Eventually, Ye An's face took on a crimson hue.

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Beside her, Zang Gang's face was equally flushed.

Clearly, neither of them could hold their liquor well.

The meal was warm and pleasant.

During their meal, Ye Guan learned many things about the outside world from Ye An. He also realized that his older sister had made significant progress in her cultivation over the years.

In a one-on-one fight, he could probably not defeat her now.

This was surprising, as Ye Guan's sword intent was almost as strong as the Qingxuan Sword—ninety percent as strong as the Qingxuan Sword to be exact. Yet, Ye An wasn't even in the top ten in the Nine Continent Domain.

Ye Guan shook his head with a smile. Perhaps it was indeed time for him to venture out and explore the world again.

Then, he was reminded of something and looked at Zang Gang. Ye An and Zhou Fan also turned their gazes toward her. They noticed her earlier change in expression.

Ye Guan asked, "Little Zang, have you heard about the Nine Continent Domain?"

Zang Gang took a sip of her drink and replied, "It sounds somewhat familiar."

Somewhat familiar?

Ye Guan frowned and glanced at Ye An.

Ye An looked at Zang Gang and transmitted,

"This girl might be from the Nine Continent Domain or have some connection to that place. And her Mad Demon Bloodline must have something to do with our family's karmic ties.

"Forget it; that is your problem to figure out. I'll just drink."

Ye Guan was at a loss for words.

Late at night, Zang Gang had collapsed on the table, drunk. While asleep, she would sometimes wave her weapon around and shout, "Kill!"

Although Ye An's face was flushed, she wasn't drunk. She was a cultivator, after all. Still, she was feeling a bit tipsy, as she hadn't suppressed the effects of the alcohol.

Ye An suggested, "Let's go for a walk."

Zhou Fan nodded. "Alright."

The three of them left the main hall and stepped outside. The sky was filled with countless stars, and the bright moon was hanging high. A gentle breeze blew around them, making the night pleasantly cool.

Ye An looked up at the starry sky and asked, "Little Brother, tell me what your goal truly is… is it to unite the entire universe?"

She no longer concealed Ye Guan's true identity, as there was no need to do so. Ye An realized that Zhou Fan had seen through Ye Guan's identity long ago, but she chose not to expose him.

Zhou Fan glanced at Ye Guan but remained silent.

Ye Guan nodded slightly. "Yes."

Ye An turned to Ye Guan. "This universe is vast. Over the years, I've travelled far and wide with our mother, witnessing countless powerful civilizations and top-tier experts. All I can say is that your journey is still incredibly long."

Ye Guan nodded again. "I know."

"Earlier, your wife made a very good point. You're still not famous enough, especially in the outside world. You have almost no presence in the broader universe. Most of the civilizations that have joined the Guanxuan Universe in recent years did so because of Aunt and Father's influence.

"Under such circumstances, it's only natural that those powerful figures from other civilizations won't fully trust or acknowledge you… I'm sorry for being blunt, but I hope you don't mind."

Ye Guan smiled. "I don't mind."

Ye An added, "I'm saying that you should venture out and explore. Take the Nine Continent Domain, for example. It's a place where young people can test themselves. It was only after going there that I truly realized that there's always someone stronger, and the sky is truly limitless."

Ye Guan fell silent. He was well aware of Ye An's extraordinary talent. Not only did she possess a terrifying natural aptitude for cultivation and a unique bloodline, but her teachers were also among the most powerful experts in existence.

Despite that, she still found the Nine Continent Domain to be a daunting challenge. That alone spoke volumes about how formidable the experts in that place were.

Instead of feeling discouraged, the brutal fact ignited Ye Gyan's fighting spirit. He also wanted to go out and experience the world—to meet the most outstanding talents from many different civilizations!

Suddenly, Ye An turned to Ye Guan and said, "I'm leaving now. Do your best."

With that, she transformed into a streak of spear light that vanished into the depths of the starry skies in the blink of an eye.

Watching her leave, Ye Guan smiled and muttered, "She has become much more cheerful than before."

When he first met Ye An, she had been reserved and quiet.

Now, she was open and spirited. Of course, her fiery temper remained unchanged.

Zhou Fan asked, "What are you going to do next?"

Ye Guan turned to her and asked. "Has this incident caused any trouble for you?"

"Yes," Zhou Fan said, admitting it readily. "But it's nothing too serious."

In truth, the upper echelons of the Great Zhou Empire were well aware of Ye Guan's terrifying power and the influence of the Guanxuan Academy. After all, the empire's greatest source of confidence was Plain Skirt Destiny's sword intent residing within its borders.

It was a protective charm that safeguarded the Great Zhou Imperial Family.

However, the people below them were unaware of that fact.

One key reason Zhou Fan could maintain control over the entire Great Zhou Empire was that its top sects and noble families supported her, like the Dao Clan, Abott Ci Tian, and Prime Minister Yuan. These people were the true pillars of the Great Zhou, maintaining its stability.

Ye Guan remarked, "That's a heavy burden."

Zhou Fan replied, "I can handle it."

Ye Guan saw the determined look in her eyes and smiled. He gently took her hand, and the two of them strolled at a leisurely pace.

Zhou Fan said, "I delegated power to my fourth brother because he represents the conservative faction. I hoped he could help me keep them in check, but I had no idea that they were so greedy…

"I truly underestimated the limits of human greed."

Ye Guan added, "What I'm most concerned about now is the people closest to us. Our family members are the people who will most likely fall to temptation.

"Their relationship with us means that many people will curry favor with them. Even some organizations within the Academy are wary of them. That makes it much easier for our loved ones to commit misdeeds."

He was reminded of the Heavenly Dragon Clan. Had it not been for their connection with Qianqian and himself, the Heavenly Dragon Clan wouldn't have dared to act so recklessly.

"And humans are inherently emotional," Ye Guan said, sighing quietly. "If those in power have relatives who make mistakes, how could they not be biased? Or worse, grant them special privileges that bring both wealth and power…"

The thought weighed heavily on his mind, and he sighed once again.

"Don't worry. I will gradually sort all of this out," Zhou Fan said, reassuring Ye Guan. Then, she added, "Let me handle these trivial matters. In a while, I will convene a meeting with the rulers of various civilizations and the heads of major families and clans to discuss those issues.

"By then, we will draft detailed plans, especially concerning regional governance. Once those issues are addressed, the territories under our control will become increasingly stable.

"This is the current strategic direction of the Guanxuan Universe. The top priority is to stabilize all civilizations, families, and sects.

"In a nutshell, it all comes down to distributing benefits. Only when there are sufficient vested interests at stake will these people willingly follow us."

Ye Guan advised, "Don't be too kind. When it's time to be ruthless, don't hesitate."

Zhou Fan nodded slightly. "Understood."

With that, the couple strolled slowly under the moonlight, talking as they walked the night away.

***

Heavenly World, Long Clan.

The ancestor of the Long Clan, Long Chen, was sitting in the grand hall of the clan's residence, and the clan's elders surrounded him. Long Dai was among them, and her face was exceedingly pale.

Long Chen's expression was extremely grim. His gaze was fixed on Long Dai, and it was seething with fury. He had never expected this disgraceful descendant of his to offend both the Chen Clan and the Great Zhou Empire.

Back then, they had yet to realize just how terrifying the Chen Clan and the Great Zhou were. However, he finally understood the gravity of the situation.

The Great Zhou was particularly terrifying, as even a single finger of theirs could easily crush the Long Clan.

The Long Chen had been living in constant fear since then, dreading the day when the Chen Clan or Great Zhou Empire would come knocking on their doors, seeking retribution.

Clan Leader Long Yun cautiously said, "Ancestor, about the Chen Clan and the Great Zhou…"

Everyone nervously looked at Long Chen.

Long Chen's expression darkened further as he snapped and roared, "It's all because of your daughter's foolish actions!"

Long Yun dared not respond, while Long Dai kept her head lowered in silence.

Long Chen continued, "Whether it's the Chen Clan or the Great Zhou, destroying us will be as simple as uttering a single word for them. I've already contacted a Great Zhou official, and he will be here soon.

"Our top priority is to execute the one responsible to quell their anger…"

Long Chen's gaze landed on Long Dai.

Everyone in the hall was shocked. Long Dai's face turned deathly pale. Her hands clenched tightly as she realized that her own ancestor was ready to sacrifice her to save the clan.

Long Yun hurriedly said, "Ancestor, how can we execute her?! She was deceived, so—"

"You fool!" Long Chen roared angrily. "If she isn't executed, how else can we pacify the Chen Clan and the Great Zhou?"

Long Yun replied, "Ancestor, even if we execute her, I fear the Chen Clan and Great Zhou still won't let us go."

Long Chen's eyes burned with fury as he hissed, "But what if executing her does ease their anger?"

"No, we absolutely can't do that!" Long Yun said, firmly rejecting the idea.

"Insolence!" Long Chen roared. Then, a terrifying aura erupted from him, enveloping Long Yun as he yelled, "Are you rebelling against me?!"

Under the crushing pressure, Long Yun struggled to breathe, but his gaze remained unwavering. "Ancestor, Long Dai is my daughter. I won't allow anyone to harm her."

"Impudent!" Long Chen bellowed again, unleashing a powerful wave of energy that suppressed Long Yun, forcing him to his knees. Despite the overwhelming pressure, Long Yun refused to yield.

Long Yun raised his head and stared fiercely at Long Chen, saying, "If you need to take someone's life to appease the Chen Clan and Great Zhou, take mine! But spare Long Dai's life!"

Long Chen shouted furiously, "Your life is worthless! Long Dai offended the Chen Clan and the Great Zhou for the sake of a mere ant. How could you still protect such a fool? If you won't kill her, I'll do it myself!"

Rumble!

A powerful aura seeped out of Long Yun. He stood up and glared at Long Chen as he said, "Ancestor, I'm her father. If anyone dares to touch her, I'll fight them to the death."

"You dare defy me?!" Long Chen exploded with rage and struck out with his palm towards Long Yun.

Long Yun threw a punch to counter the attack.

Bam!

A deafening explosion echoed through the hall as Long Yun was violently blasted away, crashing heavily on the ground outside. He spat several mouthfuls of blood, and his right arm shattered from the impact.

He wasn't Long Chen's match at all!

The experts of the Long Clan exchanged uneasy glances, none of them daring to utter a word.

Although Long Yun was the clan leader, Long Chen was their revered ancestor!

Long Dai hurried over to Long Yun's side. Seeing him covered in blood, she trembled and stammered, "F-Father…"

Long Yun glared fiercely at Long Chen from the ground.

Long Chen snarled, "Since you insist on protecting that fool, then you can go ahead and die with her!"

Swoosh!

Long Chen suddenly appeared in front of Long Yun and was about to deal a fatal blow when a young man appeared, accompanied by a woman in a dragon-embroidered robe.