Chapter 911: Meeting in the Forbidden Land

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(Stomach upset, diarrhea, squatting for half an hour)

Eternal Life Mountain shifted near Sky Dome Mountain.

This also meant the Forbidden Ground Assembly was about to officially begin.

……

Netherworld Hell.

The vast Netherworld Hell, now under the Nether Lord's urging, moved through heaven and earth, flying toward Eternal Life Mountain.

Inside Netherworld Hell.

The Nether Lord looked at Su Yu, who had just returned, and frowned: "This time, what is your target?"

"Kill the Immortal Ancestor, kill the Martial Lord!"

Su Yu didn't say much, calmly replying: "Under the watchful eyes of a group of Forbidden Ground Lords, to slay two of them—the best outcome is that no one dares to provoke me; the worst is being hunted down… or even killed!"

The Nether Lord frowned slightly but said nothing.

After a moment, he spoke: "Actually, there's no need to strike now; you could wait until the Forbidden Ground Assembly ends."

"No, only in troubled waters can you catch fish! This is the most chaotic time, and also the best. Otherwise, on ordinary days… now that the Demon Ancestor and others are dead, all the Forbidden Grounds are on high alert—assassinating anyone is as hard as reaching the sky!"

With everyone gathered, the danger is greater—Su Yu understood this logic.

But now, the Heavenly Gate was about to open; if he delayed further, he might lose his chance.

Everyone was guarding against you, with tight defenses!

Yet precisely at this moment, because there were so many people, they all shared the same thought as the Nether Lord: with so many here, would you dare kill me?

Would you dare make a move?

Only at such a time were these people easiest to kill.

The Nether Lord said no more, silently gazing ahead.

After countless years in the Heavenly Gate world, now that the gate was about to open, it was also the opportunity he had been waiting for.

At this moment,

he suddenly spoke of matters unrelated to the Forbidden Ground Assembly.

"Su Yu, do you know that the opening of the Three Gates is also an opportunity?"

Su Yu listened silently. An opportunity?

Last time, he had asked the Nether Lord what the opportunity was, and he had guessed there was some great fortune but hadn't specified.

What fortune could it be?

The Nether Lord paused for a moment, then continued: "When the Three Gates open, the Heavenly Gate moves downstream along the long river, the Human Gate shifts upstream—past, future, and present unite! The long river is compressed, all paths are compressed! All eras converge in the myriad realms… at that time, the long river becomes the sole long river!"

"So when the Three Gates open… the River of Time has boundaries!"

As the Nether Lord spoke, he looked at Su Yu again. Su Yu frowned at him and said after a long pause: "Senior, you mean…"

"Do you know why I entered the Heavenly Gate? Was it merely to open a realm of the dead?"

Su Yu said nothing. Wasn't it?

The Nether Lord continued: "I have grand ambitions. I once deduced that the River of Time cannot normally be devoured! But when the Three Gates converge, compressing the river into a single heaven and earth… at that time, the myriad realms become a true, complete world! Since it is a world, it can be swallowed!"

"Wen Yu could devour the world of Law… and we all were born from the River of Time; in truth, we are still connected to it. So at that moment, we too might devour the River of Time, transcend ourselves, and become the true supreme ones!"

He spoke with a hint of longing: "Thus, my purpose in entering the Heavenly Gate back then was simple: I wanted to seize the River of Time!"

Su Yu gasped!

"Senior… that is truly ambitious—the River of Time is not easy to swallow!"

"Are you not astonished that the compressed river can be devoured?"

The Nether Lord, seeing that Su Yu was only amazed by his ambition, couldn't help but remark—this had been his goal for years; was Su Yu not surprised?

Su Yu smiled: "I am surprised, but not entirely. I remember Chen once said that you mentioned this long ago—the Three-Self Method, with selves in the past, future, and present, maintaining the three ends of the river, compressing it, and devouring it… so I am not too shocked by your ambition. I just didn't expect you to have thought of it back then—truly formidable!"

"Are you not tempted?"

The Nether Lord looked at him: "You must understand, the River of Time is the strongest, most perfect, and most complete world in heaven and earth. Once devoured, you would rule the myriad realms; all cultivators' paths would be under your control. Even the transcendent ones, who have absorbed paths into their bodies, could not escape your grasp!"

"Senior, do you have a plan?"

Su Yu asked.

The Nether Lord hesitated for a moment, then continued: "A little! But it is not yet complete. The River of Time is too strong to seize easily. Whether the Lord of Time will appear after the seizure is also a question. Moreover, regarding the Human Gate, I lack understanding—what is its purpose? What is its strength? For now, it remains unclear."

"Senior, why tell me all this…"

"Nothing!"

The Nether Lord said no more, but casually, with utter indifference, dropped a line: "I want to open life and death, perfect life and death, to have a better chance of devouring the river!"

He was merely telling Su Yu: you want to kill the Immortal Ancestor, help me be reborn through nirvana, perfect my path of life and death—then I would have a better chance of devouring the river.

And there is only one river. When I say these words, you, too, are a world-opener—are you not tempted?

Have you never thought of swallowing this myriad-realm world?

Turning it into your own world!

The opening of the Three Gates is an opportunity, a chance!

But Su Yu was unconcerned and only laughed: "Each has their own fortune. I rarely covet others' fortunes, but that doesn't mean I lack my own. Senior need not worry that I will snatch yours… besides, perhaps Senior may not obtain it so easily."

"…"

The Nether Lord was left speechless.

And just then, heaven and earth trembled; they had arrived.

At this moment, around Eternal Life Mountain, one forbidden ground after another emerged, enveloping the mountain.

Su Yu swept his gaze over them—there were quite a few forbidden grounds.

As far as he knew, there were Dragon Domain, Blade Domain, God Domain, Eternal Heaven, Martial Domain, Sky Dome Mountain, Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain…

Forbidden grounds of all sizes were arriving one by one.

Some exuded a powerful aura, others were calm and unruffled, while some had a faint forbidden-ground radiance.

Looking at the forbidden grounds, Su Yu recalled what King Wen and others had said before: forging a forbidden ground allowed one to traverse the Heavenly Gate and pass through it intact when the gate opened.

Thus, not everyone could forge a forbidden ground.

Some 30-path or 31-path experts had forged forbidden grounds, each with its unique traits.

Now, Su Yu swept his gaze and saw that, including Netherworld Hell and Eternal Life Mountain, there were already fourteen forbidden grounds!

This was terrifying!

Soul Domain, Fallen Soul Valley, Demon Domain, and Fist Domain had all been destroyed; otherwise, there would have been eighteen!

And at that moment, Su Yu suddenly flew out!

The next moment, in the distance, a colossal city materialized in the void, teeming with powerful beings within.

A giant mountain stood in the city, and atop it rested a palace.

Wanjie!

This mountain, forged from several shattered forbidden lands, had now been completed.

The instant Su Yu entered, the power of heaven and earth blanketed the surroundings.

What had been merely a void city transformed in an instant into a forbidden land, suspended between heaven and earth. Around it, some strong men wore cold expressions—Su Yu of Wanjie Mountain!

“Hail, Lord of Calamity!”

At the mountain’s base, a multitude of strong men shouted in unison!

Some were those Su Yu had subdued earlier, others were rogue cultivators who had joined later.

Now, in his Wanjie Mountain alone, there were nearly thirty of the first rank—a standard for such forbidden lands.

Adding Wanjie Mountain, a full fifteen forbidden lands now hung in the sky.

Yet forbidden lands, too, had their distinctions of strength.

As Su Yu’s Wanjie Mountain arrived, it flew straight toward a forbidden land near the Netherworld Hell. From that land, a powerful figure instantly emerged, his face solemn. Su Yu’s voice echoed across the four directions: “Get lost! I claim this place for Wanjie Mountain!”

That somewhat dim forbidden land paused for a moment, then vanished from its spot, reappearing in another empty area—for its master possessed only thirty-one paths.

Survival of the fittest!

Su Yu was stronger; he had no choice.

But just as Wanjie Mountain was about to descend, the void suddenly churned violently. A mountain like a savage beast swept in, with myriad beasts roaring, “Wanshou Mountain descends! Stand back!”

Kong!

Wanshou Mountain!

Clearly, the other side was likely acting deliberately.

Just as Su Yu had forced others away, now the mighty Wanshou Mountain was forcing Su Yu to retreat.

“Get lost!”

At that moment, a surge of deathly aura swept in. The Netherworld Lord said coldly, “Do you want to be my neighbor, Kong? Care to play again?”

On Wanshou Mountain, the colossal form of Kong appeared at the peak.

Kong was a somewhat peculiar giant beast.

Part rhinoceros, part tiger, it seemed to combine traits of ancient beasts. Its huge eyes held a mix of coldness and bloodlust, chilling and grim.

On its head grew a single horn.

And last time, that very horn had pierced the Netherworld Lord, making it an exceedingly powerful weapon.

At that moment, in the distance, the Dragon Domain quaked, the Phoenix Domain trembled.

Several forbidden lands shook violently!

Waves of formidable power surged forth.

The King of Ten Thousand Beasts!

The first ancient beast of heaven and earth.

Though these beasts were not always united in daily life, in critical moments they banded together.

In the blink of an eye, torrents of overwhelming power clashed.

The two sides wrestled for dominance!

Just then, a light laugh drifted from Eternal Life Mountain: “Gentlemen, there are rogue cultivators present today—don’t let them see a farce! Wanjie Mountain is newly established, even if backed by the Netherworld Hell, the Beast King is still a senior… Su Yu, I think you should yield!”

Fa’s figure appeared atop Eternal Life Mountain, his gaze fixed on Su Yu within Wanjie Mountain. He said calmly, “In the Heavenly Gate World, strength reigns supreme! You, Su Yu, could enter the Netherworld Hell and claim any place you wish. Since you’ve opened your own forbidden land, does Wanjie Mountain seek to settle victory or defeat with Wanshou Mountain? A man should know his limits! Su Yu, arrogance and tyranny must be tempered by circumstance!”

Su Yu said coldly, “Are you ordering me around?”

Fa’s voice boomed: “Do not break the rules! Though this world has long lost its rules, forbidden lands still have theirs! If you, Su Yu, can defeat the Beast King, you may even take the seat of Eternal Life Mountain… that is your choice! If not, then calm down! Must we all join forces to teach you a lesson?”

At that moment, one forbidden land after another stirred with energy. Someone sneered, “Su Yu, will you not retreat?”

Su Yu’s face darkened. He swept a cold glance across the four directions, then, with a snort, his forbidden land shifted, withdrawing from its spot and landing near the Longevity Heaven where the Immortal Ancestor resided.

Nearby, in the vibrant Longevity Heaven, the Immortal Ancestor glanced at Su Yu, frowned slightly, but said nothing.

By now, the entire layout of encircling forbidden lands was gradually taking shape.

Inside and out, the Sky Dome Mountain was also enveloped.

With Eternal Life Mountain at the core, the outer ring now held only three: the Netherworld Hell, Wanshou Mountain, and Sky Dome Mountain.

Su Yu and his people were in the second layer.

The third layer contained forbidden lands below the thirty-two paths.

The outermost ring was filled with countless rogue cultivators!

Many, many of them!

These rogue cultivators were now excited, craning their necks in all directions, some exhilarated—so many forbidden lands! Crucially, this assembly of forbidden lands had only just begun, and a mere positioning had nearly sparked a battle among several major ones.

Just then, the Netherworld Lord said coldly, “Shi hasn’t come?”

Shi was a top-tier existence.

No sooner had he spoken than a colossal mountain descended from the sky, landing in an instant!

The fourth powerful forbidden land arrived, occupying one of the four cardinal directions—east, south, west, north.

A voice, ancient and weathered, thundered across heaven and earth: “I’m not too late, am I?”

“Not at all, not at all!”

From Eternal Life Mountain, Fa laughed: “You’ve come just in time!”

Then, looking around, he chuckled: “Only sixteen families?”

Adding Shi’s Heavenly Stone Mountain, there were only sixteen forbidden lands.

In the inner circle, including Eternal Life Mountain, there were five; in the middle, seven; and in the outer circle, four.

Four forbidden lands had been destroyed, and one—Wanjie Mountain—had been added.

These sixteen families represented twelve super-tier beings and four who could fight at super-tier within their mountains.

At that moment, Su Yu glanced around—was that all?

Excluding the Netherworld Hell, Eternal Life Mountain, and Wanjie Mountain, that left only thirteen?

Among them, four were not super-tier.

Surely there were more?

Had some forbidden lands not come?

Su Yu did not know much about the number of forbidden lands; the Netherworld Lord knew some but had not explored them all.

In response to Fa’s question, the Immortal Ancestor said calmly, “Soul Domain, Fallen Soul Valley, Demon Domain, and Fist Domain are all gone! In years past, Burial Earth Valley also perished… Some who came here were nothing but plagues. Even the eternal, indestructible forbidden lands—five of them have been destroyed!”

And this, almost all of it, is tied to the Necro-Hell.

Of course, the Fist Saint had no idea what was happening, nor how he died, but it was highly likely he perished somewhere in the Eternal Life Mountain region—that much was mere speculation.

It might have something to do with the Human Gate!

Having wiped out five factions, now indeed only these few forbidden grounds remain.

Su Yu said nothing, only mildly surprised—was that all there was?

Nothing hidden?

I thought there were dozens of them, but now, aside from us, there are really only thirteen?

That’s not many either!

Don’t forget, there are still four that haven’t reached the 32nd Path; among those who have, besides Su Yu and his group, there are only nine?

That number is a bit small!

Su Yu muttered to himself, having once thought the Heavenly Gate was mighty... but it’s just like this!

Once upon a time, nine Supremes—Su Yu had thought that was too few.

Not to mention, among them were beings like Kong and Shi.

Of course, when you count them all, there are still others, like the Heavenly Gate!

And within the Heavenly Gate, among the eight tribal leaders of the human race back then, did none of them step into the Supreme rank?

Su Yu didn’t know—maybe some did, maybe none—but none appeared this time.

...

Wen Yu, who was impersonating Fa, knew the Law well. At this moment, hearing this, she smiled just like Fa would and said, “Since everyone’s here, let’s get to the point! The main topic of this discussion is the imminent opening of the Three Gates!”

Wen Yu declared, “If we want to leave this crumbling world, establish a new order, and escape the threat of annihilation, then all of us must work together! Forget the Myriad Realms—whether it’s the Earth Gate or the Human Gate, they are all threats to our return!”

Someone said coldly, “If you know they’re threats, then stop colluding with the Human Gate!”

Who didn’t know that Fa had ties with the Human Gate?

Wen Yu didn’t mind, smiling lightly, “Borrowing strength when necessary is still needed. Without the Human Gate, how would we lure the Civil and Martial Lords of the Myriad Realms into the trap? If they don’t fall for it, the Myriad Realms might gain two more who achieve Unity... and if Wen Yu herself hadn’t been trapped, there would be three more! The Human Gate is our adversary... but when necessary, borrowing a bit of their power is essential.”

At this point, Wen Yu seemed to have fully become Fa, her smile radiant, “Of course, these are trivial matters... let’s set them aside for now. At this gathering of forbidden grounds, let’s first resolve some minor issues!”

Wen Yu looked toward the periphery, “There are quite a few scattered cultivators. Above the 8th Path, I count over three hundred... even a few above the 25th Path... seems fewer than in the old days. It appears these years haven’t been kind to them.”

On the periphery, the number of scattered cultivators was not small—over three hundred.

These were no ordinary scattered cultivators; they were all cultivators at least above the 8th Path, not counting the forbidden ground experts. If you included them, the number would more than double!

In other words, within the gates, there were probably over a thousand First and Second Rank cultivators!

That was the terrifying part.

Just on Su Yu’s side, there were fifty to sixty First and Second Rank cultivators; in other forbidden grounds, there were at least as many, if not more.

Sixteen factions in total!

And this was all the accumulated strength of the Creation Era.

In that era, countless powerful beings were born, but with the threat of annihilation descending, a vast number of them perished. Now, it was far from the peak of those days.

At this moment, Kong said calmly, “Fa, the scattered cultivators are a minor matter. Just allocate some quotas to them...”

Limiting who could go out was also to prevent random slaughter.

The Myriad Realms had only so many powerful beings; if some seized the Great Dao, others would find it harder to seize theirs. Of course, the Myriad Realms also had tough nuts to crack, requiring the scattered cultivators’ efforts. So quotas had to be limited, letting only an elite few fight for them.

Wen Yu smiled, “I know that, but we still need to discuss it. Every faction has many experts, and the quotas for going out are limited... If everyone rushes out at once, chaos will ensue! How many go out, how many quotas, including those for forbidden grounds... how to distribute them—we must negotiate carefully!”

Having said this, Wen Yu added, “We can’t give the scattered cultivators no chance at all. Otherwise, if we go out and they cause trouble, that wouldn’t be good either!”

“What’s your suggestion?”

Divine Ancestor asked.

Wen Yu smiled, “The rules within the gates are simple. For scattered cultivators who want to go out, it depends on their strength! Among the three hundred plus scattered cultivators, those from the 8th to the 15th Path get a fixed quota of one; those above the 16th Path get three; those above the 25th Path get five!”

“However...”

Wen Yu said cheerfully, “We still need to give everyone some opportunities. Let’s also test the scattered cultivators’ strength! Set aside another five hundred quotas, to be earned through combat! Not just scattered cultivators—forbidden grounds can also participate...”

Fa said calmly, “Forbidden ground cultivators, some haven’t fought in years. Consider it training. If they’re too weak, there’s no need to take them out.”

“I won’t go into details. How many quotas a forbidden ground gets depends on its strength. If they defeat scattered cultivators of the same level, they get the same number of quotas as the scattered cultivators... It wouldn’t do for a forbidden ground to be inferior to scattered cultivators...”

After speaking for a while, the Eternal Life Mountain opened wide, and a celestial platform appeared. She smiled, “Let the scattered cultivators come in and spar... If someone dies, I’ll gladly accept their Great Dao power. Fellow Daoists, you won’t mind, will you?”

She looked at everyone, a hint of a smile on her face. “This time, Eternal Life Mountain has become the host of the forbidden ground gathering... I have some selfish motives. If anyone is killed... I hope you won’t take offense... I’ll borrow their Great Dao power to help suppress Wen Yu a bit, and then thoroughly resolve this trouble!”

She stated her purpose directly: scattered cultivators entering Eternal Life Mountain to fight, and if they died, she would take their Great Dao power, aiming to suppress Wen Yu and seize her realm’s power.

At this moment, the lords of the forbidden grounds fell into deep thought.

On the periphery, the scattered cultivators were also in turmoil.

Among them, a few powerful beings spoke up, one shouting, “Lord Fa, sparring is fine... but for the sake of some quotas, must we really fight to the death?”

Wen Yu said calmly, “Not necessarily, but in a cultivator’s battle, life and death are unpredictable. Who knows if someone will kill? If I say I won’t kill you, would you believe me? Would I believe you? If you want to go out... then go all out! If you live, you get the quota; if you die, don’t waste it!”

Some scattered cultivators grew restless, a few dissatisfied, and some directly asked, “Do we have to spar inside Eternal Life Mountain?”

Who knew if Fa would just kill them?

Wen Yu said calmly, “I told you, if you die... don’t waste it! Rather than letting the Great Dao power dissipate into the void, it’s better to contribute it to me... Of course, I’m not completely ungenerous. Those who win will eventually receive some rewards from me.”

She spoke bluntly, her purpose clear, which actually put everyone more at ease—otherwise, they’d have to worry about some scheme.

However, a forbidden ground lord-level expert said in a deep voice, “Fa, why go through all that trouble? Why not invite us into Eternal Life Mountain to help you suppress Wen Yu together?”

“That wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?”

Wen Yu chuckled lightly, “You have to give me a chance to solve this myself.”

“Fa, this forbidden ground gathering is centered on Eternal Life Mountain... Don’t forget what you promised us before!”

Wen Yu said calmly, “Of course I haven’t forgotten. If the scattered cultivators suffer few deaths, or if they can’t suppress Wen Yu... then I’ll have to rely on you all. Wen Yu’s Time Book contains many Yang Realm Daos... then everyone will naturally have a chance to share the spoils!”

These people discussed the lives and deaths of scattered cultivators openly, without any scruples, which made those scattered cultivators feel somewhat oppressed.

But there was no choice!

At this moment, some scattered cultivators couldn’t hold back any longer and quickly said, “My lords, once the Heavenly Gate opens, must we really restrict who goes in and out? Wouldn’t it be better to go out together and kill the enemy?”

Wen Yu said coldly, “That’s all nonsense! In the Myriad Realms, there may be fewer than a hundred Rule Masters! And inside our gates? Thousands upon thousands! Who will do the killing? Who will seize the Yang Realm Daos? How will they be distributed? Without restrictions, in the end, we’ll be the ones fighting among ourselves! By then, even if we kill everyone in the Myriad Realms, we might not be able to fully revive... If we want to completely restore the Yang Realm state... we might have to choose to kill the weak and weaken ourselves...”

“You must understand, when the Three Gates open, the meat of the Myriad Realms is limited! Not infinite! Those who go out first face the greatest danger, but also the greatest opportunity—the chance to strengthen themselves! The true chance to escape the annihilation crisis! Do you think such quotas can be given out casually?”

Wen Yu added, “If there’s no quota... no one is allowed to leave the Heavenly Gate... and perhaps they will only perish together with this dying world!”

At these words, a group of people felt fear in their hearts.

No one allowed to go in or out?

No quota... wouldn’t that mean certain death?

Now, everyone had quotas—fixed ones, plus some that were given out. As long as one person went out... it seemed there was no need to fight for them?

And Wen Yu, as if reading their minds, offered a ghostly smile: "The quotas for the forbidden grounds are limited as well! Kill or defeat a rogue cultivator... and their slot reverts to the forbidden grounds! It is not that we deny you the chance, but rather that you must seize the opportunity yourselves!"

A rogue cultivator spoke in a low, heavy voice: "Will the forbidden grounds field cultivators of the same tier? Otherwise, if a master of a forbidden ground steps forth, we might as well concede right now and forfeit the slots—after all, it would mean certain death!"

"Of course they will be of the same tier!"

Wen Yu smiled and said, "Whether you wish to spar and compete is entirely up to you! Those unwilling may leave now, their slots revoked, and you may live out your days within the Gates in peace!"

Live out their days?

How could they?

Once the Three Gates merged, a vast multitude of the powerful would surely depart this place. In the process, swarms of locust-fiends would emerge, and those remaining within the Gates would possess absolutely no means to resist. They would be doomed!

If they ventured out, there remained at least a fighting chance!

They had no choice at all!

And just then, Su Yu suddenly chimed in, laughing as he said, "When the forbidden grounds fight rogue cultivators, they harbor no scruples! Yet when rogue cultivators strike back, they are bound by immense restraint! They dare not kill, fearing retaliation if they do! I, however, am completely unbothered by such trivialities. If some of you are driven to the brink and kill someone from the forbidden grounds... it matters not, just come join my Myriad Tribulations Mountain! I shall grant you asylum!"

At this moment, the Lord of the Dead spirits also remarked indifferently: "Those who cultivate the Great Dao of the Dead Spirits may also cast their lot with my Dead Spirit Hell!"

The moment these words were spoken, the countenances of several rogue cultivators shifted slightly.

Some were tempted!

Indeed, when the denizens of the forbidden grounds acted, they did so without hesitation, whereas they themselves were shackled by great dread, terrified of killing lest they face vengeance!

As for Myriad Tribulations Mountain, though newly established, it recruited exclusively from the ranks of rogue cultivators, and thus held far fewer inhibitions.

Yet the rogue cultivators also knew... it was exceedingly perilous!

Sure enough, someone sneered: "Myriad Tribulations Mountain... let us see if it can even survive and make it out of the Heavenly Gate alive before we speak further!"

The hearts of the rogue cultivators instantly turned cold. It was true; Myriad Tribulations Mountain was in grave danger, an entity targeted by every major forbidden ground.

Su Yu remained unfazed, stating indifferently: "I only hope you do not follow in the footsteps of Soul-Falling Valley and the Demon Domain!"

At this moment, he discerned Wen Yu's intentions.

Deal with the rogue cultivators first!

It would be best to absorb them into her heaven and earth, strengthening herself right beneath the noses of the major forbidden grounds.

Though the rogue cultivators were not strong individually, their numbers were significant. Over three hundred experts of the second tier or higher, if truly united, would constitute a formidable force; they merely lacked a figurehead of the forbidden ground master level.

And the forbidden grounds, in truth, held no regard for rogue cultivators.

Since that was the case... Su Yu did not mind gathering a batch of them himself.

Moreover, Wen Yu's allurements to draw them into Mount Eternal boded no good either. Of course, before her cover was blown, she likely would not make a move, but once exposed... if these people entered her heaven and earth, they would lose a layer of skin even if they managed to survive!

Even as they spoke, over on the other side, Kong grew somewhat impatient and said coldly: "The matter of the rogue cultivators is a trifling affair, resolve it quickly! Once it is settled and the slots are allocated, the rogue cultivators can go do whatever it is they must do!"

They had come this time to address several other momentous matters.

For instance, the affairs regarding Wen Yu, the King of Wen, and even the Dead Spirit Hell!

They were a mere flock of rogue cultivators; Kong did not hold them in any regard.

Whether they went out or stayed, what difference did it make?

According to the thoughts of some, the rogue cultivators might as well just wait here to die!

Not a single slot should be granted to them!

After all, though the living beings of the myriad worlds were numerous, experts were scarce; to kill one meant one less obstacle in their path.

Wen Yu smiled and said, "If none of you object, then why don't we settle the matter of the rogue cultivators first? They are all denizens within my Gate, and though they belong to no forbidden ground, they are still beings of this era... why crush everyone's hopes?"

At this moment, she seemed almost to be advocating for the rogue cultivators. Even though she wanted them to slaughter one another and battle the forbidden grounds... the rogue cultivators suddenly felt that Fa was actually quite decent!

……

Meanwhile.

Amidst the rogue cultivators, several elders had been closely observing Wen Yu. At this juncture, one of them sent a voice transmission: "My friends, regarding Fa... do you detect anything amiss?"

"Amiss?"

"I feel nothing... but I see no sign of Sun and Moon. Have any of you?"

"No!"

"……"

The few spoke in low transmissions, their moods turning solemn. Where had Sun and Moon gone?

……

And on another side, someone else transmitted: "Black Moon is absent! No one knows for certain what exactly has transpired within Mount Eternal. Is he hiding, or... has he vanished? Should we enter to investigate? Since Fa is inviting us in... it presents an opportunity to reconnoiter!"

"……"

……

While these people were conversing, within one of the forbidden grounds present, the voice of an individual echoed in the mind of its master: "Be on your guard! This Su Yu... might very well be the Su Yu of the myriad worlds! If he is not, it is for the best, but if he is... then things are dangerous!"

It was terrifying!

At this moment, the voice of the phantom that had manifested earlier trembled with shock.

For when he looked at Su Yu, the man actually appeared somewhat familiar. Even though the current Su Yu differed slightly in appearance from his time in the myriad worlds, experts discerned identity through temperament!

This Su Yu... was highly likely to be the Su Yu from the myriad worlds!

Such a conclusion was the most horrifying of all!

The old man’s expression shifted subtly as he transmitted back: "Is this true?"

"I dare not be absolutely certain... but the probability is immense!"

The old man's eyes flickered. If it were true, it was indeed far too terrifying. A cultivator who, less than half a year ago, possessed fewer than sixteen laws had now become a powerhouse of the Unity Realm. Anyone knew what kind of implications such a feat carried!

In an instant, a faint ripple of unease disturbed the forbidden ground.

……

And at this very moment, Su Yu frowned slightly. It felt as though someone were peering at him... and quite a few were doing the spying. Yet, that sensation was peculiar, as if the scrutiny did not originate from this very space!

"Someone from the Human Gate?"

Su Yu fell into deep contemplation. Among those present were emissaries of the Human Gate. Was it that emissary spying on him, or an entity dwelling within the Human Gate itself?

He also watched attentively, wondering who exactly Black Moon’s superior was.

Black Moon had been tormented by him for several days, yet had failed to yield any coherent answers. For now, Su Yu remained unable to pinpoint exactly who served as the Human Gate's spokesperson within the Heavenly Gate.