First Meeting with the Time Master

The Time Master—Su Yu truly looked forward to meeting her, even more so than seeing King Wen. She was the woman who had shaped his entire life! *** Atop Mount Yang. Su Yu waited for a time. As darkness fell over the forbidden land, another day drew to a close, leaving only fifteen days until the Forbidden Land Gathering. Soon, Su Yu flew down the mountain. Along the way, several lineage masters quickly appeared. Su Yu wasted no words, saying coldly, "Seal Tiandi Pass! No one is permitted to enter or leave! Especially that outsider—if he dares trespass into the forbidden grounds... kill without mercy!" He cast a chilling gaze over the lineage masters. "Some among you may have pledged allegiance to him, but remember: as of right now, Lord Fa has not fully joined their side! Is the Human Gate stronger than our Heavenly Gate? Is it more troublesome to deal with? Do not forget where we stand!" Fixing his gaze on each of them, he added, "Keep watch over one another. If anyone makes a suspicious move, kill without mercy!" Su Yu's murderous intent was palpable! A chill ran through their hearts. The Death Lineage Master, the strongest of the six lineage masters present, spoke in a low voice: "Fellow Daoist Riyue, we know one another well, and Lord Fa remains on the mountain. There is no need to go this far..." Su Yu gave a cold snort. "What of knowing each other well? Let me make things clear right now: if anyone sabotages my affairs, let us see whether Martial Uncle Fa kills them or not! Before I die, half of Mount Yongsheng belongs to us, and the other half is certainly not for some coward who dares not show his true face to rule!" A person of the Human Gate! By this point, everything was clear to all of them. Behind Su Yu, a large group of experts followed. None were above twenty-five Daos, but more than a dozen stood above sixteen Daos, all radiating murderous aura. The elderly man was even stronger—a twenty-four-Dao powerhouse. He had kept an exceedingly low profile until now, but today his aura surged as he said solemnly, "Rest assured, My Lord. If anyone dares cause trouble... your subordinate will do his utmost to strike them down!" Su Yu nodded slightly. Before them stretched an enormous canyon. This was the forbidden area—a true domain of taboo. Normally, no one came here, nor did anyone dare. All around the canyon were restrictions. The only entrance was what Su Yu referred to as Tiandi Pass. At that moment, Su Yu glanced at someone in the crowd: an elderly woman whose strength was unremarkable—even quite weak. With gray hair and a weathered appearance, she seemed like one of the downtrodden at the very bottom of the forbidden land. At first glance, she wore the face of a good person, benevolent and gentle. Though her cultivation was faint, she kept herself neat and tidy. Her eyes carried the sorrow common to the weak. Yet, feeling Su Yu's gaze, the old woman straightened her stooped back and said humbly, "My Lord!" Su Yu gave a slight nod. "You are the most familiar with her. You will lead me inside! The rest of you, stay outside. If too many enter, she will only grow suspicious..." Turning to the lineage masters and then to the twenty-four-Dao elder, Su Yu said, "Yuheng, I leave this place under your temporary charge. Lineage masters, I expect you to heed Yuheng's arrangements!" Su Yu added gravely, "I suspect that fellow certainly does not want me to succeed. Though my success would make Martial Uncle Fa stronger, it does not serve his interests. If he creates trouble and causes my death, Martial Uncle Fa will have no choice but to follow that dark path to the end! Killing him afterward will achieve nothing! When that moment comes, I doubt any of us wish to see such an outcome!" He continually fostered a sense of crisis among them, uniting them against a common enemy. He built up an adversary! And that adversary was the shadow. The shadow might not show up at all, and even if he did, he might not attempt anything before Su Yu succeeded. Yet Su Yu relentlessly planted the conviction in their minds that the man would inevitably sabotage them! The lineage masters turned solemn. The Thunder Lineage Master rumbled, "Rest assured! We understand the gravity of the situation. Fellow Daoist Riyue, if you cannot even trust us, you are being overly cautious!" "Let us hope so!" Su Yu said no more. Turning to the old woman, he said, "Lead the way!" The old woman nodded and went ahead. Su Yu followed closely, and the two soon stepped through Tiandi Entrance. Outside, the crowd watched in silence, tension lingering in the air. Would this attempt succeed? And would that emissary of the Human Gate... intervene to cause trouble? *** At that very moment. Within the grand hall on the high peak. The shadowy figure said faintly, "Lord Fa, that fellow slanders me repeatedly and harbors immense hostility!" Fa replied impassively, "Pay him no mind!" The shadow, however, grew serious. "Lord Fa, I suspect he is far from simple! As the old saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Had he arrived and behaved meekly, you might not have paid him much heed. But he arrived making a great commotion... and you so readily handed a lineage over to him, even granting him temporary control over the other six. That may not be a good thing!" Fa chuckled. "What, will my lineage masters betray me?" Though he found Riyue overly presumptuous, as Riyue had pointed out, this was also a form of mutual deterrence. Riyue's side feared Fa's betrayal, while Fa himself actually hoped for Riyue's success. As for governing the six lineages... what of it? What did it matter! He was still here! So long as he remained, there would be no problems. And if he were gone... then it mattered even less; if he were dead, why worry about such things? He looked toward the shadow and smiled faintly. "Enough, let us not speak of this. Play with people's minds too long, and everyone begins to look like a villain. Besides, you and he truly are in competition right now." The shadow fell silent for a long time before replying, "Lord Fa should still exercise caution. My side wishes for your success, but if you show signs of slipping from control, beware that they might turn the tables on you and allow the Time Master to devour you instead..." Fa frowned slightly and said coolly, "Hardly. King Wen is no fool. He knows well enough who plotted against him; Wen Yu may be oblivious, but King Wen is not..." "And what if King Wen is slain?" The shadow pressed on. "This concerns your grand future, Lord Fa. Caution is truly warranted!" Lord Fa nodded, remaining silent for a long while before saying, "I will be careful." "Then why not probe and listen in on what they are saying...?" Fa's brow furrowed deeper this time, his voice dropping low. "Enough! You know Wen Yu's situation. If I probe and she detects it, all our past preparations will be rendered utterly useless! If your side wishes to win me over... bring forth practical solutions instead of constantly sabotaging things!" With a cold snort, Fa vanished in an instant. Spy on them? Wen Yu and he held dual mastery over the world. The moment he probed, it would be easily discovered, and all previous arrangements would fall apart. This shadow harbored ill intentions as well. Seeing him depart, the shadow felt helpless. *I was being serious!* Who knew whether the Heavenly Gate faction would pull such a trick? Why assume human nature was inherently good? Did he not know that human nature was fundamentally corrupt? *In the end, he still favors that side... The moment Riyue arrived, he gained control of seven lineages, yet Fa doesn't even care...* The shadow mused internally. There was simply no comparison. Though Fa entertained the idea of defecting, it was predicated entirely on the Human Gate helping him refine the Time Master. It was purely a transaction of mutual interest without a shred of personal sentiment. Yet toward the Heavenly Gate, Fa still retained a lingering sense of shared sect camaraderie. Otherwise, when Riyue arrived and became a lineage master on the spot, demanding control of the other six lineages, Fa wouldn't have agreed so readily. The shadow was certain that had he made such a demand... Fa would have struck him down immediately! That was the difference between an old master and an unconfirmed new one. There was no comparing them! *Does the Heavenly Gate truly have a way?* *If their side succeeds... Fa will be impossible to recruit...* Thoughts raced through the shadow's mind. Truth be told, if the other side were truly on the verge of success, he would very much like to interfere—and even if he couldn't, he had to drive a wedge between them. In any case, it was best that Riyue failed! *** At the far end of Tiandi Entrance was a massive, water-like screen. In reality, it was a restriction, and the Time Master was trapped inside. The old woman said cautiously, "My Lord, that Wen Yu has been rather irritable lately. Please be exceedingly careful. She is immensely powerful, and though trapped, she might still lash out!" Su Yu nodded slightly. The old woman continued leading him forward. Upon reaching the base of the massive screen, she produced a token and explained, "This is the only token that can open a tiny crack in the restriction, primarily used to send items inside. Furthermore, it imposes limits on the strength of anyone entering. Under normal circumstances, without Lord Fa's permission, entering is strictly forbidden..." "If a cultivator at the Ruler of Rules level enters, their Great Dao will disturb the barrier and alert Lord Fa... Therefore, My Lord had best communicate with her from outside the barrier. I will open a tiny slit for you, which will not trigger the barrier!" Su Yu nodded again and asked with a smile, "Over the years, has she suspected anything?" "She had her doubts, but we dispelled them time and again," the old woman explained. "Now, she firmly believes we are here to rescue her, that we are the only force beyond the gates willing to exert effort for the human race. What happened several years ago made her trust us even more." Su Yu nodded. "True enough. We even helped her smuggle out the replica of the Time Record! After paying such a heavy price, if we couldn't even gain her trust, it wouldn't have been worth it... In all these years, has she never mentioned handing over the original Time Record for us to take away?" "Never!" The old woman replied helplessly, "We cannot bring it up proactively. Years ago, we actually thought that replica was the original, only to realize later it was merely a copy. We could only accept it; one must admit, her vigilance remains extraordinarily high!" Su Yu chuckled. "Very well, I understand. Open the restriction!" "Understood!" The woman raised the token and traced it across the screen. Gradually, ripples spread across its surface. Right at that moment, crisp laughter drifted out: "Granny Wang, you're here!" The next instant, the voice abruptly shifted, turning sharp and cold: "Who is that?" "Lady Yu, keep your voice down..." The old woman spoke in a hurry, cautious and hushed. "It is me!" "Who else is there?" The voice was guarded and distant. The old woman quickly replied, "It is an expert from our Human Dao Sacred Land, come to discuss rescuing you, My Lady..." "Oh!" Wen Yu gave a lukewarm response, sounding entirely uninterested. At that moment, a portal suddenly surfaced on Su Yu's forehead. In an instant, his vision pierced through the screen, landing upon a figure! Wen Yu! A girl who looked like the girl next door. Right now, her mouth was actively chewing on something. She froze, cheeks puffed out, and abruptly looked outward. The next moment, a portal surfaced on her forehead as well, looking toward Su Yu. In that split second, Wen Yu realized that the newcomer... had seen through the restriction and laid eyes on her! She instantly tucked away what she was holding—what appeared to be a steaming leg of mutton, procured from who knew where. Not only that, but her puffed cheeks instantly snapped back to normal. Her somewhat loose, specially tailored white robes smoothed out at once. With a flick of her sleeves and her hair fluttering, she suddenly assumed the air of an erudite lady scholar. Even the faint grease at the corner of her lips vanished without a trace. The corners of Su Yu's mouth twitched uncontrollably! *You cried so miserably!* *Claiming your whole family was on the verge of dying!* Furthermore, the space behind the screen looked unnervingly familiar to Su Yu. *Good grief, absolute good grief!* A flower valley, a swing, a flowing stream, a waterfall, a grand courtyard... *Damn it!* *Isn't this a direct replica of King Wen's former residence?!* *So you've been living a sweet, cozy little life in here this whole time?!* On top of that, Su Yu seemed to spot several small animals scampering about... Had she even built a livestock pen?! *You're something else!* *Wen Yu, you truly take the cake!* *You're about to be devoured, and you still have the heart to raise livestock in here?!* Meanwhile, Wen Yu swiftly regained her composure, her voice carrying an air of dignity: "Who dares spy upon this seat? Retract your dao art at once! Do you not understand that one should not look at what is improper?" "As the saying goes, a gentleman looks not at what is improper, listens not to what is improper, speaks not of what is improper... How dare you peek into a maiden's private quarters? Shameless scoundrel, lecher! Granny Wang, see the guest out!" *** Outside the restriction, the old woman instantly grew tense, looking hurriedly at Su Yu. Su Yu fell silent for a moment before his Heavenly Gate vanished. Yet he could not erase from his mind the sight of her eating with her mouth dripping with oil. It was infuriating! *To think that after being tormented for over a decade, the person I came to save is living like this!* *This is so unfair!* If she were truly enduring immense agony, he would feel somewhat better. But she was feasting and drinking merrily—it was infuriating! What a Time Master—more like a Food Master! What a cookbook... even with death knocking at the door, she hadn't forgotten to eat! Su Yu was utterly speechless, but he quickly composed himself. Fine, perhaps she was merely putting on a brave face, secretly panicked out of her mind and relying on food for comfort. He should be understanding! Yes, understanding and tolerant. Su Yu consoled himself. He couldn't dwell on it; dwelling on it would make his lungs explode with rage. Soon, Su Yu introduced himself: "My name is Wen Yu!" "What?" Wen Yu's startled voice came through: "Who?" "Wen Yu!" "Wen Yu?" "The 'Yu' as in universe, not the same character as yours!" Wen Yu's tone turned odd as her voice drifted out: "Your surname is Wen?" "Yes, I am an inheritor of the Wen lineage... Strictly speaking, in terms of generational seniority, you could address me as Old Ancestor..." Wen Yu couldn't help but curse, "Go die!" Beside him, the old woman's expression was conflicted. *My Lord, is this really necessary?* Still, saying so wasn't entirely far-fetched—a descendant of the Wen line was common enough! Riyue claimed to be a descendant of Sun and Moon, so now a descendant of Wen had arrived; there was nothing inherently wrong with that. The issue was, why insist on disguising yourself as a descendant of Wen? To build rapport? Their bloodlines were separated by countless generations; such rapport might not even work! Moreover, he insisted on pretending to be Wen Yu's ancestor and even took a name nearly identical to hers. Why did this sound suspiciously like provocation? Su Yu, however, did not care. *Was I pretending?* *Not at all!* According to Xing, the Nanyuan lineage actually carried the blood of the Wen line, so what was wrong with his surname being Wen? It was merely returning to his ancestral surname! Therefore, calling himself Wen Yu was practically his real name, wasn't it? Claiming to be a descendant of Wen held up as well, didn't it? As for who held higher seniority between him and King Wen's generation... who knew! Perhaps King Wen's ancestors had produced a new generation every twenty years, while his own family's ancestors had passed down only one generation every ten thousand years. By that calculation, his seniority might well be higher! Su Yu thought to himself. *Right, that's exactly how it should be calculated!* Inside the restriction, Wen Yu fumed, quickly growing irritated. "Are you here to provoke me?" "No, to save you!" Su Yu smiled. "Granny Wang, withdraw for now. Keep watch for me and make sure no one barges in. I wish to speak with Wen Yu alone!" "Understood!" Granny Wang left swiftly, a trace of worry lingering in her eyes. Lord Riyue truly didn't follow the script! Provoking Wen Yu like this—wouldn't it ruin everything they had achieved? Inside the barrier, Wen Yu quickly calmed down and suddenly giggled. "Are you truly a descendant of Wen? From our lineage? Then when you came, did you bring any food? I'm hungry!" *Hungry my foot!* Su Yu cursed internally. *What do you have to be hungry about? I haven't eaten in years, yet you have the nerve to claim you're starving!* "I brought no food. We will be out soon anyway. I saw plenty of good food in your courtyard. Slaughter a sheep and treat me!" Wen Yu was speechless. This was the first time she had ever encountered someone trying to snatch food from her! "I don't have any. You saw wrong. It's all an illusion; how could I have food here!" Su Yu chuckled. "A friend comes from afar, and you can't even bear to slaughter a sheep to entertain him? A true Time Master should learn to share fine food. Joy shared is joy doubled; no matter how happily one eats alone, hoarding food has little flavor. Only with company does it truly taste good, wouldn't you say?" Wen Yu found this exceedingly bizarre. This was the first time someone had competed with her over food! "Do you not have food outside?" "No time to eat!" Su Yu said impassively, "Too busy—busy saving you!" As he spoke, he nearly ground his teeth. "Yes, busy saving you! To save you, I could neither eat nor sleep. Having finally laid eyes on you today, when I could soon get you out, I suddenly don't want to save you anymore!" Across the restriction, Wen Yu blinked. Hearing those words... why did they sound so full of pent-up resentment yet deeply heartfelt? It felt... as though he truly thought that way and had genuinely done so. How strange! *Scammers these days have truly stepped up their game!* Yes, a scammer. She wasn't stupid; she had suspected them long ago. Of course, playing along was just acting, and who didn't know how to act? If acting could get her out, all the better. Even if it couldn't, she could still freeload food and drink. Look at all the fine things she had in here—they were all swindled from them! Since she was trapped anyway, she might as well treat herself well. Yet today, why did the scammer on the other side seem even better at acting than she was? That tone... anyone who didn't know better would truly believe he had lost sleep and appetite just to save her! "Um... did you really try that hard to save me? We don't even know each other..." Su Yu ground his teeth. "Indeed, but I had to save you! Once I get you out, I'm going to lock you in a dark little room for five years—no, fifty years! No food, no drink, no sleep, and every single day I'll send experts proficient in the Spirit Dao to torment you!" "..." Wen Yu was dumbfounded! *Are you using reverse psychology now?!* *Intentionally using this approach to win my trust?* *How entertaining!* She suddenly laughed. "Wen Yu... is your name truly Wen Yu? Talking like that, aren't you afraid I'll turn hostile?" "Not at all!" Su Yu suddenly chuckled. "What do I have to fear? Do you dare turn hostile? Can you? If you turn hostile... plenty of people will teach you a lesson! Even your brother wouldn't be able to save you!" What grand words! "You don't seem all that strong." Su Yu said faintly, "Not that strong? If I unleashed my full strength, I fear I'd terrify you!" "Hah!" Wen Yu nearly burst out laughing. *Tch, who doesn't know how to brag?* Su Yu snapped, "Slaughter a sheep and send it out for me to taste. Stop wasting words; I'm in a foul mood right now!" *Oho, quite arrogant, aren't we?* Wen Yu found it amusing. How interesting—this guy's acting was remarkably convincing! Su Yu added, "Be quick about it. We can chat while eating; talking across the barrier like this is exhausting! I'll tell you a little story while we're at it. Don't worry, Fa won't eavesdrop right now. This is only the first meeting. Only when we speak face-to-face and touch upon the core of the Time Record will he attempt to listen in!" "..." In that instant, Wen Yu was genuinely startled! What did he mean? Her tone shifted immediately, turning wary and grave: "What do you mean?" Su Yu snorted. "Were you deceived? From where I stand, you've just been freeloading food and drink! You're shrewd and cunning to the bone; everyone says you're not one to be trifled with. If your brother wouldn't fall for it, would you?" "..." Wen Yu was stunned. What on earth? Who was this outside? How did he know she was freeloading food and drink... Bah, no she wasn't, nonsense! She trusted the Human Dao Sacred Land! "You... what nonsense are you spouting? You aren't from the Human Dao Sacred Land? You're Fa's man, aren't you?" "Cut the chatter! Hurry up and slaughter a sheep!" Wen Yu felt thoroughly exasperated. This was the first time she had been continuously berated like this, leaving her feeling utterly helpless. She was reluctant, but... exceedingly curious! What story was he going to tell her? Or rather, how was he going to act? After a moment's consideration, she reached out and beckoned. A sheep materialized, and in moments its fleece was gone, its belly gutted. With practiced skill, Wen Yu asked, "Do you want it braised, roasted, stewed, steamed, or marinated...?" "Roasted!" Su Yu sat down cross-legged, a table appearing before him. After a short while, a roasted leg of mutton flew out through the crack. "Taste it! Then you can tell your story!" Su Yu said nothing, picking up the mutton leg and taking a bite. In that instant, he suddenly felt that this might well be the finest food he had ever eaten. Fragrant, tender, refreshing, charred crisp on the outside and succulent within, rich without being greasy, cooked to absolute perfection... Su Yu had never imagined his first meeting with the Time Master would take place like this, yet right now, he felt it was actually quite wonderful. This woman truly lived up to having crafted a cookbook! Su Yu ate for a while before saying, "Bring some wine, do you have any?" "You want wine too? I don't have much in reserve..." Asking for wine made Wen Yu quite reluctant. She truly didn't have much left! And brewing wine was an immense hassle! "We'll be getting out soon anyway. Hurry up. Once out, you can have as much as you want!" *Who are you trying to fool?!* Wen Yu was speechless. *A swindler trying to swindle me—I'd have to be a ghost to believe you.* Still, for the sake of hearing the story, she decided to part with a little treasure. She selected the smallest and lowest-grade bottle of wine and sent it through. When Su Yu opened it, floral fragrance drifted forth in abundance! A rich wine aroma was blended within—this was wine brewed from flowers. Su Yu took a sip, suddenly feeling that wine was truly a marvelous thing. In the past, he hadn't cared for drinking and rarely touched it, but at this moment, taking a sip, he genuinely found wine to be wonderful! Drinking the wine and eating the meat, Su Yu said calmly, "This story begins seventeen years ago, in a remote little town." "In that small town lived a child who was six years old that year." "He lost his mother at an early age, raised solely by his father. In those days, the town was not peaceful—or rather, the entire world was turbulent... Still, though poor, his days were comfortable and content." "Internal strife, foreign threats, the extinction of races, the collapse of heaven and earth... none of it had anything to do with that child. Those matters were too grand, too distant... Everything changed seventeen years ago!" "One day, that child obtained a book that merged into his body. Remember, he was only six years old!" Inside the restriction, Wen Yu ate as well, listening curiously as she chewed. It had been so many years since she last heard a story! "Yet from the moment that book merged into him, his misery began!" Su Yu narrated calmly, "Have you ever experienced the agony of your spirit being torn apart? The kind that makes you beg for death, unable to live or die? On that day when he was six, he experienced it. His memory is somewhat hazy now, but he remembers a terrifying beast tearing his body apart in his dreams, rending him to pieces, shattering his flesh, leaving him a mangled mess..." "Pain, excruciating pain! He wasn't a cultivator, nor a warrior, nor a soldier. He was merely a young child from a single-parent home, without a mother, with only his father for company. He was so small... He didn't know how to explain it, didn't know whom to turn to for help. He could only endure the agonizing torment. He could only beg his father to save him, crying that he was terrified, that it hurt, that he was sick... that he had nightmares of monsters killing him!" "Yet his father was weak as well. His father merely thought he was ill, because he couldn't see that the child's willpower had been torn apart and then pieced back together by a mysterious force!" "His father took him to see countless doctors, but none could find anything wrong..." "And that nightmare accompanied the child endlessly. In those days, every single day, every single night, the moment he closed his eyes, he dreamed. In those dreams, various monsters tore his body to shreds, gnawed on his flesh and blood, and devoured his soul..." "Day after day, he became terrified of sleeping. He held out... until his eyes were bloodshot, until he wanted to sleep even while walking, until he lost all appetite to eat or drink, wishing nothing more than to die on the spot!" "Yet he couldn't bear to... He couldn't bear to leave his father, couldn't bear to simply die like that!" "..." As Su Yu narrated, the Time Master's expression gradually turned strange. Seventeen years ago, a six-year-old child, endless daily nightmares, his spirit repeatedly torn apart... It felt familiar, yet something seemed off. Moreover, the way Su Yu told it made her feel as though she were experiencing it firsthand. She couldn't help but say, "That book must have been a treasure, and the dreams were likely tempering his spirit day after day... It was simply too powerful, tearing his spirit apart. Such a treasure should never have been inherited by a young child; it would cause him to collapse completely... Not mere spiritual death, but the extinction of his will. That child must have died!" The Time Master stated with conviction, "Even if he didn't die, he must have gone completely mad, raving and self-destructing, right?" Su Yu said calmly, "Listen to the end! He didn't die, nor did he go mad. Just like that, he endured for twelve years, all the way until he turned eighteen. Having endured thousands of nightmares, he remained alive—and lived very well!" "Impossible..." The Time Master said in disbelief, "With an experience like that, unless an expert intervened to resolve it, he would have either died or lost his mind!" "Perhaps!" Su Yu gave a low laugh. "Wen Yu, do you think this child should be grateful to the expert who bestowed that treasure upon him? Without that book, he wouldn't have had twelve years of day-and-night tempering, nor his subsequent strength. Do you know what became of him later?" "You haven't said yet!" Wen Yu urged eagerly, "What happened to him afterward? After he turned eighteen? Without the nightmares, he must have had a decent life, right?" "Quite decent!" Su Yu smiled. "At eighteen, he entered an academy to study, learning the path of cultivation! He formally stepped onto the cultivation journey! And right at that moment, he was swept into the inheritance of the older brother of that expert who had gifted him the book!" "That family truly shared an extraordinary fate with that child!" Su Yu smiled brightly. "During his Kaiyuan period—do you know what Kaiyuan is?" "Kaiyuan? It rings a faint bell..." Su Yu continued, "Back then, he became the sole successor of that multiple divine character faction. Oh, wait, he had a senior sister. As for his master and martial uncle, they belonged to the previous generation and had been constantly suppressed... Unwilling to be bullied, he fought back relentlessly, infuriating the opposition. Later, he was hunted down by experts of the Sun Moon Realm leading countless foes..." Wen Yu asked in surprise, "And then he was killed?" "No, he secretly contacted allies and killed them instead!" "Impressive..." Wen Yu said, then asked, "What happened next?" Su Yu smiled. "Keep listening!" He recounted the events of the Great Xia Prefecture and the Great Ming Prefecture. Wen Yu listened for a while, sighing with emotion: "So did he just stay in the Great Ming Prefecture doing research after that?" "How could he! With the tribulations facing his faction and his teachers, how could he just stand by and watch... And so, after biding his time for a few months and breaking through to the Tengkong Realm, he went to the All-Heavens Battlefield..." Su Yu continued his tale. As Wen Yu listened, pity welled up within her: "How tragic. When he went to the All-Heavens Battlefield, was he hunted down the entire way too? How pitiable. What happened next? Was he killed? If it were me, I'd rather have just been killed... how pitiful!" "How could he be!" Su Yu chuckled. "He became exceedingly formidable later on. Keep listening, listen closely!" Su Yu ground his teeth as he spoke: "There is still plenty more to the story. Especially when he could barely hold on any longer, a figure suddenly emerged from his book one day, telling him how miserable she was, that she was dying, that she couldn't hold on, that her brother was fighting, that her brother's comrades were fighting, that everyone was on the verge of death, and that she needed rescue!" "And this child was stubborn. He believed that having received someone's kindness—yes, that book had brought immense suffering, but it had also granted him talent and strength—having received such kindness, he must repay it tenfold. He had to save her! Besides, he had even promised her dog that he would definitely save its master!" "Though no saint, his word was his bond... To gain the strength to save her, he threw himself madly into growing stronger, slaughtering enemies, waging war across the all-heavens, fighting life-and-death battles against top experts time and again. For five years, five whole years, he never closed his eyes, never rested. He killed relentlessly, grew stronger relentlessly... all because every time, he would recall that sorrowful silhouette telling him that she couldn't hold on any longer..." *** At this moment, inside the restriction. The Time Master's expression changed completely! She abruptly opened her Heavenly Gate, staring out at Su Yu. Su Yu ate his food, drank his wine, a radiant smile on his face. "And so, one day, that child grew up. Braving countless perils, he fought his way here to save the master of that book! And that book was called a cookbook!" Su Yu's smile was dazzling. "It took him seventeen years to reach this point, spending five years battling the powerhouses of the all-heavens, all to come and rescue someone! To fulfill his promise! And at that very moment, that weeping, sorrowful, supposedly dying woman was cheerfully stuffing her face, her mouth dripping with oil. Tell me: should he hate, should he weep, or... should he laugh?" Su Yu laughed—so brightly that the Time Master momentarily forgot what to say. *Impossible!* *Utterly impossible!* *Is he that child?!* *I don't believe it, this can't be real!* *Five years, fighting across the all-heavens, slaughtering his way before her, solely to rescue her...* The Time Master fell completely silent. After a long while, she managed with difficulty, "Your... your story isn't very nice. I don't like stories like that, too sad. I prefer... I prefer brighter ones..." "Sad?" Su Yu said calmly, "It isn't sad, merely filled with twists and turns. Yet in the end, he succeeded! He arrived, standing before the woman who influenced his entire life, who changed his destiny!" "He tasted the food she cooked and drank the wine she brewed! He doesn't blame her, for she never anticipated it would choose that child... One can only say that fate makes fools of us all! Yet when he saw her eating so merrily... he was furious. Do you understand?" The meat in the Time Master's mouth suddenly lost all flavor! She felt a sudden wave of grievance: "But... my only hobby is eating... I can't just weep in here every single day, can I?" Su Yu ground his teeth. "Then don't let me see it!" "I didn't show it to you on purpose!" The Time Master grew increasingly dejected. After a long pause, she said, "I still don't believe you!" Su Yu snorted. A teardrop suddenly materialized in his hand, and he ground his teeth: "I want to know: is this a tear, or saliva?" "..." In that instant, heaven and earth went dead silent! Inside the restriction, the Time Master's eyes widened to their absolute limit! The next moment, a cookbook materialized... though only the cover remained. Su Yu ground his teeth and said, "Tell me, is this a tear?" "..." The Time Master whipped her head away, turning frantically, refusing to look at Su Yu. *It's over!* *He's going to kill me!* "Waaaah... I've had it rough too, truly! Fa tries to eat me every single day. I could only comfort myself with food; otherwise, after all these years, I would have died long ago—either killed or scared to death..." Su Yu snorted! A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over him. *I don't even want to save you anymore! Go on, keep eating! Eating aside, you even built a livestock pen in there—I'm about to explode with rage!* With wine and meat, she had lived far better than he had. How could he not be furious? As for the droplet in his hand, whether it was a tear or saliva was truly hard to say. It might very well have been drool! *Believe it or not, I'll punch you until you wail!* Su Yu thought. Meanwhile, the Time Master whined about her grievances while stealing glances at Su Yu, thoroughly shaken! *This can't be real!* *Could a mere replica truly nurture someone in a few short years to the point where he could come and rescue me?* *Why does this feel so surreal?!* *Even my brother wasn't this absurdly talented!* At this moment, as if having lived through his life alongside him, the Time Master suddenly said, "If you say you were lying to me, I won't retaliate. Otherwise, I will get back at you—I poisoned the wine and food!" Su Yu said calmly, "If you can poison to death a thirty-two-Dao world-opener who opened twin worlds, feel free to poison me!" "..." The Time Master was stunned. "Thirty-two Daos?!" Su Yu said indifferently, "What do you think? Did you think I was like that brother of yours, who spends all day acting formidable but isn't actually that impressive?" "..." *How could he say that!* Lacking all conviction, the Time Master mumbled, "My brother... is very impressive too!" Su Yu felt heart-weary. *Perhaps so!* At this moment, he ate in silence. If he didn't eat something, his heart simply wouldn't find peace!