Zang Gang came to a halt, glaring at He Lian with raging killing intent.

Sensing the overwhelming killing intent, He Lian felt a pang of unease. There was something wrong with her. Moreover, her audacity to kill someone so openly within the Immortal Treasures Pavilion suggested that she had an extraordinary background.

As a general manager, He Lian was accustomed to wielding absolute authority around here. He knew it was fine to bully ordinary people, but it was important not to provoke those who couldn't be provoked.

Doing so could easily lead to an irreparable disaster…

Faced with the fearless girl, He Lian was uneasy.

At this point, he had no choice; he could only see this through to the end.

Zang Gang stared coldly at He Lian without saying a word.

He Lian growled, "I'm going to kill him if you move!"

Zang Gang glanced at him disdainfully. "Kill him, and his noodle-cooking sister will kill you."

He Lian frowned.

Noodle-cooking sister? What the hell does that even mean?

From the sidelines, Chen Youdu interjected, "Young Lady, are you aware that killing someone from the Immortal Treasures Pavilion is a grave crime?"

Zang Gang turned her icy gaze on him. "And what about them trying to kill us?"

Chen Youdu was speechless.

Zang Gang shifted her gaze to Ye Guan. "What should we do?"

Ye Guan shook his head slightly, and a tinge of disappointment crossed his mind.

"Master Pagoda, I am really disappointed."

"What's wrong?"

"A mere member of the Immortal Treasures Pavilion is actually daring enough to act in such a tyrannical manner. This isn't just about abusing power; it's outright lawlessness under the guise of an official banner."

Little Pagoda remained silent.

Ye Guan scanned the crowd and added,

"These people aren't looking to resolve the issue. Their first instinct is to eliminate the person who raised it..."

Little Pagoda said softly,

"That's the way of the world. When your grandfather and I roamed the vast expanse back in the day, we saw far darker things than what you've seen. Honestly, things have improved drastically. Back then, it was all about who had the bigger fist; there weren't any rules nor restraint at all."

After a pause, Ye Guan muttered,

"The lower the level of a world, the darker its dealings are."

"An You," Ye Guan muttered.

Swoosh!

A black-robed man emerged from the shadows.

The black-robed man was none other than An You.

He Lian was terrified by the strange and sudden arrival of the newcomer.

"W-Who are you?" he stammered.

An You opened his palm, revealing a token.

He Lian's pupils shrank, and he collapsed to the ground.

The Dark Token!

The Immortal Treasures Pavilion's most formidable force, the Shadow Guards, answered only to the Pavilion Master and the Academy Master.

They had the authority to apprehend anyone within the Immortal Treasures Pavilion except the members of the Elder Circle.

They were a group that instilled fear in the people within the Immortal Treasures Pavilion. The Immortal Treasures Pavilion had just launched a large-scale anti-corruption and self-inspection campaign, and the managers in many different regions were dismissed and imprisoned as a result of it.

Never in his wildest dreams had He Lian imagined encountering a Shadow Guard here. However, he had no idea that An You was the leader of the Shadow Guards.

An You bowed slightly toward Ye Guan. "Young Master, shall I handle this?"

Ye Guan nodded lightly. He took Zang Gang's hand and began walking away. As they passed Chen Youdu, he suddenly asked, "Clearing out the pavilion's guests—was that your idea or someone else's?"

Chen Youdu, realizing Ye Guan was no ordinary person, dared not lie. "It was probably one of my subordinates."

Ye Guan nodded thoughtfully. "A tree that stands tall catches the wind. You're at the height of your career, so you need to act cautiously. Keep an eye on those around you. If they act unjustly in your name, you'll end up grappling with a disaster."

With that, he left with Zang Gang.

Chen Youdu stood frozen with cold sweat dripping down his back.

***

Outside the Immortal Treasures Pavilion, Ye Guan sighed softly and remarked, "Who could have thought that even a simple meal could turn into such a troublesome affair?"

Zang Gang calmly said, "I need to train."

Ye Guan looked at her curiously.

Zang Gang added, "Inside the pagoda."

"Feeling like you're not strong enough?" Ye Guan asked with a chuckle.

Zang Gang glanced at him. Her lips fluttered, but she remained silent.

Ye Guan encouraged her, saying, "You can say whatever's on your mind."

Zang Gang calmly replied, "Reasoning won't work. If you want them to admit they're wrong, you must be stronger and more powerful than them. Otherwise, they'll never realize their mistakes."

"So what do you think we should do?"

"Kill them."

Ye Guan fell silent.

Zang Gang observed him. "You don't like killing, do you?"

Ye Guan shook his head. "Not really. I just think killing alone won't resolve the problem."

Zang Gang didn't reply.

"But I'd say you're right," Ye Guan added, "Some people do deserve to die. When you're done training, I'll have a task for you."

Zang Gang raised an eyebrow. "What task?"

Ye Guan grinned. "Killing."

Zang Gang stared at him intently. "Have you been helping me just so I can work for you?"

"

Hahahaha!

" Ye Guan laughed heartily. "That's right!"

"I want a salary." Zang Gang replied in a matter-of-factly way.

"Fine, state your terms when the time comes."

Satisfied, Zang Gang nodded.

***

A short while later, Ye Guan led Zang Gang to the Divine Ruins.

When they stepped foot into the Divine Ruins, a middle-aged man appeared before them.

The Multiverse Emperor bowed respectfully. "Godfather."

Ye Guan glanced at him, speechless. "Just call me Academy Master."

The Multiverse Emperor hesitated before replying, "Once a father, always a father."

Ye Guan was rendered utterly speechless.

Zang Gang glanced at the Multiverse Emperor with a puzzled expression.

Godfather?

Ye Guan suddenly asked, "Where's Yian?"

"Lady Yian is in the Divine Ruins Imperial City."

"Take me there."

The Multiverse Emperor interjected, "Godfather, Lady Fan is still kneeling."

"Kneeling?" Ye Guan frowned.

The Multiverse Emperor explained, "Yes, your aunt made her kneel, saying that she'll have to wait until your return."

Aunt?

Ye Guan was stunned. He pondered over it briefly before saying, "Take me to her."

The Multiverse Emperor nodded and led Ye Guan and Zang Gang to Fan Zhaodi.

Fan Zhaodi's face darkened upon seeing Ye Guan.

Ye Guan was annoyed. "Why are you glaring at me? I'm not the one who made you kneel."

Fan Zhaodi remained silent, glaring at him.

Ye Guan turned to the Multiverse Emperor.

"Your aunt said that only you can release her," said the Multiverse Emperor.

Taking a closer look at Fan Zhaodi, Ye Guan realized that a mysterious force was making sure that she would remain kneeling.

Ye Guan said nothing and merely stared at Fan Zhaodi. He knew his aunt hadn't suppressed her for fun. There had to be a reason behind it.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Fan Zhaodi remained expressionless, and she didn't ask Ye Guan to release her, as her pride wouldn't allow her to bow toward Ye Guan.

Ye Guan suddenly turned to the Multiverse Emperor. "Tell me what happened; spare no detail."

The Multiverse Emperor nodded slightly and recounted everything.

After hearing the Multiverse Dao Emperor's recount, Ye Guan frowned and looked at Fan Zhaodi. "So you used my aunt to deal with the Genesis Daoist Temple?"

Fan Zhaodi remained silent.

Ye Guan turned around and started walking away.

Just then, Fan Zhaodi said, "Yes."

Ye Guan stopped and looked back at the Multiverse Emperor.

"Have you heard about the Genesis Daoist Temple?"

The Multiverse Emperor nodded. "Yes, but I'm not that familiar with them."

"Weren't you part of the Genesis Daoist Temple?"

The Multiverse Emperor smiled bitterly. "To be honest, I was just a gatekeeper there."

Ye Guan was taken aback. "A gatekeeper?"

"Yes. The Genesis Daoist Temple is an extremely ancient power. They have a Supreme Sovereign whose strength is..." the Multiverse Emperor trailed off, his expression becoming solemn.

Ye Guan asked, "Are they strong?"

The Multiverse Emperor nodded gravely. "Extremely strong. I stumbled upon an opportunity there, and it's the reason behind my strength. I also stumbled upon the Supreme Law Seal in that place.

"However, I never actually met the Supreme Sovereign. In fact, I never even saw his two divine attendants."

Ye Guan asked, "Divine attendants?"

"They're the Supreme Sovereign's two disciples, and they're incredibly strong."

Ye Guan was curious. "How strong?"

"They could easily crush us. Although we never met them, we saw their statues. Their aura was within the statues, and just a bit of it was enough to suppress me."

Ye Guan fell silent. It was hard to imagine how terrifying they were in their true forms.

The Multiverse Emperor looked at Ye Guan solemnly. "The Genesis Daoist Temple cannot be taken lightly."

Ye Guan nodded slightly. "I've been busy lately. If they come looking for trouble with me, I'll need you to handle it for me."

The Multiverse Emperor froze, and his face went stiff.

Ye Guan turned toward the kneeling Fan Zhaodi.

Fan Zhaodi's face was emotionless. "I know more."

Ye Guan's curiosity grew. "Tell me more."

Fan Zhaodi fixed her gaze on him. "Do you want me to kneel to tell you?"

Ye Guan responded, "Stand up."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the mysterious force around Fan Zhaodi vanished.

Fan Zhaodi immediately stood up.

Ye Guan smiled faintly at the sight and asked, "Master Pagoda, don't you think that counts as Dao Speech?"

Boom!

A mysterious force struck Ye Guan, and he keeled over, falling to the ground. Then, the same mysterious force smacked him on the buttocks, causing it to swell.