Returning to the Ye clan, Ye Guan headed straight to the back mountain of the residence.
This place was where he often came to cultivate. No outsiders ever visited.
Ye Guan stood at the mountain peak, slowly closing his eyes. After a long while, he pointed two fingers and commanded. The Execute Dao sword suddenly shot forth.
The sword tore through the sky, ripping the clouds apart!
Under Ye Guan’s control, the Execute Dao sword flitted through the cloud layer like a butterfly dancing among flowers!
After a long time, Ye Guan’s face grew somewhat pale. He retracted his fingers, and the Execute Dao sword returned to his side.
The consumption was too great!
This sword controlling art was extremely powerful, but the expenditure was equally massive!
In South Continent, cultivation realms were divided into the Ninefold Body Tempering stage. Above that, once one cultivated innate energy, one entered the Innate Realm. Above that was condensing the innate energy within the body into a divine infant, essentially a second dantian. This doubled the amount of profound energy one could store!
Above the Divine Infant Realm was the True Dharma Realm. To reach it, one had to undergo a qualitative change in profound energy, allowing it to be released outward and condensed into techniques!
He was currently in the True Dharma Realm!
Above True Dharma was the Myriad Dharma Realm. Upon reaching it, one could fly through the air. Experts at this level could summon special energies of heaven and earth with a wave of their hand, such as lightning or heavenly fire. Their destructive power was terrifying!
Yet now, he was confident he could slay Myriad Dharma Realm experts!
Because of this sword controlling art!
And if he launched a sneak attack, even experts above Myriad Dharma Realm, in the Hidden Nether Realm, might not be impossible to kill!
Ye Guan looked at the Execute Dao sword in his hand, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. Soon, as if remembering something, he sighed softly. “What a pity I cannot fly on the sword!”
“Who says you cannot?”
At that moment, the little pagoda’s voice rang out again. “You can fly on the sword!”
Ye Guan paused, then asked, “How do I fly on the sword?”
The little pagoda replied, “Stand upon the sword. Feel the sword. Become one with it!”
After a moment of silence, Ye Guan pointed his fingers. The Execute Dao sword dropped before him. He leapt directly onto it and slowly closed his eyes.
The little pagoda continued, “Treat yourself as part of the sword, then execute the sword controlling art…”
Before it finished speaking, Ye Guan suddenly shot forward!
In the blink of an eye, he soared into the clouds.
The little pagoda murmured softly, “This talent… is quite a bit stronger than the previous Chosen of Heaven!”
Amidst the clouds, Ye Guan watched the mountains and Ancient Desolate City shrink rapidly below. Nervousness mixed with excitement.
Sword controlling art!
Normally only Myriad Dharma Realm experts could fly, yet now he had achieved it far earlier!
And this was sword flight!
So cool!
“Hahaha!”
High in the clouds, Ye Guan laughed heartily. He could play like this all day!
After a long while, Ye Guan returned to the ground on his sword, still bursting with excitement. Unfortunately, his profound energy was completely spent.
Ye Guan gazed at the Execute Dao sword, unusually thrilled. “Tower Master, may I ask a question?”
The little pagoda answered, “Ask!”
Ye Guan said seriously, “Am I perhaps the young master of some great clan? One of those top-tier aristocratic families!”
The little pagoda asked, “Why do you think that?”
Ye Guan laughed. “Look, this sword of mine is so powerful, and I have a sword dao inheritance. Plus, your little pagoda world has ten years inside equal to one day outside… So I guess I must be the young master of some super great clan, and I was sent out to be raised in seclusion! Right?”
After a moment of silence, the little pagoda replied, “You guessed half correctly!”
Ye Guan frowned slightly. “Half?”
The little pagoda said, “You are indeed the young master of a great clan, but unfortunately, you are an illegitimate son!”
Illegitimate son!
Ye Guan blinked. “The kind that cannot see the light of day?”
The little pagoda said earnestly, “Yes! That is why I brought you to this small place to hide! You must cultivate diligently. Otherwise, when that great clan finds you, do you know what the consequences will be?”
Ye Guan’s expression immediately grew grave. He could already imagine that situation!
In an instant, the pressure mounted!
The little pagoda continued, “Cultivate well. Only with strength can you survive. Understand?”
Ye Guan nodded seriously. “I will put in a hundred times the effort!”
Earlier, when his cultivation had scattered, he had experienced just how terrifying it was to be without strength!
Ye Guan added, “Tower Master, can I enter the pagoda to cultivate now?”
The little pagoda replied, “No!”
Ye Guan was puzzled. “Why not?”
The little pagoda explained, “Opening this special world requires enormous spiritual energy. I am severely injured right now, so I cannot open this special world for you!”
Ye Guan hesitated, then asked, “Were those spirit crystals I gave you earlier of no use?”
The little pagoda said, “Those spirit crystals were of too low a grade. They were almost useless to me!”
Ye Guan nodded slightly. “I will find a way to get you many higher-quality spirit crystals!”
The little pagoda answered, “Good!”
At that moment, an elder suddenly approached from afar. He bowed slightly to Ye Guan. “Young Patriarch, the Clan Leader requests your presence!”
Ye Guan nodded. “Very well!”
With that, he headed down the mountain.
Inside the little pagoda.
A mysterious voice suddenly spoke. “Little Pagoda, why not tell him his true identity?”
The little pagoda replied calmly, “Do you want him to become like his father? Haven’t you had enough of that endless trouble?”
After a moment, the mysterious voice said, “Enough! More than enough!”
The little pagoda sighed softly. “This little fellow has an excellent character and heaven-defying talent. He is a very good seedling. We must nurture him carefully and not let him walk his father’s path!”
The mysterious voice asked, “Why did you not nurture his father properly back then?”
The little pagoda said indifferently, “I could not outplay his father!”
The mysterious voice: “…”
After a pause, the mysterious voice said, “Little Pagoda, I feel you have matured a great deal!”
The little pagoda said softly, “One day, when the universe collapses and the Great Daos shatter, when all former friends and kin return to the yellow earth and sleep forever in the ground, how could one not mature?”
It paused, then added even more softly, “Moreover, in this world… there is no longer anyone to shield Little Pagoda!”
…
Ye Clan, Council Hall.
When Ye Guan arrived, Ye Xiao and a group of elders were already waiting.
Ye Guan glanced around. Five or six elders were missing!
Ye Xiao said, “Sit!”
Ye Guan nodded and took a seat to the side.
Ye Xiao looked at him. “We have just received news. A secret realm has appeared in the South Mountains. Extremely pure spiritual energy is leaking from it. According to our scouts, there is very likely a purple crystal mine inside!”
Purple crystal mine!
Ye Guan froze.
In South Continent, the common currency was spirit crystals, divided into low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade. Above spirit crystals were supreme-grade spirit crystals, and above those were purple crystals! Purple crystals were extremely precious! Even the Ye clan did not possess such rare items.
Purple crystals!
Ye Guan fell into thought.
He had previously given the Tower Master high-grade spirit crystals, but they had been almost useless. Perhaps these purple crystals could help heal its injuries!
Not only would they help the Tower Master, they would also be of enormous benefit to the Ye clan and himself.
With that thought, Ye Guan made his decision!
At that moment Ye Xiao suddenly asked, “Want to go take a look?”
Ye Guan nodded. “Yes!”
Ye Xiao said gravely, “That is our intention as well. However, you understand that a secret realm appearing in the South Mountains is no ordinary secret realm. It will surely be extremely dangerous. Moreover, we have already received word that the Li clan and Nan clan have sent people. Not only that, Yongzhou City nearby has probably also dispatched experts. Therefore…”
Ye Guan laughed. “Clan Leader, rest assured. I will be careful!”
Ye Xiao nodded. “I know you are meticulous and cautious…”
He paused, then continued, “Remember this: many powers will surely contest this secret realm. If you can obtain opportunities within, that is naturally best. But if not, do not be greedy. To our Ye clan, you are more important than anything!”
The Second Elder also stepped forward and said gravely, “Little Guan, you are excellent in every way except that you are not ruthless enough in your actions. In this kind of secret realm, kindness and soft-heartedness are great taboos. You must remember this!”
Ye Guan nodded slightly. “Understood!”
Ye Xiao suddenly produced a piece of black soft armour and handed it to Ye Guan. “This is for you!”
Black soft armour!
Ye Guan froze.
All the elders in the hall also froze.
In South Continent, magical treasures were also graded: Mysterious, Spirit, Treasure, Dharma, Dao, Immortal, Divine.
This black soft armour was the Ye clan’s only Spirit-grade treasure.
The Ye clan was simply too poor!
This Spirit treasure had been passed down from their ancestors and could only be worn by the Clan Leader!
Equipment was extremely important. Many times, when strength fell short, equipment made up the difference!
Ye Guan looked at the black soft armour before him, a warm current flowing through his heart. He was about to refuse, but Ye Xiao directly stuffed it into his hands. “Stop being wishy-washy. It is yours now, so take it!”
Ye Guan hesitated, then nodded. “Very well!”
He put away the black soft armour.
Ye Guan bowed slightly. “Then I will be off!”
With that, he turned and left!
In the hall, Ye Xiao watched Ye Guan’s departing back, his gaze deep and unreadable.
At that moment the Second Elder said softly, “Now I understand why the previous Clan Leader chose you, Big Brother, to be Clan Leader! The Great Elder was domineering and short-sighted, only fighting for immediate gains… Whereas I excel at schemes and calculations… Only you value loyalty and consider the greater good of the clan…”
He shook his head slightly. “Neither of us is your equal!”
Ye Xiao glanced at the Second Elder. “What do you think of Little Guan?”
The Second Elder said gravely, “Calm and steady, meticulous, loyal yet not weak, decisive in action, courageous and resourceful…”
He seemed to realise something and looked at Ye Xiao in disbelief. “Clan Leader…”
Ye Xiao said softly, “We are getting old!”
…
South Mountains.
The South Mountains spanned a thousand li with countless peaks, also known as the South Mountain Range.
Some primitive demonic beasts lived here. Demonic beasts and humans now coexisted peacefully, for thirty million years ago the Sword Master of the Human Realm had subdued all demonic clans. From then on, demons and humans began living in peace.
Of course, private conflicts still existed, but large-scale wars between humans and demons had not occurred for thirty million years!
When Ye Guan arrived at the South Mountain Range, the usually desolate area was now crowded with many experts!
Besides those from Ancient Desolate City, experts from surrounding cities had also gathered.
Ancient Desolate City lay at the far left of South Continent. In this southern region, there were at least a hundred small cities like it.
Spirit veins were the lifeblood of all great and small aristocratic families.
Boom!
At that moment, the clouds in the sky suddenly parted. The next instant, a luxurious carriage ten zhang long drove out!
The horse pulling it radiated blood-red flames and was several times larger than an ordinary horse. With every charge, it left four long flaming hoofprints in the sky.
Seeing this, Ye Guan’s pupils contracted sharply.
Blazing Flame Horse!
A legendary Blazing Flame Horse, Myriad Dharma Realm level!
Seeing this carriage, Ye Guan’s expression darkened. The newcomers were definitely from a great clan!
At that moment, the carriage curtain was drawn back, revealing a face of peerless beauty!
It was a woman!
The woman wore a cloud-coloured long dress. Her skin was fairer than snow, her eyes sharp as sword edges. When she glanced around, a cold and proud aura made people feel chilled and afraid to profane her.
As the curtain was slowly pulled further open, another face of peerless beauty appeared. This woman had transcendent beauty, her white dress floating like snow, an ancient scroll in her hand, exuding an air of refined elegance.
Seeing this woman, Ye Guan below froze!
Nalan Jia!
He had not expected that this was actually his fiancée, Nalan Jia!
At that moment, the woman in the cloud-coloured dress suddenly declared, “From this moment on, the South Mountain Range falls under the jurisdiction of the three great aristocratic families. In one quarter of an hour, if any unauthorised persons remain here, kill without mercy!”
As her voice fell, three hundred-zhang-long banners suddenly flew out from the clouds and planted themselves firmly above the South Mountain Range.
Nan Family!
Si Family!
Zheng Family!
The three super aristocratic families of South Continent!
Below, countless people were stunned!
This single secret realm had actually drawn the three great families of South Continent?
