Before Bi Yao stood a blurry figure, barely discernible.
The figure chuckled, “Miss Bi Yao has sharp eyes!”
Bi Yao’s expression remained calm. “Whether it’s the past or the future, I’m not particularly interested.”
The figure laughed softly. “I come from the future. Doesn’t Miss Bi Yao want to hear about the fate of the Ancient God Clan?”
Bi Yao smiled. “Now that you mention it, I’m a bit curious. Go on, tell me.”
The figure said, “Miss Bi Yao dies, and the Ancient God Clan is wiped out.”
Bi Yao’s expression didn’t waver. “Is that so?”
The figure laughed. “Clan Leader Bi Yao is quite composed.”
Bi Yao shook her head with a smile. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
The figure replied, “We’d like to invite Clan Leader Bi Yao to join us in a grand endeavor.”
Bi Yao thought for a moment, then asked, “What’s your stance on Young Master Ye?”
The figure said, “He can influence the future’s course—an unstable factor that must be eliminated.”
At that, Bi Yao sighed softly. “Do you think I’m as foolish as Jiang Ni?”
The figure looked at her. “What does Clan Leader Bi Yao mean?”
Bi Yao smiled. “What do I mean?”
With that, she shook her head, turned, and walked away.
The figure watched her retreating form, silent.
Suddenly, Bi Yao said, “Arrogance born of ignorance is the nature of the narrow-minded. The less they’ve seen, the more superior they feel. Their limited experience makes their beliefs absolute, as they’ve never encountered anything beyond their understanding.”
Her mind flashed back to that woman sword cultivator’s earth-shattering strike.
That sword had reshaped her worldview.
That sword made her realize—Third Knowledge Realm? What a joke.
The figure suddenly spoke. “Miss Bi Yao, you may misunderstand our strength.”
Bi Yao waved dismissively. “I’m not interested in joining the Past Sect or you.”
With that, she vanished into the distance.
The figure stood silent for a long time before turning to leave.
…
Elsewhere, Bi Yao opened her palm, revealing a transmission talisman. She had recorded the entire conversation.
With a flick, the talisman turned into a beam of light, streaking into the distant starry sky.
A sly smile curved her lips. “Young Master Ye, you owe me another favor!”
She grinned like a cunning fox.
…
Somewhere in the starry expanse, Ye Xuan, traveling through a temporal tunnel with the Dao God, suddenly glanced to his right. A transmission talisman appeared.
He opened his palm, and the talisman landed in his hand. Soon, a mysterious voice played—the figure’s voice.
After listening, Ye Xuan frowned.
People from the future?
Targeting him?
He couldn’t wrap his head around it. The Past Sect was after him, and now the future too? What had he even done?
The Dao God suddenly said, “The Past Sect targets you, and now the future does too. You’re in deep trouble.”
Ye Xuan glanced at her. “Doesn’t your Dao Sect care about them? They’re disrupting order!”
She replied coolly, “Aren’t you disrupting order too? We haven’t stopped you.”
Ye Xuan smiled. “Miss Dao God, I think some changes in the Dao Sect wouldn’t be a bad thing. What do you think?”
She fell silent.
He grinned. “Ever taken a bribe?”
She glanced at him. “My sleeves are clean, my conscience clear!”
Ye Xuan gave a thumbs-up, but before he could speak, she added, “I only took a little. Just enough.”
His expression froze, and he quietly lowered his thumb.
She said calmly, “We work hard; we need to survive too, don’t you think?”
Ye Xuan stayed silent.
She continued, “If you became the Dao Sect’s leader, what would you do?”
He thought for a moment, then asked, “What do you hope I’d do?”
She looked at him. “Would you purge everyone who’s taken bribes?”
He shook his head with a smile. “Miss Dao God, you don’t understand your master or the current situation. That’s not a good thing for you.”
His smile faded as he looked at her. “Don’t hold onto false hopes, understand?”
She stared at him. After a long pause, she asked, “Is my master having you establish a new order?”
Ye Xuan smiled. “What do you think?”
She paused, then said, “Young Master Ye, stop with the vague talk. If it’s true, just tell me!”
He chuckled and looked ahead. “Are we there?”
She turned to see a white light in the distance.
She nodded slightly. “We’re here.”
They passed through the white light.
Soon, they emerged before a bamboo forest. A stone path ran through its center, leading to a delicate bamboo hut. Behind the hut, a hundred-meter-high, dozens-of-meters-wide waterfall cascaded into a pool, sending countless waves rippling.
It was serene.
The Dao God gazed at the hut, her expression complex.
After a moment, she said softly, “Let’s go.”
She walked toward the hut, and Ye Xuan, glancing around, followed.
As they reached the hut, Ye Xuan noticed a woman inside, her long hair draped over her shoulders, dressed in a simple white gown, holding an ancient book.
He looked at the Dao God. “Who is she?”
She whispered, “She once served my master, part of the Dao Sect. I don’t know much beyond that. I heard she kept asking my master for something, but he never granted it…”
The woman turned, and Ye Xuan saw her face—stunningly beautiful, unforgettable.
Her gaze landed on the Dao God. “Dao God.”
The Dao God smiled lightly. “Jiang Lian.”
Jiang Lian nodded slightly, then glanced at Ye Xuan. “This is Ye Xuan?”
The Dao God nodded.
Jiang Lian said softly, “The King of Backers…”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened. “You can call me Ye Xuan.”
She glanced at him. “Do you have business here?”
The Dao God said earnestly, “He can open the box our master left.”
Jiang Lian’s brows furrowed.
The Dao God led them into the hut. Inside, Ye Xuan saw shelves packed with ancient books.
A library!
The Dao God sat before Jiang Lian. “Let him try.”
Jiang Lian remained silent.
The Dao God said softly, “The Past Sect has appeared, and now people from the future too. We need to contact our master, or things will spiral out of control.”
After a pause, Jiang Lian said, “Let him try.”
She stood, walked to a shelf, and retrieved a black box, handing it to Ye Xuan.
He examined it. It looked ordinary.
“This is what your master left?” he asked.
The Dao God nodded. “Yes.”
He looked at her. “You can’t contact your master either?”
She nodded slightly. “It’s been ages since we could. Otherwise, how could the Past Sect and those from the future act so boldly?”
Ye Xuan placed his hand on the box. A seal appeared—left by the master of the Great Dao Pen.
He thought for a moment, then drew the Qingxuan Sword. The moment he did, the seal began to fade.
Ye Xuan was speechless.
That was too much face!
The Dao God gave him an odd look but said nothing.
Jiang Lian glanced at him, her eyes holding shock and curiosity.
The box slowly opened, revealing a palm-sized azure token with a small “Dao” inscribed on it.
Seeing it, the Dao God and Jiang Lian’s expressions shifted dramatically.
Ye Xuan asked curiously, “What is it?”
The Dao God said gravely, “The Dao Token! It’s as if our master himself were here. All must obey it!”
She looked at Ye Xuan. “Anyone in the Dao Sect!”
He glanced at the two women, smiling. “Congratulations to you both!”
But they just stared at him, silent.
He frowned. “Why are you looking at me?”
They kept staring, saying nothing.
His voice grew serious. “Don’t tell me this is meant for me.”
The Dao God pointed at the token. “Try picking it up.”
He hesitated, then took it. The moment he did, it turned into a beam of azure light and merged into his brow.
Boom!
A brilliant azure light erupted from him, and above his head, a large azure “Dao” appeared.
Seeing this, the two women’s expressions grew incredibly complex.
Ye Xuan was still confused when the Small Pen spoke. “Congratulations!”
He asked inwardly, “What’s that mean?”
The Small Pen explained, “This token acknowledges you, meaning you can command the entire Dao Sect! Without our master, you’re the highest authority. You can order any department or person in the Dao Sect, and they wouldn’t dare disobey!”
Ye Xuan asked, “Why me?”
The Small Pen paused, then said, “Maybe because you’re handsome?”
Ye Xuan ignored it, his instincts screaming that something was off. The master of the Great Dao Pen might be setting him up.
Was anything ever this good?
He looked at the Dao God and Jiang Lian, smiling. “Look, I’m not part of the Dao Sect. It’s not right for me to hold this token. I can give it to you!”
He tried to remove it, only to find, to his shock, that it wouldn’t come out.
He froze.
Was this a forced sale?
The Dao God’s expression was complex. “You really are the one our master chose…”
She paused, then said, “I’ll be honest. I’ve taken some bribes over the years, but not too much. I know plenty of others who’ve done worse. I want to report them, to atone through merit…”
Ye Xuan: “…”
