*A month?*
Ye Xuan was speechless. *Damn it, can I hold out for a month?*
Sure, he had the Qingxuan Sword, which could instantly boost him to the Time Realm, but the problem was that there were three genuine Time Realm experts here!
And who knew if the Shi Clan had more Time Realm powerhouses?
*Hold out for a month?*
He’d be lucky to last a day!
At that moment, Dao Ling suddenly said, “Ten days!”
Ye Xuan turned to him. “Ten days?”
Dao Ling nodded. “Yes!”
Ye Xuan said gravely, “You’re not messing with me, right?”
Dao Ling said earnestly, “Just ten days. After ten days, I’ll break through. Then, together, we can hold off the Shi Clan!”
*Ten days!*
Ye Xuan fell silent, still hesitant.
Dao Ling suddenly asked, “Brother Ye, do you have any brothers?”
Ye Xuan shook his head. “Just one sister… Huh? Why are you asking?”
Dao Ling quickly said, “From this moment, I’m your brother!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened. *Damn, this guy’s shameless!*
Just then, Shi Yuan, from a distance, shouted, “Kill!”
*Kill!*
With that, he and the three Time Realm experts beside him charged at Ye Xuan and Dao Ling!
Ye Xuan glared at Dao Ling. “Ten days? I can’t hold them off that long. Half an hour—I’ll give you half an hour. If you don’t break through by then, we’re both done for!”
With that, he sent Dao Ling into the small pagoda!
Upon entering the pagoda, Dao Ling froze, then exclaimed, “Badass!”
He quickly sat cross-legged and resumed his breakthrough.
…
Ye Xuan faced the charging Shi Yuan and the others, a ferocious glint in his eyes.
*Boom!*
The Qingxuan Sword trembled violently, and a terrifying aura erupted from him!
*Inner Contemplation!*
But it didn’t stop there. In the next moment, Ye Xuan jumped straight from Inner Contemplation to the Time Realm!
The Shi Clan experts were dumbfounded.
*He reached the Time Realm just like that?*
Ye Xuan surged forward, sweeping his sword in a cascade of sword light that swept through the starry sky. The strike carried terrifying Time Realm power, annihilating everything in its path!
*Boom!*
The sword strike forced the three Time Realm experts back, but Ye Xuan was also hurled back millions of zhang. As he stopped, his face turned pale!
*Time Realm power!*
Ye Xuan’s heart raced. He realized he couldn’t fully control this power yet.
He couldn’t sustain this state for long!
Though there were no side effects, he was essentially overdrawing his strength. If he kept it up too long, he’d exhaust himself completely!
In the distance, Shi Yuan stared at Ye Xuan in disbelief. “What kind of freak are you… You…”
Before he could finish, Ye Xuan vanished on the spot!
*Run!*
Using the Qingxuan Sword, Ye Xuan began teleporting!
Seeing this, Shi Yuan’s face changed. “Seal it!”
He thrust his right hand forward, grabbing at the air.
*Boom!*
The space-time where Ye Xuan had vanished twisted violently. Millions of li away, Ye Xuan’s pupils shrank as he teleported. He spun, slashing his sword.
*Slash!*
A wave of sword light tore through, shredding the surrounding space-time layer by layer!
*Boom!*
A powerful force blasted Ye Xuan back tens of thousands of zhang. As he stopped, Shi Yuan and the three others appeared before him, along with Shitian, who glared at Ye Xuan. “Shameful! You’re using external tools—how disgraceful!”
Ye Xuan thought for a moment, then said, “Three Time Realm experts ganging up on me, and I can’t use tools? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”
Shitian was about to retort when Ye Xuan cut in, “Shitian, do you dare to duel me one-on-one?”
Shitian sneered, “What’s there to—”
Shi Yuan interrupted, “He’s stalling to let Dao Ling break through. Don’t fall for it!”
Shitian frowned.
Ye Xuan burst into laughter. “How pathetic! Shitian, you call yourself the top genius of the Zhou Tian Universe, yet you’re scared of your opponent breaking through? That’s just sad!”
Shitian’s face darkened.
Ye Xuan pressed, “You agreed to a fair duel, but your Shi Clan broke its word and ambushed Dao Ling. Shitian, don’t you find such behavior shameful?”
Shi Yuan glared at Ye Xuan. “Trying to shake his resolve, are you…”
Shitian suddenly said, “Clan Leader! I don’t think he’s trying to shake my resolve—it’s you!”
Shi Yuan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Shitian. “What do you mean?”
Shitian snarled, “What do I mean? Damn it, we agreed I’d duel Dao Ling one-on-one, but you interfered. What’s that about? If this gets out, people will think I, Shitian, can’t afford to lose!”
Shi Yuan stared at him. “You need to prioritize the bigger picture. You—”
“Big picture, my ass!” Shitian roared. “Clan Leader, I respect you, but your actions today disgust me. These two came from the Xuanguan Universe to our Shi Clan for a fair fight, and you’re mobilizing clan experts against them. Aren’t you afraid of being mocked by outsiders?”
A cold glint flashed in Shi Yuan’s eyes. “Shitian, remember your place! You’re not the Clan Leader yet—just the Young Clan Leader!”
Shitian laughed bitterly. “Young Clan Leader! Hah… Fine, Young Clan Leader! I spit on it!”
He turned to the surrounding elders. “Elders, don’t you find the Clan Leader’s actions shameful?”
Shi Ru sighed softly. “Shitian, sometimes the process doesn’t matter—only the result. Kill these two, and you’re the victor. The Shi Clan will rise completely.”
The other elders quickly chimed in to mediate.
Shitian shook his head. “No, this isn’t the Dao I seek. My Dao is one of a clear conscience. Such actions are shameful to me!”
He looked at Shi Yuan. “Let Dao Ling break through, then I’ll duel him. If I lose, do whatever you want. But until I’m dead, no one from the Shi Clan touches him!”
In the distance, Ye Xuan glanced at Shitian, surprised. *This guy’s like me—his morals are pretty upright.*
Shi Yuan stared at Shitian. “Do you know what you’re doing?”
Shitian said expressionlessly, “I know!”
Shi Yuan was silent for a long moment before saying, “Shitian, you’re the most prodigious genius in Shi Clan history and will be our future Clan Leader! But do you know what makes a qualified Clan Leader? It’s putting the clan first in all things.”
He glanced at Ye Xuan. “Right now, you’re only thinking of yourself! Do you realize these two aren’t as simple as you think? Especially this swordsman—his sword can elevate him to the Time Realm. That ability defies the heavens. If our Shi Clan doesn’t kill them today, they’ll keep growing… Most importantly, the Zhou Clan will surely recruit them. I can’t let them leave alive to serve the Zhou Clan!”
The Shi Clan experts nodded in agreement.
Initially, they’d also found such actions dishonorable but didn’t question them—it was the Clan Leader’s decision!
Now, hearing Shi Yuan’s explanation, they understood his deeper intent!
Indeed!
If Ye Xuan and Dao Ling left, the Zhou Clan would recruit them. If they joined the Zhou Clan, it’d be disastrous for the Shi Clan!
Realizing this, the crowd looked at Shi Yuan with newfound admiration.
*The Clan Leader has the big picture in mind!*
*Shitian’s still too young!*
In the distance, Shitian fell silent.
Shi Yuan continued, “I know you’re proud and feel these actions go against your principles, that they’re shameful. But if these two leave and join the Zhou Clan, when our Shi Clan clashes with them in the future, how many of our people will die at their hands?”
Shitian’s face grew grim.
Shi Yuan pressed on, “They’re already this prodigious. If the Zhou Clan fully nurtures them, can you guarantee you’ll surpass them? And if both reach the Time Realm, do you know how devastating their power will be?”
Shitian’s fists clenched, his face contorted.
Shi Yuan shook his head, addressing the crowd. “Elders, do you follow me or this future Clan Leader? Choose. If you pick him, I, Shi Yuan, will step down as Clan Leader and wash my hands of Shi Clan affairs!”
If it were anyone else questioning him, he’d have them executed!
But Shitian was different—the most prodigious genius in Shi Clan history. If Shi Yuan even thought of killing him, the elders would be the first to object! Plus, Shitian was the designated Clan Leader. Once he reached the Time Realm, clan leadership would transfer to him!
Shitian was too prodigious!
Prodigious enough to change the Shi Clan’s fate!
Hearing Shi Yuan’s words, the elders’ faces shifted. Choosing Shitian now would split the clan! And with the Shi Clan’s position still unstable, they needed Shi Yuan!
An elder quickly said, “Clan Leader, Shitian’s young and doesn’t see the full picture. Why get upset with him?”
The other elders rushed to play peacemaker!
At this critical time, the Shi Clan couldn’t afford to fracture. Neither Shitian nor Shi Yuan could be lost. The Shi Clan wasn’t invincible yet—if it split now, the Zhou Clan would swallow them whole!
Neither Shitian nor Shi Yuan spoke.
The elders’ mediation grew awkward—neither seemed willing to back down!
Suddenly, Shi Ru pointed at Ye Xuan. “I say we put our clan’s internal matters aside for now. Let’s kill this man first, then sit down and talk. We’re family—there’s nothing we can’t resolve!”
The other elders quickly agreed. “Yes, kill this shameless sword cultivator first!”
“Kill the sword cultivator…”
Clearly, the best way to resolve internal conflict was to redirect it outward.
All the Shi Clan experts turned to Ye Xuan, their killing intent unmasked.
Ye Xuan suddenly looked at Shitian. “Shitian, I think you should rethink your approach. If I were you, I’d kill Shi Yuan, wipe out the ancestors, and take charge of the Shi Clan!”
The Shi Clan experts: “…”
