Su Han’s heart was heavy, and his mind was filled with questions.

Along the way, he had heard the latest news about the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and the Demon Slayer Sect. The two sides were engaged in an all-out war, with rumors claiming that even a Saint had fallen. Many of the Demon Slayer Sect’s strongholds had been uprooted, but several of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s Branch Pavilions had also been massacred. The two factions had unleashed their True Flame, and the fires of war burned with an intensity that suggested a fight to the death. Yet, the reason for the war remained a mystery. No one knew why the Myriad Treasures Pavilion had initiated hostilities, and Su Han, the very instigator, was even more baffled.

However, this war had little impact on the neighboring Daozhou regions. Firstly, this area was remote, so neither side had many personnel or powerhouses stationed here. Secondly, Saint You Heng had previously cleared the area, and the Demon Slayer Sect wasn’t foolish enough to send more people to their deaths. Thus, his journey was relatively peaceful, though he heard several different versions of the rumors flying around.

Although I don’t know the reason, this war is more beneficial than harmful to me. Not only can it weaken the Demon Slayer Sect, but it can also divert their attention so they aren’t constantly targeting me.

Su Han was keenly aware of his situation. He had slain the Seven Great Slaughter Stars and offended both the Seven Kills Saint and the Divination Great Saint. If not for this war, those two Saints would have likely already made a move against him. For now, only the Swordsaint had come after him, and since Su Han had already killed him, there should be no immediate danger. What Su Han couldn’t have imagined was that the real reason for the war was to protect him.

「Cang City.」 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

It was as bustling and lively as ever, its streets teeming with people. The war had not reached this place, so the cityscape remained largely unchanged. Su Han headed straight for the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and soon met with Saint You Heng.

"You’ve finally returned! If you hadn’t come back soon, I would have thought you’d met a tragic end!" Upon seeing Su Han, Saint You Heng’s face broke into a smile of immense relief. He hadn’t seen Su Han since the day he left to pursue the Swordsaint and they temporarily parted ways. Although Su Han had left a message for him through a Branch Pavilion, the current chaos of war and the fact that the Swordsaint was still at large had made him genuinely worry for Su Han’s safety. Over the past month, he had issued three separate orders for his Branch Pavilions to closely monitor Su Han’s whereabouts and report any clues immediately. Unfortunately, despite the long wait, he received no news. Only now, with Su Han’s return of his own accord and completely unharmed, did the stone weighing on his heart finally fall.

Su Han could feel Saint You Heng’s genuine concern, which warmed his heart. He bowed respectfully and said, "I apologize for making you worry, Saint."

Repaying both kindness and grudges was Su Han’s nature. Just as he would seek vengeance for any wrong, he would also repay any favor.

"Now that you’re back, don’t go venturing out again," Saint You Heng advised. "The Swordsaint’s movements are unpredictable, and the Heavenly Demon Cult was just destroyed. These are tumultuous times. It’s safer for you to stay here."

Hearing this, Su Han just smiled faintly, deciding not to hide the truth. "There’s no need to worry, Saint. I was the one who destroyed the Heavenly Demon Cult, and the Swordsaint is also dead." He then briefly recounted everything that had happened since their separation. He described setting up the Eight Extremes Star Array to take revenge on Qin Wushuang, using poison to provoke a war between the Swordsaint and the Heavenly Demon Cult, and finally, how he had ultimately defeated and killed the Swordsaint.

HISS!

Upon hearing Su Han’s account, Saint You Heng’s eyes filled with shock as he drew a sharp breath. The Heavenly Demon Cult had five Supreme Realm powerhouses and thousands of disciples, and the Swordsaint was a mighty expert in the Saint Realm. Yet, Su Han had manipulated all of them in the palm of his hand. In the end, all by himself, he had not only succeeded in his revenge but had also slain the Swordsaint. This was simply inconceivable! If the person standing before him wasn’t Su Han, Saint You Heng would never have believed such an outlandish tale.

Saint You Heng then noticed the change in Su Han. After all, Su Han had not broken through to the Supreme Realm, and the enhancement of his Physical Body was subtle and not obvious at a glance. "Your strength has increased again," he said. "Is it because of the Swordsaint?"

"Yes. I feel like I’m about to break through, but I’m still lacking treasures of the utmost firmness and yang. I’d like to purchase some items from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, things similar to Sun Gold." In front of Saint You Heng, Su Han didn’t hide his needs.

He felt that if he could just get one more piece of Sun Gold, he could fill the final gap, attract the Heavenly Tribulation, transcend it, and complete his breakthrough.

"There’s no more Sun Gold available," Saint You Heng replied. "And since we’re at war with the Demon Slayer Sect, transporting supplies has become much more difficult. However, I do have some Volcano Crystal Stones and Scorching Sun Jewels, both of which are treasures of utmost firmness and yang." A breakthrough for Su Han would be a tremendous boost in strength, which would be a boon for Saint You Heng. Therefore, he fully supported the idea. As he spoke, he waved his hand, producing a pile of Volcano Crystal Stones and Scorching Sun Jewels.

Volcano Crystal Stones are a type of Spirit Crystal formed deep within volcanoes, containing rich Fire Spiritual Energy, making them most suitable for Martial Artists who practice Fire Attribute Techniques. Scorching Sun Jewels, on the other hand, are special Spirit Jades that have absorbed the Sun and Moon Essence. Although these two treasures couldn’t compare to Sun Gold, they were still rare and valuable items. Moreover, Saint You Heng had produced one hundred Volcano Crystal Stones and two hundred Scorching Sun Jewels at once—a favor of no small significance.

"Thank you, Saint!" Su Han said, overjoyed as he accepted the treasures. Of course, he intended to pay for them. This time, he had acquired the Storage Rings of both Qin Wushuang and the Swordsaint, leaving him flush with wealth, so he certainly wouldn’t be stingy. Besides ordinary treasures, he had also obtained the Swordsaint’s Cold Iron Holy Sword. It was an Intermediate Grade Holy Artifact of the same Grade as the Reincarnation Holy Mirror, and an offensive one at that. Su Han couldn’t bear to sell it.

"Right, I also have this Holy Artifact," Su Han said, taking out the Golden Bamboo Slip he had obtained from the Divination King. "I want to sell it to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion in exchange for some Array Formation materials." The artifact was of little use to him, and he worried that the Divination Great Saint might have left some kind of mark on it, so he decided it was best to sell it.

"The Divination Holy Talisman. This is the Holy Artifact of the Divination Great Saint; you must have gotten it from the Divination King, right?" Saint You Heng said as he took the artifact. "The Divination Great Saint’s methods are numerous and mysterious. Although the Divination Holy Talisman is a good item, it’s a hot potato to hold onto. I’ll take care of this for you. As for the Array Formation materials you need, just give me a list, and I’ll do my best to gather them for you." He then sealed it with a Saint’s power to prevent the Divination Great Saint from sensing it. To be honest, the Holy Artifacts in Su Han’s possession made even him envious, but he would never resort to forcefully taking them.

Having acquired the Volcano Crystal Stones and Scorching Sun Jewels while also dealing with the Divination Holy Talisman, Su Han felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. With these new treasures in hand, Su Han could now attempt his breakthrough to the Supreme Realm at any time.