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“That’s right,” Lu Yuan grinned. “Whatever you need, just come to me.”

Xiao Hongchen smiled, “Then I won’t be polite.”

He was observant enough to see that while he’d never met Lu Yuan, the man’s powerful, icy aura was real.

As the Second Guardian, he was even higher ranked than Shui Lingguang, the Fourth Guardian.

Another top-tier expert, never before seen.

With such a strong mentor, Xiao Hongchen was happy.

Jing Hongchen was strong, but as a soul engineer, he couldn’t compare to a force with tens of thousands of years of tradition.

Lu Yuan laughed, “Don’t be shy. I hate people who are all awkward. Just come to me.”

Xiao Hongchen knew Lu Yuan was Su Yu’s brother-in-law, so he wouldn’t dare neglect him.

He was a bit straightforward, but not stupid.

“Alright, let’s go inside,” Su Yu interrupted.

They entered and toured the city, marveling at the massive ice structures.

Su Yu himself acted as a guide, showing them around before letting Shui Lingguang take them to rest.

…

Ice God Main Hall.

Facing the tall Ice God statue, Su Yu stood quietly, hands behind his back.

The statue was as sacred and majestic as ever, though perhaps a bit less lively—now it seemed like a lifeless object.

“I wonder how that old woman is doing now,” Su Yu muttered.

The Divine Realm was sealed off. As a powerful force there, the Ice God was surely being watched.

This sudden sealing was mysterious, and whoever was behind it had unknown motives.

The situation on Douluo Continent was now beyond Su Yu’s comprehension.

This lack of control made him uneasy.

“If you aren’t a God King, don’t pry. As for God Kings…”

Remembering the Ice God’s solemn warning, Su Yu clenched his fists.

He once thought the gods were the final enemies.

But things had grown far more complicated.

God King was supposed to be the end, but now it seemed only the beginning.

“I’m still too weak.”

He sighed. Though he had defeated Zhongli Wu and shocked the continent, he felt little joy.

Compared to true powerhouses, he was still far behind.

Now, even godhood was distant, let alone reaching God King.

He had promised Gu Yuena to become a god by 25, but now...

He’d have to manage it by 20, or it would be too late.

He had no reason for this sense of urgency, but he trusted his intuition.

He didn’t have much time left.

A cool, jade-like hand grasped Su Yu’s, and Xue Di’s beautiful face appeared before him.

Her icy blue eyes showed concern as she caressed his cheek.

“Are you still worried about that shadowy figure?”

“If a soldier comes, we’ll deal with it. If water comes, we’ll block it. If all else fails, we can contact Di Tian or even the Supreme Ruler.”

“No matter how strong that person is, they can’t be stronger than the Supreme Ruler. Why pressure yourself so much?”

Xue Di comforted him.

As his wife, she could see he was troubled.

He had always been confident, but lately, he seemed gloomy, his smiles unable to hide his worries.

She didn’t understand.

With his background among both soul beasts and humans, he could sweep the continent if he wanted.

What evil soul master or Sun-Moon Empire could stand against the Ice God Guard? And there was Hai Bodong, Di Tian, Gu Yuena…

He was already invincible.

Why worry about some mysterious enemy?

Su Yu drew Xue Di into his arms.

“Xue’er, you don’t understand.”

“There are enemies you can see, and those you can’t.”

“Nana is strong, but not stronger than the Ice God.”

“Now, even the Ice God is trapped, and God Kings are restricted. Do you realize that?”

“What?” Xue Di was shocked.

Su Yu didn’t explain. “I can’t control how things develop anymore, and it makes me uneasy.”

“I’m not alone. I have you, Nana and the others, the soul beasts, and the entire Ice God Palace.”

“I have too much at stake to be careless.”

“But isn’t it tiring?” asked Xue Di.

“Of course it is. But what choice do I have? I have to prepare for everything.”

Xue Di fell silent, gripping his hand tightly.

Su Yu gently brushed her hair aside and then smiled. “Enough of that. Has your fifth trial started? What is it?”

Xue Di leaned into his chest. “The fifth Ice God trial is to learn one secret Ice God technique within a month.”

“And you?” she asked.

Su Yu smiled. “Within a month, I must learn three Ice God techniques. The countdown starts when I learn the first.”

Xue Di frowned. “Three?”

Again, his trial was much tougher than hers.

The Ice God’s secret techniques, created by the Ice God, were not easy to learn.

Each was a true divine skill.

“Yes!” Su Yu said cheerfully. “Another challenging trial.”

“And this fifth trial is probably to prepare for the sixth, which will be even harder.”

“The sixth is always the life-or-death trial among the nine god trials.”

“Of course, the Ice God chose me, so she won’t let me die. But it’ll be just as hard as the earlier, vengeful trials.”

Xue Di became serious.

She dared not underestimate these trials.

“When do you plan to start?” she asked.

“In a couple of days. The others have just arrived; I want to show them around before I get caught up in training.”

“True.” Xue Di nodded.

Once the trials began, they would have no time for anything else—they’d be racing against the clock.

“By the way, about Ju Zi…”

Xue Di paused. “Why did you bring her? Don’t tell me she’s—”

“What are you thinking?” Su Yu pinched her cheek. “Am I so indiscriminate in your eyes?”

Xue Di nodded solemnly.

Su Yu: “…”

He rolled his eyes. “I brought Ju Zi back for a reason. I’m forming a new army, and I want her as the commander.”

Juzi’s skills were only so-so, but on this continent, she was already top-tier.

She’d have to do.

Xue Di was surprised. “A new army?”

“Why do you need so many troops?”

“You already have the Ice God Guard and the main corps.”

“Ordinary armies are useless against true powerhouses.”

Su Yu shook his head. “You still don’t get it.”

“The times have changed. An army equipped with soul devices, combining soul engineers and regular soldiers, can be as strong as the Ice God Guard.”

“If I told you the Sun-Moon Empire has elite soul engineer regiments capable of briefly contending with Ultimate Douluo, and not just one, would you believe it?”

“That’s impossible!” Xue Di didn’t believe it.

She admitted the power of soul devices, but to fight an Ultimate Douluo was still a fantasy.

“It’s possible. Linked soul devices make it possible.”

“And I want just such an army—stronger, even.”

Su Yu’s eyes glinted. He had soul device blueprints far more advanced than this era’s.

He never underestimated their power.

He was going to build a legion from scratch, stronger than the Ice God Guard.

He’d even thought of a name: the Godslayer Legion.

If the army was elite and the soul devices powerful enough, they could kill gods.

How many gods could face a full division?

“Alright, suppose such an army can exist. But can Ju Zi lead it?”

“And do you trust her that much?”

Su Yu smiled wryly and explained his ideas for military organization.

Xue Di was speechless.

“You are ruthless. Want to use her, but guard against her every step. Aren’t you afraid she’ll just quit?”

She’d worried Su Yu would trust Ju Zi too much, but now she saw he was more devious than she thought.

She’d heard of political overseers, but never at the squad level.

Ju Zi would have no real power—she couldn’t move a single squad without Su Yu’s approval.

That was…

She twitched at the corner of her eye. Too black-hearted.

“Ju Zi never really had a choice. She can only follow the path I set for her,” Su Yu said calmly.

“You don’t trust her?” Xue Di was shocked by his coldness.

“She betrayed Xu Tiannan, who saved her life. She could betray me too.”

“Maybe she won’t, but since there’s a chance, I have to be careful.”

“She wants revenge, I’ll help her. But for everything else, she must follow my rules.”

“What I want is—when the guns sound, all the armies must obey me!”