The whole of the sky palaces was shocked by news of Wu Yu defeating Sky Heart Dragon Emperor.
True Lord Erlang's son Yang Qiang had been puffing and preening at his own recent breakthrough, vowing a rematch where he would give Wu Yu a thorough beating.
And then word had come that Wu Yu had defeated Sky Heart Dragon Emperor at Immortal Dragon Imperial Realm.
He could not believe his ears.
Back during the Immortal Emperor Trials, Wu Yu had been about evenly matched with him. He felt that his loss had ultimately boiled down to a matter of luck.
But in the mere few years since, Wu Yu had left him far behind. It was hard news to swallow.
The Sky Heart Dragon Emperor himself?
A fifth tier immortal emperor!
That was something that would make anyone in the sky palaces sit up and respect.
On the same level as the Four Heavenly Kings and Primeval Mighty Miracle God.
Such an immortal emperor was respected all throughout the sky palaces, and one of the core members that made up the leadership.
Yang Qiang himself knew that he was far from that level. He would need eons before he might one day reach that level himself.
He had not felt the pressure before this, but now hearing that Wu Yu was well in that tier made him feel like killing himself.
He was a prideful character, and now his peer had left him in the dust. How could he not feel discouraged?
The other prodigies who had clashed with Wu Yu were all equally incredulous.
It had only been some tens of thousands of years since. Back then, they had felt close to reaching Wu Yu.
Now he could defeat the Sky Heart Dragon Emperor?
Peach Cloud Fairy, Happy Fleece Fairy, Lei Tianyuan, Zhou Niancang...... All of them suddenly felt that they were worthless trash.
He was already a fifth tier immortal emperor.
And them?
Some of them were still struggling to get over the hurdle and become an immortal emperor......
What an insurmountable difference!
More, this made many of them start to suspect that Wu Yu was hiding some great secret. Perhaps, like Dancing Flame Phoenix Lord, he had some formidable transformation.
Things were different at the house of Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing and Nezha.
Ever since the Immortal Emperor Trials, Li Tianji - Li Jing's grandson and Nezha's son - had shut himself away, brooding about his loss to Wu Yu.
He drowned himself in the cup, raving in a drunken state. He was so woebegone that he did not even have the motivation to challenge the immortal emperor realm anymore.
He had wasted away his days.
Losing to Wu Yu back then had been incredibly devastating.
Nezha felt that he had been too spoiled, to nott even be able to take such a blow. As for Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing, he had already hated Wu Yu, and plotting revenge for his beloved grandson.
Neither had told Li Tianji about Wu Yu defeating Sky Heart Dragon Emperor.
They were afraid that Li Tianji would be unable to take it, and turn suicidal again.
Li Jing and Nezha were walking together when they heard the news. They had fallen silent for a while, and then Li Jing asked: "I heard that Wu Yu went to look for Taiyi Zhenren recently?"
"Indeed. It seems like he traded his epochal immortal treasure for the life of his sister." Nezha answered.
"But I heard that the epochal immortal treasure is back in Wu Yu's hands again, and then he vanished?" Li Jing said disapprovingly.
"Indeed it seems that way. But if even Taiyi Zhenren cannot find the boy, what can we do?" Nezha said glumly.
Of course, he too wanted to get back at Wu Yu, for turning his son Li Tianji into a drunken wastrel.
But he had a point - if even Taiyi Zhenren could not find Wu Yu, then what chance did they stand?
"It's different."
Taiyi Zhenren is your master. You can tell him about Wu Yu defeating Sky Heart Dragon Emperor. Wu Yu was too weak to catch the attention of the Jade Emperor, but now that he's defeated Sky Heart Dragon Emperor, he's entered the important ranks!"
"You mean, the Jade Emperor could settle this matter?" A glint in Nezha's eye at the prospect.
"Exactly!" Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing nodded with a malicious gleam in his own eye.
The way he saw it, as long as the Jade Emperor was willing to take a hand, then there would be no escape for Wu Yu.
After all, Wu Yu had definitely robbed Taiyi Zhenren in the exchange.
"I'll go and find Zhenren immediately!"
Nezha did not dally, but immediately pulled out his Flaming Wheels of Two Realms epochal immortal treasure and whirled away.
.......
Wu Yu took Luo Pin back to Mettle Sky, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.
There was good news awaiting them. In this short time, Full Moon of Nanshan and Ye Xixi had both made their breakthroughs and finally reached the immortal emperor realm.
Wu Yu and Luo Pin had only gone back and made a quick challenge. They had not been gone for long.
To make a breakthrough so quickly was a welcome surprise for Wu Yu.
"This is nothing. Didn't you impart a lot to us, Old Wu?" Full Moon of Nanshan was indifferent. To him, it was already a shame that he had not been able to breakthrough at the point of Wu Yu's Imparting.
After all, Luo Pin had immediately risen through with his Imparting.
Instead it was Full Moon of Nanshan and Ye Xixi who had been unable to immediately move upwards, instead spending some time thinking.
It had been humiliating for them, since their legacies were all about equally strong.
Perhaps Luo Pin's legacy had fused with her bloodline to become a more cohesive advantage, but neither of them felt that it should make a difference.
However, they were unaware that when Wu Yu imparted to Luo Pin, it was in the tenderest and most personal of methods.
The effects of Imparting would definitely be better!
"Oh yes, Old Wu, Patriarch Bodhi seems to have business with you, concerning Taiyi Zhenren. You'd better go take a look. I feel like there's something big just over the horizon." Full Moon of Nanshan conveyed to Wu Yu.
"Mm."
All amusement was wiped from Wu Yu's face. Still, this matter had to be dealt with. He would definitely seek outt the Patriarch Bodhi to see what he had to say on the matter.
Still, it was a weight off his mind now that they were all at the immortal emperor realm.
It meant a distinct difference in their status at the sky palaces.
Also, once they re-invented their Mystiques as apotheosis Mystiques, their fighting power would climb dramatically, as Wu Yu's own had back then. They would immediately shoot up to roughly third tier immortal emperors.
With that, there would be much less in the sky palaces which could pose a threat to them.
Besides, all the heat was on Wu Yu right now.
Not many would have time or energy to find trouble with Full Moon of Nanshan or Ye Xixi.
Very quickly, Wu Yu was back at Bodhi's Palace, facing a very serious-looking Patriarch Bodhi.
"Your disciple greets master!"
Wu Yu respectfully bowed.
"Dispense with the courtesies."
Patriarch Bodhi waved it off with a small gesture. He sighed and said worriedly: "Wu Yu, what are you planning to do about the Ruyi Jingu Bang? I want to hear your thoughts."
It was indeed about this problem.
Wu Yu thought about it. Of course, he could not speka the whole truth, especially since it concerned Heavenly Buddha's Domain.
On this matter, he did not dare trust even the Patriarch Bodhi fully.
Therefore, he could only say: "This Ruyi Jingu Bang has very important meaning to this disciple. I am thinking that when I finish an important task, I will hand it over to Taiyi Zhenren."
He was not lying about this, but he was hiding the full truth about Heavenly Buddha's Domain.
Hearing this, Patriarch Bodhi did not press further.
However, he said worriedly: "News have spread all across the sky palaces. Even the immortal emperors of Mettle Sky know, and many feel that you are not trustworthy, that you are unreliable and cunning."
Hearing this from the Patriarch Bodhi made him feel a pang of guilt.
Although it could not be helped, this matter had indeed caused trouble for the Patriarch Bodhi and all of Mettle Sky.
Wu Yu could only bow in response. "Your disciple has let you down. Only...... I cannot do anything about this."
"Mm."
Patriarch Bodhi nodded and suggested: "Taiyi Zhenren will not let the matter go. He will definitely think of something before long, and you won't be able to hide then. Perhaps you should consider finding time to hand over the Ruyi Jingu Bang to him?"
"Disciple will consider it."
Wu Yu could only reply thus, his apologetic feelings singing out loud in his heart.
He had indeed let the Patriarch Bodhi down in this matter, and perhaps even sullied his reputation.
But the Ruyi Jingu Bang concerned the Heavenly Buddha's Domain, and Wu Yu felt that it was the closest thing to the truth about 1 million years ago.
If he gave up the Ruyi Jingu Bang, he was giving up on the truth, which was unacceptable for Wu Yu.
Wu Yu did not really care about being seen as a traitor by all of the sky palaces.
After all, what did the scorn of a thousand mean to him?
He bore the duty of billions in the Demon Immortal Realm with his vow!
"Perhaps I should explain to Taiyi Zhenren? And ask for time?"
Wu Yu pondered after leaving Bodhi's Palace. But he very quickly dismissed it as unlikely.
Why would someone of Taiyi Zhenren's level deign to give him time?
"Or perhaps I should go and hide out in Demon Immortal Realm for a while?"
Wu Yu considered as well.