Published at 28th of December 2025 7:37 am

Chapter 1746: Eighth Level (1)

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Eighth level.

Su Yu was there once before, but he had not explored it. He had departed after killing Blood Fire. And now, he had returned. Unlike his previous visit, he was brought straight onto the eighth level by Heavenbridge Marquis this time.

The moment they reached the reception hall, Heavenbridge Marquis looked at them and said, "The three guardians only have a level-five authority. He Tu was a member of the Heavenly River Guard before his death. He has a level-six authority. Marquis Lanshan is a posthumous marquis. She has a level-four authority. Tian Yue is a department head of the Heavenly Supervising Pavilion. He has a level-five authority. Human Lord, with the human lord's token, has a level-three authority."

Su Yu's authority had increased by one level. Previously, he enjoyed the level-four authority due to the Culture Tomb in his possession. At the time, he was considered the Culturekeeper Marquis. As the human lord, his level of authority had been adjusted appropriately. This was the level of authority enjoyed by the ancient human kings and Pseudo Emperors. It was quite a high level of authority.

Su Yu felt a lot more relaxed after entering the eighth level. It seemed as though Martial Emperor's power did not extend to this level.

Hearing Heavenbridge Marquis's explanation, he said, "Just what is the purpose of these authorities? Previously, I heard that even those with a level-four authority can visit the area for those with level-one authority. In that case, what's the point of having a higher authority?"

Heavenbridge Marquis said, "As you said, you can only visit that place. You will be allowed to walk through that place with a level-four authority, but you will be killed if you attempt to enter the human king residences there. Generally, a human king will have a level-three authority, with some even enjoying a level-two authority.

"With a level-three authority, you are allowed to visit these residences. Even when the owners aren't around, you can explore the area to a certain extent. This is allowed since anyone with a level-three authority is considered a peer of the people with residences in that area."

Su Yu nodded.

Beside him, Heavendoom snorted and said, "The damn eighth level has too many rules. Those old bastards are too annoying. This is why I hate the eighth level."

Noticing Su Yu's gaze, he explained, "This used to be the location of the assembly. The rules here are very strict. No normal people will want to live here. Most only stayed because they had no choice. In any case, I certainly don't want to live here."

Empyrean Cloud laughed and said, "You're saying that because you don't have a residence here. You're unqualified to stay here. Even titled generals can stay here, while a small number of untitled generals can stay here as well. You are not important enough to be given a residence here."

Heavendoom snorted and said, "I don't have a residence here because I didn't want it. Some of the titled generals back then were weaker than me."

He could be considered a top expert even during the ancient past. All marquises were Daofuses, and a small number of titled generals were Daofuses as well. However, a majority of them were ninth-degree Eternals. And Heavendoom was stronger than a large number of them.

Silence was a luxury with Heavendoom around, but Su Yu didn't mind it. They started heading out of the hall. This time, the reception hall wasn't covered in darkness.

With Heavenbridge Marquis personally leading the way, the door of the hall was wide open. As he walked, he said, "Human Lord, the eighth level has been empty for countless years, but all the ancient residences are still around."

Su Yu asked, "Have you been guarding this place all these years?"

"Yeah."

"How did the ancient past collapse?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm?"

Su Yu looked at him with surprise. He didn't know? But he had been here all along!

Heavenbridge Marquis explained seriously, "I really don't know. I only know that first, Culture King disappeared. After a while, Martial King went looking for him, only to never return. With both Culture King and Martial King gone, a small chaos erupted in the Luminous Domain Mansion."

Heavenbridge Marquis sighed and said, "Human Emperor, Culture King, Martial King, Control King, and Radiant King. Those were the five pillars of humanity. Two were gone suddenly...no, Control King left even earlier due to Culture King's punishment. Only Human Emperor and Radiant King were left. As a result, the Myriad Race Assembly started stirring. Initially, they were still very careful and wary. But eventually, they started losing fear..."

Heavenbridge Marquis recalled the past and said, "I only know that the end of the ancient past had happened silently and peacefully. One day, the assembly convened a meeting. Attendance was compulsory for everyone at the Eternal Realm and above within the Luminous Domain Mansion.

"That day, countless Eternals entered the assembly hall. Then, they all entered the ninth level for a further meeting. They called it a meeting, but in my opinion, they tried to force the Human Emperor to abdicate.

"The Human Emperor was greatly involved in the disappearance of the ancient past. He rarely showed himself in public, and he was a man of few words. However, he was a terrifying man. At the time, the myriad races took the absence of several human experts as an opportunity to resist humanity's rule. During the meeting, everyone disappeared."

"All gone?" Su Yu frowned, "What do you mean they all disappeared?"

Heavenbridge Marquis said, "I mean it literally. They entered the ninth level and that was it. Everyone went missing. There were no intense battles. That era ended just like that. All the Eternals in the mansion vanished together. Not a single one of them remained."

He sighed and said, "Only those below the Eternal Realm were left. But soon, the mansion started shaking, killing a large number of people. The survivors couldn't leave either since they couldn't activate the teleportation formation. A bunch of them died in here. And just like that, I became the sole survivor in here."

Heavenbridge Marquis said awkwardly, "I was excluded from the meeting because I was a gate. It doesn't make sense that a gate needs to attend meetings as well. In any case, they needed someone to watch the entrance even during their meeting. Thus, I was left alone."

Su Yu looked at Heavenbridge Marquis with surprise. The end of the ancient past was too peaceful. In one day, everyone vanished. Only a single gate remained. Was this...the sole living being left in the mansion? No, there was also the Martial Emperor.

Heavendoom and the others were very surprised as well. Heavendoom said, "Gate, are you saying that the ancient past ended just like that? This...seems unlikely. There were so many assembly members around. All of them were Daofuses. Back then, Human Emperor only managed to prevail over them with the assistance of Culture King and the others. Are you saying that all of them were killed by Human Emperor?"

Heavenbridge Marquis shook his head and said, "I don't know. But many died. After they vanished, the various great daos shook violently for a while. I caught a glimpse of a gigantic palm appearing on the ninth level, erasing several great daos and the smaller daos attached to these great daos. That might be the Human Emperor. He must have erased some disobedient fools."

As Heavenbridge Marquis spoke of that event, fear covered his face. "I was terrified. Fortunately, I was spared by everyone since they needed a gate around. I only need to keep fulfilling my duty. I'm telling you. I have been diligently carrying out my duty all these years!"

He looked at Su Yu and emphasized, "Human Lord, I am a dutiful gate! I have done my job dutifully! Even when I hid the gate previously, that was in accordance to the laws. As per the laws, when uncontrollable variables appear, I am to shut the entrance to keep the eighth level undisturbed."

Su Yu chuckled and said, "Don't worry about it."

But at his answer, Heavenbridge Marquis paled. A long story seemed to be brewing in his mind as he stared at Su Yu in fear. It was over! He would die soon!

Don't worry about it?

He understood the meaning behind those words. Shit, shit, shit! Clearly, this human lord intended to settle scores with him at a later date. Sure enough, he would be the one to suffer.

At first, Su Yu didn't notice anything. But upon noticing Heavenbridge Marquis' silence, he looked over and noticed the terrified, helpless, indignant, and sorrowful expression on Heavenbridge Marquis' face.

Noticing Su Yu's gaze, the gate sighed and said, "I understand. Just be straightforward with me, Human Lord. I knew it! This is indeed my fate...Perhaps...the time for me to join my ancient friends in the afterlife has arrived."

"..."

Su Yu stared at him. Everyone stared at him. All of them were rendered speechless. Was this gate being serious? Or was this gate joking? When he spoke to East Heavenly King previously, they had assumed that he was deliberately saying those things to enrage East Heavenly King.

Empyrean Cloud gave Heavendoom a kick and sent him a voice transmission, "You're quite familiar with this guy. Has he always been like this?"

Heavendoom replied through voice transmission as well, "How am I supposed to know? Wait, I'm not even familiar with him. I only saw him a few times before, but nobody bothered to talk to him. What's the point of talking to a gate? I'm not crazy."

Su Yu stared at the gate for a long while before saying, "For your punishment, you are to shut your mouth. Don't speak to me unless I speak to you first."

"Sure enough." The gate sighed again and said, "The human lord is truly the same as Culture King. Back then, he gave me the same punishment. Martial King was different. He directly gave me a beating instead..."

"..."

Everyone was rendered speechless.

The gate continued, "In truth, I don't talk as much anymore. You can see that up until now, I have not said much. I have been restraining my mouth. Even when I speak, I am constantly wary of what I say. I understand that nobody likes to hear what I have to say. Sigh."

They were further rendered speechless.

The gate said, "Don't worry. I understand. I will say less in your presence, Human Lord. Wait, why isn't anyone saying anything?"

Su Yu didn't know what to say. Was this guy...born so talkative? Was he sure he was already restraining his mouth? Was he not tired of making up imaginary scenarios in his mind all the time? Whatever. He decided to stop wasting time on a gate.

Heavenbridge Marquis...only nonsense would come out of his mouth, as though he was the incarnation of the Heaven Connecting Acupoint. Su Yu started suspecting that this was a title with a unique origin. He asked, "By the way, who gave you your title?"

"Oh, you're curious about that? It's quite a long story." The gate spoke in excitement, "At year 369 of the Yong'an Calendar, I gained sentience, becoming a spirit. Initially, I wasn't a marquis. But at year 380, the time for the second round of appointments arrived. Some said that I deserved a title for my great contributions. Before long, that proposal was approved. And then, Culture King personally named me the Heavenbridge Marquis, guardian of the gate to heaven."

Heavenbridge Marquis!

Culture King.

Su Yu raised his brow and said, "Culture King was right. You are indeed a heaven connecting gate."

There were various meanings behind that title. His words were akin to fart. He would speak endlessly, and he would rarely say anything useful. Recalling the location of Devote King's Residence and Devote King's unique title, Su Yu started suspecting that this was also Culture King's handiwork.

He asked, "Who gave Devote King his title?"

"Human Emperor and the others."

Heavenbridge Marquis explained, "The titles of all the human kings were personally chosen by Human Emperor and Culture King. Some of the marquises were also named by them. As for the others, they had to submit their titles for approval. Some were also named by the assembly."

He continued proudly, "I am one of the few with the honor of being personally named by Culture King!"

Su Yu asked, "How long did the ancient past last? Was Yong'an the official name of the Human Emperor's era?"

"Yes. It lasted over thirty thousand years. At year 35000, Culture King and Martial King vanished. Less than a thousand years later, the ancient past ended."

Over thirty thousand years. That was a long time. But for people like them, that was perhaps not a long time. Just like that, the imperial court that had unified the Myriad Realms had collapsed. And then, the myriad races started defeating humanity again and again, nine epochs in a row. A hundred thousand years had passed, and it was now the tenth epoch. The glory of the ancient past was over.

Su Yu recalled something else. The old turtle was incredibly old. Old enough to be born before the ancient past. Perhaps the old turtle had experienced even the primordial past as well.

At his age, how was he still a Daofuse--cough, cough. It would be rude to speculate. Sure enough, there was an upper limit to what some people could achieve.

As they conversed, they walked out of the reception hall. Outside, the sky was bright and calm. The environment was as pretty as ever. Massive residences stretched out endlessly, and plants decorated the space between residences, with the White Jade Avenue stretching across the entire level like a spiderweb.

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