Ye Xuan hadn’t expected Han Zhu to be unaware of the Past Sect.
That wasn’t right!
Han Zhu added, “I’ve genuinely never heard of this so-called Past Sect. Is it famous?”
Ye Xuan shook his head slightly, “If you haven’t heard of it, never mind.”
He smiled and said, “I’ll always remember your help today, Han Zhu. If you ever need anything…”
Han Zhu interrupted, “I need something now.”
Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
Looking at him, Han Zhu asked, “Is that a problem?”
Ye Xuan laughed, “Not at all! Tell me.”
Han Zhu said gravely, “I need you to save someone.”
Ye Xuan asked, “Sealed by the Great Dao Pen’s Master?”
Han Zhu nodded, “Yes.”
Ye Xuan hesitated, then asked, “What kind?”
Han Zhu replied, “Also for embezzlement.”
Ye Xuan was speechless.
How many embezzlers were in the Dao Sect?
Han Zhu added, “Can you do it?”
Ye Xuan thought for a moment, “How long have they been sealed?”
Han Zhu said, “Tens of millions of years.”
Ye Xuan paused, then asked, “Really just embezzlement?”
Han Zhu nodded, “I swear it.”
Ye Xuan said, “Take me there.”
Han Zhu smiled, “Thank you.”
She took Ye Xuan, and they vanished.
Deep in a starry void, Han Zhu led Ye Xuan through space and time.
Ye Xuan suddenly asked mentally, “Little Pen, what did you embezzle back then?”
The Great Dao Pen replied, “Everything.”
Ye Xuan gave a thumbs-up, “You’re really something.”
He paused, then asked, “Where’s the stuff?”
The Great Dao Pen said, “The Master confiscated it all.”
Ye Xuan was instantly disappointed. All gone!
The Great Dao Pen sighed, “It wasn’t that I wanted to embezzle, but they offered so much.”
Ye Xuan was speechless.
The Great Dao Pen continued, “After you founded the Academy, you should watch this issue closely. As the Master said, you can control yourself, but others might not. If your Academy starts rotting from within, it’ll be a disaster.”
Ye Xuan nodded. He’d always taken this seriously.
Internal corruption in the Guanxuan Academy would be catastrophic for many.
Han Zhu suddenly said, “We’re here.”
Ye Xuan looked ahead. In the depths of the starry void floated a pitch-black palace.
Han Zhu said, “Let’s go in.”
Ye Xuan nodded.
They approached the palace. Ye Xuan looked up; it had no plaque, an unnamed structure.
Han Zhu led him inside, where a chilling aura hit him.
As they ventured deeper, Ye Xuan glanced to his right. In a corner sat an old man. Seeing Han Zhu, the old man’s eyes opened, “Han Zhu?”
Han Zhu glanced at him, “Gu Xing, you’re still alive.”
The old man, Gu Xing, quickly asked, “What are you doing here?”
Han Zhu blinked, “Saving someone.”
Gu Xing looked at Ye Xuan, sizing him up, then said eagerly, “Young Master, your name?”
Ye Xuan replied, “Ye Xuan.”
Gu Xing’s voice trembled, “Young Master Ye, could you save me? If you do, I’ll pledge myself to you.”
Ye Xuan shook his head and turned to Han Zhu, “Let’s go.”
Han Zhu nodded, and they continued deeper.
Gu Xing called out, “Young Master Ye… Young Master Ye…”
Ye Xuan didn’t look back.
He wasn’t running a charity.
He’d learned his lesson about saving strangers. Some, instead of gratitude, might bite the hand that saved them.
Soon, Han Zhu led him to the palace’s depths. A stone pillar stood before them, beside which sat a man.
The man bore a slight resemblance to Han Zhu.
He opened his eyes, saw Han Zhu, and froze, “Sis?”
Sis!
Ye Xuan glanced at Han Zhu but said nothing.
Han Zhu asked gravely, “You okay?”
The man gave a faint smile, “Not dead yet.”
Han Zhu said, “You don’t have to stay here anymore.”
She turned to Ye Xuan, “Please, Young Master Ye.”
Ye Xuan glanced at the man, said nothing, and opened his palm. The Qingxuan Sword appeared. As before, a seal appeared above the man’s head, then faded.
The man froze, looked at his hands, and whispered, “The seal’s gone.”
Han Zhu turned to Ye Xuan, sincerely saying, “Thank you.”
Ye Xuan smiled, “No need.”
Han Zhu nodded, then looked at the man with a complex expression, “Anan, you’re free.”
The man, Anan, stood slowly, closing his eyes. After a moment, he took a deep breath, trembling, “Free.”
He looked at Ye Xuan, “I owe you one.”
Ye Xuan smiled, “No need. I owed your sister a favor, and saving you repays it.”
Anan shook his head, “My sister’s debt is hers, mine is mine.”
He opened his palm, and a transmission talisman floated to Ye Xuan, “If you ever need help, activate this. No matter your enemy or their strength, I’ll fight for you.”
Ye Xuan thought, then took the talisman, “Alright.”
He turned to Han Zhu, “We’ll meet again.”
Han Zhu nodded, “Take care, Young Master Ye.”
Ye Xuan turned and left.
After he departed, Anan asked, “Sis, who is he?”
Han Zhu said softly, “A rebel.”
Anan froze.
Leaving the palace, Ye Xuan glanced back. He’d noticed at least four others imprisoned inside, all top-tier experts.
He asked gravely, “Little Pen, do you know how many the Dao Sect has locked up by your Master?”
The Great Dao Pen paused, then said, “No idea, but definitely a lot.”
Ye Xuan frowned, “Didn’t your Master have capable aides?”
The Great Dao Pen said, “There’s Dao Ling, his right hand. Absolutely impartial, with the power to act first and report later. She’s terrifying. No one in the Dao Sect doesn’t fear her. She shows no mercy—if you break the rules, you’re punished.”
Ye Xuan laughed, “That’s good, isn’t it?”
The Great Dao Pen sighed, saying no more.
It had suffered greatly back then.
Ye Xuan smiled, “Little Pen, from what Mu Sheng and Han Zhu said, you were quite a figure before.”
The Great Dao Pen sighed again, “That’s all in the past. Why bring it up?”
Ye Xuan laughed, “Alright, it’s the past. No more.”
He soared off on his sword, vanishing into the starry void.
The Great Dao Pen was speechless.
It was just being modest—why’d he stop talking?
Keep going!
How else could it show off?
Shortly after Ye Xuan left, a woman in a black robe appeared, watching him from afar, lost in thought.
Suddenly, the space beside her split, and three figures emerged, led by Mu Sheng, who had supposedly left.
Mu Sheng looked at the black-robed woman, “You’re from the Past Sect.”
The woman gave her a cold glance, sneering, “Dao Sect.”
Mu Sheng frowned. Suddenly, she lunged, throwing a punch at the woman.
The woman remained calm, raising her arm to block.
Boom!
The space within millions of feet around them shattered into dust.
Neither retreated a step.
The black-robed woman clenched her left fist, swinging at Mu Sheng’s head.
Mu Sheng’s eyes flashed with disdain. She threw a punch at the woman’s head.
A life-for-life exchange.
The woman didn’t back down.
Bam! Bam!
Their fists connected with each other’s heads, and they stumbled back thousands of feet.
Yet both were unharmed.
Han Zhu frowned, looking at the black-robed woman, “You train your body too.”
Mu Sheng laughed, “This is interesting.”
The woman sneered, “Interesting, my ass.”
Mu Sheng froze, then cursed, “Screw your grandma.”
Han Zhu’s face darkened.
They were cursing now?
After cursing, Mu Sheng charged, throwing a punch that unleashed a torrent of terrifying force.
The woman’s eyes gleamed ferociously. She darted forward, meeting Mu Sheng head-on.
Both refused to yield, clashing directly.
Boom!
A devastating force erupted, sending both women reeling back.
After retreating ten thousand feet, the black-robed woman didn’t attack again. She tore through space and vanished.
Seeing her flee, Mu Sheng frowned deeply.
Han Zhu and Anan approached. Han Zhu said gravely, “Why are these people showing up now… and more importantly, Ye Xuan knows about them. That’s not normal.”
Mu Sheng said, “She was following Ye Xuan.”
Han Zhu asked, “She wants to kill him?”
Mu Sheng nodded.
Han Zhu frowned, “Why?”
Mu Sheng shrugged, “No idea.”
She turned to leave.
Han Zhu asked, “Where to?”
Mu Sheng didn’t look back, “To herd my sheep.”
Han Zhu was speechless.
