The refined woman looked at the Mysterious Heaven Token that Ye Xuan had tossed aside, letting out a soft sigh.
The incident with Yu Xian was a devastating blow to the Immortal Treasure Pavilion’s reputation.
The Mysterious Heaven Token!
It was akin to a mark of the Pavilion Master’s approval, yet Yu Xian, in his arrogance, had dared to defy the rules set by the Pavilion Master.
With this thought, the refined woman turned to the ashen-faced Yu Xian. “There’s a very, very high chance you’ll be sentenced to death. Even if you escape execution, you’ll be imprisoned forever in the Boundless Realm!”
Yu Xian: “…”
The refined woman then turned to the middle-aged man in black robes beside him. “Ah Wu, the Pavilion Master entrusted you and Yu Xian—one civil, one martial—to manage this branch of the Immortal Treasure Pavilion. Yu Xian disobeyed the Pavilion Master, but why did you also defy him?”
Ah Wu bowed slightly. “Envoy, I acknowledge my mistake!”
The refined woman shook her head. “The Elder Council has decided: from this moment, everything you have, including your cultivation, will be stripped away. Do you have any objections? If so, I can delay this, and you may appeal.”
Ah Wu bowed deeply. “Envoy, I have no objections.”
The refined woman nodded slightly. She opened her palm and pressed down gently. With that gesture, Ah Wu’s aura drained away like a receding tide. In moments, he became an ordinary mortal. As his cultivation vanished, his appearance aged rapidly.
His lifespan was now less than a decade!
Ah Wu’s face was pale, but he dared not speak.
His life was over!
Though unwilling, he harbored no resentment. Everything he had was given by the Immortal Treasure Pavilion. Without it, he’d have been nothing, never reaching his former status.
The refined woman glanced at Ah Wu, sighing inwardly.
In truth, Ah Wu deserved death.
Disobeying the Pavilion Master’s orders!
In the Immortal Treasure Pavilion, this was the gravest sin. The Pavilion Master was like a god within the organization, and the Elder Council’s reverence for him was beyond ordinary comprehension.
This incident at the branch had shaken the Elder Council to its core. Several elders, secluded for tens of thousands of years, had emerged from their retreats.
Fury!
She had never seen the Elder Council so enraged!
For a mere branch president to defy the Pavilion Master’s orders was intolerable to those ancient figures.
The refined woman glanced at Yu Xian and shook her head slightly.
As the mastermind, Yu Xian would likely beg for life and death in vain!
Ignoring the two men, she picked up the Mysterious Heaven Token Ye Xuan had discarded and vanished into the horizon.
After her departure, two black-clad figures appeared, swiftly taking Yu Xian away.
…
Somewhere in the starry void, Ye Xuan sat cross-legged, eyes closed.
Supreme!
By realm, he was now at the Supreme Realm, capable of contending with Eternal Immortal Realm experts!
At this moment, Ye Xuan felt a mix of emotions.
Pushing himself!
His battle with Dao Xuan Yi was the first in years where he hadn’t called for help.
He couldn’t win!
Indeed, at the start, he had despaired multiple times.
He truly couldn’t win!
But did that mean he should give up?
The most terrifying thing for a person isn’t despair or powerlessness—it’s giving up!
No matter the predicament, as long as you don’t give up, there’s hope.
But once you give up, even a non-dire situation becomes hopeless.
As if struck by a thought, Ye Xuan shook his head with a wry smile.
Looking back, he realized how carefree and flashy he’d been, lacking the heart of a true powerhouse.
It was time for him to grow up!
Ye Xuan took a deep breath and opened his palm. Little Soul appeared in his hand. “Little Soul, from now on, I won’t let anything happen to you again.”
Little Soul said, “Next time there’s trouble, let Small Tower take the hit!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Small Tower laughed heartily. “If I take the hit, so be it. The me now fears nothing!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Little Soul: “…”
At that moment, Ye Xuan opened his palm, and a black box appeared.
It was the box he’d taken from the Immortal Treasure Pavilion!
What was inside?
Curious, Ye Xuan opened it. Inside was a peculiar weapon, oddly shaped and entirely black. The front half resembled a tube, as long as an adult’s arm, while the back half was different…
Small Tower suddenly exclaimed, “Holy crap, isn’t that a gun?”
Ye Xuan frowned. “A gun?”
Small Tower said gravely, “Yes!”
Ye Xuan was puzzled. “Guns don’t look like this, do they?”
Small Tower explained, “This is a gun from the Milky Way, not the kind from here!”
From the Milky Way!
Ye Xuan examined the gun in the box, still doubtful. “Small Tower, is this thing powerful?”
Small Tower said seriously, “In the Milky Way, it’s quite powerful. But for cultivators of your level, it’s pretty much useless. That said, since it was left by the Pavilion Master, it might have something special about it.”
Ye Xuan asked, “How do you use it?”
Small Tower chuckled. “Simple—load it… I mean, load the ammo, and it’s ready to use!”
Ye Xuan looked inside the box and found a smaller container. Opening it, he saw ten thumb-sized, pointed objects.
Small Tower said, “Those are the bullets!”
Ye Xuan studied them. The bullets were etched with strange runes, and at their tips were eerie blood-red dots.
After fiddling for a while, Ye Xuan managed to load a bullet. As it clicked into place, the gun trembled violently, and a voice emanated from it: “Please supply spiritual energy!”
Spiritual energy?
Ye Xuan hesitated, then said, “You can talk?”
The voice replied, “Don’t waste words. If you want to fire, supply spiritual energy!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened. *Damn, this thing’s got an attitude?*
Choosing not to argue, Ye Xuan produced a star vein. The moment he did, the gun absorbed it instantly. The voice said, “Spiritual energy is less than one-thousandth. Power is only one-thousandth. Fire?”
Ye Xuan asked, “Only one-thousandth of its power?”
The voice said, “Yes. The more spiritual energy, the greater the power.”
Ye Xuan said gravely, “If there’s enough spiritual energy, how strong is it?”
The voice replied, “One shot could probably obliterate you, no problem.”
Ye Xuan flew into a rage. “Can you not be so arrogant? Do you know how strong my body is?”
The voice said calmly, “Stop bragging. If you’re so tough, try it!”
Ye Xuan immediately said, “Fine, let’s try it!”
Small Tower laughed. “Go for it! Show it how terrifying your body is, Little Master!”
Ye Xuan pulled out a thousand star veins, which were absorbed by the gun in an instant.
Seeing this, Ye Xuan’s expression shifted subtly.
Suddenly, the gun emitted a white light that spread from the stock to the barrel. The voice announced, “Ready to fire!”
Ye Xuan hesitated, then took out Small Tower and placed it at the gun’s muzzle. “Alright, let’s do this!”
Small Tower exclaimed, “What the hell, Little Master, what are you doing?!”
Ye Xuan gave an awkward smile. “Small Tower, you’re tougher than me. Take this one!”
Small Tower said gravely, “Little Master, are you chickening out?”
Ye Xuan’s face was covered in black lines. “No way! Small Tower, you were just remade with Qing’er’s sword qi. Why would you fear this thing?”
Small Tower said calmly, “I’m not afraid, but there’s no need. I’m not taking the hit. If you want to test it, do it yourself!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened again. *This Small Tower’s getting harder to trick.*
Just as Ye Xuan was about to speak, the refined woman suddenly appeared. She looked at Ye Xuan and bowed slightly. “Young Master Ye! I’ve come to apolo—”
Ye Xuan interrupted, “Miss, what realm are you?”
The refined woman smiled faintly. “Half-step Infinite.”
Half-step Infinite!
Ye Xuan’s eyelids twitched. *Damn, this woman’s even stronger than Dao Xuan Yi?*
The refined woman continued, “Young Master, I’m here to apologize.”
Ye Xuan paused, then raised the gun. “Do you recognize this?”
The refined woman glanced at it and shook her head. “I’ve never seen it.”
Ye Xuan frowned. “Never seen it?”
She looked again and shook her head. “No.”
Ye Xuan hesitated, then said, “I came across this by chance and don’t know its power. Would you mind if I fired a shot?”
The refined woman blinked, then smiled. “You want to test its power, Young Master Ye?”
Ye Xuan nodded. “Yes.”
The refined woman thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright.”
Before coming, she’d been worried about how to earn Ye Xuan’s forgiveness.
His request was perfect. By helping him, she’d have an easier time negotiating later.
Seeing her agree, Ye Xuan smiled faintly. He aimed the gun at her. “Miss, be careful!”
The refined woman laughed. “Go ahead!”
As Ye Xuan was about to pull the trigger, Small Tower suddenly said, “Little Master, you’re holding the gun backward!”
Ye Xuan’s face changed. He quickly flipped the gun around, aimed at the distant refined woman, and pulled the trigger.
*Boom!*
A white beam surged out. In an instant, the starry void within millions of miles was annihilated!
Far off, the refined woman’s pupils shrank. She thrust her hands forward to block, but the next moment, she was blasted away, disappearing from Ye Xuan’s sight. The bullet, carrying a powerful shockwave, tore through the depths of the starry void, vanishing into the boundless cosmos in the blink of an eye.
She was blasted straight out of the Middle World!
Ye Xuan himself was thrown back hundreds of thousands of feet by the recoil, which was terrifyingly intense!
Most horrifyingly, when he stopped, his right hand had completely shattered, and his body was covered in web-like cracks.
Ye Xuan was dumbfounded!
*What the hell is this thing?*
Small Tower suddenly said, “This isn’t like any gun I’ve seen…”
Ye Xuan, with his trembling left hand, gently stroked the gun and murmured, “Small Tower, I’ve decided to switch to gun cultivation!”
Small Tower: “…”
