Although Su Yu had broken through to the Innate Realm at the last moment, blocking what should have been a fatal blow, Liu Yun's foundation as a peak Martial King remained formidable. Despite the qi barrier, the dagger continued to pierce Su Yu's chest, inch by inch.
"Innate?! Damn you, you little bastard! I can't let you live!"
Liu Yun's eyes blazed with murderous intent as his qi and blood surged violently.
"Die!"
Yet, the instant the dagger's tip pierced Su Yu's skin...
"Get lost!"
A voice, brimming with boundless authority and fury, exploded in Liu Yun's mind!
This voice didn't reach his ears; it struck his very soul!
Buzz!
Liu Yun's mind went blank, as if struck by a massive hammer.
Though the dagger's tip was a mere centimeter from Su Yu's heart, he couldn't force it any further.
The space around him had frozen solid.
An invisible yet ocean-like force instantly enveloped a thousand-meter radius.
Before this power, even a peak Martial King was as fragile as an ant.
Spiritual power!
Liu Yun jerked his head up in terror, his eyes straining to move.
High above, a familiar figure was stepping through the air.
Not flying—teleporting!
One moment he was on the horizon, the next he stood before Su Yu.
Su Wu.
At that moment, Su Wu radiated no qi and blood fluctuations, yet the space around him seemed to warp subtly.
"You dare touch my son?"
Su Wu reached out and gently gripped Liu Yun's wrist—the one holding the dagger.
Crack!
The crisp sound of bone shattering echoed through the air.
Liu Yun's wrist was crushed to powder, the dagger clattering to the ground.
"Aaaah!"
Liu Yun screamed in agony, but the sound was abruptly cut short.
Su Wu's other hand had already pressed down on the crown of his head.
"Liu Yun, twenty years since we last met, and you're still as repulsive as ever."
Su Wu stared at his terrified old enemy, his voice colder than ice.
"I'd originally planned to let you live a few more days, to witness my son's glory. But you crossed the line when you harbored murderous intent." This chapter is updated first at g.com.
"In that case, go to hell and repent."
At that moment, only boundless despair and disbelief filled Liu Yun's eyes.
He felt the power binding him. It wasn't the aura of a Martial King; it was... materialized spiritual power!
"Martial... Martial Emperor?! How is this possible?! How could you be a Martial Emperor?!"
Liu Yun roared inwardly, his mind reeling.
The Martial Emperor Realm! That was the true pinnacle of human cultivation, where spiritual power merged with the heaven and earth primordial qi, allowing one to kill with a mere thought! Su Wu had been a Martial King just days ago—how could he have crossed that insurmountable chasm?!
But he would never get his answer.
Su Wu tightened his grip slightly.
"In your next life, be more careful."
Bang!
Like crushing a piece of tofu, the head of Liu Yun, the arrogant special envoy from Jiangnan Great Base and peak Martial King, exploded beneath Su Wu's palm before he could even utter a final word.
Blood and gore splattered outward, but Su Wu's spiritual power formed a barrier a meter away, preventing a single drop from touching Su Yu.
The headless corpse swayed before collapsing limply to the ground.
A generational powerhouse had fallen, dying without dignity, yet with brutal efficiency.
Su Wu casually flicked his hands, which remained spotless, and turned away. The murderous aura that had enveloped him vanished instantly.
His icy gaze softened into boundless tenderness and concern as he looked at Su Yu, who stood bloodied and swaying.
"Yu'er, are you alright?"
Su Wu extended his hand, channeling a torrent of pure Martial Emperor-level qi and blood into Su Yu's body. The energy instantly halted the bleeding and began repairing his damaged meridians.
Feeling the warm current coursing through his veins, Su Yu gazed at his father—the man who had slaughtered to protect him—and his eyes grew hot with emotion.
He shook his head, managing a weak but radiant smile. "Dad, I'm fine. And... I think I've broken through to the Innate Realm."
"Silly boy." Su Wu ruffled his son's hair, his voice thick with emotion. "Breaking through is good, but don't push yourself so hard next time. Your father can't handle such a scare."
Half an hour later.
Cloudtop Manor.
Su Yu had already been taken to the medical pod to rest.
Though his injuries looked severe, the combined effects of his Martial Emperor-level qi and blood and his Chaos Body had prevented any fundamental damage.
In the first-floor living room, Su Wu sat on a genuine leather sofa, calmly sipping a cup of hot tea.
Before him, Pan Hong, the city lord of Azurewave Base City, knelt on the floor, trembling like a leaf.
He knew that Liu Yun, the man who had forced Azurewave's entire leadership to bow and scrape, had been crushed like a chick in Su Wu's hand.
This revelation had driven Pan Hong's awe of Su Wu to its peak.
"Get up," Su Wu said mildly. "Though you're a fair-weather friend, you did come to warn me in the end. I'll remember this favor." Find the original chapter at g.com.
"M-many thanks for sparing my life, Senior!" Pan Hong stammered, rising shakily. He remained hunched over, not daring to look directly at Su Wu.
"Was Liu Yun sent by the Wang Family?" Su Wu asked casually, blowing on his tea.
"Y-yes," Pan Hong admitted, unable to conceal the truth. "Liu Yun is a guest elder of the Wang Family. Twenty years ago, he apparently had a conflict with you, Senior. The recent incidents involving Wang Heng and Wang Meng gave him an excuse to settle old scores."
"The Wang Family..."
Su Wu set down his teacup, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "It seems this feud is now irreconcilable. Tell me about the Jiangnan Wang Clan. What kind of power are we dealing with?"
Pan Hong nodded urgently, his expression grave. "Senior, they must not be underestimated! The Wang Family is a renowned and formidable clan in the Jiangnan Great Base, with vast influence and deep roots. They have at least ten Martial King Realm experts within their ranks. Though Liu Yun is strong, he only ranks among the top ten in the family."
Pan Hong lowered his voice even further, his tone tinged with deep fear.
"Moreover, legend has it that the Wang Family has a two-hundred-year-old patriarch who remains in secluded cultivation year-round. Rumor has it... that patriarch achieved the Martial Saint Realm over a decade ago!"
"Martial Saint?"
Su Wu tapped his fingers lightly on the table, producing a soft rhythm.
The Eight Realms of Martial Dao: Flesh Refinement, Qi and Blood, Innate, Master, Grandmaster, Martial King, Martial Emperor, Martial Saint.
The Martial Emperor Realm involved the materialization of spiritual power, allowing one to manipulate objects and kill with divine intent, their spiritual awareness covering entire cities.
The Martial Saint Realm, however, represented true transcendence and sainthood.
In this realm, spiritual power merged perfectly with heaven and earth primordial qi, allowing one to command the forces of nature with every gesture. The body became immortal, granting a lifespan of five hundred years, and even enabling brief excursions beyond the atmosphere into near-Earth orbit!
Though only one realm separated them, the gap between a Martial Saint and a Martial Emperor was as vast as the difference between clouds and mud.
A single Martial Saint could easily suppress ten Martial Emperors!
"Interesting..."
Instead of fear, Su Wu's lips curled into an excited grin.
If he were still at the Martial King Realm, facing a Martial Saint would have given him pause, perhaps even forcing him to flee with his son.
But now?
He was a Martial Emperor!
Knowing the system's tendencies, if Su Yu advanced just a few more minor realms...
What was a mere Martial Saint?
It would be nothing more than a single punch.
"Alright, I understand," Su Wu said, rising to his feet and clapping Pan Hong on the shoulder. "Keep this matter buried deep inside you. Liu Yun died in a 'feral beast attack,' understand?"
"Understood! Understood! Special Envoy Liu was inspecting the wilderness when he was tragically ambushed by a Beast Emperor and sacrificed himself for the nation!" Pan Hong reacted swiftly, immediately crafting a plausible narrative.
"Go now."
After dismissing Pan Hong, Su Wu walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and gazed toward the Jiangnan Great Base.
"A Martial Saint, huh..."
"I hope your old bones are tough enough. Don't end up unable to withstand even a single punch from me."
Meanwhile, Su Yu, snoring soundly in a medical pod, rolled over in his sleep and mumbled:
"Dad... I want braised pork..."