Chapter 2602 - How Craven Are You

First, they extended a broad invitation to their fellows, welcoming them to join the Myriad Daos Alliance!

Anyone who joined the Myriad Daos Alliance would receive their protection!

Second, they were restoring law and order to the world! All fighting between Undying Realm experts was prohibited in the territories of the Myriad Daos Alliance. Anyone who violated this rule would become the enemy of the entire alliance!

This second announcement instantly won them widespread approval.

During these dark, turbulent times, who didn’t long for a safe refuge?

The Myriad Daos Alliance wanted to restore law and order and forbid fighting between Master Gods in their territories. That was naturally absolutely wonderful news for everyone else living there!

Third, the Myriad Daos Alliance formally invited Su Yi to join them and assist them in quelling the suffering the Dark Days of Legend had brought the world. They hoped that together, they could restore peace to the world sooner rather than later!

It was this third announcement that really made the world boiler over.

Su Yi’s reputation in the God Domain went without saying.

His faction, Sunset Perch Island, represented a force no one in the God Domain would dare look down on.

If Su Yi joined the Myriad Daos Alliance, Sunset Perch Island would effectively join too.

That would dramatically increase the alliance’s overall strength. It might well break the balance of power between the two competing alliances, altering the trend of the Dark Days of Legend!

During these dark, turbulent times, many thought that only the Myriad Daos Alliance and New World Alliance were qualified to vie for supremacy. Thus, the two were in competition.

But those who truly understood the current situation knew that, although Sunset Perch Island’s forces were far inferior to the two alliances, Su Yi’s existence gave them the qualifications to compete, too!

If Su Yi really joined the Myriad Daos Alliance, it would naturally break the stalemate between alliances.

“What a masterstroke on the part of the Myriad Daos Alliance! They’ve invited Su Yi to join them in the name of saving the masses from disaster and restoring the peace. If Su Yi refuses, he’ll disappoint the whole world!” sighed some of the older-generation cultivators. “Moreover, everyone knows that Su Yi’s enemies are all in the New World Alliance!

“Joining the Myriad Daos Alliance would benefit Su Yi, too. He can work with them to counter the New World Alliance.

“Having Su Yi in their ranks would greatly increase the Myriad Daos Alliance’s chances of victory, too. That’s what they’re after. It’s a win-win!

“Now, we just have to wait and see what Su Yi decides!”

Everyone at all perceptive knew that Su Yi’s decision would alter the course of the Dark Days of Legend!

This news reached the New World Alliance too, causing a huge uproar. Many of its members were fraught with anxiety.

However, Di E, the Dipankara Buddha, and the Angler remained calm.

They’d been enemies with Su Yi since his past lives, and they’d opposed him for countless years. They understood his character and conduct better than just about anyone.

It was immediately obvious to them that, unless the Myriad Daos Alliance ceded the position of alliance master to Su Yi, all talk of recruiting him was nothing but the ravings of a madman!

There was just one reason. Su Yi had never been willing to serve another!

There was no way he’d let anyone else order him around!

Still, Di E, the Dipankara Buddha, and the others couldn’t help but admit that this was a masterstroke on the part of the Myriad Daos Alliance.

If Su Yi accepted their invitation, it’d be like adding wings to a tiger. The Myriad Daos Alliance’s strength and influence would soar.

If he refused, he’d invite widespread slander and criticism. After all, the Myriad Daos Alliance had invited Su Yi to join them under a pretense of concern for the masses.

Refusing would mean publicly expressing his unwillingness to help restore peace to the world and save the suffering populace from disaster. Either way, the Myriad Daos Alliance had established their righteousness. It didn’t matter whether Su Yi accepted or refused their invitation. Either way, they’d win the people’s hearts to their cause!

Those in favor received widespread support. Those who lost favor lost their supporters in turn.

No matter how strong a person or faction was, they’d have to carefully weigh the consequences of becoming enemies with the whole world.

Su Yi was buying wine in a largely deserted city when he heard the news. Everyone in the restaurant was talking about the three announcements.

The debate was fierce, too.

“Who says that Su Yi has to join up just because the Myriad Daos Alliance invited him?”

“Who says? Everyone beneath the heavens, that’s who! If Sword Venerate Su cares about the masses, how could he possibly refuse?”

“During these dark, turbulent times, human life is as fragile as the grass. If the Myriad Daos restores the peace, it’ll benefit everyone. If Sword Venerate Su doesn’t support them, I’ll be deeply disappointed.

“I trust Swod Venerate Su’s character. There’s no way he’ll just disregard the suffering masses. But... that doesn’t mean he’s somehow required to join the Myriad Daos Alliance, does it? That’s like moral blackmail!”

“Moral blackmail? No, that’s the voice of the people!”

...The discussion was high intensity. Most people thought Su Yi had to join the Myriad Daos Alliance or face the rejection of the masses.

Only a minority thought that joining the alliance or not was Su Yi’s business, and that no one else could force him.

Su Yi was buying wine when he overheard all this. He was neither happy nor sad.

The masses? Who could possibly represent everyone?

The Myriad Daos Alliance has spoken directly to the people’s hearts, but does that make them right?

And how could the hearts of the masses impose their will on a single individual? On what basis do they insist I absolutely must join the Myriad Daos Alliance?

Once he’d finished buying wine, Su Yi left the restaurant alone, pondering these questions along the way. He wasn’t exactly angry, nor was he otherwise emotional.

When the Epoch Spark first sprouted, Su Yi made a grand, ambitious promise to create a new Epoch Civilization, one completely different from the rest.

He also knew that there was only one real way to end the Dark Days of Legend: the Battle for Order.

It was only by Bringing Order and becoming the new Will of the Heavens that he could bring an end to the chaos and upheaval.

But just what kind of new order did he want to establish?

Su Yi was still pondering the answer to that.

What had happened today had deepened his understanding of Bringing Order to the world.

The will of the people was a positive thing, but it was easily manipulated and exploited, and that made it dangerous.

The world, the masses, the Grand Dao, and me... There’s a lot to each of them. If I’m to bring order, I’m going to have to study them seriously,

thought Su Yi.

What made the world? And what made the masses the masses? What kind of natural order existed above the Grand Dao?

And how could his Dao supersede that of the heavens?

He had to process these questions and grasp their answers thoroughly!

As for the Myriad Daos Alliance’s invitation? The way Su Yi saw it, it was a trivial matter, not even worth mentioning.

He couldn’t even be bothered to respond.

As for whether or not the masses cursed him? Su Yi didn’t care in the slightest.

Over the next few days, Su Yi’s silence provoked widespread debate and countless critical voices.

People were denouncing Su Yi on every street corner. It was as if he’d gone from the revered Sword Venerate Su to a villain overnight.

Su Yi still didn’t care. He never once let it affect his mentality.

......

The Southern Flame Divine Continent, a teahouse in Spring and Autumn City.

“Here that? Everyone’s criticizing Su Yi.” A handsome young man in gray laughed. “If he endures these insults long enough, he’ll be infamous for all eternity, a villain in the annals of history, spat upon for generations to come.”

“Do you think Su Yi cares about that?” asked his companion, a man with long red hair. He had unearthly, beautiful features.

“Most likely not,” laughed the handsome young man. “The masses are ignorant and prone to fussing over nothing. If I were Su Yi, I wouldn’t care either. Still... curses and criticism aren’t at all pleasant, are they?”

The red-haired young man said calmly, “The ants are like masses. If they want to curse us, just let them. It’s not like they’re going to accomplish anything. In this, my attitude is just like Su Yi’s. I don’t care in the slightest.

He rose, then said, “Come on, take me to Su Yi.”

The handsome young man was stunned. He tried to dissuade him. “Su Yi is too dangerous. You only just descended from the River of Destiny, and you don’t understand the situation yet. Better not to rush to fight Su Yi.”

The red-haired man looked at him in bewilderment. “Are you afraid of him?”

The handsome young man frowned. “It’s not a question of fear. It’s just that attacking Su Yi at this juncture would be most unwise!”

The red-haired young man exclaimed, “He stole two pages from your Book of Legends, but now you’re telling me not to attack him? Seriously? How craven are you?”

“....” The handsome young man didn’t know what to say to that.