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*****
Long Shiya had been famous for many years; his level of deterrence was not on the same plane as Su Wen's. Even if Su Wen were also a peak Heaven Emperor, his presence would not carry the same weight. After all, Long Shiya had carved out a massive reputation with his "Six-Control" signature techniques; he was arguably the strongest among Heaven Emperors, often hailed as the "Heavenly God-level" among them. That title alone—carrying the weight of the "Heavenly God" designation—was the ultimate acknowledgment from the mainland's top powerhouses.
Furthermore, Su Wen was not a peak Heaven Emperor. Even if one were to convert the power levels of the Douluo Continent, he was at most a Heaven Sect master, and a low-ranking one at that. He merely relied on certain "techniques" to burst forth with Heaven Emperor-level strength. Su Wen's peak power was only at the early stages of the Heaven Emperor realm, whereas Long Shiya was at the peak of it, capable of faintly brushing against the Heavenly God tier when pushing his limits. The gap between them was significant.
Facing Su Wen's invitation, Long Shiya had to consider it seriously. If nothing else, Su Wen's research on Domains was the most profound, comprehensive, and thorough he had ever encountered. Moreover, Su Wen's words had undeniably stirred something within him. Long Shiya knew that his moment of opportunity had arrived. At his level, having a "hunch" was no trivial matter; when one reaches a critical juncture that could fundamentally alter their future, they often experience a subtle premonition, especially concerning matters of personal breakthroughs. Su Wen's proposal to cultivate a "Domain into a World" had presented him with the possibility of surpassing his limits.
It was precisely because of this that Long Shiya was entertaining the offer. Otherwise, why give up the freedom of being a wandering rogue cultivator? If he were to truly devote himself to building the Academy and forging it into a "Holy Land," the daily administrative burdens might actually interfere with his cultivation. Since Su Wen had already provided the direction, Long Shiya could theoretically research it on his own. He did not lack the talent; with a clear path, he would eventually find the time to experiment.
However, as a powerhouse at the peak of the Heaven Emperor stage, was Long Shiya truly content with just continuing on as he was? Why was he so obsessed with taking on disciples and passing down his own peerless arts? It was because he had lived more than half a lifetime and realized he had left almost no trace behind. Humans—even the strongest among them—could not escape the cycle of life and death. Eventually, there would come a day of reckoning, and the legacy one left behind would become paramount. Whether it was establishing a faction to carry on one's life's work or accomplishing an earth-shattering feat that would be remembered by later generations, the marks one left mattered.
For an existence of Long Shiya's caliber, passing down the Six-Control techniques to ensure their brilliance continued was the most cost-effective path. Establishing a faction was difficult; it had to be a "Holy Land," otherwise, it could not satisfy the requirements of a master at his level. Lesser organizations, like the local "Imprint Palaces," might earn him fame, but in the eyes of his peers, they were merely a laughingstock. A proud man like Long Shiya would never stoop so low. As for earth-shattering events, even if you were to topple a massive empire, it would only be a footnote in history books within decades, rarely mentioned by future generations. In the Haomiao Continent, who actually studied history? Certainly not the circles Long Shiya cared about; he was concerned with the next generation of Heavenly Bead Masters.
Creating a lasting legacy was not easy. That was why he had been so fixated on his Six-Control techniques, specifically the Six-Absolute Heaven Dao Array. Unfortunately, while this was the most achievable goal, it was also the most dependent on fate—first, one had to find a disciple with the nearly impossible six-attribute condition. He had traveled the length and breadth of the continent, and apart from Su Wen and the "Zhou Weiqing" mentioned by him, Long Shiya had never encountered another six-attribute Heavenly Bead Master. Now that a disciple prospect was in sight, and Su Wen had suddenly offered him another tempting gift, Long Shiya was torn.
Having cultivated to the peak of the Heaven Emperor rank as a rogue cultivator, Long Shiya naturally had a bit of a "rogue" mentality. He wouldn't find it disgraceful to "leech" Su Wen's ideas and information and then run off. His current dilemma was whether or not to truly commit to this grand endeavor with Su Wen.
The Academy... If it could truly become a Holy Land, it was worth considering. But creating a Holy Land was not something achieved by mere words. Long Shiya looked at Su Wen, pressing him on his confidence in the Academy becoming a legitimate Holy Land.
"Confidence?" Su Wen shook his head. "How can anything in this world be one hundred percent certain? If it isn't one hundred percent, there is always a probability. If I said I was ninety percent sure and we failed, what does it matter if I blame that remaining ten percent? So, if I say it, would Your Majesty believe me? In the end, the choice depends on you, Emperor."
Long Shiya fell silent. He realized he couldn't rely on outside forces to make this decision. He had actually been hoping for Su Wen to give him a way to save face—if Su Wen had said he was fifty percent sure, and that with the Emperor's help that probability could rise, Long Shiya could have stepped down from his high horse and agreed. But Su Wen was not playing by the rules. He hadn't given an easy out; he had effectively blocked the path, tossing the question back and informing Long Shiya that this was a decision he had to own.
Su Wen saw through Long Shiya's intentions, but he refused to offer an easy "out." Dragging Long Shiya into the Academy would be convenient, but it wouldn't be secure. If he joined reluctantly, Long Shiya might not take the Academy's future to heart. This was the Haomiao Continent, not the Douluo Continent. After Su Wen built the Academy and reached the Heaven Transformation stage—or even if he couldn't and merely reached the Heaven Emperor stage before leaving—the Academy would likely be left entirely under Long Shiya's management. For it to continue running smoothly, he had to believe in the Academy from the bottom of his heart, acknowledging it as his own foundational legacy.
As it turned out, Long Shiya did have ideas about building a Holy Land.
"This brat," Long Shiya thought as he looked at Su Wen, "since he wants to build a Holy Land, he shouldn't be acting without a plan. Given the Academy's founding tenets, it has the qualifications to become a Holy Land. The difficulty lies in ensuring its integrity and independence. Is that why he invited me?"
(End of Chapter)