Chapter 1190 - He Who Makes the Rules

The skies were perpetually overcast and raining. Everything was dim.

“Your Excellency, Custodian Crane Fairy oversees this place from that Daoist temple over there,” transmitted Meng Changyun.

Su Yi subtly inclined his head. He could sense an extraordinarily strong presence within the run-down temple, as well as a presence he was extremely familiar with.

Practically simultaneously——

A voice full of surprise and delight emanated from within the run-down temple. The sound was soft and pleasing to the ear.

“Brother Su, you’re finally here!”

Su Yi looked over and saw a figure in a fiery red dress appear outside the temple. Her beauty was startling, unsurpassed in her generation. This was none other than the Heavensdeath Demon Empress.

Su Yi smiled and walked right up to her, Meng Changyun hot on his heels.

“Brother Su, who is this?” The Heavensdeath Demon Empress noticed Meng Changyun and couldn’t help but be surprised.

That’s a World King!

Before Su Yi could answer, Meng Changyun hurriedly approached, smiled, and inclined his head in greeting. “This humble old man is called Meng Changyun. I was fortunate enough to receive His Excellency Su’s favor and an opportunity to serve at his side.”

The Heavensdeath Demon Empress was flabbergasted.

A World King.... servant!?

It was then that the Crane Fairy’s voice emanated from within the run-down temple. “Heavensdeath, invite the two of them inside.”

The Heavensdeath Demon Empress was instantly solemn. She was just about to transmit an explanation of who the Crane Fairy was when Su Yi smiled and shook his head. He transmitted, “I already know.”

With that, he walked right in.

“After you, Your Excellency Heavensdeath.” Meng Changyun stepped aside with a smile.

The Heavensdeath Demon Empress found his respectful bearing hard to adjust to.

He’s a World King, so why is he so... toadyish!? It seems a lot happened to Brother Su after we arrived!

As she pondered, she entered the Daoist Temple.

The Crane Fairy sat inside, her feathers white as snow and her distant gaze shining with hints of divine light.

When she saw Su Yi enter, she shot to her feet, her eyes rippling with golden Dao Light as she looked him up and down.

Su Yi examined the Custodian too. She was in the early-stage Heavenly Longevity Realm, slightly inferior to Shan Ning.

However, her aura was incomparably dense and pure, with a holy, ethereal quality to it. She was obviously extraordinary.

“You killed a Custodian?” the Crane Fairy asked out of nowhere, her gaze suddenly incomparably icy. The holy, pure aura emanating from her was suddenly forceful and terrifying.

Boom!

Outside the temple, the dense, dark clouds shook violently. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. The endless rain suddenly intensified into a downpour.

The Heavensdeath Demon Empress and Meng Changjing both stiffened, startled.

However, Su Yi just said plainly, “That’s right.”

He wouldn’t have guessed that the Crane Fairy would realize this at a glance!

“Why?” asked the Crane Fairy. She could tell that this young Profound Unity Realm cultivator was fearless and utterly composed.

Su Yi glanced at Meng Changyun, who instantly realized what he was trying to say. He straightened up his clothes, and his face filled with anger as he said through gnashed teeth, “Senior, you don't know this, but not long ago, a Custodian named Shan Ning acted utterly wantonly!”

The words flowed out of him, and as he explained the situation, he made his righteous indignation perfectly clear!

Even the Heavensdeath Demon Empress couldn’t help but lose her temper. “A Custodian actually attacked a trial-taker? How despicable!”

After hearing the full story, the Crane Fairy sank into silence. Finally, she asked, “Why would Shan Ning do that?”

“Uh...” Meng Changyun looked at Su Yi. He dared not divulge Shan Ning’s intentions without permission.

But Su Yi thought nothing of it. “Reincarnation.”

“Reincarnation?” The Crane Fairy was stunned, and her expression shifted.

Finally, she said softly, “If that’s true... it actually makes sense.”

Meng Changyun inwardly sighed in relief, but out loud, he said furiously, “Before that Shan Ning person died, he threatened His Excellency saying that this would make him the common foe of the Birthplace of Ten Thousand Daos. He even said His Excellency would meet with disaster. What kind of talk is that?”

The Crane Fairy sighed. “His words might have been displeasing, but... they weren’t empty threats.”

Meng Changyun’s eyelids twitched, and he said with disbelief, “Senior, are you saying His Excellency will really face retribution for this?”

The Heavensdeath Demon Empress looked worried too.

After a moment’s silence, the Crane Fairy said, “Yes.”

Meng Changyun’s heart thudded in his chest, but just as he was about to say something, the Heavensdeath Demon Empress beat him to the punch. “Senior, aren’t Custodians punished cruelly when they break the rules?”

The Crane Fairy sighed. “Yes, but if the Custodian disregards this punishment, it’s difficult for the rules to restrict them.”

Here, she looked at Su Yi. “Heed my warning. If you leave the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals right now, you might well have hope of survival. Otherwise... I won’t be able to protect you, either.”

Su Yi shook his head. “Fellow Daoist, you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t come here to ask you to mete out justice, nor do I wish to receive your protection.”

The Crane Fairy was stunned. “Then what are you here for?”

Su Yi smiled. “First, this is where Fellow Daoist Heavensdeath and I agreed to meet up before proceeding further into the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals.”

Here, the Heavensdeath Demon Empress’s eyes widened, and her heart churned.

This guy! He’s already provoked such an enormous disaster, but he’s still concerned about me...

Su Yi continued, “Second, I wanted to seize this opportunity to ask you a few questions. Are you perhaps willing to enlighten me?”

The Crane Fairy gazed intently at him. “You’re sure you’re not afraid of retribution?”

Su Yi said plainly, “If I were afraid of death, I wouldn’t have killed Shan NIng.”

The Crane Fairy sighed. “Sit wherever you like.”

She was already back in her usual spot.

Su Yi took out his wicker chair and sat down, while the Heavensdeath Demon Empress and Meng Changyun sat by his sides.

The perpetual drizzle continued outside, the clouds shrouding the world in darkness.

Within the temple, Su Yi started asking questions.

Although they were both Custodians, the Crane Fairy really was different from Shan Ning. She hid nothing, answering every question Su Yi had.

Before long, Su Yi understood some of what was going on.

FIrst, the rules of the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals had been established in ancient times by a legendary expert known as Venerate Flooding Heavens.

The Crane Fairy didn’t go into his origins or cultivation base. All she said was that in that long-lost era, Venerate Flooding Heavens was the sovereign of the entire Dark and Gold Star Realm!

This simple description was enough to tell Su Yi just how extraordinary this Venerate Flooding Heavens was!

Second, he learned the Custodians’ responsibilities. They were to watch over the outer ring and guide trial-takers.

Trial-takers who earned their recognition could proceed to the secret origin grounds at the heart of the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals. There, they could undergo trial.

Those who succeeded would receive supreme legacies of the lost ancient era!

The Crane Fairy didn’t explain that part in detail. She just said that a long time ago, Venerate Flooding Heavens set up trials in the secret origin grounds to ensure that his era’s supreme legacies of the Grand Dao were passed on. When they found their fated successor, these legacies would receive new life.

Over its countless years of history, too many experts had explored the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals to count, but as of yet, none of them had truly overcome this trial!

Third, each of the Custodians of the outer perimeter carried a Custodial Medallion.

Venerate Flooding Heavens had refined these medallions personally. With them, Custodians could manipulate the Laws of the surrounding area.

However, the medallions also became an inescapable restraint. Custodians could only spend the rest of their lives guarding the outer ring of the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals, never to return to the outside world!

Furthermore, when a Custodian violated Venerate Flooding Heavens’ precepts, they were severely punished!

Su Yi couldn’t help but ask, “Shan Ning violated the rules, so why wasn’t he punished?”

“That would require the intervention of an Enforcer,” said the Crane Fairy.

“They’re responsible for carrying out punishments?” asked Su Yi.

“That’s right,” said the Crane Fairy. “Here in the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals, there are six Enforcers in total. They’ve remained hidden in the secret origin grounds since antiquity, and they have but two responsibilities.”

“First, to punish Custodians who violate the rules.

“Second, to destroy anything that endangers the natural order of the secret origin grounds.”

Su Yi’s eyebrows rose slightly.

The Graveyard of Fallen Immortals really isn’t simple. They’ve got Custodians overseeing the outer ring and Enforcers guarding the secret origin grounds.

The Enforcers’ cultivations are surely far beyond the Custodians!

“Senior, in that case, why didn’t a Enforcer intervene after Shan Ning violated the rules?” the Heavensdeath Demon Empress couldn’t help but ask.

“Of the ten Custodians, only the first, Old Man Stargazer, can contact the Enforcers and request their intervention.”

Su Yi’s brow furrowed as he realized the crux of the problem. “That means that whether or not Custodians are punished for violating the rules depends largely on the First Custodian’s attitude?”

The Crane Fairy nodded. “I can tell you with certainty that the Old Man Stargazer wouldn’t dare break the rules. If he learns what has happened, there’s no way he’ll remain uninvolved.

The Heavensdeath Demon Empress and Meng Changyun both sighed in relief.

That was naturally for the best.

Su Yi said casually, “Then I’ll just have to wait and see whether any other Custodians come to throw their lives away. From this, we’ll be able to understand the First Custodian’s attitude.”

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He’d never placed his hopes of averting a crisis on another’s shoulders. This was especially true since the First Custodian didn’t intervene when Shan Ning broke the rules.

Admittedly, that might simply be because he wasn’t aware of Shan Ning’s transgression.

But if other Custodians appeared to get revenge for Shan Ning, that would prove that there was a problem with the First Custodian’s attitude!

The Crane Fairy obviously understood what Su Yi was getting at, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “Fellow Daoist, you’re worried for no reason. Given my understanding of Old Man Stargazer, there’s no way he’ll remain uninvolved when he finds out that other Custodians plan to violate the rules by attacking you.”

She’d only just said this when violent spatial fluctuations appeared in the darkness outside the temple.

Immediately afterward, one terrifying presence after another appeared out of nowhere.

These were none other than Wei Heng, Jing Feng, Huang Sanjia, and Meng Zhan!

When she sensed the four Custodians’ arrival, the Crane Fairy was stunned.

Su Yi glanced at her. “See? This time, a host of them have arrived, but I don't see that First Custodian or whatever anywhere.”

The Crane Fairy was instantly at a loss for words, and she felt thoroughly ill at ease.