Published: August 10, 2026
Chapter 1012: Liu Yu Is the Bigger Picture
"Smell of rust?"
Liu Yu's expression remained blank. He saw it, but did not respond and showed no reaction.
Blood smelled like rust.
He understood that the other party was implying that people like them wore a false banner of justice, while in truth they were doing nothing less than "eating people." But in this world, if you do not become the one sitting at the table, then you are destined to be the food served on it.
Being able to "eat people" is always better than being slaughtered at will.
In this day and age, or rather throughout history, whether righteous path, demonic path, or the Seven Nations Alliance, which sect or family does not "eat people"?
During wartime, when the immortal sects above gave an order, the people below had to send batch after batch of cultivators to the front lines to die. Countless low-level cultivators cursed this as "blood tax."
In ordinary times, the demonic path called it "protection fees," the righteous path called it "tributes" or "spiritual tribute," and the Seven Nations Alliance used yet another name.
Different labels, but wasn't it all the same in essence?
Every so often, Heavenly Thunder Palace would collect a large amount of "spiritual tribute" from the major yuan ying forces, and those yuan ying forces would in turn collect spiritual tribute from the smaller and medium-sized powers.
Loose cultivators were not exempt either. Whether renting cave dwellings for cultivation or buying magical artifacts and elixirs, spiritual tribute was already included in those daily expenses.
This was the order of Tian Nan now. No cultivator could escape it.
With the world like this, and after being cursed at so much over the years, this little accusation was like a breeze brushing past Liu Yu's face. His heart did not stir at all.
So at this moment, he simply crossed his arms and looked at the other person expressionlessly.
Seeing that Liu Yu remained unmoved, Thunderstorm True Lord frowned slightly and continued:
"Fellow Daoist should know that I am standing here now, while the pinnacle demonic king of the demon race has lost restraint. What does that mean?"
"A Immortal City has fallen."
"Dozens of cultivator settlements have been broken through."
"Tens of thousands of cultivators are either dead or missing."
"Countless mortals are either displaced or have become food in the bellies of demonic beasts."
"The demon race has advanced even closer to Five Elements Pass."
"Could it be... that we really cannot put aside our prejudice?"
"For the time being, setting aside internal conflict and putting the bigger picture of the Human Race first, uniting all fellow Daoists to resist the demon race, would perhaps be better!"
His eyes were bright and piercing, and within those clear, spirited eyes, it seemed as if two flames were burning fiercely.
Although his expression did not change, his tone gradually fluctuated, and by the end, the meaning of accusation was fully apparent.
From Heavenly Thunder Palace's standpoint, it was as if he were pointing straight at Liu Yu's nose and saying: at a time of human crisis, you are not thinking of serving Tian Nan, but instead are desperately dragging everyone back.
Bugs like you, even if you gain power, how could you possibly govern Tian Nan properly?!
Though Thunderstorm True Lord's expression was calm, from the rise and fall of his voice one could still sense the anger he was suppressing within.
Hearing this, Liu Yu gave a cold laugh and said blankly:
"Tens of thousands of cultivators?"
"I wonder, among those tens of thousands of cultivators active on the front lines, how many are actually disciples of Heavenly Thunder Palace and its affiliated forces?"
"I only know that a considerable portion of the tens of thousands of cultivators you speak of are disciples and clansmen of my Yuan Yang Sect and the Qingyun Society."
"Why is it that your trusted people can stay in relatively safe positions?"
"While my Yuan Yang Sect disciples are sent to the front lines?"
At this point, he slightly shook his head, narrowed his eyes, and a flash of cold light passed through them.