Hearing Ye Xuan’s words, the Shura City Lord froze in place.
Ye Xuan didn’t linger, vanishing into the distance.
A chill ran down the Lord’s spine, and he spun around…
…
Ye Xuan returned to the bamboo grove where he cultivated, sitting cross-legged, eyes slowly closing.
One billion!
With one billion cosmic veins, plus his prior reserves, he now had nearly one billion two hundred million.
Money was no longer an issue, for now!
Next, he needed to nurture more Dongxuan Realm warriors—not just train them but recruit top-tier experts.
Raising someone from scratch to Dongxuan was too hard; not everyone was like Qingqiu.
Ye Xuan reined in his thoughts. His palm opened, revealing the sword his father had given him. In his clash with the Shura City Lord, he’d confirmed he could now kill Dongxuan Realm warriors head-on!
That earlier strike hadn’t even been his full strength!
He hadn’t used his bloodline power, Mortal World Sword Intent, or Mortal World Power.
If he went all out…
Ye Xuan shook his head with a wry smile, unable to gauge it. He’d only met two warriors beyond Dongxuan: the Ancient God and the phantom from the God Ancient Clan, slain by his Great Dao Pen, leaving their true strength unclear.
At that moment, Xiu Fan appeared before him.
Ye Xuan looked at her, “Settled?”
Xiu Fan nodded.
Ye Xuan gave a slight nod, “Good.”
Xiu Fan gazed at him, “From now on, my life is yours!”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “Take over Shura City. Recruit highly talented students there.”
His palm opened, a storage ring floating to her, containing ten million cosmic veins.
Xiu Fan nodded, “Alright.”
She took the ring.
Ye Xuan added, “I’ll call you back if there’s a fight. Study the *Divine Dao Codex* thoroughly.”
Xiu Fan nodded slightly, “Got it.”
She turned and left.
Ye Xuan looked at the sword in his hand, troubled.
He craved a real fight, but ordinary Dongxuan Realm warriors were no match, and those above weren’t either.
The God Ancient Clan!
Ye Xuan frowned. Why hadn’t they come for him yet?
And that Ancient God?
Was his earlier bravado just a bluff?
Ye Xuan wouldn’t seek them out. Confident but not delusional, he knew more time to grow was better.
Still, he itched for battle!
He felt a bit like Big Brother Xiaoyaozi, Qing’er, or his father now.
In this Realm of Gods, invincible!
This invincible loneliness was… lonely.
The thought jolted him.
Every time he felt this way, a beating soon followed—never handsome for more than three days!
Damn, was he about to be set up?
Just then, an elder appeared, bowing deeply, “Young Master Ye, please help!”
It was the elder who’d followed Shen Lan.
Ye Xuan frowned, “What’s wrong?”
The elder said gravely, “The God Ancient Clan has come!”
God Ancient Clan!
Ye Xuan’s eyes narrowed.
The elder bowed again, “Please, Young Master Ye, come with me to the Cloud Realm!”
Ye Xuan nodded, stood, and vanished with the elder.
Cloud Realm.
Atop Cloud Mountain, Shen Lan faced a woman seated nearby, dressed in a spotless, flowing white robe, a strange vermilion dot between her brows.
Shen Lan’s expression was solemn.
The woman suddenly said, “Tomorrow, return to the clan with me.”
Her tone brooked no argument.
Shen Lan asked, “Who are you?”
The woman glanced at her, about to speak, when a man appeared before her.
It was Ye Xuan.
She eyed him, “Zhixuan Realm.”
Her gaze fell to the pen at his waist, calm, “You used that pen to kill Gu Qian.”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Yes.”
She sipped from a teacup on the stone table, “Great Dao Pen, but not the true body.”
Ye Xuan’s pupils shrank, shocked.
Who was she?
She recognised the Great Dao Pen and knew it was a mere fragment!
Ye Xuan mentally asked, “Pen Brother, your prestige doesn’t seem that high!”
Great Dao Pen: “…”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
He grew wary.
Clearly, his recent ease had set him up for trouble!
Was the Great Dao Pen orchestrating this?
His frown deepened.
The pen spoke, “Young Master Ye, your fate isn’t mine to control. Don’t blame me. If I had that power, I wouldn’t be bullied by your sister daily! This woman’s an ant to me, but you can’t wield my fragment’s full strength… Look to yourself for answers!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The woman studied him, “Special bloodline, carrying the Great Dao Pen. Even I’m curious about your origins.”
Ye Xuan asked, “You’re from the God Ancient Clan?”
She nodded.
Ye Xuan pressed, “Talk or fight?”
She replied calmly, “Either’s fine. Your choice.”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “Let’s talk.”
She nodded, “Alright.”
Ye Xuan smiled, “How may I address you?”
She looked at him, “Mind if I’m blunt?”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Not at all.”
Her expression was serene, “You’re not worthy to know my name.”
Ye Xuan’s face froze.
She added, “No offense, but you truly don’t qualify yet. If you feel insulted, we can fight…”
She pointed to the pen at his waist, “You can use it against me.”
Ye Xuan smiled faintly, “You’re quite arrogant.”
She shook her head, “It’s not arrogance. Your strength’s lacking, so you see it that way. I know you can’t unleash that pen’s true power. Honestly, I suggest we fight first, or you’ll mistakenly think you can speak as my equal.”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Another place?”
She shook her head, “No need. Strike here. I guarantee no blade of grass will be harmed.”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
Trouble!
He’d met a tough one!
No more pretending.
She stood, leaning forward, looming over him, “Fight?”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Fight!”
His palm opened, but the Great Dao Pen floated aside.
She glanced at it, “Not using the pen?”
Ye Xuan nodded, “No.”
She stared, “Then you have no chance.”
Ye Xuan asked, “With the pen?”
She replied, “Thirty percent chance.”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Please, enlighten me!”
A sword shot like a phantom toward her temple.
Void Slash!
Half an inch from her temple, it stopped!
Two fingers gripped the blade!
Her jade-like fingers held his sword, suppressing its entire force, not a wisp escaping!
Ye Xuan’s face grew grave.
His Void Slash, stopped so easily?
Worse, she’d contained the sword’s full power—what terrifying strength!
She gripped the sword, slashing it across his neck, “Good sword, fine technique. Pity, you’re too weak.”
She handed it back, “Again.”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “There’s a gap between us.”
She asked calmly, “Done fighting?”
Ye Xuan replied, “One more.”
He took the sword, and it vanished.
Another Void Slash!
This time, infused with Mortal World Sword Intent and Power!
Yet, her two fingers caught it again, though a trickle of blood seeped from them.
Her fingers were pierced!
She frowned, a glint of surprise in her eyes, “Your sword path… has some merit.”
Ye Xuan’s expression dimmed.
Damn it!
Handsome for less than three days!
Even with the Great Dao Pen, he’d failed!
He’d hoped to strut through the Gods’ Universe longer, but the slap came fast.
Life!
What a mess!
She asked, “What’s this sword path called?”
Ye Xuan answered, “Mortal World Sword Path.”
She murmured, “Mortal World Sword Path… not bad. Forged from mortal affairs… but your experience is shallow, only a small success. Still, its potential is vast.”
Ye Xuan asked calmly, “Are you going to kill me?”
She looked at him, “Will you threaten me with those behind you?”
Ye Xuan shook his head, “I lost fair and square.”
She nodded, a hint of approval, “You’re not bad. Admitting defeat so frankly, unlike other youths who, when beaten, either talk tough or pull strings.”
Ye Xuan: “…”
She returned the sword, “I won’t kill you, but you’ll come with me.”
Ye Xuan frowned, “Where?”
She said, “God Ancient Clan.”
With a wave, the sky shattered, revealing a massive vortex.
Ye Xuan hesitated, then said, “Fine.”
She glanced at him, “I thought you’d refuse.”
Ye Xuan replied, “A loss is a loss.”
She studied him, “No one in our clan’s younger generation matches you. Truth is, I want you to represent us in a martial contest. Win, and your feud with us is wiped clean.”
Ye Xuan asked, “If I lose?”
Her face was blank, “You’ll be beaten to death.”
Leaning closer, she added, “Don’t worry. If you die, I’ll avenge you alongside those behind you.”
Ye Xuan shook his head, “No need.”
She asked, “Why?”
He smiled faintly, “If I die, this endless universe will burn with me.”
Glancing around, he whispered, “This might sound like a brag, but this universe still exists because I, Ye Xuan, am alive!”
She stared, then shook her head, “Delusional.”
Ye Xuan: “…”
