King Wen, King Wu, Su Yu, and the Lord of Dead Spirits

Bizarre! Watching Emperor Ming Tu put on his act, Su Yu found it quite strange. Naturally, it likely had nothing to do with him—no one knew he was here. Therefore, it had to be aimed at King Wen! Now he understood! Rumor had it that King Wen had offended the Lord of Dead Spirits. As for why he had offended him, Su Yu subconsciously chose to forget the details. Word was that someone back in the myriad realms had raided the Lord of Dead Spirits' old lair, sending the lord into a fury that spilled over onto King Wen. Still... what did that have to do with Su Yu? It was just passing the buck back and forth. Whoever drew the short straw took the blame. It wasn't as if Su Yu hadn't taken the fall for these old-timers before; King Wen and his peers had done plenty of things in the past that left Su Yu's generation holding the bag. So for a minor scapegoating like this, Su Yu didn't care in the slightest. Concealed in the shadows, Su Yu remained completely motionless. Fishing? Fishing for King Wen? How amusing. As for whether King Wen would bite so easily, Su Yu doubted it. If King Wen could fall for a trick this transparent, he would have to be an utter fool. The Lord of Dead Spirits' angling technique was far from subtle. It was simply too abrupt! If Emperor Ming Tu wanted to come out, why make such a grand spectacle? What kind of expert commanding over twenty Daos would make such an ostentatious display just to deal with rogue cultivators? …… At this moment, Su Yu lurked in the dark, settling in to watch the show. He was even eager to witness King Wen's methods firsthand. King Wen was here. In truth, the figure of King Wen had accompanied Su Yu throughout his entire cultivation journey. Yet Su Yu had never actually met him. Their few encounters had amounted to a distant silhouette or words exchanged across vast space; they had never truly come face-to-face. Su Yu was intensely curious about King Wen. …… At the same time. At the edge of Dead Spirit Hell, a white-robed powerhouse experienced a slight change in expression. What on earth? I just arrived, and I've already been discovered? Is this Ming Tu doing this on purpose? More to the point, I have no interest in Ming Tu whatsoever. What does he mean by dangling Ming Tu as bait for me? King Wen's brow furrowed deeply. Beside him, King Wu sat cross-legged in the void, his aura wildly fluctuating, kept suppressed only by King Wen's seals. Seeing King Wen halt, King Wu shuddered and managed to choke out, "Why... aren't we moving...?" "It seems we've been spotted!" King Wen scowled, unable to suppress a quiet curse. In a hushed voice, he said, "Forget it. No matter what, I have to ensure you can advance in peace... This place is the most suitable! Advancing here, the only thing we have to face is the backlash of Dead Spirit Hell... But if you advance anywhere else, you'll likely face a manhunt from multiple forbidden land masters!" King Wu's entire body trembled—not out of fear, but from the agony of a Great Dao forcing its way into his body. He let out a pained groan. "Old Wen, where... where exactly do you want me to advance?" "Nonsense, didn't I already tell you? Dead Spirit Hell!" "..." King Wu's eyes nearly popped out of his head! What the fuck! What did you say? When you brought me here, I thought you had found a safe haven. Turns out, you bastard, you want to get me killed! You want me to swallow a Dao and advance inside Dead Spirit Hell?! King Wen sighed, too lazy to explain. Nonsense, what do you know! This place is the safest! For no other reason than the fact that the Lord of Dead Spirits is just like us—despised and hunted by everyone. If you advance here, no matter how immense the commotion, once those forbidden land masters find out and arrive, they will attack Dead Spirit Hell first. Even if the Lord of Dead Spirits claims it has nothing to do with him... nobody is going to listen. They'll hit everyone at once! Since both sides are villains, now that King Wen and his companion are here, of course they'll attack together! When that happens, to preserve Dead Spirit Hell, the Lord of Dead Spirits will have only two choices. First, swiftly eliminate King Wen and King Wu to prove his innocence! Second, fight those forbidden land masters, because they'll be out to kill him. Yet if he tries to kill King Wen and King Wu... the moment he suffers an injury, the forbidden land masters will certainly not let the opportunity slip by. King Wen had no choice but to instruct him, "Cut the chatter. Remember, once we enter to break through, there's only one rule! If the Lord of Dead Spirits attacks you, you just bash his Dead Spirit Hell like crazy. You can't beat him, but you can run—run while tearing apart his Dead Spirit Hell... Stall for time and wait for the other forbidden land masters to arrive!" Only when the others arrived would they have a chance of survival! How ironic! Only when their enemies arrived could they survive. Yet this was the optimal survival strategy King Wen had calculated. Otherwise, breaking through anywhere else would mean certain death once they were surrounded! And if the forbidden land masters didn't show up, the Lord of Dead Spirits would beat them to death sooner or later. Therefore, everyone had to be present. King Wu cursed him inwardly until he was blue in the face! How mad! Is breaking through inside someone else's home really appropriate?! He couldn't help but ask, "Then... what if he stubbornly insists on beating us to death?" Never mind before breaking through—even after advancing, I still won't be a match for that guy. That man is the second known world opener currently in existence! Immensely powerful! If pushed too far, he could summon his world and merge the two worlds into one. Last time he managed to slaughter a forbidden land master; this time, he could slaughter both of us just as easily! King Wen chuckled. "What are you afraid of? If he truly risks his life, he won't have an easy time either, and he might just compromise! I don't have a choice either. You insisted on breaking through right at this moment, just when the various forbidden lands have reached a consensus... If you had broken through a few days earlier, none of this would have happened. The others might not even have cared, eager to watch us tie Fa down!" He felt utterly helpless too! Is it my fault? Blame yourself! Not earlier, not later—you had to pick right now to break through, wasting so much of my time. Now, this is the only play I have left. Fortune favors the bold! If it works, King Wu advances, the Lord of Dead Spirits clashes with the forbidden land masters, and I can see if there's a chance to pull off something else on the side. If it fails... when push comes to shove, I can try summoning my world! At worst, we fight a brutal war with these bastards! Still... how did the Lord of Dead Spirits notice I was nearby? I concealed myself so thoroughly! I'm an expert at thirty-one and a half Daos, after all. I haven't even stepped into your world, yet you spotted me already? All of a sudden, King Wen's self-confidence took a hit! Bizarre! If I were that easy to spot, Fa would have wiped me out long ago. How could I have survived until now? "Strange!" King Wen felt both puzzled and helpless. Being detected in advance... meant things were turning genuinely dangerous! King Wu felt just as helpless. He gazed toward the pitch-black world ahead, convinced that Old Second Wen was sending him straight to the underworld. How cruel—forcing me to fight inside the Lord of Dead Spirits' own home... Thinking of this, he suddenly asked, "Right, you told me to fight while running. What about you?" "Me?" King Wen smiled. "I'll naturally stay outside to back you up! And while I'm at it, I'll make sure the commotion from your breakthrough is as loud as possible. Otherwise, inside his world, your aura would be smothered by him. Without significant fluctuations, wouldn't you be a dead man? While he's busy trying to kill you, I'll stir up massive disturbances so every forbidden land senses it... Only then will you have a shot at surviving!" He explained it to King Wu after all. He had to; otherwise, he feared this brute would act recklessly. King Wu suffered miserably. "Old Second, must it be like this?" I don't want to go in there! It's too terrifying! He clearly couldn't win, and he thoroughly despised the other party's death qi—it was infuriating. "Shut up, that's final!" King Wen snapped. If not for you, would I go to such lengths? Even at thirty-two Daos, you'll still be a huge burden... Though once you reach thirty-two Daos, you'll at least be a powerful burden who can spearhead a charge. What else is a martialist supposed to do if not charge at the front! King Wu sank deeper into despair! Forget it, there was no other way. He could only pray that Old Second would prove reliable! Yet at this moment, King Wen began to hesitate. Sneaking in quietly versus charging in when the enemy was prepared were two entirely different matters! He watched Emperor Ming Tu lead his men forward in cautious flight, clearly on edge. King Wen rolled his eyes! Did he think I couldn't see through acting of this caliber? Forget it, I'll lie low for now. It's still uncertain whether he's targeting me. Could it be another forbidden land master? Who knows! …… At that moment, behind Ming Tu, an illusory shadow melted into the darkness. Dressed in black robes, he remained utterly quiet. Centered around Emperor Ming Tu, three parties were concealed in three different directions, including Su Yu. Su Yu was the weakest! However, he was cloaked in his own world, which completely veiled his Great Dao. Ordinary powerhouses would have had their Daos spotted at a glance, but at Su Yu's level, even the Lord of Dead Spirits could not discern the power of his Dao. As for King Wu, he stood on the verge of swallowing the Dao. With King Wen assisting in concealing him, he barely managed to stay hidden as well! Lurking in the shadows, Su Yu held a trace of eager anticipation. Fight! Ever since entering the Heavenly Gate, he had never seen King Wen or King Wu make a move. It was frustrating—had these two spent all these years just slacking off? It had been a month or two, and not a single fight! What a waste of the Martial King's name! *It's best if they start fighting. They won't be killed instantly anyway, and once the brawl begins... I can find an opening to slip deep into Dead Spirit Hell and see how the Lord of Dead Spirits structured his world...* Take it as a reference! All three sides were waiting! Su Yu believed the trap was meant for King Wen. King Wen believed it might not be targeting him. And the Lord of Dead Spirits was convinced that King Wen was hiding in the shadows, plotting against him. Wait! Wait until one party lost their patience! …… King Wu felt he was about to burst, growing deeply frustrated! Old Second Wen, how much longer are we going to wait? Furthermore... he could no longer hold back. "That idiot Ming Tu has circled this area seven or eight times. Old Second, is something going on?" "..." *You're only just realizing that?* King Wen was speechless. Obviously. …… While they were losing their patience, the Lord of Dead Spirits was also growing restless. Not here? Impossible! He could faintly sense that someone nearby was watching this place, and the aura of misfortune clinging to Ming Tu remained intact! "Hmph!" Trying to hide from me? Impossible! It's far too obvious. You underestimate me! Having traversed the world for countless eras, would I fail to see through a trick like this? The next instant, he too grew sick of Ming Tu circling around. Abruptly, a wave of energy rippled outward, sweeping in all directions with a chilling intent: "Since you've already come, why haven't you shown yourself?!" Silence! …… Su Yu wasn't nervous in the slightest. He wasn't talking to him; Su Yu wasn't acquainted with the Lord of Dead Spirits, nor did the lord know he had come here. Evidently, he had discovered King Wen! …… At first, King Wen was also rather exasperated. Yet the next moment, the cold sneer of the Lord of Dead Spirits echoed across the void: "You've been coveting Ming Tu all along. Did you truly believe I wouldn't notice you?" King Wen's expression turned intensely bizarre! I haven't! Why on earth would I set my sights on a cultivator with a mere twenty-eight Daos? There's no need for that whatsoever! So... it really isn't about me? King Wen felt depressed. Who is it? Which bastard suddenly set their sights on Ming Tu and got caught by the Lord of Dead Spirits? Now I've been dragged into it. What rotten luck! …… Meanwhile, Su Yu also found it bizarre. Why would King Wen randomly target Ming Tu? It wouldn't benefit him at all! Su Yu had indeed harbored designs on Ming Tu, but only on the condition that the fellow's Dao power wasn't linked to Dead Spirit Hell. Even if it were linked, he would have had to wait until he was on the verge of being exposed before making a move! He had kept Ming Tu in mind, but he hadn't even struck yet, had he? He probably isn't talking about me! …… At this moment, the silhouette of the Lord of Dead Spirits materialized, his voice laced with mockery: "Do you not dare to come out? You white-robed cowards are all the same—sinister and craven!" Now, both Su Yu and King Wen froze. Is he talking about me? Yet certain details didn't add up! Who in the world is the Lord of Dead Spirits talking about? …… Su Yu grew increasingly exasperated. Are you talking about King Wen or not? King Wen wears white robes too, but King Wen wouldn't target Ming Tu, would he? Could it be me? Yet no one knew I came here! Strange! Right at that moment, a pulse of energy rippled across the surroundings. Space trembled as a faint wisp of death qi began to spread. On the Lord of Dead Spirits' forehead, an eye manifested! Like the god of death himself! Looking down upon all living beings! Accompanied by that spreading pulse, the eye cast its gaze outward, reflecting the fundamental nature of the world: decay, desolation, decline, and destruction. The voice of the Lord of Dead Spirits resonated once more: "Did you truly believe this seat could not find you? Laughable! Even if you have opened a world, I can still ferret you out!" He was talking about King Wen! He had always believed King Wen had opened a world, likely back in the myriad realms. Yet now, Su Yu grew somewhat tense. Could it be that he wasn't talking about King Wen, but that the Lord of Dead Spirits genuinely knew he had arrived and was searching for him? Because everything he said matched Su Yu perfectly! Of course, it might match King Wen just as well! Su Yu could feel the ripple spreading rapidly, on the verge of washing over his location. He frowned slightly. The other party was also a world opener and a pinnacle expert. Since he claimed he could find his target, he might truly detect Su Yu hiding in the shadows. Should I just run? I offended this guy in the past; it's very dangerous! With how powerful he is, I'd really be down on my luck if he's actually coming for me. But I just got here—how could I have been exposed? Su Yu was thoroughly exasperated! Just as Su Yu contemplated fleeing, the Lord of Dead Spirits' third eye suddenly snapped toward a specific direction. Over there, the power of a Great Dao suddenly surged—a violent, turbulent surge! In an instant, two silhouettes emerged! King Wen rolled his eyes dramatically! Frustrating! It wasn't that his concealment was flawed; King Wu was on the verge of breaking through, and his Dao fluctuations were simply too intense. With just a slight tug, his Dao power had erupted into turbulence. What bloody rotten luck! Did I step in dog shit when I went out today? King Wen felt truly aggrieved. Gazing across the void at the Lord of Dead Spirits, he said with resignation, "You detected me in advance?" Are your senses really that miraculous? I didn't think so! The Lord of Dead Spirits let out a cold, triumphant chuckle, his voice dripping with malice: "You hid exceptionally well. Your only mistake was setting your sights on Ming Tu! Moreover, your malice was far too obvious. The Dao of Death and the Dao of Malice are one and the same! With hostility that blatant, do you think this seat is blind? Did you really think I wouldn't notice in the slightest? You underestimate me far too much!" As expected, these two scoundrels truly were here! Abominable! Fortunately, I noticed; otherwise, Ming Tu might have met a grim end! King Wen was rendered speechless. He couldn't resist glaring at King Wu. "Did you set your sights on Ming Tu?" King Wu looked utterly innocent and aggrieved. "Why would I target a pile of bones like him? It's not like I can eat him!" What kind of question was that! King Wu thought Old Second Wen had lost his mind to ask him something like that. At this moment, King Wen also felt bewildered and deeply wronged. Glancing around, he muttered, "I never targeted that skeleton subordinate of yours. Even if I had, you wouldn't have sensed it so easily... Are you falsely accusing me?" *It seems I really am being blamed for something I didn't do!* If I had truly targeted Ming Tu, would you have caught on so easily? In the distance, the Lord of Dead Spirits looked at him and laughed. "Still clinging to your denials!" *Caught red-handed, and you still deny it!* Yet King Wen knew in his heart that he had truly taken the fall for someone else. It had absolutely nothing to do with him! He hadn't even spared a thought for Ming Tu's name, so what did it have to do with him? Which bastard pulled such a wicked stunt?! To dare target Ming Tu... they couldn't be weak! If they were weak, who would dare plot against a powerhouse of twenty-eight Daos? Thus, King Wen didn't suspect Su Yu for a single second. Even though he had deduced Su Yu might have entered the gate, no matter how wild his imagination, he never would have guessed that a world opener who had only been in the Sun Moon Realm not long ago would dare target Ming Tu so soon after crossing the threshold. …… At the same time. Su Yu was slightly taken aback. The Lord of Dead Spirits detected something through hostility? So... it really was me? King Wen had already denied it, and since he had been discovered, there was no point in lying. Meaning... my thoughts were mirrored into his world? *He really is linked to the world!* Su Yu understood now. Otherwise, the Lord of Dead Spirits wouldn't have sensed it so easily. At the same time, Su Yu grew intensely vigilant. Were these experts truly that formidable? Then I need to be much more restrained! He promptly suppressed every stray thought! The Calamity Dao rippled faintly, masking everything! The Silence Dao engaged! He also realized that he had apparently made King Wen take the blame once again. So in the end, was he truly discovered because of me? Then again, it wasn't entirely an unfair scapegoating. King Wen had come here too, hiding himself thoroughly—clearly harboring no good intentions either. *Why isn't King Wen staying near Mount Eternal? What did he run over here for?* Out of the corner of his eye, Su Yu glanced in that direction and saw King Wu's aura violently churning. A thought stirred in Su Yu's mind: *Is he about to break through?* A breakthrough from the first rank? Advancing to the so-called transcendent rank? Thirty-two Daos! Good grief, does this martialist advance this fast? The Martial Emperor might as well give up! The Martial Emperor was currently only at sixteen Daos, an immense gulf away from King Wu. From the first rank to the transcendent rank... he could dream on in his next life! Otherwise, hope was virtually nonexistent! *King Wu is on the verge of breaking through, so why on earth did he come here?* Su Yu pondered, analyzing the situation. *Breaking through from the first rank to the transcendent rank will surely cause an enormous commotion. Near Mount Eternal, which is now the core of the forbidden lands, such a massive disturbance would instantly lead to him being besieged... So they came here to avoid being hunted down?* *But the Lord of Dead Spirits won't help them either. This guy isn't a benevolent figure by any stretch...* *Then what's the plan?* *Shift the trouble eastward?* Su Yu vaguely grasped it, baring his teeth in realization. I think I understand! King Wen intends to bring King Wu into the Lord of Dead Spirits' territory to break through, thereby forcing the Lord of Dead Spirits to intervene? That would be no easy feat! In an instant, everything became clear to Su Yu! …… At this moment, the Lord of Dead Spirits also looked toward King Wu and said impassively, "To think your progress hasn't been slow. Ever since the world was opened, quite a few oddities have emerged! Are you preparing to draw the Dao into your body and achieve Integration?" Integration, the transcendent rank, thirty-two Daos, forbidden land masters... all referred to the same concept—a leap from one tier to the next. He smiled faintly. "He's on the verge of breaking through, yet you dare drag him around, bringing him right into my territory and stirring up such a disturbance. Aren't you afraid of..." He paused abruptly! Indeed, on the verge of a breakthrough, why run around recklessly? The next instant, understanding seemed to dawn on him. He snapped his gaze toward King Wen, his death qi instantly boiling over with uncontrollable fury: "You utter bastard!" I understand now! Are you even human?! King Wen offered a radiant smile. "If I said it was a misunderstanding, would you believe me?" He knew the lord had figured it out. Still... it really was a misunderstanding, don't be like this! The Lord of Dead Spirits was furious enough to explode. He glared at the pair coldly. "Do you two insist on provoking me time and time again?!" This is too much! I couldn't be bothered to pay attention to you, yet you push your luck too far! His aura steadily swelled, laced with biting chill: "What audacity! You intend to break through in my territory so that this seat will hold off your formidable enemies for you? Don't you think your wishful thinking is a bit too rich?" These two scoundrels had gone entirely too far! King Wen adjusted his robes, adopting an air of refined scholarship: "My lord misunderstands! How could a scholar such as myself harbor such base intentions? We were merely passing by!" "Do you think I believe that?" The Lord of Dead Spirits advanced step by step, his tone icy: "Get lost right now, and get far away! Otherwise, even if I must summon my world from the myriad realms, this seat will strike you down without hesitation!" King Wen said helplessly, "My lord, there is no need for such harsh words... I harbor no hostility. We all hail from the myriad realms and are hardly enemies... Why must it come to this...?" "Get lost!" The Lord of Dead Spirits stepped forward, his aura overwhelming! Not enemies? You've tried to drag me into your troubles multiple times—do you truly think I dare not butcher you? King Wen retreated step by step, pleading innocently, "Don't be like this... We truly are just passing by; it's a misunderstanding! Besides, if we clash, wouldn't we just be letting those forbidden land masters reap the benefits?" "Why must my lord act like this..." He retreated with every step, looking thoroughly wronged! Which bastard set me up?! Otherwise, I would have already led King Wu inside. Now that we're outside his world, things become exceedingly difficult! Being barred outside the world versus being inside made all the difference. King Wen was at a loss, continuously stepping backward. …… Meanwhile, Su Yu was entirely speechless. Old man, stop backing up! Any further and you'll step right on my head! He was still a fair distance from King Wen and King Wu, but looking at the direction they were retreating—fuck, it was straight toward him! Don't! The Lord of Dead Spirits didn't even notice me just now. If you step on me, how innocent am I?! Granted, I might have dragged you into this, but you shouldn't drag me down in return! I'm so weak and small! I'm only at twenty-nine Daos! Stop backing up; any further and I'm really going to be discovered! Right now, this scene matched Su Yu's mental image of King Wen perfectly: his back turned toward him. But I don't want to stare at your backside right now—can't you just fly away?! He's already spotted you, yet instead of flying off, you're backing up step by step. Are you messing with me?! Su Yu wanted to weep! I don't want my very first meeting with King Wen to be marked by him stepping on my head! Furthermore, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that our first meeting would happen under circumstances like these. It's utterly humiliating, don't you know? How can scholars of our caliber, who value dignity, meet in such a sneaky, disreputable setting? Isn't it awkward?! It's wildly awkward! And King Wen, could you please stop inching closer to me while wearing the little white shoes I gave you?! …… Ahead, King Wen retreated step by step. Anxiety began to gnaw at him. King Wu couldn't hold out much longer. Now that the Lord of Dead Spirits had discovered them, he would certainly be on guard. If they couldn't enter his world... they were in deep trouble. He didn't want to leave! Naturally, the Lord of Dead Spirits sensed his reluctance. Filled with simmering rage, he strode toward him with imposing momentum, his voice piercingly frigid: "I told you to get lost, yet you still won't leave. Do you insist on forcing my hand?" He was close to losing control! It wasn't that he couldn't fight these two bastards; the problem was that fighting them would cause far too much commotion. Once the other forbidden land masters arrived, they would likely... attack all three of them at once! Talk about suffering collateral damage! These two bastards were blatantly making trouble for him! King Wen offered another explanation: "It truly is a misunderstanding, my lord. How could we harbor such thoughts? It's merely my lord's own conjecture. We really were just passing through, and we concealed ourselves only to prevent my lord from misunderstanding. Who could have known... that a misunderstanding would arise anyway!" Only a fool would believe that! Yet just as King Wen finished speaking, a helpless sigh rose from behind him. Fuck! I have to step out. I don't want you stepping on my head, and if you get too close, he'll discover me anyway! At this moment, Su Yu felt utterly resigned! The instant King Wen's words fell, King Wen's expression shifted slightly. Not far behind him, a quiet voice sounded: "If I were to say this too is a misunderstanding and I was merely passing by, would you seniors be willing to believe me?" The entire world fell dead silent! In the distance, the Lord of Dead Spirits was stunned! Right under my nose, someone else was hiding?! King Wen was equally shocked. Who?! The voice... sounded somewhat familiar! Yet... that's impossible! Su Yu was only in the Sun Moon Realm when he opened his world. Counting from then until now... how long has it been? Even if he reached the first rank last time, he only entered the gate about two months ago. And now... he nearly evaded my senses entirely? It can't be Su Yu! Right, it isn't. King Wen thought to himself, it definitely isn't him! I'm just misunderstanding, overthinking things. Beside him, King Wu snapped his head around in astonishment, staring at Su Yu before shaking his head. "I almost misheard. Who are you? If you were wearing a white robe, I would have thought you were my big nephew... I knew it was impossible!" He had heard Su Yu's voice before too. So he had also misunderstood at first, but upon seeing that the person before them wasn't wearing a white robe, he decided he was mistaken! Of course, King Wu remained extremely wary. Where did this powerhouse come from? To think he could conceal himself so deeply! The matter of his breakthrough could not be leaked. Anxious, he wondered if he should just try breaking through right now. Old Second Wen's plan seemed to have failed! Meanwhile, the Lord of Dead Spirits stared at Su Yu with a slight furrow of his brow. A faint sense of familiarity struck him, though he couldn't immediately place it. Gradually, his expression turned peculiar. What the fuck! Another world opener?! What is going on?! Yes, he seems to be a world opener! How is that possible?! King Wen opening a world wasn't overly surprising. But this person before him had either drawn the Dao into his body or was a world opener. Yet this was not what drawing the Dao into one's body looked like! Nor was his aura as forceful as someone who had absorbed the Dao into his flesh! Therefore, this person was indeed a world opener! And world openers... how many could there possibly be? This era was not supposed to produce world openers! His expression shifted as he murmured, "A world opener!" At this moment, King Wen closed his eyes in sheer agony. What the fuck! It really is Su Yu! He had already harbored suspicions because the voice was far too familiar, but because the aura was so strong, he hadn't dared to be certain. The moment the Lord of Dead Spirits spoke those words... Su Yu's identity was laid completely bare! The Lord of Dead Spirits was an astute man as well, and in an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. A world opener... The Human Sovereign? Su Yu? Yes! Su Yu! Impossible! Not long ago, his projection had clashed with Su Yu, and the boy had been terribly weak. Impossible! He instantly glared at Su Yu, his expression bizarre. He had just been contemplating capturing this kid to inspect his World of Life and Death, and now... the boy had actually walked right out! At this point, Su Yu knew he was completely exposed! Exposed under the most helpless of circumstances! How innocent am I? If King Wen hadn't insisted on stepping on my head, how could I have been exposed? Concealing oneself in front of a world opener was practically impossible. Sure enough, in the very next breath, King Wen and the Lord of Dead Spirits spoke in unison: "It's you!" Su Yu let out a sigh, his black robe shifting to pure white. *Well, I'm exposed!* King Wu froze. "You think throwing on a white robe makes you my big nephew?" In truth... he vaguely realized the truth in his heart. For a moment, the shock nearly did him in, causing his Dao to destabilize entirely! Holy hell! Impossible! How could this kid be here? Even if he were here, how could he have hidden right under the noses of powerhouses like us until now?! Now clad in white, Su Yu sighed helplessly. "Greetings, fellow Daoists! My respects to all of you! Please, continue what you were doing. I truly was just passing by!" King Wen turned around. The moment Su Yu saw his face, he blinked. To be honest, the man really did bear some resemblance to himself! King Wen was slightly taken aback as well. This time, he finally saw Su Yu's appearance clearly. Last time, Su Yu had been dead—or rather, half-dead—so King Wen had caught a glimpse, but it hadn't been distinct. Now, a smile broke across his face. Su Yu smiled faintly as well. The two exchanged glances, taking each other in. Su Yu wore a white robe paired with black boots; King Wen wore a white robe paired with white boots. Both had long hair tied up, fluttering gently in the breeze. Meeting eyes, Su Yu offered a slight bow. "This junior greets Senior!" King Wen cupped his hands in return. "This unworthy old fossil greets our outstanding junior!" "Senior is too modest!" "Young man, don't be modest!" "Senior, you almost stepped on me just now..." "Young man, you screwed me over first!" King Wen was utterly helpless. I never expected that I would meet you here. Now I finally understand why Ming Tu was being targeted—it was you all along, which makes total sense! The point is, you aren't human at all! How many days have you been here? How on earth do you already feel like you possess nearly thirty Daos of power?! Inconceivable! At that moment, their exchange was cut short by King Wu, who asked in bewilderment, "It really is him?!" Just as he spoke, the Lord of Dead Spirits' expression turned strange, his voice low: "It truly is... inconceivable!" The bastard who had stripped him of his origin back in the myriad realms had actually entered the gate! For a time, the four powerhouses across three factions stared at one another in silence, completely at a loss for words. Su Yu wore an expression of sheer innocence. "This junior was merely passing by. If I have offended my seniors in any way, I beg your forgiveness!" As he spoke, he took a step back. "Seniors, please continue!" The Lord of Dead Spirits sneered! King Wen chuckled softly. King Wu gave a hearty, simple-minded grin. "Now that you're here, big nephew, where do you think you're running off to? We're on the same side! Don't run around blindly; it's dangerous outside!" "..." Screw you! Who's your big nephew?! Dangerous, my foot... Sticking with you is what's truly dangerous! Just look at the state you've dragged King Wen into! At this moment, King Wen sighed. "Truly unexpected! Beyond all my calculations!" Su Yu sighed as well. "Indeed unexpected. In my imagination, our first meeting would take place on a bright and sunny day..." King Wen nodded with a sigh. "Ideally in an academy, where I would be reading books while you came to visit..." Su Yu nodded. "Ideally with a cup of tea, where I could listen to Senior's recitations to enlighten me, hearing the resonant notes of Senior's Dao..." King Wen picked up the thread: "Ideally with falling snow and swirling autumn leaves..." Su Yu agreed: "And glorious sunshine—that would be best!" King Wen nodded: "A gentle breeze would be nice as well..." In the distance, the Lord of Dead Spirits' face grew ice-cold as he said chillingly, "Why not throw in a few corpses? A throat-slit blade would be far more poetic, I think!" For as the two spoke, a sun actually materialized in the endless void! Not only that, but a gentle breeze swept through, snowflakes drifted down, and an academy manifested, surrounded by the clear, rhythmic chanting of scholars! As Su Yu and King Wen conversed, the fluctuations of their Daos brought the scene into reality. Manifestation through spoken word! And as the Lord of Dead Spirits spoke, countless corpses truly materialized across the surroundings. Beside them, King Wu grinned. "What, an academy doesn't have martial cultivators training in martial arts?" Thus, right beside the group, a crowd of youths appeared, shouting and throwing punches with fierce vigor! Su Yu sighed, and so did King Wen. What a buzzkill! In an instant, the scenery shattered, reverting back to the endless void of a moment before! King Wu still looked unsatisfied, while the Lord of Dead Spirits sneered repeatedly. King Wen and Su Yu exchanged a glance, sighing in unison: "Stop sneering. It's not like you dare to start fighting right now anyway!" As they spoke, the two looked at each other, feeling thoroughly exasperated. Stop copying me! The Lord of Dead Spirits glared at them coldly. Su Yu chuckled softly. "Senior, stop glaring! The three of us may not match you individually, but if it truly comes down to a brawl... summoning our worlds is something you can do, I can do, and King Wen can do. When that moment comes, can you kill us in an instant? If you can't... then things won't be very fun!" Su Yu smiled. "I opened a world here with twenty-nine Daos, but I spent much longer in the myriad realms. How many Daos does Senior think I opened back there? If I truly summon my world, does Senior think I could muster thirty-two Daos, or perhaps even greater power?" The Lord of Dead Spirits stared at him coldly. King Wen also chuckled. "My lord, I believe that if I summon mine, reaching thirty-two Daos is well within my reach. With three transcendent-rank combatants, does my lord truly insist on a fight to the death just to let others laugh at our expense?" The Lord of Dead Spirits frowned, glaring at Su Yu, and said coldly, "This seat does not believe you can truly reach Integration!" I wouldn't believe it even if I died! It's far too preposterous! How many days has it been? When my projection descended last time, what meager strength did you possess? Su Yu let out another sigh. "Let's just drop it. There's no need for anyone to trade threats. If summoning our worlds truly awakens the ancestor of our human race and he wipes all of us out together... that wouldn't be worth it at all!" The Lord of Dead Spirits snorted coldly. "Ridiculous! If he emerges, who wins and who loses is far from decided!" King Wen looked thoughtful. "It may be undecided, but severing our connection to our worlds is certainly within his power. Therefore, my lord had best drop the matter!" King Wu looked bewildered. What on earth? Am I the only one who doesn't fit in here? At this moment, the Lord of Dead Spirits frowned deeply. Could he fight? Yes! Yet just as Su Yu and King Wen pointed out, fighting would only allow outsiders to reap the rewards! Strictly speaking, their group might not be allies, but they were definitely not aligned with the local forbidden land masters! For a moment, the figures exchanged glances, none of them speaking. King Wu, unable to hold back any longer, bared his teeth: "I... I can't suppress it much longer!" The expressions of the other three shifted dramatically! This won't do! King Wen looked at Su Yu, then at the Lord of Dead Spirits, and said awkwardly, "Could the two of you... lend a bit of your world power to help suppress it a little longer? Otherwise, once Taishan breaks through, everyone will know we're here plotting something monumental!" The Lord of Dead Spirits' face turned pitch-black! Who the fuck is plotting anything monumental with you?! I just want to wait in peace for the Heavenly Gate to open so I can go out and merge my worlds! Yet weighing the pros and cons, he snorted coldly, sending a wave of world power sweeping forward. Su Yu shook his head helplessly, also releasing a stream of world power! In an instant, two streams of world power descended upon King Wu, finally calming the previously turbulent Dao within him! King Wen smiled. "My lord, I have a splendid idea!" Su Yu immediately chimed in, "I have a great thought as well!" The Lord of Dead Spirits sneered. "Your splendid ideas amount to nothing more than teaming up so I can act as your thug!" Heh! Do you take me for a fool? Did you really think I wouldn't see through it?! Su Yu looked at King Wen, and King Wen looked at Su Yu, both seemingly saying: *Look at that—how are we supposed to fool him now?* Soon, both averted their gazes. We aren't that kind of people! At this moment, the atmosphere turned exceedingly bizarre. And King Wu felt as though the three had completely abandoned him—none of them had even bothered to ask for his opinion!