The First Marquis of Daxuan

Have you considered my opinion?

Su Mu looked at Jue Tianzun and Du Rongcheng and said calmly, "What if I don't want to compete with him?"

"So what's your opinion?"

Jue Tianzun looked at Su Mu and said calmly.

My opinion is—

Su Mu said leisurely, "A competition is fine, but there has to be a wager."

Otherwise, what's the point of me working so hard to beat him?

I have no obligation to teach a spoiled brat about the real world.

"There needs to be a wager, that's his opinion. What do you think?"

Jue Tianzun turned to look at Du Rongcheng and said slowly.

Du Rongcheng: "..."

What do I think?
He already called me a spoiled brat, and you're still asking me what I think?
How can I interpret this?
In my opinion, he deserves to die!

"Hmph, it's just a bet, I have no objection."

Du Rongcheng snorted coldly and said, "Su Mu, you tell me, what do you want to use as a wager?"

"Simple."

Su Mu smiled faintly and said, "Use the Heavenly Net Umbrella in your hand as a wager."

"If I am stronger than you, the Heavenly Net Umbrella is mine; if you are stronger than me, I will give you a divine weapon of equal value to the Heavenly Net Umbrella."

"You want my Heavenly Net Umbrella? You're dreaming!"

Du Rongcheng's eyes widened, and he said angrily.

"How do you know the Heavenly Net Umbrella will definitely belong to me? Do you think you're inferior to me?"

Su Mu said with a half-smile.

"How could that be? If I went all out, you would never be a match for me!"

Du Rongcheng said angrily, "I mean, you simply cannot produce a divine weapon equivalent to the Heavenly Net Umbrella."

"I can afford the bet, but you can't. That's not fair."

"Who says I can't produce it?"

Su Mu gave a half-smile, his gaze fixed on Jue Tianzun.

Jue Tianzun remained expressionless and slowly nodded.

"He can afford it."

"It is the Supreme Celestial," said the Venerable Jue Tian.

"The Chaos Void Heaven Method that he comprehended from the Chaos Diagram is the weapon-forging method. He is now the best weapon-forging master in the world, and his weapon-forging skills are even better than your father's."

Jue Tianzun added, "Even if he doesn't have a divine weapon comparable to the Heavenly Net Umbrella right now, he still has the ability to forge one."

With me as the referee, you don't need to worry about anyone reneging on their promise.

"But--"

Du Rongcheng was in a state of turmoil, and said hesitantly, "The Heavenly Net Umbrella was originally a gift for you..."

"As long as you can beat him, the Heavenly Net Umbrella will still be in your hands. You can give it to me later."

Jue Tianzun said somewhat impatiently, "A real man should act decisively and resolutely. How can you accomplish anything if you're so indecisive?"

"it is good!"

Seeing that Jue Tianzun was already angry, Du Rongcheng, his blood boiling, gritted his teeth and said, "I agree!"
"Su Mu, you're doomed!"

Swish!
boom!
A figure flashed by.

Du Rongcheng's figure flew out like a cannonball, flying hundreds of feet before crashing into the stone wall with a bang.

Du Rongcheng slid down the mountainside in a spread-eagle motion and landed on the ground with a thud.

He leaped to his feet, but his knees buckled, and he knelt down again.

"Su Mu, you have no martial ethics, you actually launched a sneak attack!"

Du Rongcheng was furious.

"If you're not as skilled as me, you have to admit it. Why don't you try ambushing me?"

Su Mu said calmly.

"Like father, like son; they are far inferior."

Jue Tianzun remained expressionless and coldly said, "Leave the Heavenly Net Umbrella behind. Go back and tell your father that your aptitude is too poor and you are not worth cultivating. Tell him to find someone else. I will fulfill the agreement I made back then."

Du Rongcheng's eyes widened, ignoring the intense pain in his chest. He hurriedly said to Jue Tianzun, "Jue Tianzun, I was careless just now. I didn't dodge. If I had another chance..."

"If he hadn't shown mercy, you would be dead by now."

Jue Tianzun said coldly, "If you can't even tell the strength of others, calling you a piece of trash is an insult to the word 'trash'."

If it weren't for your father's protection, someone like you would have been beaten to death countless times by now.

Jue Tianzun's words were very blunt and also very unpleasant to hear.

If someone else had said that, Du Rongcheng would have fought them to the death long ago.

But the one saying this now is Jue Tianzun.

Du Rongcheng knew very well that even with the Heavenly Net Umbrella, he was no match for Jue Tianzun.

But he simply couldn't swallow this humiliation.

It's you! It's all because of you!

Du Rongcheng looked at Su Mu, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"You deserve to die!"

Du Rongcheng let out a low growl.

If I can't kill Jue Tianzun, surely I can kill you, Su Mu?
Du Rongcheng raised his hand, and with a whoosh, the Heavenly Net Umbrella opened.

The moment the Heavenly Net Umbrella opened, the strange and exotic beasts on it roared and flew out.

In an instant, dozens of rare and exotic beasts filled the summit of Nanheng Mountain, and their violent aura stirred up a raging storm.

In an instant, sand and stones flew everywhere, and the sky darkened.

Su Mu's lips curled up slightly, and in a flash, he was already behind Jue Tianzun.

He wasn't afraid of these rare and exotic beasts, but there was no need to get entangled with them.

"Lord Jue Tian, ​​you just said that no one can renege on their debt..."

Su Mu stood behind Jue Tianzun and spoke.

"presumptuous!"

Even the Supreme Celestial felt a bit embarrassed.

He's the referee, and now someone's lost and refuses to admit defeat, even daring to cheat in front of him.

This is simply disregarding him!

With a flick of his sleeve, Jue Tianzun instantly unleashed a powerful aura.

boom!
boom!
boom!
The bodies of the strange and exotic beasts exploded into clouds of blood mist, then returned to the Heavenly Net Umbrella.

Du Rongcheng stumbled back a few steps, his face deathly pale.

puff!
He coughed up a mouthful of blood and swayed precariously.

Jue Tianzun snorted coldly, reached out and snatched the Heavenly Net Umbrella from mid-air.

This scene left Su Mu slightly horrified.

To be fair, Du Rongcheng is not weak.

Especially the Heavenly Net Umbrella in his hand.

Even if Su Mu were to personally take action, he would have to go all out to defeat Du Rongcheng, and he would have to use some tricks to do so.

But Jue Tianzun made a move and defeated Du Rongcheng in the blink of an eye, and also took the Heavenly Net Umbrella.

This is the difference in strength.

Su Mu secretly estimated that this Heavenly Venerable Jue was definitely a level stronger than the Heavenly Venerables he had seen before, such as Heavenly Venerable Li and Heavenly Venerable Gu.

No wonder Lei Tianzun had such a strange expression when he mentioned Jue Tianzun.

Lei Tianzun's strength is probably quite different from that of Jue Tianzun.

"As expected of the number one person in the world, if we were to really fight, I'm afraid I wouldn't be a match for him in a single move."

Even someone like this seemed somewhat wary when mentioning Du Rongcheng's father. Just who was Du Rongcheng's father?

Su Mu thought to himself.

"For your father's sake, I will spare your life today, but do not ever appear before me again."

"It's a cold statement from the Supreme Celestial," said the Heavenly Venerable.

There was a bang.

Du Rongcheng was thrown away by a force and fell down towards the foot of Nanheng Mountain, with no strength left to resist.

Jue Tianzun turned to look at Su Mu, raised his hand, and tossed the Heavenly Net Umbrella to Su Mu.

"This is the family heirloom of Du Bao, the Minister of Works of the Great Qian Dynasty."

The Supreme Celestial said meaningfully, "He spent countless hours and traveled through countless worlds to forge this Heavenly Net Umbrella. Be careful, he might come looking for you."

"Ok?"

Su Mu's heart stirred slightly.

Du Bao, Minister of Works in the Great Qian Dynasty?

Su Mu didn't pay attention to the threat in Jue Tianzun's words; his attention was focused on the information conveyed in Jue Tianzun's words.

What kind of power was the Great Qian Dynasty?
Su Mu had never heard of this dynasty before. There was no dynasty called Daqian in either the Yang Realm or the Xu Realm.

Given the strength Du Rongcheng has demonstrated, the Great Qian Dynasty must be extraordinary and cannot possibly remain unknown.

Most importantly, there is a line in Jue Tianzun's words that Du Bao traveled through countless worlds before successfully forging the Heavenly Net Umbrella.

Could it be that there are other worlds outside of this Saha world?
In an instant, a storm raged in Su Mu's heart.

The issues between the Yang Realm and the Void Realm are already troublesome enough; if there are other worlds beyond this one, things could get even more complicated.

The outside world is not necessarily a friendly one.

"Lord Jue Tianzun, where did the Great Qian Dynasty come from?"

Su Mu pondered for a moment, then couldn't help but ask.

"The clouds are so deep that one cannot know where it is."

The Supreme Celestial said meaningfully, "I have other matters to attend to. You may leave now."

Before he finished speaking, suddenly, clouds and mist billowed up on Mount Nanheng.

Su Mu's vision blurred, and he felt the scenery before him change drastically.

Upon closer inspection, he realized he had reached the foot of the mountain.

At this time, the entire Nanheng Mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, and even the Heavenly Ladder for climbing the mountain had disappeared.

The martial artists who were watching the spectacle looked at each other in bewilderment, completely unaware of what had happened.

Su Mu frowned slightly.

Logically speaking, he had already obtained the Chaos Record and also acquired the Heavenly Net Umbrella, but why did he still feel uneasy?
Looking around, Su Mu could not find Du Rongcheng, who had gone down the mountain before him.

At this moment, the martial artists who had been watching the spectacle also noticed Su Mu and gathered around him.

Before the person even arrived, the compliments had already begun.

Su Mu was impatient with their socializing, and with a flicker of his body, he disappeared.

…………

It's a place some distance from Nanheng Mountain.

Du Rongcheng flew through the air, his face a mixture of shame and anger.

"Jue Tianzun, Su Mu! I, Du Rongcheng, will remember this humiliation. Sooner or later, I will make you regret your contempt for me today!"

As Du Rongcheng flew, he thought to himself.

"If I go back now that I haven't been able to subdue Jue Tianzun, wouldn't my father and the others look down on me?"
He already looked down on me somewhat; if he had known I had lost so humiliatingly, he would definitely have kicked me out of the house.

Du Rongcheng thought to himself, "I can't just go back like this!"
Even if we go back, we must first take back the Heavenly Net Umbrella.

Liu Rufeng's mission is to deal with Su Mu, and I might be able to use Liu Rufeng's power to deal with Su Mu.

"If the two of us join forces, we can definitely kill Su Mu!" With that thought, Du Rongcheng turned around, changed direction, and flew away.

…………

Su Mu soon returned to the Great Xuan Dynasty.

He completed this round trip in less than half a month.

Lei Tianzun, Qi Lingyun, Mao Jiu, Ning Hongchen and others were all somewhat surprised when they saw him.

"Why are you back so soon? Did you fail?"

Qi Lingyun couldn't help but ask.

When she went to Nanheng Mountain, she stayed there for three whole years before finally having to give up.

Su Mu might have a higher comprehension level than her, but it would definitely take him some time to understand anything from the Chaos Record.

In less than half a month, I've been feeling a bit nervous just traveling alone.

"I have never lost."

Su Mu smiled faintly and said, "Isn't it just retrieving a piece of the Chaos Diagram? It's not that difficult. I'll naturally finish this quickly."

However, to be fair, this Celestial Venerable Jue is quite easy to talk to.

"Is the Heavenly Venerable Jue Tianzun easy to talk to?"

Lei Tianzun and Qi Lingyun both wore expressions that were both funny and exasperated.

If Jue Tianzun heard someone describe him like that, I wonder what kind of expression he would have.

"never mind."

Qi Lingyun was too lazy to argue with Su Mu about this matter. She said with a little excitement, "If you get the Chaos Chart from Jue Tianzun, wouldn't you have four Chaos Charts in your hands?"

To what extent can it help you perfect the Chaos Void Heaven Technique?

"It's somewhat helpful, but we need to go a step further to completely solve the problem of the Chaos Divine Weapon."

Su Mu said, "Let's not talk about that for now. I want to ask you, have you ever heard of the Great Qian Dynasty?"

Why are you asking this? Did you encounter someone from the Great Qian Dynasty?

Lei Tianzun's expression turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice.

"Yes."

Su Mu did not hide anything, "I met a man on Mount Nanheng, whose name was Du Rongcheng."

Jue Tianzun said that his father was the Minister of Works of the Great Qian Dynasty.

How come I've never heard of this Great Qian Dynasty before?

"You're right that you haven't heard of it."

Qi Lingyun said, "The Great Qian Dynasty is a secluded dynasty. They haven't ventured out for many years, so of course you haven't heard of them."

Looking across the world, the number of people who still know about the Great Qian Dynasty is probably very small.

Her tone was tinged with emotion, but also with apprehension.

"A secluded dynasty? What does that mean?"

Su Mu pressed for an answer.

He noticed that Mao Jiu and Ning Hongchen also looked puzzled, clearly indicating that even they were unaware of the existence of this secluded dynasty.

That is to say, Lei Tianzun and Qi Lingyun are both senior Tianzun, which is why they know this secret.

"A dynasty outside the world is a dynasty outside of this world."

Lei Tianzun slowly said, "You already know that our world is called the Saha World, but in fact, there are countless other worlds outside of our world."

We don't know which world the Great Qian Dynasty came from. However, many years ago, several people from the Great Qian Dynasty suddenly came to our place. They stayed here for more than a hundred years and then suddenly disappeared.

The people of the Great Qian Dynasty are powerful; those qualified to contact them are either Celestial Venerables or Heavenly Fate Realm experts.

At first, we were worried they might have ulterior motives, but then they disappeared without a trace and haven't been seen since, so we gradually forgot about it.

Qi Lingyun nodded in agreement.

"After many years, they have suddenly reappeared, and we don't know why."

Qi Lingyun said with a solemn expression.

"Du Rongcheng said he wanted Jue Tianzun to assist him."

Su Mu pondered for a moment and said.

"To have the Heavenly Venerable Jue assist him? Utterly arrogant!"

Lei Tianzun snorted coldly.

Jue Tianzun is the number one person in the world. How could someone like him possibly assist an unknown nobody?
"It seems that Jue Tianzun and Du Bao have some kind of agreement."

Su Mu said, "Could it be that the Great Qian Dynasty wants to annex our world?"
Is the Celestial Venerable Jue planning to become a traitor?

"Absolutely impossible!"

Lei Tianzun said decisively, “Although I don’t know what agreement Jue Tianzun has with Du Bao, I can guarantee with my life that Jue Tianzun is definitely not that kind of despicable person.”

"Moreover, it won't be so easy for the Great Qian Dynasty to annex our world."

Qi Lingyun said, "Although we don't know where they come from, we are certain that they cannot enter our world so easily."

Just like the Great Void Sacred Realm and the Outer Realm back then, our world also has natural barriers.

So you don't need to worry about the Great Qian Dynasty.

"Your task now is to secure your position as the Lord of Yang, and ideally, unify the Saha world."

Lei Tianzun chimed in, "The affairs of the Great Qian Dynasty are none of your concern. Even if they have any schemes, we Tianzun are here to help."

"understood."

Su Mu nodded and said, "From now until Liu Rufeng and the other challengers arrive, I will go into seclusion to cultivate and be in the best condition to face all the heroes."

"I'm determined to take this position of Lord Yang."

"Then we'll try to find other Chaos Charts and collect all nine for you as soon as possible."

Lei Tianzun and Qi Lingyun spoke, and the two left side by side.

Seeing Lei Tianzun and Qi Lingyun leave, Ning Hongchen came to Su Mu's side.

"Don't trust them!"

Ning Hongchen said in a low voice, "I don't deny that some Heavenly Venerables care about the safety of this world, but most Heavenly Venerables care more about their own interests."

I believe that Lei Tianzun and Qi Lingyun weren't telling the truth, so the Great Qian Dynasty definitely has a big secret!

"I know, but since they're unwilling to talk about it, there's no point in pressing them any further."

Su Mu said calmly, "They were right about at least one thing: you have to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time."

We cannot decide the affairs of the Great Qian Dynasty, but we can decide the affairs of the Yang Lord.

A glint of light flashed in Su Mu's eyes as he slowly said, "If we take down Lord Yang first, then even if this so-called Great Qian Dynasty wants to do something, we will have the power to resist."

Strength is always the most fundamental thing. As long as they have enough strength, they can deal with any situation that comes their way.

"I just think that you should always be wary of others, and you should be more careful."

Ning Hongchen said.

"At least for now, they still have a use for me."

Su Mudao.

As long as the flaws of the Chaos Divine Weapon are not resolved, Lei Tianzun and the others will not be able to do without Su Mu.

For the foreseeable future, no one can replace Su Mu.

"I'll say it again, you might want to consider the matter of the Heavenly Weapon."

Ning Hongchen said, "If we can awaken the Great Celestial Venerable, we will have more confidence when facing those otherworldly dynasties."

Even disregarding the otherworldly dynasties, with a Great Celestial Venerable present, they could at least restrain Thunder Celestial Venerable and his group. They would have to be cautious about doing anything they wanted.

"Give me some time, and I will be no weaker than the Great Celestial Venerable."

Su Mu said calmly.

If Lei Tianzun and others can't be trusted, how can the Great Heavenly Venerable be trusted?

Ning Hongchen and Mao Jiu exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness and shock in each other's eyes.

Perhaps it is precisely because Su Mu has this self-confidence that he has been able to get to where he is today.

In this respect, they are far inferior to Su Mu. They always place their hopes on others, but forget that mountains may crumble, and only oneself is the most reliable.

After a long while, Ning Hongchen sighed.

He now has a feeling that his child has grown up and will no longer listen to him.

Over the years, he had practically watched Su Mu grow up. To be honest, from beginning to end, Su Mu was not someone they could control.

"No matter what decision you make, we will stand by your side."

Ning Hongchen said solemnly, "If my life can help you go further, then it will not have been in vain for me to live for so many years."

"There's no need to be so pessimistic."

Su Mu smiled nonchalantly, "Once my Chaos Void Heaven Technique advances further, perhaps I can solve your problem."

and--"

Su Mu paused for a moment, then continued, "You may still have a chance to see your companions again."

"what?"

Ning Hongchen was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with ecstasy.

"Is this really possible?"

He grabbed Su Mu's arm excitedly and asked.

Who can predict the future?

Su Mu said, "Since you believe that the Great Celestial Venerable can be awakened, why don't you believe that your companions can also return?"

“That’s different. The Great Celestial Venerable’s cultivation is all-encompassing…”

Ning Hongchen said subconsciously.

“You also once controlled the Heavenly Mandate Divine Weapon.”

Su Mu did not continue speaking.

He never liked to talk about things he wasn't sure about, and if the atmosphere hadn't been right, Su Mu wouldn't have brought these things up with Ning Hongchen this time.

"No one can predict what the future holds."

Su Mu said, "Anything is possible, isn't it?"

"understood."

Ning Hongchen said solemnly, "I will not mention this matter again."

"I will do my best to do what I'm supposed to do, and I will never hold you back."

"Old Ning, stop talking so much nonsense."

Mao Jiu said, "If you want to do something for Su Mu, I have an idea."

"What's the idea?"

Ning Hongchen asked subconsciously.

"Didn't Su Mu just mention someone? That guy named Du Rongcheng."

Cat Nine chuckled and said, "A second-generation official from the Great Qian Dynasty, that sounds incredibly fat."

How about the two of us pull off a big score?

"Let's make a deal?"

If he didn't know Mao Jiu so well, he would definitely be shocked by Mao Jiu's idea.

"Yes."

Cat Nine said excitedly, "I'm a Celestial Venerable now, and with you by my side, we can definitely handle that kid!"

"Think about it, the Great Xuan Dynasty is in dire need of reconstruction right now, and everything depends on Su Mu alone. If we can get a batch of treasures from that kid Du Rongcheng, it will definitely relieve the pressure on Su Mu. That would be helping Su Mu, wouldn't it?"

Cat Nine continued.

"Okay, done!"

Ning Hongchen pondered for a moment before speaking.

Even though he was more composed than Mao Jiu, Su Mu's description of the future had made him somewhat lose his mind. He now wanted to help Su Mu go as far as possible, no matter the cost! (End of Chapter)