At this moment, Su Yu was in a very good mood.
Of course, he could not let that show. Ignoring Luoyun's previous remark, he looked at the cultivators of Mount Guiyun, whose auras were gradually shifting, and said in a heavy voice, "Let's not dwell on this for now. We need to check the other domains. If all of them are like this..."
Su Yu took a deep breath. "Then we... will have to find another way!"
Luoyun was also trembling with fear.
Were all six supreme experts dead?
Death was actually commonplace here.
In this place, any mishap could occur.
What terrified him was that whoever killed them might come to wipe out the domains—that was the greatest danger.
He quickly said, "Let's head to Lord Yu's domain first, Mount Yuding. I know Inspector Zhigu over there; I've met him twice!"
Su Yu nodded slightly.
As for whether anyone recognized the inspector of Tianmu Domain... did it even matter?
In this era, might made right.
Today you were an inspector, and tomorrow you might be killed and replaced by someone else. That was nothing out of the ordinary. The law of the jungle was that stark here. Aside from the stable forbidden lands, other domains sprang up today and collapsed tomorrow in droves.
Here, loyalty was virtually nonexistent. If you were strong, people followed you; if you grew weak, they would either turn on and devour you, or, if they were slightly kinder, slip away to seek another master. Both were completely normal.
This was an era teetering on the brink of destruction—chaotic beyond measure, yet desolate and silent beyond measure. Here, only the forbidden lands endured eternally.
***
Su Yu and Luoyun traveled swiftly through the void, heading for the territory of Mount Yuding.
Along the way, Luoyun's thoughts were unsettled.
After flying for a while, he transmitted his voice: "Lord Heimu, do you have any hope of stepping into the sixteen-Dao realm soon?"
Sixteen Daos was the dividing line for the first rank.
Though not as vast as the chasm at thirty-two Daos, crossing sixteen Daos brought a leap in power. A fifteen-Dao cultivator might not necessarily beat two fourteen-Dao experts, but a sixteen-Dao expert could definitely take on three fifteen-Dao experts in battle. As for whether one could win, that was hard to say.
Su Yu said indifferently, "Hard to say. Of course, given the right opportunity, breaking through tomorrow wouldn't be surprising! Previously, Lord Mu promised to seize a Yin Death Dao of twelve Daos or more for me to aid my breakthrough, but now... it's hard to tell! Lord Mu might have met with an accident!"
Luoyun fell into deep thought.
Was there hope?
If there was, that would truly be a blessing. He glanced at Su Yu from the corner of his eye. Su Yu wasn't looking at him, however, but gazing into the distance. Suddenly, he remarked, "We are closer to Dead Spirit Hell from here. Fellow Daoist Luoyun, has the Lord of Dead Spirits ever killed experts within his domain? Also, are there many experts with sixteen Daos or more in Dead Spirit Hell?"
Luoyun grew anxious. He still wants to go to Dead Spirit Hell!
Then again, it was a forbidden land!
If I cultivated a Dao of death, I'd want to go to Dead Spirit Hell too. That's a forbidden land, far stronger than these scattered domains. It's perilous, but full of opportunities.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say and could only urge, "Lord Heimu, why not wait and see? Perhaps the lords are fine after all. Let's reach Mount Yuding first."
"Very well!"
***
Both rushed forward at top speed. Even though both were second-rank experts, flying through this void took a considerable amount of time before they finally reached Mount Yuding.
They encountered no real danger on the road.
From afar, they had spotted an enormous void demon beast, but sensing their formidable auras, it chose to retreat. Although there were many Rulers of Rules here, reaching the second rank still made one a powerful figure whom ordinary demon beasts dared not provoke.
A moment later, a jade mountain radiating a jade-like luster appeared in the void before them.
Without waiting for the other side to react, Luoyun released his aura the moment they arrived and called out in a low voice, "Luoyun of Mount Guiyun pays his respects. Is Fellow Daoist Zhigu present?"
As soon as he spoke, a figure materialized.
With flowing hair and an otherworldly bearing, he was actually an expert of the Immortal race. Su Yu sensed his presence slightly and found that he possessed fairly pure Immortal bloodline.
He was also second-rank, with strength comparable to Luoyun's, roughly around eight to ten Daos.
Upon seeing the two, Zhigu's expression shifted slightly. He looked at Luoyun and asked in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist Luoyun... has Lord Gui... returned?"
Luoyun looked at him, his gaze changing as his voice deepened. "You... sensed it?"
Hearing this, Zhigu sighed inwardly and nodded slightly. "I sensed it!"
Yu had been slain directly by Su Yu.
Furthermore, his spear Dao had been devoured by King Zhan. King Zhan had directly ground down and extinguished his Dao rather than integrating it. The Martial Emperor had integrated Daos, but King Zhan had not.
Therefore, the situation here was far more pronounced.
Zhigu glanced at Su Yu with a hint of vigilance.
Seeing this, Luoyun quickly said, "This is Lord Heimu, Inspector of Tianmu Domain, a supreme expert of fifteen Daos!"
Zhigu's expression flickered, and he bowed slightly. "Greetings, Lord Heimu!"
Su Yu gave a slight nod without saying much, looking toward Mount Yuding. His willpower swept across it, and his brow furrowed slightly. "The aura of the spear Dao is dissipating. It hasn't severed completely yet, but it's worse than Mount Guiyun. At Mount Guiyun, I sensed an integration, but here... it feels like the Dao was swallowed whole. Someone has died recently, haven't they?"
Zhigu nodded and sighed. "Yes!"
People had died!
He had already begun contemplating his future.
Even before Su Yu and Luoyun arrived, he had been debating whether to continue managing Mount Yuding or seek refuge under another sixteen-Dao lord. However, as a newcomer, and with the domain's experts and prodigies being limited, he might not gain anything and could even be marginalized.
Thus, Zhigu had been deeply conflicted.
Now seeing the two arrive, he looked at Luoyun with a sigh and asked softly, "Could it be that... Lord Gui and Lord Mu... also met with misfortune?"
Luoyun nodded, his expression grim.
Su Yu gave a faint sigh. "My side is in even greater trouble—a double catastrophe! A fifteen-Dao devourer locust leading a massive swarm is devouring my Tianmu Domain. I originally thought that once Lord Mu returned and invited a couple of friends, the problem would be easily solved. But now... Tianmu Domain might already be gone!"
Su Yu let out a self-deprecating laugh. "After serving in Tianmu Domain for years, Lord Mu treated me reasonably well, and I wanted to protect it. But... I don't want to throw my life away for a domain! Now... my only option is to head to Dead Spirit Hell!"
Su Yu looked at the two and sighed. "There's no need to check the other three domains. All three sixteen-Dao experts have fallen. As for the other three... even if they return alive, their strength is only on par with mine.
"Originally, our six domains watched out for one another, so even the forbidden lands would not easily contend with us. But now, even if those three returned... they most likely aren't coming back!"
Su Yu looked at them. "What do you two plan to do?"
Luoyun's expression shifted slightly. "Lord Heimu, our six domains still have strength and quite a few Rulers of Rules. If a sixteen-Dao expert emerges among us, we can still dominate this region! Now that the Heavenly Gate is about to open, various domains are in turmoil. Even if we go seek refuge with others now, we might not get any benefit!"
Pausing briefly, Luoyun added, "Furthermore, I heard a piece of insider news. With the opening of the Heavenly Gate approaching, the various forbidden lands may take the lead in holding a domain conference. Supposedly, they won't let everyone rush out all at once. Instead, some powerful domains will be allocated quotas to coordinate with the forbidden lands and exit the Heavenly Gate together!"
Luoyun's words instantly caught their attention.
Seeing this, Luoyun continued, "When the Heavenly Gate opens, it's impossible for everyone to exit right from the start. A batch of experts will definitely go out first. Every domain will have limited quotas, and I suspect even forbidden lands won't be able to send everyone out... After all, Rulers of Rules in the Myriad Realms are limited. If everyone pours out to kill the experts of the Myriad Realms and seize benefits, it would be utter chaos!"
Su Yu frowned. "Where did you hear this news?"
Luoyun said awkwardly, "I have some ties with a Ruler of Rules from a forbidden land. He likes to use experts who cultivate the physical body Dao for research. The forbidden land doesn't have enough living beings, so I occasionally supply him with some, and in return, he sometimes shares information with me."
Su Yu nodded slightly.
Trading human lives for favors!
As expected, among those inside the gate who cultivated to this realm, very few were decent people. The people outside had been driven mad, and the people inside had long been driven mad by the ceaseless crisis of impending doom.
Here, human life was precious, yet worthless.
What was precious were geniuses and experts, because they could strengthen the Daos of the mighty figures.
The weak were the cheapest and least valued of all!
Luoyun added, "On our side, we have six domains, including three domains of sixteen-Dao experts. As long as the news of the lords' deaths doesn't leak out, we might be allocated six quotas, or perhaps even more—a sixteen-Dao expert's domain might receive more than one!"
He looked at Su Yu. "When that time comes, everyone will have a chance to leave this godforsaken place and return to the Myriad Realms to survive!"
Upon hearing this, Zhigu understood Luoyun's intention. His eyes flickered. "If Lord Heimu is close to sixteen Daos and we manage things well, perhaps... perhaps we can deceive the forbidden lands. Even if we can't, if your lordship can advance to sixteen Daos, you would be guaranteed at least one quota. But if you leave for Dead Spirit Hell, which is teeming with countless experts, would you... truly get a chance?"
Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "Nonsense. As a fifteen-Dao expert, I could secure a quota anywhere!"
Luoyun shook his head. "Not necessarily! The Lord of Dead Spirits is different from other lords of forbidden lands. I suspect that when the time comes, certain forbidden land lords might not let him out, or might even attack Dead Spirit Hell beforehand!"
Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "Because he's a latecomer?"
"Exactly!"
Luoyun nodded. "Supposedly, the Lord of Dead Spirits still holds forces in the Myriad Realms. If that's the case, how could other forbidden land lords easily let him leave? Going to Dead Spirit Hell right now is actually extremely perilous! Your lordship might just become cannon fodder!"
Su Yu frowned, falling into deep thought.
A moment later, he gave Luoyun a strange look. "First, we must confirm whether this news is true—whether the forbidden lands really intend to restrict numbers. If it's true... what you say makes sense. But if it's false..."
Su Yu said coldly, "Then Fellow Daoist Luoyun isn't being very fair, derailing my future!"
You can't enter a forbidden land, but I can. Are you saying this on purpose?
Luoyun pledged, "It's true, and I believe this news will spread soon enough. The lords of the forbidden lands will likely conduct a screening before heading out. Weak domains might be swallowed up or destroyed!"
Su Yu's eyes flickered. A splendid opportunity!
A magnificent opportunity!
Just as he was growing drowsy, someone had handed him a pillow.
According to Luoyun, the world within the Heavenly Gate was about to undergo consolidation, which meant it was the perfect time to rise.
Normally, stirring up trouble might draw the attention of forbidden land lords.
Now, however... it was very likely no one would care.
Gui and the others hadn't mentioned this, either because they didn't know or didn't care.
To their minds, none of this had anything to do with Su Yu.
Yet thoughts churned in Su Yu's mind. In that case, taking advantage of the situation to devour some Daos, seize some domains, and subjugate some experts would be perfectly natural!
Pitting people inside the Heavenly Gate against people inside the Heavenly Gate—how wonderful!
There truly were an enormous number of Rulers of Rules in this damned place.
Just on Mount Guiyun, Su Yu had sensed six or seven, though some weren't very strong.
How many such domains existed inside the Heavenly Gate?
Even in this small region, there were six domains Su Yu knew of.
After all, these were experts from an entire era—the Heaven-Opening Era, the era with the greatest number of supreme powerhouses. Countless figures had opened Daos and worlds back then. Even if only half survived, it remained an appalling number!
Su Yu remained silent for a moment. "You mean, you want me to consolidate the six domains, participate in the forbidden land lords' quota distribution conference, and fight for quotas on behalf of the domains so we can leave ahead of time?"
"Yes!"
Luoyun nodded, speaking earnestly: "My lord, the news may have leaked already; I won't be the only one who knows. The forbidden lands have many people, so someone was bound to let it slip. If so, we are currently... in the most difficult position. We aren't weak, but seeking refuge with others right now would be fraught. Even if some domain lords are willing to take us in, their subordinates will certainly cause trouble! For a sixteen-Dao domain, I believe there are at most three quotas, and for those below sixteen Daos, perhaps only one."
To leave the Heavenly Gate first, those experts who previously had a chance would never accept outsiders taking their spots.
Su Yu frowned. "Even if we protect the six domains... won't someone come looking for trouble?"
Zhigu spoke up as well, his voice hushed with a hint of cunning. "My lord, we... can create an illusion that all six lords are still alive! Right now, nobody knows they met with misfortune except us! We can pretend they are still alive... As for whoever struck against them, to eliminate so many lords at once, they must already be a forbidden land lord!
"Would such a mighty figure truly care about weaklings like us?
"They would probably view it as nothing more than a joke. I doubt that supreme being would specifically keep an eye on us or bother exposing us!"
Su Yu looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "You mean... pretend the lords are alive, while we inspectors remain active outside?"
"Precisely!"
Zhigu quickly added, "If Lord Heimu has a chance to reach sixteen Daos, even if the news of the lords' demise is exposed later, having a sixteen-Dao expert present will guarantee us at least a few quotas... Under normal circumstances, people only swallow domains of experts below sixteen Daos, but we have three on our side!"
There was a meaningful weight to his words about "three"!
They might be gone, but no one else knew that.
Gui and his peers still held deterrence!
The group reached a decision in an instant: disguise!
Su Yu frowned for a long time before speaking: "The difficulty is immense. First, information must be locked down; some people in the six domains might have already noticed! Second, if the lords fail to appear for a long time... won't people get suspicious? Third, we must be careful not to let the forbidden land lord who killed them expose us. Fourth... what if I... can't reach sixteen Daos..."
Luoyun said hurriedly, "Even if you can't, a fifteen-Dao expert like your lordship, combined with us, can still protect the domains. If we join forces, even an ordinary sixteen-Dao domain would never dare encroach upon us lightly!"
The prerequisite was that Su Yu, this peak second-rank expert, had to stay.
Otherwise, they might as well pack up and sleep.
Zhigu chimed in, "My lord, is it harder to fight for quotas within a forbidden land, or to protect the domains and contend with some ten-plus-Dao experts? To be blunt... rogue cultivators like us definitely cannot match orthodox cultivators. They have resources, methods, and some even possess more than one Dao... They might also have backers. As for rogue cultivators, even if they have ties with a forbidden land, killing them carries little weight, whereas inside a forbidden land, touching one person affects the whole, which might draw the attention of top experts!"
Both were doing their utmost to persuade Su Yu.
Su Yu could not leave. If he left, the six domains would fall apart.
Yet if he stayed, with this fifteen-Dao expert present, the six domains could at least keep up appearances!
Su Yu continued to frown. Luoyun gritted his teeth. "My lord, if you want to reach sixteen Daos, the quickest way is to kill experts of the Yin Death Dao, seize their Daos, and elevate yourself! But most of those people have joined Dead Spirit Hell; how could your lordship compete against them? If we join hands, however... we can at least contribute our strength to aid your breakthrough to sixteen Daos..."
Su Yu frowned. "You lot? Not to look down on you, but even if you had the strength, would you dare help me kill people from a forbidden land?"
Luoyun smiled. "My lord, killing people from Dead Spirit Hell might not matter much! Besides... it's not like we can't find a forbidden land to back us. The closest to us is Mount Yongsheng... though Mount Yongsheng has some troubles right now. We could contact Luohun Valley, which is further away, and find a forbidden land to rely on. As long as we can supply them with sufficient resources, geniuses, and experts, they won't care. If the Lord of Dead Spirits makes a move, the other forbidden lands won't just stand by. He's an outsider after all, and over the years, the forbidden lands have been suppressing Dead Spirit Hell's expansion."
Is that so?
Su Yu evaluated it and decided it was likely true.
Hearing this, Su Yu seemed somewhat swayed. "If that's the case... what you say holds some truth. I've actually been hesitant about going to Dead Spirit Hell, because there certainly won't be a shortage of sixteen-Dao experts and above over there!"
Luoyun and Zhigu exchanged a glance, both smiling.
Excellent!
At this moment, they felt the matter was settled.
With Heimu around, things were far less perilous.
Luoyun quickly said, "My lord, we must act swiftly and immediately contact the inspectors of the other three domains. Although they might not be as strong as us—since those lords were only fifteen-Dao experts—there is strength in numbers... By consolidating the resources of all six sides, we can still make a stand!"
Su Yu thought it over and nodded. "Good!"
The three promptly reached an agreement without any hesitation. Before news of the lords' deaths could spread, they had to rapidly consolidate the various factions and find ways to suppress the information.
***
That day, the three pressed on without rest, traveling at top speed. Soon, the inspectors of the other three domains were informed.
Indeed, those three were not as strong as Luoyun and Zhigu.
Su Yu estimated that two were peak third-rank and one was newly entered into the second rank, slightly weaker than Luoyun.
As such, among the six inspectors, including Su Yu, there were four second-rank experts.
Among them, Su Yu stood at the peak of the second rank.
This time, without Su Yu needing to say much, Luoyun and Zhigu clearly laid out the pros and cons to the others. When they heard that maintaining the six domains might yield more than ten quotas, whereas seeking refuge with others might grant them none, the other three had virtually no objections.
Their sole concern was information leaking out!
***
The experts made a decisive call!
The territories would be abandoned!
Discarded!
They would pack up all resources and personnel, gathering entirely at Mount Guiyun, and declare to the outside that the six domains had merged to form a new territory.
At Su Yu's suggestion, the new domain was named Mount Liufang.
Upon hearing the name, anyone would know that six factions had united!
On that day, vast crowds bustled across the region. Led by the inspectors, they converged rapidly on Mount Guiyun, and under the direction of the powerful figures, Mount Guiyun began to expand.
***
Dead Spirit Hell.
A forbidden land structured almost identically to the Dead Spirit Realm.
A circular River of Dead Spirits looped around the entire world, and at the center stood the Dead Spirit Heavenly Palace of the Lord of Dead Spirits.
In the four directions, four first-rank experts ruled as Emperors.
Though termed first-rank, they had walked extremely far along that path and were peak figures among the first rank.
At this moment, the Eastern Emperor, Emperor Mingtu, was cultivating.
Suddenly, Emperor Mingtu opened his eyes. Soon after, outside the hall, a Ruler of Rules clad in dead spirit armor hurried inside and bowed to the ground. "Reporting to the Sovereign Emperor: today there has been movement in the eastern region. Mount Guiyun, Mount Yuding, Tianmu Domain, and the others have merged into one, establishing a new domain called Mount Liufang!"
Emperor Mingtu kept his eyes open, largely unperturbed, merely frowning slightly. "Has it begun?"
The Ruler of Rules below looked at the Emperor. Emperor Mingtu remarked indifferently, "The news must have leaked! Gui and the others are fairly well-informed. Earlier, Luohun Valley and several other forbidden lands proposed restricting the quotas for the first batch to avoid chaos, letting experts leave the Heavenly Gate first with rogue cultivators as vanguards, selecting strong combatants from among them to charge the front lines... Minor quotas would be allocated to rogue cultivator domains, selecting the best of the best to fight... The Myriad Realms won't be utterly defenseless, so casualties are inevitable... From the look of it, Mount Liufang must have received word in advance!"
Hearing this, the reporting Ruler of Rules asked quickly, "Sovereign Emperor, should we intervene? Mount Liufang is not too far from our Dead Spirit Hell, only three di yuan distances away!"
With a fourth-rank Ruler of Rules as the baseline, a day's travel was one di yuan distance. A fourth-rank Ruler of Rules could arrive in three days!
A third-rank might need only two days, and a second-rank one day.
A first-rank could likely arrive in half a day.
The distance was indeed not very far.
Emperor Mingtu chuckled. "No need to intervene. There will be plenty of such matters going forward. Similar changes will occur throughout the entire world behind the Heavenly Gate; weak domains will either be destroyed or merged! There are several experts in that direction. Mount Liufang, was it? Note it down; perhaps we can take them under our wing later!"
Three sixteen-Dao experts were not weak!
Even as the Eastern Emperor holding great power in Dead Spirit Hell, he had only two first-rank experts under his command.
Dead Spirit Hell had strict restrictions, accepting only those of the death Dao.
However, as an outer perimeter force, experts of other Daos were acceptable.
The expert below nodded. "Understood. Then we leave Mount Liufang alone?"
"Yes!"
Emperor Mingtu replied, then added, "Do not venture outside recently; exercise caution. King Wen has been moving around the vicinity lately; there may be irregularities!"
"Understood, I will notify the others!"
Soon, the armored expert departed.
Emperor Mingtu pondered for a moment and paid it no further heed. Noting down Mount Liufang was enough.
He had no time to manage Mount Liufang right now. The various forbidden lands seemed to harbor designs lately, and Dead Spirit Hell had become the focal point; many were scheming against it.
The sheer strength of the Lord of Dead Spirits was one factor, but second, he still had a heaven and earth left in the Myriad Realms.
Once he returned, many feared he would take a single leap into an unfathomable realm!
Thus, many forbidden lands currently wished to target Dead Spirit Hell.
A few days ago, the Lord of Dead Spirits had displayed his might, partly to deter the surroundings.
Dead Spirit Hell was immensely powerful!
The various forbidden land lords did not dare recklessly confront the Lord of Dead Spirits. Still, restrictions would certainly be imposed, perhaps even limiting the number of people Dead Spirit Hell could send out. In Emperor Mingtu's eyes, the quota restrictions proposed by the forbidden lands were less about preventing chaos and more about deliberately targeting Dead Spirit Hell.
They didn't want too many from Dead Spirit Hell to leave!
They might even restrict the Lord of Dead Spirits himself!
Contemplating this, Emperor Mingtu thought back to Mount Liufang. If Mount Liufang could be subjugated... perhaps they could secretly seize some extra quotas.
The Lord of Dead Spirits would not bother with such trivialities.
Yet as a subordinate, he had to consider them.
If his master could merge the two worlds, he might instantly surpass all forbidden land lords to become the strongest in the Myriad Realms, or even across the Three Gates!
When that time came, they would attain the Dao as well.
As for the rumors outside claiming the Lord of Dead Spirits intended to slaughter all experts of the death Dao, Emperor Mingtu paid them little mind. Although the Lord of Dead Spirits wished to unify all Daos into one, at most he would do as he had done in the Dead Spirit Realm—retain some origins so they could advance alongside one another. That was the method most suitable for him.
Thoughts surfaced one after another, but the top expert soon suppressed them.
Let's wait and see!
Preparations certainly had to be made, but much depended on how the forbidden lands decided next, and whether his master would agree.
"Whether we can return to the Myriad Realms... depends on Master's methods!"
Emperor Mingtu felt a trace of worry. Even though Master had entered the Heavenly Gate countless years ago, he remained ostracized over all these years. Fortunately, King Wen and King Wu were still alive, so most attention remained fixed on them.
***
At the same time.
In another forbidden land, Luohun Valley.
An expert also received the report, and the forbidden land soon stirred slightly. Mount Liufang, with three sixteen-Dao experts, was not weak!
Evidently, they had received word in advance.
Such strength ranked among the top tier within the rogue cultivator camp; they could certainly be recruited.
Soon, an envoy set out from Luohun Valley, flying toward Mount Liufang.
***
Meanwhile.
Atop the former Mount Guiyun, now Mount Liufang.
The six stood with Su Yu at the head. Su Yu bellowed in a resonant voice: "The six lords are all in seclusion! Lord Mu and the others are assisting the other lords to break through to sixteen Daos. Once successful, our Mount Liufang will possess six sixteen-Dao supreme experts!
"Because the lords are breaking through and cultivating, their Daos are turbulent. Therefore, everyone must exercise caution in their cultivation recently!"
Su Yu paused, then continued, "With the Daos in turmoil, many may perish for the sake of the breakthrough!"
Su Yu's voice rang like a great bell: "The lords take pity on everyone and do not wish to suffer heavy casualties. Recently, if anyone wishes to switch Daos, you may switch to the Daos of the six inspectors!"
Su Yu's voice boomed: "Luoyun specializes in the Daos of whip and lock; Zhigu specializes in the Daos of water and rain; I specialize in multiple Daos including Yin Death, illusion, bloodlust, and lightning; Qisheng specializes in the Dao of life and healing..."
Qisheng was an inspector from another domain, the second-rank expert who had just reached eight Daos.
After a brief explanation, Su Yu looked down at the crowd, his voice booming: "Everyone has heard! Furthermore, now that Mount Liufang has merged, it is among the foremost powers in the rogue cultivator camp!
"Although the lords are in seclusion, the affairs of Mount Liufang cannot be left without a leader!
"Therefore, I, Heimu, will not shirk my duty. With the strength of fifteen Daos, I shall command you all and broadcast the might of our Mount Liufang!
"The Heavenly Gate is about to open, and Mount Liufang also wishes to claim a share, or even... become the next forbidden land!"
Below, countless faces flickered with excitement and apprehension!
Was Mount Liufang about to launch external campaigns?
Sure enough, Su Yu shouted once more, "Therefore, we will strike outward next, integrating smaller domains. While the six lords focus on their breakthroughs, once they succeed and all reach sixteen Daos, we will need more geniuses, more rules and Daos, and more territory to supply them!
"And I, Heimu, also wish to claim a share and become a sixteen-Dao supreme expert!"
Su Yu bared his teeth in a chilling grin. "Originally, Lord Mu and the others wanted me to enter seclusion as well, but I thought we couldn't all go into seclusion. Since the other lords are secluding themselves to break through, then I, Heimu, will break through by killing! If I succeed as well, seven sixteen-Dao supreme experts will be enough to sweep across all directions. Even if we eventually join a forbidden land, we can establish our own independent domain and become overlords rather than subservient underlings!"
Below, a host of Rulers of Rules and Dao Integration experts watched with fervent eyes.
Yes! If they truly possessed seven sixteen-Dao supreme experts, even joining a forbidden land would make them a mighty faction in their own right!
Su Yu laughed heartily. "So in the days ahead, death will be our constant companion, but... I shall take the lead, commanding you all to conquer greater territories and seize more Dao power! Will you join us in elevating Mount Liufang to glory?!"
"The lord's divine might!"
Below, the experts cheered at the top of their lungs!
Behind Su Yu, the other inspectors also wore smiles, breathing a collective sigh of relief. At least the situation had stabilized. Moving forward, as long as they kept the secret safe and integrated the subjects of the lords into their own Daos, no one would care even if the lords' Daos collapsed completely.
When Su Yu finished, Zhigu and the others stepped forward. Luoyun called out loudly, "We shall follow Lord Heimu into battle across all quarters, assisting his lordship in reaching the pinnacle of supreme power!"
Su Yu laughed heartily. "You flatter me! We must all strive together to fight our way out of the Heavenly Gate! To gain the support of the forbidden lands, we can even raise slogans: Slay King Wen, execute King Wu, shatter the Myriad Realms, destroy the ancient Human Sovereign... Just empty words, of course! Those figures don't have time to bother us right now, but doing so might please certain forbidden lands, and even Mount Yongsheng might grant us support, holding us up as an example!"
The crowd was startled at first, but hearing that they were merely slogans, they burst into laughter.
Indeed, everyone was thoroughly pragmatic.
If the forbidden lands were willing to grant benefits, they didn't mind chanting a few lines, provided King Wen and the others didn't come looking for trouble!
Luoyun smiled again. "Lord Heimu, now that Mount Liufang is reorganized, Lord Gui and the others previously mentioned adjusting the inspectors. We nominate your lordship as the Grand Commander of Mount Liufang, second only to the six lords! We hope your lordship will lead us toward glory!"
Su Yu chuckled. "Then I won't stand on ceremony or decline! I, Heimu, gladly accept this position of Grand Commander!"
"Greetings, Grand Commander!"
The experts bowed one after another.
Below, earth-shaking roars echoed: "Greetings, Grand Commander!"
On this day—Su Yu's third day inside the Heavenly Gate—he ascended to the position of Grand Commander of Mount Liufang. Under his command were three second-rank experts, seven third-rank experts, and sixteen fourth-rank experts; there were no fifth-rank Rulers of Rules here.
In total, there were twenty-six Rulers of Rules under his command.
Mount Liufang instantly became one of the top-ranking factions among the rogue cultivators!
Having been the boss in the Myriad Realms, within three days of arriving here, Su Yu had once again become the leader of a crowd—and pushed into the role by force, no less.
At this moment, Su Yu couldn't help but sigh. When a person is too exceptional, they can't hide it no matter where they go!
I couldn't help it!
I didn't even want to be the boss, but Luoyun and the others insisted on dragging me into it. It really leaves one helpless!
Standing at the mountain peak, Su Yu looked down at the experts below, a smile playing across his lips.
The first step had been swiftly established.
Moreover, there was a benefit here: no distinction of race, and no talk of loyalty. As long as you were strong enough, experts would quickly come to seek refuge. As long as you remained undefeated, there was nothing to worry about.
Thus, expanding one's power was remarkably simple here.
If you attacked a domain, its lord might surrender if they had any sense; if not, once you killed the lord, the rest would almost certainly surrender!
Such was the world within the Heavenly Gate—brutal and realistic!
Nobody would lay down their life for so-called loyalty!
Unless it was a forbidden land that had endured for countless years, such loyalty rarely existed among rogue cultivators.
Su Yu's urgent priority was to build his strength.
Before the forbidden lands took notice, he had to elevate his faction's power to seize the initiative in the upcoming upheavals of the Heavenly Gate. Furthermore, he needed to swiftly raise this identity to the first rank.
Only the first rank truly held a voice in this place.
Chapter 886