Chapter 1137: His Backers Are My Backers

Now that he thought about it, the behavior of both the heretic and the burly blacksmith was strange. He had no grievances with either of them. Even in a lawless place, it wouldn't make sense for them to target him as they had just met.

This could only mean one thing...

Her plan started as soon as I entered the Divine Ruins. And I'm sure her scheme isn't over yet.

Ye Guan's expression darkened.

Little Pagoda asked,

"If that's really the case, what will you do?"

"Even if this is a trap, it's also an opportunity for me."

"You're thinking of working with her?"

"Like she said, Master Pagoda, I can't keep relying on my aunt and father to solve every little problem for me. Right now, I can only take one step at a time."

Ye Guan gazed at the crimson clouds floating outside the grand hall. His eyes grew cold as he said "In the end, it's because I'm still too weak. If I were strong enough, I wouldn't need to play these games with anyone."

Little Pagoda said, "

Honestly, you're already doing quite well. As your father said, don't give yourself too much pressure. A little pressure is good, but too much will drive you mad."

Ye Guan nodded.

"I understand."

"Still, you need to be careful. You are sharp, but she seems even better at drawing the bigger picture. So far, every step you've taken has been within her calculations. Her cunningness is on another level—only I, Master Pagoda, can compare to her! So you better watch out!"

Ye Guan felt a twinge of speechlessness. He had no idea how to respond to that.

Just then, Fan Zhaodi appeared in the hall again. She smiled at Ye Guan and said, "Young Master Ye, it's dinner time. Would you care to join me?"

Ye Guan glanced at her. "Just the two of us?"

Fan Zhaodi nodded with a smile. "Just the two of us."

"Alright, why not?"

Fan Zhaodi's lips curved slightly. "It seems you've made your decision."

Ye Guan walked up to her with a faint smile. "What choice do I have? It feels like you've only given me one option, Lady Fan."

Fan Zhaodi's smile deepened. "That's life, isn't it? Many times, we don't really have a choice. But isn't that what makes it interesting?"

With that, she turned around and walked away. Ye Guan stared deeply at her back before following her.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Fan Zhaodi led him to a circular hall, and its vast space was almost empty except for a single dining table in the center. The atmosphere was cold and lonely. The table, however, was laden with a wide variety of dishes.

Fan Zhaodi gestured gracefully. "Please, take a seat, Young Master Ye."

Ye Guan sat across from her, his gaze sweeping over the food. "Lady Fan, since we're going to work together from now on, may I ask you a few questions?"

"Ask away."

"Who is the biggest obstacle to unifying the Divine Ruins?"

"If we're talking about the strongest enemy of my Imperial City right now, then it would undoubtedly be the Otherworld City. As for the biggest obstacle to unifying the Divine Ruins, there's someone else, but I can't tell you about them just yet."

Ye Guan frowned slightly.

Fan Zhaodi met his gaze and said, "Anything else you'd like to know, I'll answer honestly."

Ye Guan asked, "What's the relationship between the Evil Dao of the Guanxuan Universe and you?"

Fan Zhaodi replied, "We're sisters."

Ye Guan's frown deepened.

"Don't worry." Fan Zhaodi chuckled. "I have no intentions of rescuing her for now. She has her destiny to fulfill. Whether or not you can defeat her in the future will depend on you. And don't worry about your wife—I've met her before, and she's far stronger than you think."

Ye Guan's heart tightened. "You've met Sister Zhen before?"

"Yes. She's incredibly powerful—beyond imagination."

Ye Guan fell silent.

Fan Zhaodi picked up her chopsticks and gestured toward the food. "Enough talk. Try the dishes I made."

Ye Guan hesitated but picked up a piece of meat and tasted it. To his surprise, the flavor was unlike anything he had ever tasted.

Fan Zhaodi grinned and proudly said, "That's a piece of spiritual meat from the Divine Ruins. How is it?"

Ye Guan nodded. "It's good."

Fan Zhaodi took a bite herself and reminisced, "When I was a child, this meat was my favorite. But back then, it was a luxury I couldn't afford."

Ye Guan looked at her. "Lady Fan, I assume you already have a plan?"

"The first step is to strengthen you."

Ye Guan raised an eyebrow. "How?"

Fan Zhaodi's eyes glinted. "By absorbing the fragments of the Supreme Law."

Ye Guan frowned.

Fan Zhaodi continued, "For others, absorbing these fragments is merely a way to obtain power. But for you, it's a way to test and challenge your laws."

Understanding dawned on Ye Guan as he asked, "You mean to use the Supreme Law of the Divine Ruins to test my Guanxuan Laws?"

Fan Zhaodi nodded approvingly. "Exactly. But it's not just about testing; it's also about learning. Take what is useful and discard what isn't. The laws of the Supreme Law can be burdensome to you but many can be useful.

"As for how you can make use of those laws... it's all up to you."

Ye Guan fell into deep thought.

Fan Zhaodi added, "I've studied your Guanxuan Laws. Its Order is impressive, but it's immature. That's why you need to learn from the Supreme Law. And the best way to do that is to practice them yourself."

Ye Guan looked at her and asked, "And what about challenging the laws?"

Fan Zhaodi smiled slyly. "That's where your Guanxuan Law comes in. If you can use it to overturn the decaying Supreme Laws, your sword intent will reach new heights."

Fan Zhaodi's words struck a chord in Ye Guan.

"Before that," Fan Zhaodi continued, "you need to absorb enough fragments of the Supreme Law to experience its principles for yourself."

Ye Guan nodded. "Alright. I'll follow your lead."

Fan Zhaodi's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Good."

Just then, an elder in red robes approached, bowing respectfully. "Your Majesty, everything is ready."

Fan Zhaodi rose from her seat and turned to Ye Guan. "Let's go to the Otherworld Battlefield."

Ye Guan nodded. "Alright."

Fan Zhaodi rose gracefully. In the blink of an eye, she and Ye Guan were standing before a vast battlefield shrouded in eerie silence.

Fan Zhaodi's gaze lingered on the abyss. "Within this spacetime abyss lies a relic—the heart of the battlefield where the Otherworld God and General Qiong Ye fell in combat. The divine artifacts they had left behind are at its core, and General Qiong Ye's Supreme Law Heart is there as well."

Ye Guan turned to her with a frown. "Supreme Law Heart?"

Fan Zhaodi nodded, and her voice was stern as she explained, "A Supreme Law Heart is formed by absorbing countless fragments of the Supreme Law.

"It is the source of their unparalleled power. However, forming such a heart is nearly impossible.

"Since the Supreme Law Seal shattered, only a handful of individuals in the Divine Ruins have managed to form the Supreme Law Heart."

Fan Zhaodi looked directly at Ye Guan, her eyes sharp. "Your goal is simple—retrieve General Qiong Ye's Supreme Law Heart and the Divine Heart of the Otherworld God."

Ye Guan's tone grew heavier. "Are they still there?"

"Yes."

Ye Guan's gaze sharpened as he studied her, sensing something more behind her calm exterior.

Fan Zhaodi smiled faintly, seemingly expecting his doubts. "The reason they remain untouched isn't that we don't want them; it is simply because we can't take them away.

"The core region is guarded by their powerful lingering wills, and only the mightiest of warriors could withstand it.

"We've been delaying the operation to retrieve those things, but the ruthless passage of time has worn down those wills, allowing the younger generation to step in."

"You aren't allowed to intervene?"

Fan Zhaodi nodded. "Yes, it was an agreement among all parties."

"Why?" Ye Guan asked, confused.

Fan Zhaodi chuckled, and her voice carried a hint of amusement as she replied, "Think of us as something like the Milky Way's nuclear weapons—terrifying in power. We can exist, but we cannot act recklessly.

"If unleashed, the fallout would destroy everyone."

Fan Zhaodi cast a calm gaze at the abyss. "Go. If you obtain the Divine Heart and the Supreme Law Heart, devour them immediately. They increase your strength drastically.

"However, I must warn you—every faction has sent their strongest young elites to obtain those items. I can ensure you won't face unfair fights, but if you can't defeat your peers, then you're on your own.

"I'm holding back their elders, but they're doing the same to me."

Fan Zhaodi opened her palm and a beam of golden light shot into Ye Guan's forehead. "This will guide you."

Ye Guan nodded and turned toward the abyss, walking with purpose and determination.

Fan Zhaodi called out, "Young Master Ye."

Ye Guan stopped and turned back.

"Stay safe," she said gently.

Ye Guan said nothing and hopped onto his sword.

With a leap, he soared into the sky and vanished into the distance.

Moments later, a mysterious masked figure draped in a flowing black robe appeared silently next to Fan Zhaodi.

The masked figure stared at the spacetime abyss and asked, "Empress Fan, will he cooperate with you?"

Fan Zhaodi smiled faintly. "He will."

The masked figure turned toward her. "What is the Iron God Clan planning to do?"

"The Temporal Dao Hall and the Iron God Clan are planning to kill him in there," the masked figure replied, "As for the Divine Law Academy and the Titan Clan, their intentions are unclear. But do you truly believe he'll survive?"

Fan Zhaodi's gaze lingered on the abyss, and her lips curved into a faint smile. "If he can't withstand that trial, how could he ever become... the

man

of the Divine Ruins?"

Fan Zhaodi's smile deepened, tinged with a sharp edge.

The masked figure glanced at her, hesitation flashing across his eyes.

Fan Zhaodi's voice was calm but firm. "You think I'm scheming?"

The masked figure nodded.

Fan Zhaodi chuckled softly. "I won't deny it. I've played my cards, but only to ensure that he will stand on my side."

"Do you know why villains often meet their end?" asked Fan Zhaodi with a sharp light in her eyes.

The masked figure remained silent, waiting.

"It's because they often choose the wrong side. When a villain chooses the right side, however, they stop being a villain. They become the protagonist and the embodiment of justice," Fan Zhaodi said.

Her gaze shifted to the vast starry sky, and her voice turned cold as she added, "From now on, I stand with Young Master Ye. His backers are my backers. As for those in our way—they're going to die—every last one of them will die."