Compare backers?
Ye Xuan was speechless. How did the conversation shift to backers?
Was he the type to rely on connections?
Thinking this, Ye Xuan’s face flushed slightly…
The shadow sneered again, “Ever heard of the Ancient Gods?”
Ye Xuan frowned, “Ancient Gods?”
A trace of surprise flashed in the shadow’s eyes, “You’ve actually heard of them? Seems your backer isn’t as weak as I thought!”
Ye Xuan said seriously, “Can we stop talking about backers? I think it’s not good!”
The shadow sneered, “What’s wrong with it? Don’t you know backers are a form of strength?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The shadow continued, “Ancient Gods are just one kind, but the Upper Ancient Gods, in terms of divine status, surpass them!”
Ye Xuan frowned, “Are these so-called gods self-proclaimed or named by others?”
The shadow scoffed, “What a frog in a well, asking such an ignorant question, you…”
Ye Xuan suddenly swung his brush.
A stroke slashed out!
The shadow’s pupils shrank, heart pounding with shock. With no time to think, he threw a fierce punch!
Boom!
The stroke pierced through the shadow, striking the teleportation vortex.
Boom!
The vortex was instantly erased, and the millions of miles of clouds dissipated, revealing the starry sky.
Shen Lan was stunned.
Now, she fully believed Ye Xuan’s brush was the Great Dao Brush!
Before, though she wanted to trust him, reason told her it couldn’t be, how could the Great Dao Brush, capable of shaping the fates of all beings, hang at Ye Xuan’s waist?
But now, she believed!
That stroke… it could annihilate countless Cave Mysterious Realm experts!
Only the legendary Great Dao Brush had such terrifying power!
Absurd!
Shen Lan stared at Ye Xuan, her heart overwhelmed with shock, her chest heaving…
Before Ye Xuan, the fading shadow looked at him, dazed, “You… we were talking fine, why strike so ruthlessly? Isn’t that too much?”
Ye Xuan hesitated, then said, “Sorry, I didn’t know you were so weak!”
He was speechless himself.
With the Great Dao Brush, there was only annihilation!
He’d meant to hold back, just injure the shadow and show off, but he hadn’t expected it to be so fragile, erased in one stroke!
Ye Xuan looked at the brush, wondering if he’d underestimated it.
Great Dao Brush: “…”
The shadow’s voice trembled, “What now?”
Ye Xuan was silent. *What now? I killed you, and you ask me what now?*
He thought, then said, “How about I bury you?”
Shen Lan: “…”
The shadow quavered, “My words were disrespectful, but not deserving of death, right? Can you spare me? I swear I’ll change my attitude!”
Ye Xuan hesitated, “Might be too late!”
The Great Dao Brush had erased all the shadow’s vitality in that instant!
Guilt?
Of course not!
If he were weaker, he’d be the one dead! Would the shadow feel guilty then?
Obviously not!
The shadow turned, seeing the teleportation gate gone, its face changed drastically. It looked at Ye Xuan, trembling, “Do me a favor! I need to send a message to my Ancient God Clan, telling them not to seek revenge, is that okay?”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Sure!”
The shadow looked to the starry depths, opening its palm, a special transmission talisman appearing. It trembled, “I’ve no strength left to send it, repeat after me: *Do not seek revenge for me…*”
Ye Xuan nodded, “*Never seek revenge for me…*”
Boom!
His voice entered the talisman, which turned into a red light and shot skyward.
The shadow hurriedly added, “This person…”
Before it could finish, it vanished completely.
Ye Xuan froze.
Gone?
Suddenly, the starry sky above cracked, and a phantom middle-aged man appeared overhead.
He stared at Ye Xuan, “Killing someone and saying such heartless words… your heart is vicious!”
Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
The phantom glared, “Just wait, no matter who you are, killing my Ancient God Clan member means death, no matter how far!”
With that, it vanished.
Ye Xuan was silent, then turned to Shen Lan, “Did he misunderstand, thinking I said that after killing him?”
Shen Lan nodded.
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “If I explain, will he believe me?”
Shen Lan shook her head.
Ye Xuan sighed softly.
This was a big misunderstanding!
Shen Lan said quietly, “Sorry!”
Ye Xuan looked at her, “Why apologise?”
Shen Lan said softly, “I caused you trouble!”
Ye Xuan shook his head with a smile, “What trouble? Let’s go!”
He turned and left.
Shen Lan glanced at him, then followed.
After leaving the Cloud Tomb, Ye Xuan turned to Shen Lan, smiling, “I’m heading back to the academy, you?”
Shen Lan thought, then said, “Back to the Cloud Realm!”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Take care!”
He soared off on his sword, vanishing without a hint of reluctance!
Shen Lan watched the horizon, and seeing no sign of him turning back, she huffed coldly and left.
…
Back at the academy, Ye Xuan went straight to his cultivation bamboo grove.
Vigilance!
The middle-aged man’s appearance gave him a sense of crisis!
Whether Ancient Gods or Upper Ancient Gods, these forces were no pushovers. He had the Great Dao Brush, but he wasn’t invincible, each use drained him immensely, and if he were worn down, it’d be dangerous!
While Guanxuan Academy’s strength had grown, it couldn’t yet rival Ancient Gods or Ancient God Clan!
And these forces seemed to be getting smarter! If they targeted him through the academy, he couldn’t just run, he’d be forced into a passive position!
Go to Qing’er or the Yang Clan again?
Ye Xuan shook his head.
This time, he wanted to rely on himself!
Always turning to Qing’er or the Yang Clan, how could he grow?
Showing off was only satisfying if he did it himself. If Qing’er or the Yang Clan stepped in, they’d steal the spotlight, leaving him to watch…
That felt awful!
Ye Xuan opened his palm, the Mysterious Heaven Token appearing. He activated it, and soon, a woman appeared before him.
It was A-Yue, now vice-president of the Immortal Treasure Pavilion!
Seeing Ye Xuan, A-Yue bowed deeply, “Young Master Ye!”
Ye Xuan nodded, “No need for formalities!”
A-Yue looked at him, smiling, “Any orders, Young Master Ye?”
Ye Xuan said seriously, “Can you access all of the pavilion’s intelligence?”
A-Yue hesitated, then shook her head, “Only the Universe of Gods branch, other places… neither I nor President Nan Qing can access!”
Ye Xuan asked, “Can you investigate the Ancient Gods or Ancient God Clan?”
A-Yue thought, then shook her head, “Never encountered them!”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
To learn about them, he’d need a higher-level pavilion branch!
He looked at A-Yue, “Do you know of other pavilion branches, higher than the Universe of Gods?”
A-Yue thought, then shook her head, “No! Each universe’s pavilion operates independently, only the Pavilion Master knows all branch locations and can command all presidents, otherwise, we branches don’t interact!”
Ye Xuan frowned, “Independent?”
A-Yue nodded.
Ye Xuan was silent.
If something happened to Qin Guan, the pavilion would fracture instantly!
But with her terrifying wealth, who could harm her? Even the Yang Clan’s full might, without the Three Swords, might not take her down!
Her trump cards still gave him chills!
Ye Xuan refocused, looking at A-Yue, “You may go!”
A-Yue bowed deeply and vanished.
Ye Xuan called, “Xiu Fan!”
Xiu Fan, with her curved blade, appeared.
Ye Xuan looked at her, “How long to reach Cave Mysterious Realm?”
Xiu Fan said gravely, “With money, immediately!”
Ye Xuan asked, “How much?”
Xiu Fan raised one finger. Ye Xuan flicked a storage ring to her, containing exactly one million.
Xiu Fan hesitated, then said, “Five million!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened, “Sister, five million for one finger, is that fair?”
Xiu Fan quickly raised five fingers.
Ye Xuan was speechless, handing her another ring with four million.
Xiu Fan hesitated, then said, “I meant I still need five million, six million total!”
Ye Xuan stood, glaring, “Money’s not the issue, but can you say it all at once? Is this fun?”
Xiu Fan lowered her head, “Too much… I didn’t dare ask!”
Ye Xuan glared, “Then why dare now?”
Xiu Fan hesitated, “I didn’t know you were *that* rich!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
…
