At that moment, an elder entered the private room.
As soon as he stepped in, Zhou Qi immediately cried out, “Uncle Nan, save me…”
Pointing angrily at Zhou Xin, he continued, “This wretch dared to attack me and even threatened to destroy the Zhou Clan!”
Zhou Xin remained calm, saying nothing.
Hearing Zhou Qi’s words, the elder’s eyes narrowed, a flash of coldness passing through them. He turned to Zhou Xin, but upon seeing her, he froze. In the next moment, he hurried to her side, bowed respectfully, and said in a trembling voice, “Young… Young Patriarch!”
Young Patriarch!
At those words, both Ye Xuan and Zhou Qi were stunned.
Ye Xuan was shocked because, while he knew Zhou Xin held a high position in the Zhou Clan, he hadn’t expected her to be the Young Patriarch!
Zhou Qi’s body began to tremble.
Who was Zhou Xin?
She was the Zhou Clan’s most prodigious genius, not only the Young Patriarch but soon to become the full Patriarch!
The reason Zhou Qi didn’t recognise her was that he was merely a young master from a minor branch of the Zhou Clan. Someone like him wasn’t even considered peripheral, let alone core, and had no chance of ever interacting with someone of Zhou Xin’s stature!
Zhou Qi’s legs gave way, and he slowly knelt, trembling as he said, “Young Patriarch…”
Zhou Xin looked at the elder. “Cut off his four limbs and hang him in Chaoyue City!”
Beside her, Zhou Qi pleaded, “Young Patriarch… please spare me!”
The elder hesitated, about to intercede, when Zhou Xin suddenly turned. “Take both of them away, break all four limbs, and hang them in Chaoyue City until they die! And…”
She glanced at Zhou Qi, kneeling on the ground, and continued, “Expel his entire branch from the clan. They are no longer permitted to use the clan’s surname!”
As her words fell, two black-robed elders appeared. Before the two could react, they were dragged away!
Zhou Xin turned to Ye Xuan. “Young Master Ye, apologies for the scene!”
Ye Xuan smiled. “I hadn’t expected you to be the Young Patriarch of the Zhou Clan.”
Zhou Xin paused, then said, “Young Master Ye, would you be interested in visiting the Zhou Clan?”
Ye Xuan frowned. “Visit the Zhou Clan?”
Zhou Xin nodded. “I’d like to invite you as a guest.”
Ye Xuan looked at her. “Why?”
Zhou Xin smiled faintly. “No ulterior motives—just want to bring you to the Zhou Clan to show our people what a true prodigy from the outside looks like! Of course, as a gesture of goodwill, I can arrange for you to spar with a Destiny Mysterious Realm expert. If you wish to visit the Emperor’s Tomb, I can accompany you as well!”
Destiny Mysterious Realm!
Ye Xuan was silent for a moment, then said, “Miss…”
Zhou Xin interrupted, “You can call me Zhou Xin!”
Ye Xuan smiled. “Miss Zhou Xin, you want me to visit the Zhou Clan just to show your people an outside prodigy?”
Zhou Xin nodded. “Not entirely. There was a misunderstanding between you and the Zhou Clan. This is also an invitation to express our apologies.”
Ye Xuan thought for a moment, then said, “Alright!”
Destiny Mysterious Realm!
For now, only the Zhou Clan had Destiny Mysterious experts. If he wanted to spar with one, the Zhou Clan was his only option!
Zhou Xin nodded slightly. “Young Master Ye, let’s go!”
With that, she led Ye Xuan away, vanishing from the spot.
Chaoyue City.
This was the Zhou Clan’s main city, arguably the most prosperous in the Origin Universe.
Zhou Xin led Ye Xuan into the city. As if struck by a thought, she suddenly said, “Pass down the order: all the Zhou Clan’s younger generation are to gather at the Martial Assembly Field immediately. Anyone who doesn’t arrive within a quarter of an hour will have their legs broken!”
Behind her, an elder quietly withdrew.
Zhou Xin turned to Ye Xuan. “Young Master Ye, would you mind giving some pointers to our younger generation later?”
Ye Xuan laughed. “Are you serious?”
Zhou Xin nodded.
Ye Xuan blinked. “You’re testing me!”
Zhou Xin was candid. “Yes!”
Ye Xuan laughed heartily. “Then I’ll give some pointers! Though, I’m worried I might crush the confidence of your clan’s geniuses…”
Zhou Xin immediately said, “Crush away!”
Ye Xuan grinned. “You said it!”
Zhou Xin nodded.
Soon, they arrived at the Martial Assembly Field. By the time they got there, thousands of people had already gathered!
All were the Zhou Clan’s young geniuses and prodigies!
Upon seeing Zhou Xin, everyone hurriedly bowed respectfully, saying in unison, “Greetings, Young Patriarch!”
Ye Xuan glanced at Zhou Xin, slightly surprised. It seemed Zhou Xin held immense prestige among the clan’s younger generation!
Zhou Xin looked at the crowd and said, “This is Young Master Ye. Zhou Lan died at his hands!”
Ye Xuan!
At her words, everyone turned to Ye Xuan, their expressions unfriendly.
At that moment, some of the Zhou Clan’s older generation appeared on the sidelines.
Leading them was the Zhou Clan Patriarch, Zhou Qing!
Everyone watched Ye Xuan, and when Zhou Qing and the others saw him, their brows furrowed.
They noticed Ye Xuan’s cultivation level was astonishingly low!
Then, a Zhou Clan man stepped forward, looking at Ye Xuan. “Young Master Ye, may I receive your guidance?”
Ye Xuan glanced at Zhou Xin, who nodded slightly.
Ye Xuan turned back, smiling. “Sure!”
The man’s right hand slowly clenched, a terrifying force gathering within it. In the next moment, his hand turned fiery red, and he charged forward, throwing a punch at Ye Xuan!
Pure power!
As the punch landed, the space-time in its path was incinerated into nothingness!
At that moment, Ye Xuan’s thumb flicked lightly.
Buzz!
The Qingxuan Sword slashed out!
Boom!
With a burst of fiery light, the man was sent flying tens of thousands of metres. As he stopped, his right arm fell from his shoulder!
Defeated in one strike!
The field fell so silent you could hear a pin drop!
On the sidelines, Zhou Qing said gravely, “See anything?”
Beside him, a black-robed elder rasped, “The sword is extraordinary!”
Zhou Qing asked, “And the man?”
The elder was silent for a moment, then said, “Can’t tell yet!”
Zhou Qing nodded slightly. “Keep watching!”
In the distance, another man stepped before Ye Xuan, this one at the Knowledge Mysterious Realm!
A true prodigy had emerged!
The man looked at Ye Xuan. “Please instruct me!”
He took a step forward, and the surrounding space-time turned illusory.
Reverse time!
Ye Xuan immediately sensed the reverse-time force, though it was different from his own.
The man slowly raised his right hand, then brought it down sharply.
Swoosh!
Above Ye Xuan, space tore open, and a palm print swept down.
Ye Xuan was about to draw his sword but found the reverse-time force interfering with him. As before, if he acted, he’d always be slower than the man.
Without hesitation, Ye Xuan unleashed a Destiny-Slaying Strike!
With one slash, the palm print vanished, and in that instant, the man turned into a white-haired, frail elder.
Seeing this, everyone’s expressions changed!
Zhou Xin turned to Ye Xuan, her eyes showing a hint of gravity for the first time.
On the sidelines, Zhou Qing stared at Ye Xuan. “How is this possible!”
The black-robed elder beside him had a trace of disbelief in his eyes. “He can forcibly draw the time-passage force from the Realm of Daytime into the outside world—and he himself isn’t harmed by the backlash!”
His gaze fell on Ye Xuan’s Qingxuan Sword. “It’s that sword… it can withstand the force of time’s passage! Truly unbelievable!”
Zhou Qing also looked at the Qingxuan Sword, a trace of shock in his eyes.
In the distance, the man before Ye Xuan trembled. “This…”
Ye Xuan smiled. “Reverse time? That’s not reverse time… Young man, you need more training!”
The man looked at Ye Xuan. “How can you draw the time-passage force from the Realm of Daytime?”
Ye Xuan frowned. “Is it hard?”
The man’s expression froze.
Ye Xuan continued, “It should be simple! From start to finish, it took me less than a day to succeed! Is it hard for you lot?”
He deliberately glanced at the Zhou Clan’s geniuses in the field.
The crowd: “…”
Then, the man suddenly looked at Ye Xuan’s Qingxuan Sword. “It’s your sword!”
Ye Xuan glanced at the sword, then said, “You’re not convinced?”
The man stared at him. “Yes!”
Ye Xuan smiled. “If you’re not convinced, you can forge a divine artifact yourself! Because I made this sword myself!”
The man frowned. “You made it?”
Ye Xuan nodded. “Yes!”
The man looked at Ye Xuan, skeptical.
Ye Xuan smiled. “I made it for my own use… does that count as relying on an external tool?”
The man was silent.
Ye Xuan laughed heartily. “Any more Zhou Clan geniuses? If not, you can all come at me together—I’ll take you all on alone!”
All together!
At those words, the Zhou Clan’s geniuses’ faces darkened.
This was blatant humiliation!
Then, a woman stepped before Ye Xuan, looking at him. “No sword, just a fight—how about it?”
Ye Xuan countered, “No hands, just a fight—how about that?”
The woman stared at Ye Xuan. Ye Xuan smiled. “Miss, really! I’m a sword cultivator, and you tell me to fight without my sword… don’t you think that’s a rude request?”
The woman said gravely, “Your sword is powerful. Using it is bullying! Even if we lose, we won’t accept it!”
At that, the Zhou Clan’s geniuses nodded in agreement.
The woman added, “Without that sword, are you nothing?”
Everyone in the field looked at Ye Xuan.
Aggressive and pressing!
Ye Xuan smiled. “I can fight without the sword, but let’s add a wager. If your Zhou Clan loses, you give me five hundred star veins! If I lose, I’ll give you five hundred star veins!”
Five hundred star veins!
The crowd was shocked.
That was no small sum!
The woman looked at Ye Xuan. “Do you have five hundred star veins?”
Ye Xuan raised his Qingxuan Sword. “Is this sword worth five hundred star veins?”
The woman was silent.
In that moment, she felt a twinge of doubt!
No one could see through Ye Xuan. His cultivation was indeed low, but his strength… was eerily formidable!
Then, Ye Xuan added, “Miss, if you don’t dare, I’ll sweeten the deal. You don’t have to fight alone—you can all come at me together! All your Zhou Clan geniuses can attack as one. If I lose, this sword is yours! But let me warn you, when I get serious, I can’t control myself. If I end up giving you a mass burial, don’t come after me for revenge!”
The crowd: “…”
The small pagoda’s voice suddenly rang in Ye Xuan’s mind. “Little Master, are you sure you can fight thousands of them?”
Ye Xuan replied in his mind, “I can’t!”
The pagoda was puzzled. “If you can’t, why say that?”
Ye Xuan answered, “Gotta flex first! Besides, they wouldn’t be shameless enough to gang up on me. I can tell who’s got pride and who’s shameless with one look!”
The pagoda: “…”
