Pursuit

King Dazhou was a descendant of the Human Ancestor. Having followed the Human Sovereign and been influenced by his Dao of Responsibility, he had ultimately chosen the Human Sovereign’s faction. Just as King Dazhou had confessed himself, he had experienced confusion, hesitation, and inner turmoil throughout this process. In the end, he had chosen to embrace this era! A new era! Thus, in the Tenth Tide, he had stopped at nothing in his desire to turn the entire situation around, and he had nearly succeeded. Su Yu’s ability to fuse with the Time Record had everything to do with him. Back then, he had merely intimidated Xing; had they truly fought, he likely would not have been Xing’s match. Because of that, he had never made a move back then. At this moment, Su Yu’s feelings were equally complicated. After a long pause, he sighed softly. “I thought you were hiding your strength, that we might even gain another true peak expert… In the end, that wasn't the case. What a pity!” King Dazhou felt somewhat helpless. He let out a sigh and said nothing. Su Yu spoke again. “From the Primordial Era until now, have you truly made virtually no progress?” King Dazhou said softly, “I told you long ago, my talent is not top-tier. I merely relied on accumulating bit by bit over countless days and months. You people are the geniuses of this era, the darlings of the times, whereas I… am merely an ordinary mortal of this era!” Even after accumulating power day in and day out until today, King Dazhou barely possessed the strength of sixteen Daos, just barely stepping into the first-rank. Many Daos had been cultivated for countless years, yet he had only truly mastered them and stepped into the first-rank realm after fusing them into Su Yu’s world. At this moment, Su Yu felt somewhat empty inside. “Is your real name truly Zhou Tian?” “Yes.” “Does it have anything to do with Tian?” Su Yu looked at him. “A complete heaven-cycle of civilization, the sun, moon, and stars… That name of yours holds quite a history. As for that person named Tian, he disappeared. Earlier, I wondered whether you were related to him, but it turns out you aren't. Among the Leaders of the Eight Tribes, Yue was female; could Yue be the only female?” Are you truly not the direct son or close kin of Human Ancestor Zhou? King Dazhou had merely said he was a descendant, but how many generations down? With whom had Zhou conceived children? Reaching Zhou’s level, any woman he chose would have been extraordinarily powerful, wouldn’t she? One only needed to look at King Wu to understand. King Wu and King Ming both had Dao companions, and their Dao companions were top-tier existences, first-rank experts. King Dazhou shook his head. “Zhou Tian is just a name! I consider myself Human Ancestor Zhou’s great-grandson. My father and grandfather both died in battle during the apocalypse. The descendants left behind by the Human Ancestor were not limited to me; Yu was one, as was the ancestor of the Giant race. In truth, the Human Ancestor’s lineage left behind quite a lot of bloodlines! In the early Primordial Era, he was still active across the Myriad Realms, and even within the current human race, a portion of his bloodline still flows… However, countless generations have passed. Just like with Wen and Xing, if you consider them descendants, they are; if you don't, they aren't.” “On the Human Ancestor’s side, he only required you to observe the Myriad Realms?” King Dazhou nodded slightly. “That was all that was needed, because… I could change nothing, nor was I strong enough! Being too talented and too powerful would draw too much attention instead. Only an ordinary existence like me could survive all the way from the Primordial Era until now! Otherwise, would you believe that a supreme expert would genuinely submit to a bunch of youngsters?” Su Yu laughed. “That’s hard to say. Maybe he would simply think the youngsters showed promise?” Joking aside, Su Yu finally asked, “Is there anything else you want to say?” King Dazhou was silent for a while before saying, “As for the rest, there is no need to say much. In this tide, that disciple of mine might have wanted me to say something to him… but in truth, I have nothing much to say!” Toward Liu Wenyan, he truly had few explanations or farewells to give. King Dazhou watched the waters of the river flow slowly by. After another moment, he said, “If you see him, tell him that if he wants to hate, he should hate; there is no need to suppress it! Suppressing it for so many years harms the body. I don't mind him hating me! Perhaps back then I should have imparted the Dao of Endurance to him; perhaps his achievements would have been even greater!” He laughed at himself mockingly. Su Yu frowned slightly. King Dazhou looked toward him and smiled faintly. “There is one last thing.” “Speak.” King Dazhou let out a breath and said slowly, “There is a high probability the Human Ancestor left some things behind in the Myriad Realms. The Physical Body Dao might have already been abandoned by him as a mere diversion, much like King Wen’s Brush Dao. If he opened a world, then his world… might still reside within the Myriad Realms!” Su Yu looked at him, frowning. “Are you betraying your ancestor?” The Human Ancestor didn't seem to have wronged you, yet you sell him out so readily? King Dazhou shook his head. “It’s not betrayal. In truth, I still hope you two can cooperate. He is a traitor to the Heavenly Gate, and a traitor to the Human Gate as well. Inside the Earth Gate, he might not be welcomed either… I only hope that he… can also have a good outcome! Rather than being slain! He betrayed Ren; from Ren’s perspective, he is unforgivable, but from your perspective… he is not necessarily impossible to win over.” Su Yu fell into deep contemplation. “You mean to say, you want me to locate his world and coerce him into cooperation?” “You could say that!” King Dazhou smiled. “Without something to constrain him, you wouldn't necessarily believe he would cooperate either.” “Do you know where his world is?” King Dazhou shook his head. “I don't know, but there is a high probability it lies in one of several places. First, within the Giant Realm! Second, somewhere in the Chaos. Third, within the Human Realm!” Su Yu started. “Within the Human Realm?” “Yes. The more dangerous the place, the safer it is! The most unexpected place is the most likely!” King Dazhou smiled faintly. “If his world is hidden within the Human Realm, although the River of Time holds some repulsion toward independent worlds, that repulsive force is not as great as the repulsion against other worlds. Therefore, it is not an impossibility!” The Human Realm? Could it be? The Human Ancestor should have opened a world. According to what others said, experts who did not open worlds and were merely Rulers of Rules had all been sealed, because reaching the level of mastering a Dao meant they were the elites of that era, and all were sealed together. The Human Ancestor had not been sealed. There was also the Lord of Dead Spirits; the Lord of Dead Spirits had opened a world, so the Human Ancestor should have opened one as well! Su Yu considered it, then nodded. “If I can find it later, all the better. If not, so be it!” Pausing, Su Yu added, “Why exactly did he betray Ren and collude with the Human Gate?” According to those people, the Human Ancestor and Ren shouldn't have had any conflict. King Dazhou shook his head. “I am not clear on that. If you run into him, perhaps you can ask him yourself. Ancient history isn't really a secret anymore—at least not now. He might just tell you!” Su Yu smiled faintly. “True!” Standing up, Su Yu said, “You should head back to the Myriad Realms as well! I’m going to walk further upstream to see where those fellows are hiding!” King Dazhou said nothing. He did not tell Su Yu to be careful; Su Yu had no need for caution. Without lingering, he quickly headed downstream. Su Yu, on the other hand, traveled upstream against the current! Regarding King Dazhou’s matters, he decided to leave the choice to Liu Wenyan. Across King Dazhou’s series of schemes, Su Yu was actually the beneficiary, whereas Liu Wenyan was truly tragic. Putting those thoughts aside, Su Yu continued flying upstream. He traversed the river as though walking on flat ground! Having reached Su Yu’s realm, even navigating the River of Time posed hardly any pressure. Advancing along the way, after some time, Su Yu sensed an aura—a peculiar aura. It seemed… immensely grand! Yet, vaguely, it also carried a faint sense of weakness. Su Yu’s eyes flickered slightly. Have I… arrived near the true Heavenly Gate? As the portals drew closer, the River of Time was actually being compressed. Both ends were compressing toward the extreme, squeezing toward the region of the Myriad Realms. When the Three Gates opened simultaneously, that would be the opportunity the Lord of Dead Spirits had been coveting all along: devouring the river! Otherwise, in its current state, he had no way to devour it. When Su Yu pressed forward another stretch of distance, he saw an incomparably colossal portal. Near the portal, a group of people struggled to survive beneath its faint luminescence. Upon catching sight of Su Yu’s figure, their expressions turned pale in alarm! “Su Yu!” A shout laced with bluster and dread rang out! The God Emperor barked furiously, “Su Yu, you dare come here?” At this moment, a faint radiance shimmered across the portal, as if it were awakening. Yet Su Yu did not look at those people. Instead, he gazed at the gargantuan portal, sinking into deep contemplation. Only after a protracted silence did he speak: “When will you overlap with the Myriad Realms?” The God Emperor and the others were terrified, initially thinking Su Yu was addressing them, yet sensing it was not so! In the next instant, the Heavenly Gate suddenly rippled slightly, and an ancient, seemingly benevolent voice drifted out: “Su Yu, do you look forward to my overlap with the Myriad Realms?” Everyone was shocked to the core! The Heavenly Gate… was alive! What was more, it actually recognized Su Yu! At this moment, they felt only utter disbelief, for they had never known that the Heavenly Gate possessed life and consciousness! Su Yu smiled faintly. “I look forward to it somewhat! In addition, I have a few questions. As a world-creator, do you count as having been thoroughly sealed? If you awaken, will you need to slaughter people to replenish your origin and prevent your own demise?” “Once I transformed into a gate, I was considered sealed.” The Heavenly Gate gave its answer. Su Yu chuckled. “You sheltering these people—is it to prepare them for those inside the gate?” The Heavenly Gate did not reply. Su Yu thought for a moment, then added, “I know you will not awaken right now. I have a question you must answer for me. Otherwise… not a single one of these people will be left standing!” The Heavenly Gate was silent for a brief moment. “What do you wish to know?” “What kind of existence is the Human Gate, really?” “You believe I would know?” Su Yu smiled. “Yes, I believe you should know something!” After another silence, the Heavenly Gate said, “A magnificent existence!” Su Yu was surprised. “You would actually use the word ‘magnificent’?” “Because he is indeed terrifying!” The Heavenly Gate’s will fluctuated. “My being sealed was also thanks to him!” Su Yu smiled faintly. “Fine then!” If the Heavenly Gate called him terrifying, then he was likely truly terrifying. He glanced at the people before him once more and laughed. “How about gifting me half of them? Otherwise, if you move against me, you will have to awaken, which will delay your recovery.” At that, the God Emperor and the others all turned pale! Had Su Yu reached such a terrifying degree already? Would even the unimaginably lofty Heavenly Gate compromise with him? However, the Heavenly Gate refused, saying calmly, “You will not act against me, because… I can open and forcibly draw you inside the gate! Do you wish to clash with Kong and the others?” Su Yu laughed. “Not particularly!” He dropped the topic and turned to look at the God Emperor and the rest, smiling brilliantly. “You people are merely nourishment being raised by those fellows inside the Heavenly Gate! God Emperor, there is still one thing I don't understand. Back then, when the Human Sovereign gathered you all to confront the Three Gates… he should have mentioned the situation inside the gates, and he wouldn't have concealed the matter of merging Yin and Yang from you. Why did you rebel?” “Is cooperating with those inside the gate truly so wonderful?” Su Yu chuckled. “No matter how you look at it, we are practitioners of the same era! As for those inside the gate, regardless of having the same race and ancestry, they are existences of the previous era. Do you truly think they won't slaughter you?” At this moment, the God Emperor’s expression turned ugly. After a long pause, he said, “Rebel? What do you mean by ‘rebel’? We were merely trying to survive!” He said coldly, “The Prison King slaughtered our people everywhere, and the Time Master slaughtered as well, while King Wen and the Human Sovereign turned a blind eye! You humans possess the most ruthless, venomous methods! Back then, the Human Sovereign dragged us here precisely to use us to help him suppress the confluence of the Three Gates, didn't he? From start to finish… you merely treated us as cannon fodder, as pawns! If the Human Sovereign hadn't brought disaster upon himself in the end… do you think he would be as agreeable as he is now? It is only because he was injured and lacked the strength to suppress us that he appears so down on his luck!” The God Emperor sneered, “You people are the most hypocritical of all!” Su Yu nodded slightly. “Then in cooperating with those inside the gate, did you never consider that you would be treated as nourishment?” The God Emperor was silent for a while before saying slowly, “We won't be!” Su Yu was surprised. “Why are you so certain?” On what grounds do you believe you won't become nourishment? Based on your meager strength? Nearby, some of the God Emperor’s followers grew restless, appearing somewhat uneasy. The God Emperor looked at Su Yu and said in a heavy voice, “Because… many of us cultivated the three-body art!” Su Yu started. What did that mean? In the next instant, he seemed to understand! Sure enough, the God Emperor said calmly, “Back then, in order to resist you humans and increase our bargaining chips with the experts inside the gate, many of us cultivated the three-body art. We simply refrained from fusing our future bodies for the most part. However, once the Three Gates open, we will choose to fuse our future bodies!” He looked at Su Yu. “The Human Sovereign’s precedent stands right before us. By now, we understand that as long as we have fused the three-body art, they will not dare rashly devour our Daos. Devouring them… could bring about severe problems! A portion of our Daos would be hollow, like rootless duckweed!” Looking at Su Yu, he laughed. “Su Yu, do not assume only your human race is clever! Having cultivated the three-body art, the people inside the gate will not dare devour us! Otherwise, the incomparably powerful Human Sovereign is their cautionary tale!” Su Yu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I have to say… your little scheme actually seems somewhat viable! The three-body art was likely passed down by the Human Gate. The future body carries immense issues, perhaps even being power lent to you by the Human Gate. Most of the ancient antiques inside the gate know about this, while few in our era are aware of it! By that logic, those fellows truly might not dare devour you?” The God Emperor said indifferently, “Indeed! Naturally, unless driven to the absolute brink, we would not wish to make such a choice either! It was all forced by you humans! Between certain death and the risk of being entrapped by the Human Gate, we choose the latter!” These words were meant for Su Yu, but also for the Heavenly Gate. You cannot devour us! Su Yu laughed. “Who taught you this?” Su Yu had never considered this matter before; or rather, he had not known about it previously, only learning of such nuances much later. Yet the God Emperor might have known all along. Su Yu added, “Then before the Immortal Emperor and the others died, they didn't seem to fuse their three bodies.” The God Emperor said calmly, “Because back then, they did not anticipate dying there. But we are prepared now! The moment the Three Gates open, we will fuse our three bodies!” “Why not fuse them now?” Su Yu smiled. “Fusing your three bodies now would at least boost your strength a bit.” The God Emperor stared at him. “Because you do not understand at all. When the Three Gates open, the past, present, and future will all be at their peak. At that time, fusing the three bodies yields the greatest enhancement! Su Yu, you could try it yourself!” Su Yu chuckled. “No thanks, count me out! I don't want to court misfortune! You still haven't told me who taught you.” “Does it matter?” Su Yu nodded. Of course it mattered. Even I didn't know about this, yet you people are crystal clear. Could it be… the Human Gate taught them? Fusing the three bodies was indeed the outcome the Human Gate desired. Did that mean the God race truly had ties to the Human Gate? Or had the Immortal Emperor previously been communicating with the Human Gate? Seeing them all cowering near the Heavenly Gate, Su Yu glanced at the Heavenly Gate again and smiled faintly. “Fine then. Since you won't hand them over, it seems you have your own plans! I will wait for you in the Myriad Realms! I hope you overlap with the Myriad Realms soon… Otherwise, I fear that slaying you without breaking a sweat when the time comes would be too much of a pity!” Su Yu sighed with emotion. “In truth, we originally held no grudge against each other. Regrettably… a victor must be determined! From Xing’s words, I learned that perhaps you truly wished to revive the human race… but what you envisioned was your human race, not mine!” The Heavenly Gate did not speak. Different eras dictated that they would not share many common pursuits. Su Yu slowly retreated. Since the Heavenly Gate was offering protection, Su Yu would not force an attack; if he truly were dragged inside the gate, that would hardly be a good thing. Just as Su Yu backed away, the Heavenly Gate’s will suddenly surged: “Su Yu, you are the Fourth Gate! The gate that seals the era! My today is your tomorrow! You believe you can resist, you believe you can struggle, yet you do not realize that at the final moment… perhaps the person you trust most will betray you! The Human Gate is far craftier, more mysterious, and more powerful than you can imagine!” “The Human Gate represents the destruction of the world. With every apocalypse, the Human Gate grows stronger. As era after era perishes… the Human Gate may have been watching from the shadows all along, siphoning the power of an era’s demise… You are destined for destruction!” At this moment, the Heavenly Gate spoke at length. Finally, it added, “In truth, we do not necessarily have to be enemies. Why not join hands to face the Human Gate together?” Su Yu halted his steps, looked toward the Heavenly Gate, and laughed. Join hands? Was that possible? It was impossible, because if they wanted to return, they were destined to strike at the experts of the Myriad Realms; people like Su Yu were their finest nourishment. And to Su Yu, those experts were nourishment as well! “We’ll see!” Su Yu did not directly refuse, smiling instead. “Besides… I won't believe everything you say either!” With those words, Su Yu quietly withdrew. …… Su Yu did not linger long in the upper reaches of the River of Time. Soon, he traveled downstream. Before long, Su Yu returned to the Myriad Realms without a sound. Entering the Myriad Realms, Su Yu’s figure flashed and vanished. After a moment, Su Yu slipped into the Human Realm, where the Human Sovereign and the others had already departed. Su Yu soon returned to Nanyuan. Flashing forward again, he slipped into that fake civilization ruin. Walking all the way to the end of the ruin, Su Yu tore open space, revealing a small pocket dimension embedded within the spatial folds. Su Yu flickered and entered this small space. …… This was a modest space. Given Su Yu’s previous strength, opening a spatial pocket rather than an independent world had only yielded an area roughly the size of Nanyuan. Within this small space, there weren't many people. At this moment, the clear sound of reading aloud drifted out from an academy in the small city. The ringing clangs of blacksmithing also echoed crisply. Su Yu’s figure materialized outside the academy. At present, within the small academy, a number of children were studying—roughly a hundred orphans who had lost their parents and kin in the war. Here, there was no shortage of teachers. At the podium, Liu Wenyan was currently lecturing. Su Yu’s figure appeared outside the window. In the classroom, Liu Wenyan seemed to sense something and glanced outward. Seeing Su Yu, he merely nodded slightly before continuing his lesson to the children: “Source Opening is an extraordinarily vital stage in life. Only after opening nine apertures can one begin cultivation!” “Cultivation is a process of strengthening the self, of empowering one’s true essence… yet the strength gained from cultivation is not the ultimate end. What is the true goal of becoming strong?” “……” He lectured the children on principles they might not truly comprehend. And some of those viewpoints were notions Su Yu did not necessarily agree with either. Yet he said nothing. He merely watched, waited, and listened in silence. This was the Liu Wenyan he knew; it felt as though he had been just like this since long ago. Su Yu had entered Nanyuan Intermediate Academy at the age of twelve, and Liu Wenyan had taught him for over five years. Even before twelve, Su Yu had listened to Liu Wenyan’s lectures in order to suppress those recurring nightmares. Just like now, listening to him expound on grand principles he could not comprehend back then. Later on, he had gradually come to understand some of it, yet he had found his teacher pedantic. Even after arriving at Great Xia Civilization Academy and learning so much about him, Su Yu had always felt he was terribly pedantic. Of course, since he was his teacher, he had never voiced it aloud. Had Su Yu been in Liu Wenyan’s shoes back then, he would never have chosen to abandon everything, inherit a single divine character, and retreat into seclusion within this tiny city. Framed nicely, it was honoring his teacher’s dying wish. Framed harshly, it was sheer escapism. Fifty years! Just to protect this divine character, his family had died, his brothers had died, his friends had died… Was it worth it? Su Yu felt it wasn't! And after so many years in seclusion, even when he clearly knew there was something unusual about Su Yu, and even when the Xia family spoke with him and he remarked that Su Yu had likely inherited a ruin, he had never once entertained the thought of seizing that fortuitous opportunity. Su Yu admired him, yet even today, he still felt his teacher’s temperament was overly indecisive. Thought after thought surfaced in Su Yu’s mind. After who knew how long, the lesson came to an end. With a book tucked under his arm and wearing a scholar’s long robe, carrying an air of refinement, Liu Wenyan stepped out of the classroom. Su Yu quickly caught up. Walking along, Liu Wenyan said, “Why have you come? Is everything settled outside?” “Nothing much left in the Myriad Realms; we are just waiting for the Three Gates to open!” Liu Wenyan smiled faintly. “Are you confident?” “I don't know.” “You can do it!” Liu Wenyan chuckled, walking toward the residential area behind the academy. He added, “Have you gone to see the others?” Su Yu smiled. “No. As soon as I arrived, I was drawn in by Teacher’s lecture. It felt like returning to the old days! In the blink of an eye, more than a decade has passed!” “Yes, more than a decade!” Liu Wenyan laughed. “Lately, I’ve been quite at leisure, though your Teacher Bai has been giving me a splitting headache. Every now and then an explosion goes off on his side. You need to reinforce this space; I’m afraid one of these days he’ll blow me to pieces!” Just as he finished speaking, a thunderous boom erupted! Su Yu looked into the distance; a courtyard residence had been blasted flat! A cursing shout rang out: “Fuck, failed again!” Su Yu couldn't help but laugh. “What on earth is he researching?” Liu Wenyan said casually, “I’m not entirely sure. Seems to be some Dao-principle transformation. Pure nonsense! If this continues, he’s going to blast this place level! It doesn't matter if he blows himself up, but he better not blow these children up!” Su Yu chuckled. “I’ll reinforce the space in a bit!” Even as they spoke, an enormous hammer flew across from the other side, heading straight for Bai Feng. It slammed down, accompanied by Zhao Li’s furious roar: “Blow up one more thing and I’ll hammer you to death!” “……” Soon, Zhao Li’s figure appeared, bristling with anger. Catching sight of Su Yu and Liu Wenyan, he was slightly surprised, but quickly called out, “Don't be in a rush to leave! Replenish my materials later; my forging hasn't been going smoothly lately, and I’ve run completely out!” Su Yu smiled and nodded. “Sure! Keep at it, Teacher, I’ll look for you shortly!” “Mm!” Zhao Li shot a glance at Liu Wenyan and said no more. …… After a short while, the two arrived at a small courtyard residence. The moment they entered the doorway, a voice called out from within: “You’re back? Time to eat…” Su Yu’s expression turned peculiar at once, and he looked toward Liu Wenyan. Liu Wenyan didn't care in the slightest. Walking inside, he said, “I’m back. Su Yu is here, prepare a bit extra for him.” In the next moment, someone walked out from the room. Su Yu broke into a grin. Seeing Su Yu smiling like that, Wu Yuehua didn't care either, putting on a calm front. “Seeing him looking so pitiful living alone, I came over to cook a little food for him. You two eat; I’m leaving now, the dishes are all on the table!” Su Yu laughed. “Mistress has become quite reserved. Why not eat together?” Wu Yuehua huffed—not at Su Yu, but at Liu Wenyan. She sneered coldly, “Forget it. Someone else will probably be coming by later; running into them wouldn't be pleasant. I’m leaving!” With that, she strode away. Su Yu looked surprised, but thinking of something, he couldn't help laughing. “Teacher, even in a place like this, those ladies are still competing?” Liu Wenyan smiled. “You wouldn't understand. Life only has this much amusement!” Speaking, he entered the room with Su Yu. The food on the table was already laid out, along with a bottle of wine. Liu Wenyan laughed. “Life isn't half bad. Jealous?” “A little!” Su Yu nodded. “It’s just that the place isn't very big, and there aren't many people…” “What do we need so many people for?” Liu Wenyan thought nothing of it. Gesturing for Su Yu to sit, he took a sip of wine, looking thoroughly content. Smiling, he said, “Your coming today was quite a surprise. I haven't seen you in over a year.” “I went to the Heavenly Gate. A few months there amounted to a year here!” Su Yu also drank a cup of wine, smiling. “As long as Teacher’s life is going well, I am satisfied! So long as Teacher doesn't find this place dreary.” “Hardly dreary!” Liu Wenyan laughed. “Bring me more books later, and get me more seeds and such. There’s plenty to eat and drink here, but it doesn't give the same sense of accomplishment as growing it yourself!” Su Yu looked at him. “Does Teacher wish to go outside?” Liu Wenyan fell silent for a long moment before finally saying, “At first I did, but later I stopped wanting to! In truth, days like this might be what I’ve dreamed of all along! Just like back in Nanyuan… Fifty years in Nanyuan… truly made me nostalgic. It was only that I knew I had unfinished business, so I had no choice but to leave Nanyuan! If possible, I might have lived under an assumed name in Nanyuan for an entire lifetime! It was actually quite nice!” He spoke in earnest. Su Yu looked at him, then asked, “Teacher, I have a doubt. Back then, when my father found you and I told you about those nightmares, with your experience, you should have deduced something. Why did you never think of seizing my fortuitous encounter?” Liu Wenyan laughed. “Why must human nature be driven to its darkest extreme? Do not do unto others what you would not have done to yourself. Back then, I refused to hand over my teacher’s divine character. Everyone wanted it, and when I refused, they slaughtered my entire family… If I had seized your opportunity and killed you, your father would have fought me to the death upon finding out, which meant I would have had to kill your father. Once your father was dead, if others found out, I might have had to keep killing…” Liu Wenyan smiled. “I suffered such agony myself; why would I inflict it upon you?” Su Yu thought about it and asked again, “King Daxia was also there back then. Did he never think of seizing it?” “King Daxia?” Liu Wenyan chuckled. “He had the thought. He also assumed it was a ruin. But I am a scholar, and persuading that brute was well within my ability! We were all subjects of the Great Xia Prefecture, fighting on his behalf; why fuss over whether the fortuitous encounter was his or not? The Xia family still retains some humanity after all; otherwise, the Great Xia Prefecture wouldn't be so formidable in battle…” Su Yu nodded. Raising his cup in a toast, he smiled. “Then I must thank Teacher for sparing my life back then!” “What nonsense are you spouting!” Liu Wenyan burst out laughing. Su Yu added, “Teacher has a clear idea regarding Ye Batian’s matter, don't you?” Liu Wenyan was silent for a moment, then nodded. “He’s dead!” Su Yu frowned. Liu Wenyan, however, did not look at him. “My teacher is dead. He died more than fifty years ago! His origin shattered across the Myriad Realms, leaving him completely beyond resurrection! Su Yu, Ye Batian is my teacher; don't keep calling him by his full name, show some respect!” Su Yu frowned. “Teacher…” Liu Wenyan smiled. “What are you trying to say? That my teacher isn't dead? Then resurrect him for me to see!” Su Yu said in a heavy voice, “He said you could hate him…” “I don't hate him!” Liu Wenyan waved his hand. “Certain things are one’s own choices! They have nothing to do with anyone else! You, your temperament is far too rash, always needing to investigate everything to the bottom, to dig up every detail! What for?” Liu Wenyan chuckled. “When I was young, perhaps I had my moments of rashness, but later I understood that a plain, quiet life is perhaps the truest essence of all!” Su Yu thought about it, then nodded. “Since Teacher puts it that way, then Ye Batian… is dead! Thoroughly perished!” “Mm.” Liu Wenyan did not pursue the topic further. Smiling, he asked, “Out there all this time, have you thought about finding a Dao companion to carry on your lineage? Have a child, and how about I handle their enlightenment education? Lately, teaching these kids brings a good mood, but lacks a certain sense of accomplishment… They aren't as clever as you were! I teach reading, Old Zhao handles blacksmithing, your Teacher Bai handles research, and Junior Brother Hong handles fighting…” Su Yu smiled wryly. “No, no time, and no interest!” “Appetite and lust are fundamental human nature!” With a sigh, Liu Wenyan lamented once more, “The greatest mistake of your teacher’s life was spouting nonsense right when you were just beginning to mature! Compared to that, nothing else even counts as a mistake!” Su Yu smiled helplessly. “Teacher, what era are we living in… If it bothers you so much, you could just have a few kids yourself to play with!” “Nonsense!” Liu Wenyan laughed. “Though… speaking of which, it’s not entirely out of the question!” With that, he raised an eyebrow and grinned. “How about your teacher sets an example for you?” “……” Su Yu could only chuckle. “Teacher, you go ahead. We’ll talk about me later! Once I quell all the turmoil, then we can talk about such things!” “Sigh, utterly incorrigible!” Liu Wenyan even lost his taste for wine, sighing repeatedly. “What a pity! Your father has complained to me about this plenty of times. We nearly came to blows over it; every time we drank together, he gave me an earful of curses, and I could do nothing about it…” Shaking his head again, he said, “You… are beyond saving!” Su Yu rolled his eyes. Beyond saving just for that? “Teacher, I’m still young!” “Fine, fine! Let’s not speak of such sad matters!” Liu Wenyan laughed, then added, “Don't worry about things here; there are no problems. Go see your father and the others later, they all miss you! Oh, right, tell that little fur ball of yours not to go around licking everything all day… A few days ago, who knows if that fellow was starved out of its mind, but it ran off to lick Yuehua’s cauldron. An entire cauldron of pills had all their essence licked clean away! She ruined over a dozen cauldrons of pills in a row before discovering that fellow was behind it all, right beneath the furnace. If it hadn't drooled so much that saliva dripped down, she still wouldn't have known what was going on.” Su Yu was completely dumbfounded. Was that necessary? That hungry? When I left, I left it plenty of food. It finished it all already? What an appetite! Look at Fat Ball—for a hundred thousand years, it was completely self-sufficient, and you didn't see it starve to death. Sigh! Su Yu smiled and nodded. “Alright, I understand. I’ll leave more food for it later!” With that, the two continued drinking and eating. Neither mentioned King Dazhou again. Before long, someone else arrived, sat down, and started eating. Wearing a cold face and ignoring Su Yu, he ate for a while before pouring out his grievances: “Raised an unfilial son who doesn't come back for over a year! When he finally returns, he doesn't even visit his father, running off to drink with some old codger instead! Anyone who didn't know better would think his father was dead!” “……” Su Yu felt helpless, not knowing what to say. After another moment, Bai Feng walked in covered in black soot. He also sat down and began eating immediately: “Good disciple, did you win? If you won, tear down the Three Gates and bring them for me to study! Oh, right, once you compress the River of Time, let me research that as well! I feel like my research has hit a bottleneck lately, and I urgently need those materials!” Su Yu smiled and nodded, offering a perfunctory reply to brush it off. More and more people arrived. Within the small courtyard, one familiar face after another appeared. A single table was no longer enough, so another was added. Drinking, eating, complaining, scolding, laughing and joking… This was the daily life here. Su Yu watched quietly, ignoring the little fur ball bouncing around on his head. Perhaps this was the outcome he had wanted all along. Su Yu did not know if they were truly happy, but at least at the moment of his arrival, they were happy. Laughter and joyful voices drifted through the small courtyard. At this moment, he suddenly felt that everything he had done was meaningful. The Human Sovereign’s responsibility was too vast; he had no wish to shoulder it. The people before his eyes were the responsibility he ought to bear. Su Yu ate and drank in silence. At this moment, his weary heart gradually relaxed. At this moment, this expert of thirty-five Daos actually grew tipsy. Leaning back in his chair, with drunken, hazy eyes, he grinned foolishly, completely delighted. Watching Teacher Liu being cornered and scolded by three mistresses, he suddenly felt that life was quite wonderful!