Revenge!
He knew, this was absolutely Old Jun’s revenge!
Was it just about cheating you out of a million cosmic veins?
Was it really worth it?
Ye Xuan was utterly exasperated.
What nonsense?
At that moment, the scruffy old man clinging to Ye Xuan suddenly said in a trembling voice, “Young… Young Master… is there… anything to eat? I… I feel like I’m… about to collapse…”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Moments later, inside the dilapidated hall, Ye Xuan stood before a statue, silent.
This statue was of his father, also in ruins, incomplete… with only one eye left!
Nearby, the scruffy old man and a dozen others were devouring food ravenously!
The dozen or so people ate as if they hadn’t had a meal in centuries, their manners even more terrifying than Tian Qi!
Ye Xuan looked at them, completely speechless.
At that moment, he felt life was utterly bleak!
What nonsense!
After a long while, the scruffy old man and the others finished eating and drinking. The old man approached Ye Xuan, bowed deeply, and said, “Young Master!”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly and asked, “Had enough?”
The scruffy old man grinned, “Full!”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Tell me about this Xuan Sect and yourselves!”
He felt things weren’t so simple. Since these people were his father’s, they probably weren’t ordinary.
The scruffy old man hesitated, then asked, “Is the Young Master a bit disappointed?”
Ye Xuan glanced at him and smiled, “Why do you say that?”
The old man gave a bitter smile, “Your expression and eyes are filled with disappointment! Clearly, this place is nothing like what you imagined!”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly, “I won’t hide it, you lot are indeed a bit different from what I expected!”
The old man smiled, “Understandable!”
With that, he bowed slightly, “Young Master, follow me!”
He led Ye Xuan toward a side hall.
Ye Xuan, curious, followed.
When the old man opened the side hall’s door, Ye Xuan froze. The hall was vast, stretching a thousand zhang in length and width, housing no less than a million ancient tomes!
A library?
Ye Xuan was slightly stunned, then turned to the old man, “These are?”
The scruffy old man said seriously, “The Universal Compendium!”
Ye Xuan frowned, “The Universal Compendium?”
The old man nodded, “The dozen of us are responsible for compiling it. Here, there are many categories: civilizations, where all known cosmic civilizations are recorded; humanities, martial arts, realms… In short, apart from the Huaxia Academy, this is the most comprehensive and impressive collection!”
Ye Xuan was surprised, “Huaxia Academy?”
The old man nodded, “Founded by Qin Guan, the master of the Immortal Treasure Pavilion!”
Hearing this, Ye Xuan shook his head and smiled.
The scruffy old man suddenly seemed hesitant…
Ye Xuan smiled and asked, “What’s wrong?”
The old man gave a bitter smile, “To be honest, the Sword Master hasn’t paid our salaries for over twenty years!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The old man’s smile grew more bitter, “Young Master… we…”
Ye Xuan asked, “How much is your annual salary?”
The old man replied, “Mine is a hundred cosmic veins a year, the others get a few dozen!”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
The old man glanced at Ye Xuan, not daring to say more.
Ye Xuan suddenly walked to a nearby bookshelf.
Realms.
Intrigued, Ye Xuan picked up a thick ancient tome.
The old man suddenly said, “This contains all the known realms in the universe.”
All known realms in the universe!
Ye Xuan nodded slightly and opened the tome:
Four-Dimensional Universe:
Body Tempering Realm, Strength Training Realm, Inner Strength Realm, Dual Cultivation Realm, Ceaseless Realm, Qi Transformation Realm, Golden Body Realm, Qi Control Realm, Sky Soaring Realm, Mysterious Connection Realm, Divine Unity Realm, Ten Thousand Laws Realm, True Ten Thousand Laws Realm, Law Control Realm, True Law Control Realm, Void Breaking Realm, Source Realm, Yin Realm, Supreme Realm, Saint Realm, Creation Realm, Dao Realm, Origin Dao Realm, Knowing Dao Realm, Proving Dao Realm, Mastering Dao Realm, Heavenly Dao Realm, Emperor Sealing Realm, Divine Realm, Ultimate Realm, Peak Ultimate Realm, Ascension Realm, Unknown Realm, Extreme Creation Realm, Earth Immortal Realm, Fate Realm, Fate Breaking Realm, Seeking Dao Realm, Entering Dao Realm, Dao Breaking Realm, Dao Extinguishing Realm.
Five-Dimensional Universe:
Origin Realm, Qiankun Realm, Yin-Yang Realm, Life-Death Realm, Heavenly Mechanism Realm, Cause-Effect Realm, Reincarnation Realm, Dominion Realm, Void Shattering Realm, Origin Returning Realm, Unity Realm, Dao Breaking Realm, Dao Proving Realm, Dao Controlling Realm, Dao Achieving Realm.
Six-Dimensional to Nine-Dimensional Universe:
Unity Realm, Divine Mirror, Eternal Realm, Unknown Divine Realm, Unknown Heavenly Realm, Mortal Breaking Realm, Mortal Extinguishing Realm, Divine Entering Realm, Super Divine Realm, Divine Breaking Realm, Divine Extinguishing Realm, Intent Realm, Cosmic Realm, Boundary Realm, Boundless Realm, No-Boundary Realm, Void Realm, Sky Ascending Realm, Dustless Realm, Space-Time Realm, Lesser Saint Realm, Greater Saint Realm, Ancient God Realm, Body Forging Realm, Grid Forging Realm, Soul Forging Realm.
Beyond the Universe:
Divine Emperor Realm, Divine Grid Realm, Divine Soul Realm, Stages One to Twenty, Interstice Realm, Path of Interstice, Divine Spirit Realm, Fate Grid Realm, Fate Soul Realm, Origin Spirit Realm, Fate Knowing Realm, Fate Knowing Saint, Fate Knowing God.
Sword Cultivation Realms:
Sword Cultivator, Great Sword Cultivator, Sword Dao Master, Sword Lord, Sword Emperor, Sword Immortal, Great Sword Immortal, Sword Saint, Transcendent Sword Saint, Sword God, Transcendent Sword God, Mortal Sword, Free Sword Heart, Sword Transformation, Mortal Realm, Heart Sword, Sword Momentum, Tranquil Mind, Condensed Spirit.
Ninth-Level Civilization:
No Mind, No Thought, No Body, No Soul, No Dao, Nothingness.
Cosmic Origin Realm:
Within the Circle, Breaking the Circle, Drawing the Circle.
Great Motian Domain:
Thought Mastery, Dao Clarity, Free Transformation.
Six Realms:
Realm Breaking Realm.
Dao Assembly:
Mysterious Insight, Mysterious Knowledge, Mysterious Fate.
Meta-Universe:
Cosmic Heart Realm (Levels One to Six).
Ancient Universe:
Half-Step Saint Heart, Saint Heart Realm (True Saint), Immortal Realm, Eternal Immortal Realm, Supreme Realm.
Guanxuan Universe:
Limitless Realm, Quantitative Change Realm, Qualitative Change Realm, Half-Step Observation Realm, External Observation Realm, Internal Observation Realm, Time Realm.
Beyond Time, Time Immortal, Time Controller, Reincarnation Walker, Mysterious Knowledge…
…
Seeing these realms, Ye Xuan was dumbfounded! So many?
The scruffy old man said gravely, “There are countless realms, and they’re chaotic! In truth, many are redundant and unnecessary. However, since Pavilion Master Qin Guan has already reorganized them, we haven’t done further work.”
Ye Xuan said seriously, “Who came up with these realms?”
The old man replied, “Strictly speaking, it was the Great Dao Pen!”
Ye Xuan couldn’t help but say, “Is there something wrong with that pen? Creating so many realms… is it out of its mind?”
Great Dao Pen: “…”
The old man hesitated, then said, “Young Master, the Great Dao Pen governs the trajectory of the Great Dao, transcending everything. Be cautious with your words…”
Ye Xuan shook his head, closed the tome, and said, “That pen is utterly absurd!”
The old man smiled faintly, “It’s better now. Pavilion Master Qin Guan has sent her reorganized realms to the myriad worlds, cutting down nearly seventy percent of them. I’ve seen it, and it’s really, really good!”
He shook his head and smiled, “I must say, this Qin Guan is truly remarkable! Her talent… I’m in awe, completely in awe!”
Ye Xuan smiled, then moved to the next bookshelf. He picked up another tome, and after a moment, his expression grew serious. Soon, he went to another bookshelf…
Ye Xuan browsed through a dozen bookshelves!
Shock!
That was Ye Xuan’s feeling at that moment. The breadth and depth of knowledge in these books deeply shocked him! Especially some cultivation methods, so detailed they made his scalp tingle!
Ye Xuan turned to the scruffy old man, “You dozen people compiled all these?”
The old man nodded, “Yes!”
He hesitated, then said, “Young Master, is there something poorly written? If so, please point it out!”
Point it out!
Ye Xuan thought for a moment, then said seriously, “There are indeed many shortcomings!”
The old man quickly asked, “Where are the shortcomings?”
Ye Xuan thought again, then said, “Let’s discuss this another day!”
The old man: “…”
Ye Xuan suddenly asked, “How should I address you, elder?”
The old man hurriedly said, “Young Master, I dare not be called elder. Just call me Zhi Xian!”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly, “Elder Xian, my father gave you over a hundred cosmic veins a year, right?”
Zhi Xian nodded, “Yes! But the Sword Master always gave more! And he’d find ways to get us academic materials. Not only that, he’d provide elixirs to extend our lifespans… The Sword Master also encouraged us to cultivate and provided resources, but sadly, we don’t like cultivating, only academic research!”
Ye Xuan smiled, then took out a storage ring and handed it to Zhi Xian. Zhi Xian glanced inside, there were four thousand cosmic veins!
Seeing so many, Zhi Xian’s expression changed, “Young Master, this…”
Ye Xuan smiled, “This is what you deserve!”
He took out another storage ring and handed it to Zhi Xian, “This is for those working with you on academic research!”
Zhi Xian looked at it, then bowed deeply to Ye Xuan, “Thank you, Young Master!”
Ye Xuan felt a bit emotional!
His father had really struck a bargain!
These people were true talents! Though they didn’t cultivate, their scholarship was immense. A hundred or so cosmic veins a year was honestly too little! But he didn’t offer a high price right away!
This had to be done gradually!
He wouldn’t shortchange Zhi Xian and the others.
As if struck by a thought, Ye Xuan suddenly said, “Going forward, I’ll research these with you!”
He paused, then added, “And guide you along the way…”
Zhi Xian was stunned, then quickly said, “That’s excellent!”
Ye Xuan glanced around, taking a deep breath!
He decided to read!
Read a lot!
Pretending to be cultured wasn’t scary, what was scary was pretending with substance!
