Inside the hall, Ye Guan stood quietly, the Path Sword in his hand.
For the past few days, he had been practising One Sword Decides Life and Death.
Momentum!
State of mind!
These were the core of the Path Sword.
To master this sword skill, one had to possess the momentum and mindset that looked down upon all enemies.
If the sword remained sheathed, so be it. But once drawn, this single strike must decide the opponent’s fate.
How could one cultivate that invincible mindset and momentum?
Even Ye Guan did not know.
He only knew one thing: the instant he drew the sword, his opponent must die.
A sword was a weapon for killing.
When drawn, it must take a life!
Besides training, Ye Guan had also taken time to learn more about the Guanxuan Academy.
Currently, the Academy boasted three supreme geniuses: Nalan Jia under Fei Banqing, Nan Xuan under Mentor Xiao Ge, and Sun Xiong under Mentor Song Ci.
These were the Academy’s three greatest prodigies!
Apart from Nalan Jia, the other two had already reached the Hidden Mystery Realm.
Worth noting was that the position of Chief Student in the Southern Province Guanxuan Academy remained vacant.
What was the Chief Student?
The leader of all students, wielding enormous authority. The Chief could govern every student and even command part of the Academy’s army.
The power was truly immense!
Inside the hall, Ye Guan sat cross-legged on the floor, deep in thought.
The moment he arrived, someone came to confess to Nalan Jia and cause trouble. Was this a coincidence?
In his view, it was highly unlikely.
Clearly, someone was targeting him.
Who?
There was only one possibility: the Nan family, with whom he had a grudge. And Nan Xuan belonged to the Nan family.
Ye Guan’s eyes narrowed as he whispered, “That Mu Bai was probably being used. Either to test my strength or to frame me. Nan Xuan…”
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
One must never harbour harmful intentions toward others, but one must always guard against the harmful intentions of others!
Ye Guan suddenly asked, “Tower Grandpa, do you have any good cultivation methods? I want to break through to the Hidden Mystery Realm!”
Hidden Mystery Realm!
He was not short of money, but he lacked a top-tier technique. To reach higher realms, he needed a better cultivation method!
Little Tower replied, “I have techniques, but they are not suitable for you right now. Or rather, not suitable for this place.”
Ye Guan frowned. “Why?”
Little Tower said calmly, “They are too heaven-defying. The spiritual energy here is simply not worthy of those methods.”
Ye Guan’s expression stiffened.
Little Tower continued, “Focus on raising your strength first. Once you reach the Upper Realm, it should be fine.”
After a moment of silence, Ye Guan said, “Then I’ll have to find my own way.”
Little Tower replied, “Yes.”
Ye Guan stood and left.
He needed to obtain a good cultivation method. If he really could not get anything better, he would have to use the basic Earth-tier method Si Qing had given him.
But he wanted a Heaven-tier one!
The higher the grade of the method, the faster the cultivation and the better the quality of profound energy!
Besides that, he also needed to visit Sister Nan.
He feared that if they could not target him directly, they might go after her instead.
Inside Little Tower, the mysterious voice suddenly said, “What about the Cosmic Guanxuan Method?”
Little Tower answered calmly, “If he cultivated it now, it would only bring him endless trouble. Moreover, the spiritual energy here truly cannot support the number-one cultivation method in the cosmos.”
The mysterious voice asked, “When are you going to tell him about the countless fortunes waiting for him to inherit?”
Little Tower said, “No rush.”
…
On the other side, atop a mountain peak, a white-robed man sat on the ground, hands crossed over his chest, a powerful aura radiating from his body.
This person was one of the Academy’s three great geniuses. Nan Xuan.
At that moment, an elder arrived before him.
It was Elder Qiu of the Tribunal.
Nan Xuan opened his eyes and smiled. “Elder Qiu.”
Elder Qiu said calmly, “He is at the Myriad Laws Realm, but far stronger than ordinary Myriad Laws cultivators. Moreover, the boy is cunning. He tricked Mu Bai into striking first, turning the situation into legitimate self-defence…”
At this point, his face turned dark.
The defeat at Banqing Mountain had truly humiliated him.
Nan Xuan suddenly said, “An Emperor-tier demonic beast once appeared in the Nan Shan mountain range.”
Elder Qiu frowned. “I’ve heard about that. What does it have to do with him?”
Nan Xuan nodded. “My elder sister Nan Qingyue died there! The five of them entered that secret realm together, yet in the end, my sister and the Zheng family young master Zheng Lin died, while the other three survived. According to our intelligence, the Si family obtained an extreme-grade spirit vein from that place.”
Extreme-grade spirit vein!
Elder Qiu’s expression changed.
Nan Xuan continued, “Our spies also report that the place contained not only a spirit vein, but an earth vein as well!”
Earth vein!
Elder Qiu’s face shifted again. “You mean the earth vein…”
Nan Xuan said softly, “Besides the earth vein, there must have been other treasures. Extreme-grade spirit crystals, gold crystals, perhaps even more valuable items.”
Elder Qiu said gravely, “He is protected by Mentor Fei. We cannot touch him.”
Nan Xuan smiled. “Hasn’t Sun Xiong been pursuing that Nalan girl?”
Elder Qiu narrowed his eyes. “You want to incite conflict between them and let them kill each other?”
Nan Xuan shook his head. “No need for us to incite anything. Sun Xiong will seek trouble on his own. We only need to add fuel to the fire.”
Elder Qiu asked deeply, “How?”
Nan Xuan laughed. “Very simple. Just spread the word that Young Master Ye Guan and Lady Nalan live together on the same mountain peak.”
Elder Qiu frowned. “That’s all?”
Nan Xuan laughed loudly. “Elder Qiu, you don’t understand men. A man’s eyes cannot tolerate a single grain of sand. Once this rumour spreads, it will grow with each telling. By the end, it will become ‘Young Master Ye and Lady Nalan are already living together’. At that point, how could Sun Xiong possibly sit still?”
Elder Qiu smiled faintly. “Rumours can kill.”
Nan Xuan nodded. “And we must not be the ones spreading it. Let others do it.”
Elder Qiu nodded slightly. “Understood.”
With that, he turned and left.
Nan Xuan slowly closed his eyes. “Sister… rest assured. I will make him pay with his life, and the entire Ye Clan will pay for you…”
…
Ye Guan found Fei Banqing.
Fei Banqing looked at him. “You want a Heaven-tier cultivation method?”
Ye Guan nodded.
Fei Banqing shook her head. “I can’t help you with that.”
Ye Guan was puzzled. “Why not?”
Fei Banqing said calmly, “To be honest, the Academy has only three Heaven-tier methods in total. They are kept in the Scripture Pavilion. Ordinary people cannot even view them.”
Ye Guan hesitated, then asked, “Mentor, what method do you cultivate?”
Fei Banqing said indifferently, “Don’t even think about it. Yes, I cultivate a Heaven-tier method, but the Academy strictly forbids privately passing them to students. If a student wants one, they must exchange sufficient credits.”
Ye Guan frowned. “Credits?”
Fei Banqing nodded. “There are two ways to earn credits. First, complete missions issued by the Academy, such as hunting down people wanted by the Academy or rendering great service. But if you rely on this method, it will take you at least ten years to afford a Heaven-tier method.”
Ten years!
Ye Guan shook his head at once. “Next method.”
Fei Banqing stared at him. “Rob the place.”
Ye Guan hesitated, then asked, “Is the Scripture Guardian strong?”
Fei Banqing suddenly knocked him on the head and glared. “You’re actually thinking of robbing it?”
Ye Guan gave an embarrassed laugh.
Fei Banqing said, “Don’t mess around. Even I couldn’t protect you if you robbed the Scripture Pavilion. Not even the Dean could save you.”
Ye Guan immediately felt a headache.
Was he really going to have to use an Earth-tier method?
Fei Banqing said, “Come, I’ll take you somewhere.”
With that, she directly led Ye Guan out of the hall.
Soon, the two arrived before an ancient city.
The city was called Xuan City and sat right at the foot of the Guanxuan Academy mountains. It was extremely prosperous.
Fei Banqing led Ye Guan forward. Looking at the bustling streets on both sides, Ye Guan asked curiously, “Mentor, where are we going?”
Fei Banqing replied, “Immortal Treasures Pavilion.”
Immortal Treasures Pavilion!
Ye Guan asked, “The largest merchant association in the Southern Province?”
Fei Banqing nodded.
Ye Guan was about to speak again when they arrived.
The moment they reached the entrance, a grey-robed elder came out to greet them with a smile. “Mentor Fei, what brings you to the Immortal Treasures Pavilion today?”
Fei Banqing said, “Buying a Heaven-tier cultivation method.”
The grey-robed elder was stunned for a moment, then said, “Let’s talk inside.”
Ye Guan looked at Fei Banqing in astonishment.
He had not expected his mentor to bring him here to buy a cultivation method!
Inside a private room.
The grey-robed elder looked at Fei Banqing. “Mentor Fei, one Heaven-tier cultivation method costs at least fifty thousand gold crystals. This is already my lowest price for you.”
Fifty thousand!
Ye Guan’s face changed at once. All his current assets combined did not even reach ten thousand gold crystals.
A Heaven-tier method actually cost fifty thousand!
He suddenly felt so poor for the first time in his life!
At that moment, Fei Banqing directly placed a storage ring in front of the elder. “Bring it.”
The elder quickly put the ring away and said, “One moment, please.”
He turned and left.
Ye Guan looked at Fei Banqing. “Mentor, I…”
Fei Banqing said calmly, “Small change.”
Ye Guan asked suspiciously, “Really?”
Fei Banqing said indifferently, “I’m still a mentor of the Guanxuan Academy. A little casual embezzlement and I’ll earn it back.”
Ye Guan: “…”
At that moment, the grey-robed elder returned. He handed a black scroll to Fei Banqing, who glanced at it, then passed it straight to Ye Guan. “Let’s go.”
She stood and walked out.
Ye Guan hesitated, then followed. Just as he was leaving, he suddenly turned his head.
On the wall in the distance hung a portrait of a woman.
The woman had short hair, wore a short-sleeved top, and a short skirt. A small cloth pouch hung at her waist.
Ye Guan stared at the woman for a moment, then walked over and gently touched the portrait.
The grey-robed elder and Fei Banqing turned to look at him.
Ye Guan asked softly, “Senior, who is she?”
The grey-robed elder smiled. “The founder of our Immortal Treasures Pavilion.”
Ye Guan asked again, “What was her name?”
The grey-robed elder answered, “Qin Guan.”
Qin Guan!
Ye Guan gazed at the woman, somewhat dazed.
Inside Little Tower, Little Tower said quietly, “Good thing we didn’t give him that little cloth pouch too early…”
The mysterious voice asked, “When are you planning to give it to him?”
Little Tower said softly, “I originally wanted to give it to him from the start, but when I think of his father… better wait a bit longer. Letting him suffer a little hardship isn’t bad. The old master once said: boys should be raised poor.”
The mysterious voice: “…”
