradually grinding away Gui's remaining imprint! This deeply frustrated Gui, forcing him to arrive early and make contact again.
"Did you get it?"
The instant the gate opened, Su Yu asked. Before Gui could even open his mouth, Su Yu pressed on: "What did King Wen say? Did he answer my questions?"
"He... he said you should search for it yourself!"
"Hmm?"
Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "What were his exact words?"
Gui was speechless. *His exact words were basically that. What difference does it make?*
Thinking back, he still answered, "King Wen said, 'The path lies beneath your feet; search for it yourself. No one helps another all the way to the end...'"
Su Yu's eyes flickered.
*The path lies beneath your feet...*
Thoughts arose one after another. *Is this King Wen's answer to me?*
*Aren't you disgusted by the smell?*
Su Yu was speechless!
He stroked his chin. *King Wen is truly something. Hiding it in that place... forget the Human Sovereign, any normal person would be hard-pressed to find it.*
"Is it the boot on Fat Ball, or the other one?"
Su Yu fell into contemplation. *It's probably the one Fat Ball carries!*
King Wen was truly extraordinary.
*The path lies beneath your feet...* The hint was so blatant that it would be shocking if Su Yu failed to catch on!
"So... could his boot be the foundational anchor of his world? You're really something, using that thing as a foundation?"
If so, Su Yu had to hand it to him!
Out of all the treasures you could use, you used a shoe as a foundation!
Then again, maybe it wasn't the one on Fat Ball... since Fat Ball kept it on his person at all times, King Wen wouldn't just leave such a thing sitting in Fat Ball's stomach, would he?
"I'll know once I check!"
Su Yu smiled. As expected, asking directly like this was far more convenient; otherwise, searching for it would have been quite troublesome.
The heaven and earth was found, contact with King Wen had been established, and the Human Sovereign's world had been taken care of. In other words, the objectives of his return to the myriad realms were virtually complete.
Of course, what mattered now was his curiosity: how much rule power had King Wen collected over all these years?
Soon, he spoke up, "Alright, setting that aside, where is the item King Wen gave you?"
"I'll transmit it to you... but... I think the difficulty is immense, and the resistance is tremendous!"
"Just transmit it!"
Su Yu didn't care much. *It's your obstacle; figure out a way yourself. What does that have to do with me?*
Gui was mentally exhausted. He suddenly felt like an unpaid laborer!
Working for Su Yu and King Wen!
They communicated across realms, while he had to run errands for both!
The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt!
For a fleeting moment, he didn't even want to transmit it to Su Yu; he wanted to pocket it for himself!
Yet... he still hoped to enter the myriad realms ahead of time!
Thinking of this, Gui gritted his teeth and said, "Then condense my avatar first!"
"Suit yourself!"
Hearing this, Gui grew somewhat excited. *I can learn about the myriad realms in advance!*
Soon, he began condensing his avatar.
Meanwhile, Su Yu waved his hand, turning the area of his willpower imprint into a miniature world. In the next moment, Su Yu reached out, and an avatar of Lan Tian appeared. Su Yu transmitted his voice for a moment, and Lan Tian's avatar smiled—fascinating!
In an instant, Lan Tian vanished.
And in the area where Gui was, many figures suddenly appeared.
Su Yu chuckled. *I'm sure Gui will have a wonderful time—and return brimming with plenty!*
Chapter 867