Chapter 2963 - Setting Three Conditions for a Heavenly Sovereign

Outside the Heavenly Aberrant Ruins, the sky was as dark as ink.

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan sat leisurely on a boulder, resting his head in one hand. The other held a jug of wine.

He was dressed like a Daoist, with an otherworldly, unrestrained air about him. Those who didn’t know him would never have guessed that he was an unparalleled expert of Demonism.

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan suddenly smiled and turned to gaze into the distance. “It wasn’t easy finding this place, you know. I’m afraid Ol’ Wen of Limitless Palace has no idea that such a backwater exists in the Divine Wandering Continent.”

A blue-robed figure was headed his way. This was none other than Su Yi.

“How did you find me, then?” Su Yi walked over and asked with a smile.

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan pointed at himself. “I’m a Heavenly Sovereign, you know. When I want to find someone, I can always find a way.”

Su Yi took out his wicker chair and sprawled out comfortably before responding. “No one would be stupid enough to believe that nonsense, but if you don’t want to tell me, I won’t ask.”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan pondered briefly. “Little Brother, have you perhaps guessed why I’m here?”

“Hm,” said Su Yi. “I can just about guess. I’m just wondering if you plan to seize this opportunity to kill me.”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan maintained a straight face, his gaze inscrutable. “You’re worried about that, yet you still dared come see me?”

Su Yi smiled. “I dared, yes. Aren’t you worried that you can’t kill me even if you want to?”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan blinked, then sighed. “Little Brother, next time you’d best be more careful. If I were any other Heavenly Sovereign, it wouldn’t matter what kinds of cards you had up your sleeve. If you dared feign mysteriousness like this, they’d be sure to attack immediately!”

Su Yi said seriously, “I see that you’re different from them, and that’s exactly why I’m willing to meet with you.”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan laughed and chastised him. “Enough nonsense. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, I’m here for Great Sorrow, but I have something else to discuss, too.”

He then explained the situation. Several Heavenly Sovereigns had joined forces to rebuild the Yitian Eternal Throne, but they were still missing the throne piece hidden in Great Sorrow.

Everyone still assumed that Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan had the sword, so the other Heavenly Sovereigns had been putting immense pressure on him.

Once they rebuilt the Yitian Eternal Throne, they planned to host a Struggle for Heavenly Fate to determine who would claim it!

“If we succeed in rebuilding the Yitian Eternal Throne, a new Heavenly Sovereign will enter the world, rewriting its balance of power!” said Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan. “If someone unrelated to the nine of us acquires it, it won’t actually have that great an effect, but if one of our disciples or subordinates acquires it... the impact would be far too great.

“Just picture a faction with two Heavenly Sovereigns. A sect like that would inevitably transcend all other orthodoxies. They’d become the true, unsurpassed top force in the Eternal Heavens Domain!”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan laughed coldly. “That’s why all those Heavenly Sovereigns are willing to work together to rebuild the Yitian Eternal Throne.”

Su Yi nodded. “Aren’t you interested in that too?”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan said, “To be perfectly frank, who wouldn’t be interested? This is an opportunity to create a new Heavenly Sovereign we’re talking about! No one would just give up on such a chance.”

But then, he changed tack. “But if you wound up with the Yitian Eternal Throne, I’d just barely be able to accept that outcome.

“I won’t hide it: I’ve already claimed a spot for you in the Struggle for Heavenly Fate!” said Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan. “Moreover, the other Heavenly Sovereigns have agreed not to interfere or break the rules after the competition begins. I’ll provide you with my protection. I guarantee that nothing will go wrong during the competition!”

Su Yi couldn’t help but find this surprising. He’d assumed that Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan had come here to seize Great Sorrow; this wasn’t at all how he’d expected this to go.

“Of course, all of that is on the precondition that we manage to rebuild the Yitian Eternal Throne,” said Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan. “I’m sure you realize that already."

Su Yi pondered his next words, then said, “Ol’ Brother, forgive me if these words sting, but there’s no real bond between us. Why go to such lengths for me?”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan wasn’t the least bit angry. On the contrary, he laughed. “I knew you’d ask! Let’s put it like this. Part of it is that I’m giving Lu Hongpao face. Also, I agreed that Great Sorrow was yours, and I naturally can’t just go back on my word.”

He paused before continuing. “You don’t have to believe me, but you might as well take a chance. I refuse to believe you lack the requisite courage.”

Su Yi laughed bitterly. “I’m only in the Silent Realm, you know. I have no interest in opportunities to become a Heavenly Sovereign.”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan looked at him strangely. “You say you’re ‘just’ a Silent Realm cultivator, yet you just single-handedly bullied the entire Aberrant lineage into submission. What Heavenly Monarch could have done that?

“Also, even if you have no use for it now, you can always use the Yitian Eternal Throne later!”

Su Yi couldn’t help but sink into thought.

A long time ago, his first incarnation’s heart devil told him that the Eternal Thrones every cultivator longed for even in their dreams actually had both pros and cons.

Eternal Thrones were like boats that could carry you safely through the River of Destiny without fear of cataclysms or tribulations, but their disadvantages were major, too.

Those who wanted to reach the Far Shore of Destiny had to first cast away their boats. Only then could they disembark. However, Eternal Thrones fused with their Heavenly Sovereigns’ cultivation bases. They weren’t so easily abandoned!

It was because they couldn’t give up on their Eternal Thrones that even mighty Heavenly Sovereigns struggled to achieve further breakthroughs after reaching the Far Shore.

The heart devil had told Su Yi that, should the opportunity arise, he could acquire an eternal Throne and learn from it, but that he absolutely shouldn’t grow dependent on it. If he did, it would become his shackles and restrict his future prospects.

Su Yi didn’t question it, either. After all, he sought the Dao within himself. He didn’t rely on any external powers or treasures!

Also, it wasn’t like Su Yi couldn’t acquire an Eternal Throne elsewhere. He had the Key to Endless Tribulations, and the Heart-Tempering Sword House had the Cauldron of Fate. With them, he had a real shot at finding Eternal Thrones in both the Abyss of Endless Tribulations and the Sea of Fate.

There was no need to risk himself competing for the Yitian Eternal Throne.

Nonetheless, Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan’s arrangements were quite tempting. He didn’t even need to think to know that anyone competing in the Struggle for Heavenly Fate was sure to be a top expert among Heavenly Monarchs!

For instance, Yun Du was an elite among sword cultivators, a heaven-defying figure who’d proclaimed that he’d one day surpass Jiang Wuchen.

He was sure to participate in the Struggle for Heavenly Fate.

And there was undoubtedly no small number of people like Yun Du. It was even entirely possible that there were Heavenly Monarchs out there who were even stronger!

If Su Yi participated in the proceedings, he could fight those peak Heavenly Monarchs. That was sure to be satisfying.

The problem was that it was highly likely something would go wrong!

Even though Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan had personally guaranteed Su Yi his protection, there was no guarantee that the other Heavenly Sovereigns wouldn’t renege on their end of the agreement.

Besides, there was now no shortage of experts from the Far Shore of Destiny in the Eternal Heavens Domain. If they got involved, it would lead to even more variables.

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan saw that Su Yi was thinking, so he didn’t rush him. In Su Yi’s shoes, he wouldn’t have agreed lightly, either.

After a while, Su Yi asked, “Assuming we manage to reach an agreement and repair the Yitian Eternal Throne, when will the Struggle for Heavenly Fate begin, and where will it be held?”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan smiled. “That’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. Agree, and you can decide the time and place!”

Su Yi’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Why not?” Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan laughed coldly. “Without Great Sorrow, they can forget about repairing the Yitian Heavenly Throne, let alone hosting a Struggle for Heavenly Fate!

“In other words, all of the cards are in our hands. If they want to achieve their aims, there’s no way they’ll refuse to grant such simple requests.”

Only then did Su Yi understand. I can use Great Sorrow to ensure that the conditions are in my favor. As long as my terms are reasonable, those Heavenly Sovereigns will have little choice but to agree!

Su Yi mulled that over, then said, “How about this? Agree to three conditions, and I’ll happily let you use Great Sorrow. I’ll participate in the Struggle for Heavenly Fate, too.”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan smiled. “Go right ahead. Even if you didn’t want to set terms, I’d insist! If I take advantage of you in any way, may the heavens strike me dead!”

“First, as you suggested, I’d like to decide the time and place of the Struggle for Heavenly Fate,” said Su Yi.

“Easily done,” said Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan. “But the sooner we host the Struggle for Heavenly Fate, the better. The longer we drag this out, the more likely something is to go wrong.”

Su Yi nodded. “Once I’ve prepared, I’ll naturally tell you the time and place.”

He then moved on to his next condition. “Second, I hope that the Heavenly Sovereigns can contribute their pieces of the Yitian Eternal Throne to a ‘prize pool.’ Whoever wins the Struggle for Heavenly Fate will then receive all the fragments at once!”

This condition caught Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan off guard. “You want to host the competition first, then rebuild the Yitian Eternal Throne?”

“If we do it that way, even if something goes wrong, I can use Great Sorrow as a bargaining chip,” said Su Yi.

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan nodded. “I’ll do my best to negotiate on your behalf, but that shouldn’t be a big problem.”

“Third,” said Su Yi, “I want to prohibit everyone from the Far Shore of Destiny from participating. No, I don’t even want them spectating!”

This time, Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan frowned. He was uncharacteristically hesitant.

Su Yi took out a jug of wine and didn’t push the matter.

After a while, Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan sighed. “I won’t lie to you. Of late, several Heavenly Sovereigns have established contact with people from the Far Shore. It will be difficult to prevent the experts of the Far Shore from getting involved in an event of his magnitude.”

“There’s no harm in trying,” Su Yi said with a smile. “You said it yourself, didn’t you? We’ve got the upper hand here.”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan grimaced. “Little Brother, this condition will infuriate everyone else involved. We’ll be bringing trouble on ourselves for no reason, and the experts of the Far Shore are certain to hold me accountable.”

When he negotiated with the Heavenly Sovereigns, he’d have to do it in his own name; there was no way he could tell anyone of Su Yi’s involvement.

That meant that if he provoked the others’ ire, he’d be the target of countless arrows. As if the effort involved and the damage to his reputation weren’t troublesome enough, he also risked inviting disaster onto himself.

Su Yi smiled. “The capable shoulder the heaviest burdens. Moreover, I guarantee that I won’t let your hard work go unrewarded!”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan sank into silence. After a while, he slowly nodded. When he spoke, every word was full of solemn conviction. “Very well. We’ve been like old friends from the moment we met, and our reunion is a joyous occasion. All we need now is a shared trial to test and deepen our bond. I’ll just have to show you my sincerity!”