Chapter 1352: If There Is Karma, Let It Fall Upon Me

Hundreds of swordsmen?

Ye Guan glanced out the window and smiled. "They're probably here for this sword."

He took out a broken sword.

The sword was not extravagant. Its blade bore the marks of time, the once-intricate engravings had faded, and there were visible chips on its edge. A huge chunk of its blade was missing, and its tip no longer felt sharp.

At first glance, it seemed completely unremarkable.

Diyi Jingzhao gazed at the sword, curiosity flashing in her eyes. She could sense that it was extraordinary, but she couldn't discern much beyond that.

Ye Guan smiled. "This sword is far from ordinary; it's an Emperor-grade weapon."

An Emperor-grade weapon!

She was surprised. She looked at Ye Guan, and her eyes were filled with curiosity and doubt. An Emperor-grade weapon was no trivial thing. It was a divine weapon once wielded by a Supreme Emperor, infused with their power.

Emperor-grade weapons were the highest grade treasures in the known universe.

Of course, Ye Guan's Qingxuan Sword was different. Although it was an Emperor-grade weapon, its spirit, Little Soul, was a Supreme Emperor. It was something entirely beyond comparison.

Ye Guan chuckled. "Surprised?"

Diyi Jingzhao studied the broken sword and said, "If it's an Emperor-grade weapon, it must have belonged to an ancestor of the Emperor Sword Clan. No wonder those swordsmen won't back down."

Ye Guan raised an eyebrow. "Emperor Sword Clan?"

He still wasn't too familiar with the major clans of the Ten Desolate Universe.

Diyi Jingzhao nodded. "The Supreme Emperor of the Emperor Sword Clan was extraordinary. He was the second Supreme Emperor after the Diyi Clan's Supreme Emperor.

"However, they never managed to produce another Supreme Emperor after him. Even so, no one dares to provoke them. Those swordsmen are incredibly strong and united. No one wants to make an enemy out of them."

Ye Guan nodded. "I see."

Diyi Jingzhao added, "If they dare make a move here, they're all going to die."

The Emperor Sword Clan was strong, but the Diyi Clan had no reason to fear them, especially since this was their territory.

Ye Guan glanced sideways at her, who quietly picked up another piece of sweet and sour pork. Noticing his gaze on her, she hesitated for a moment before popping it into her mouth.

Before they knew it, she finished the entire plate of sweet and sour pork all by herself!

Ye Guan chuckled and turned his attention back to the broken sword in his hand. The moment he touched it, the sword's spirit had already formed a spiritual connection with him.

It wanted to enter his sea of consciousness and submit to him.

Ye Guan could sense that this sword spirit was weak. It desperately wanted to connect with Ye Guan so that it could heal and recover. It was practically begging him for help.

For the sword, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After countless years, it had finally encountered a Sword Sovereign, after all!

The woman's words earlier had nearly driven it mad with rage. It almost flew up and cut her down.

Ye Guan talked to it telepathically, saying,

"I can tell that you're incomplete. What happened?"

The sword spirit replied respectfully,

"Sword Sovereign, the Emperor Sword Clan's current leader is an ambitious man. He tried to consume me to make a breakthrough into the Supreme Emperor realm, but I discovered his intentions and barely managed to escape.

"However, I was severely wounded in the process. That man is truly treacherous! If I hadn't followed my master into the Suiming Ruins back then and gotten myself gravely injured, I could have killed him with a single strike.

"The thought of it alone is infuriating!"

Ye Guan was surprised. "You were the Emperor Sword Clan's Supreme Emperor's personal sword. How could he dare to do such a thing?"

The broken sword spirit replied, "He originally wanted me to recognize him as my master, but has he ever looked in the mirror? How audacious of him! When I refused, he resorted to scheming against me, and he even attempted to devour my essence to strengthen himself.

"If he had succeeded, he would have indeed made some advancements. I'm truly infuriated. If it weren't for the injury to my soul and this karmic suppression on me, I would have cut him down with a single strike."

Ye Guan chuckled. "How do you want me to help you?"

"It will be a trivial matter for you. With just a single word, you can dispel the karma binding me."

"How so?"

"All the karma tied to this sword is on me at the moment."

Ye Guan's face immediately darkened.

Damn it! This sneaky little fellow was trying to find someone to take the blame for it.

"Is that... okay with you?" asked the sword spirit.

"Look at me." Ye Guan scowled. "I have no cultivation. Do you really think that my word will hold any power?"

"You're a Supreme Emperor!" The sword spirit quickly said, Your words are like an imperial decree that is acknowledged by the heavens and the earth. Say it, and all the karma afflicting me will vanish. Moreover, this karma isn't necessarily bad. To me, it is a burden, but if you willingly take it upon yourself, it might transform into positive karma."

Ye Guan's curiosity was piqued. "How does that work?"

The sword spirit elaborated, "I hold little weight. The one who injured me had no reason to negotiate with me. But if you take on this karma, they will be forced to treat it with caution. They won't refuse, as it means you'll owe them a favor, and a favor from a Supreme Emperor is priceless."

Ye Guan fell silent. He hadn't expected such a loophole to exist. Being a Supreme Emperor really did come with some serious perks!

The sword spirit added, "If you're willing to aid me, I promise to follow you for a thousand years. Any command you give, I will obey without question."

Ye Guan stared at it for a moment, then finally placed it into his sea of consciousness and said, "If there's karma on you, then let it fall upon me."

Just then, the broken sword trembled slightly. The next moment, all the karma on it disappeared, and Ye Guan felt a faint, almost imperceptible presence on him. It was the aura of karma. The one who placed the karma on the broken sword had accepted his favor.

He couldn't help but be a little surprised. Apparently, the reputation of a Supreme Emperor was really that valuable!

The broken sword exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you! Thank you..."

Ye Guan smiled. "Now, can the leader of the Emperor Sword Clan still do anything to you?"

"If he dares to put me into his sea of consciousness and devour me, I will devour him instead."

Ye Guan nodded. "Now that I have you, the Emperor Sword Clan will definitely not let this slide. If they choose to be friendly, I will be friendly, too. But if they choose to be hostile... well, I guess I'll just have to take on the Emperor Sword Clan."

The broken sword was utterly speechless.

Ye Guan looked at Diyi Jingzhao, who was sitting opposite him, and asked, "Miss Jingzhao, I'd like to buy some books, specifically regarding the history and culture of this place. Is there a place here that sells such things?"

"Go to Mu Pavilion. It's also on the tenth level. Their ancestors had a passion for collecting all kinds of ancient books. You might find something you like there."

Ye Guan nodded. "Alright."

Before long, the two arrived at Mu Pavilion. As soon as they reached the entrance, an elderly manager walked over to greet them. He gave them a once-over before smiling warmly, saying, "Welcome to Mu Pavilion."

Ye Guan turned to Diyi Jingzhao.

Diyi Jingzhao explained, "From the tenth to the eighteenth floor, each floor is owned by different Supreme Emperor Clans and Immortal Clans. Every shop here is exclusive, and the lowest grade of items sold here are Saint-grade items."

Diyi Jingzhao took out a crystal card and handed it to the manager.

The manager received it respectfully and infused it with a trace of energy. A series of numbers instantly appeared on the card.

Upon seeing the digits, the manager's eyes flashed with astonishment. He hurriedly returned the crystal card with both hands, and his demeanor was even more respectful than before.

Diyi Jingzhao took back the card and then led Ye Guan further inside.

On the way, Ye Guan asked curiously, "What was that just now?"

Diyi Jingzhao replied, "A financial verification."

Ye Guan frowned slightly. "A financial verification?"

Diyi Jingzhao nodded. "Everything sold on the tenth to eighteenth floors consists of high-end divine treasures, and they only serve individuals with enough status and wealth. To enter, you must first go through a financial verification. They need to confirm that you have the purchasing power before allowing you inside."

Looking around, Ye Guan noticed that this floor was rather busy. Shops lined both sides, and each shop was interconnected, selling all kinds of rare and extraordinary items.

A quick glance told him that none of these items were ordinary.

Not far ahead, a tall and slender woman stood gracefully. She had delicate, beautiful features and was clad in a tight-fitting qipao that accentuated her figure, making her breasts extremely prominent.

Upon seeing them, the lady immediately approached them. She was swaying as she walked, and she bowed slightly, greeting them with a warm smile. "Honored guests, may I ask what you are looking for?"

Ye Guan smiled. "Do you have any books here?"

The lady asked, "What type of books are you looking for? We have books on divine abilities, arrays, alchemy, or perhaps spells..."

Ye Guan replied, "I'm looking for historical records."

The lady stared thoughtfully at him before smiling. "Understood. Please, follow me."

With that, she led both of them to the right. It did not take long before they arrived at a pavilion filled with shelves packed with ancient texts.

Ye Guan glanced around and noticed that the entire area was covered with mystical arrays, clearly designed to prevent customers from scanning the books with their divine sense.

He turned to the lady and asked, "May I take a look first?"

The lady smiled. "Of course. Feel free to pick any book you like."

Ye Guan glanced around before his gaze finally settled on a pale golden ancient book. The lady immediately understood his intent. She opened her palm, and the book floated into her before she handed it to him.

Ye Guan opened the book, and the words "Ancient History" appeared before his eyes.

The lady explained, "This book records all the major events from the Ancient Era to the present, including every Supreme Emperor that has appeared in each clan.

"It is incredibly detailed. By reading this book, one can gain a comprehensive understanding of the Era of Emperors and the Ten Desolate Universe."

Ye Guan asked, "How much?"

The lady smiled. "Ten thousand emperor crystals."

Ye Guan was a bit surprised. "That expensive?"

"Young Lord, you may not know, but this is no ordinary book. The Ancient Era dates back sixty billion years. Throughout those billions of years, there were countless chaotic times, and written records were extremely scarce back then. Reconstructing the entire timeline was an immensely difficult task. The ancestor who compiled this book spent nearly a thousand years completing it."

A thousand years to complete a book?

Ye Guan looked at the book in his hands. Beneath the title "Ancient History," bold characters were written saying, "Author: Mu Shu."

Ye Guan asked, "Is this Mu Shu, the Supreme Emperor of the Mu Clan?"

Upon hearing that, the lady's warm smile froze, and a chilling frost pervaded her face.

"You... You dare to call the Supreme Emperor by his name?! You...!" the lady bent her knees slightly, seemingly getting ready to attack.

Diyi Jingzhao glanced at the lady, and her face instantly changed. A wave of pure terror washed over her. Her strength was nothing compared to Diyi Jingzhao's.

Ye Guan regained his composure and smiled. "Please don't be angry. I misspoke in the moment and meant no disrespect."

The lady glanced at Diyi Jingzhao and then stared at Ye Guan. Seeing that he truly bore no ill intentions, she pondered for a moment before saying, "Young Lord, the books here were compiled with our ancestors' painstaking effort. Our ancestor once left a message stating that these records should be freely available for the world to read.

"However, it was later discovered that people will never appreciate or value things that are free. That's why these books were placed on the higher floors and sold at a premium."

"I understand." Ye Guan nodded slightly.

Then, he glanced at the various ancient books around them and asked, "Do you have any books related to the Suiming Ruins?"

The lady said, "Yes, but they are even more expensive, starting at fifty thousand emperor crystals."

Fifty thousand?!

Even Diyi Jingzhao frowned. They were talking about a book describing a location instead of a book containing a cultivation method, so it was indeed absurdly expensive.

Ye Guan turned to her.

Diyi Jingzhao asked, "Do you want all of them?"

Ye Guan smiled. "Just these two."

Diyi Jingzhao nodded slightly and felt relieved. There were so many books here, and they were all ridiculously expensive. If he had wanted to buy them all, even she would find it difficult to do so.

Meanwhile, the lady's expression turned strange. Initially, she assumed that Ye Guan was the one in charge, but now, it was clear that the real decision-maker was Diyi Jingzhao.

Was he... living off a woman?

The moment that thought crossed her mind, her face grew weird.

Ye Guan noticed her expression but said nothing. Instead, he turned and left with Diyi Jingzhao.

Diyi Jingzhao was wearing a veil, so no one recognized her, but her stunning figure still drew many curious glances as they walked downstairs.

Upon reaching the first floor, Ye Guan spotted the same boy earlier. At the moment, the boy was pulling along another boy dressed in black, who looked down on his luck.

The boy was gripping the boy in black's arm tightly, and he solemnly said, "Shao Yun, I have a feeling that we'll definitely get a dragon egg today! Trust me, I'm sure of it!"

Ye Guan was at a loss for words.

The boy in black looked a little hesitant. "Gu Chen, the odds are too stacked against us. W-We should just leave!"

Gu Chen hurriedly replied, "Shao Yun, think about it! If you get a dragon egg, will your fiancée's family still look down on you? Will they still try to break off the engagement?"

Shao Yun's face instantly turned ugly.

"Your fate—no, the fate of your entire family will change!" Gu Chen persuaded, Your fiancée's family will even beg you to marry her as soon as possible!"

Shao Yun still looked hesitant. "This is too risky."

Gu Chen pressed on, "We're just kids from poor families. If we don't take risks, how can we ever hope to change our circumstances?"

In the end, Shao Yun was convinced and spent all his money to buy three eggs.

The two sat near Ye Guan and Diyi Jingzhao, clutching the three eggs in their arms. It was clear they were both extremely nervous, especially Shao Yun, whose face was drenched in sweat.

Shao Yun was about to unseal one of the eggs, but Gu Chen suddenly exclaimed, "Let's reveal all of them at once!"

Shao Yun hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Supreme Emperor, please bless me! Supreme Emperor, please bless me!"

He gnashed his teeth and unsealed all three eggs at the same time.

Three tiny chicken heads popped out simultaneously. The two boys froze in place, and their faces turned as pale as a sheet of paper.

Ye Guan looked away, shifting his gaze towards the counter that was selling eggs.

He noticed that many people were still buying them. Clearly, everyone dreamed of striking it big, obtaining a mythical beast that could help them soar to greatness and help them marry a rich and beautiful wife.

"I got a dragon...!" someone suddenly exclaimed. Everyone immediately turned toward the source of the commotion.

A young boy was clutching an egg, and his face was filled with excitement. The egg had cracked open slightly, and a tiny dragon head was poking out of it. The dragon was curiously scanning its surroundings.

Everyone rushed over to the young boy. It really was a dragon!

Ye Guan glanced at the young boy and smiled slightly. "What good luck."

Then, he turned around to leave.

Diyi Jingzhao muttered, "That was planted."

Ye Guan's face stiffened, and he almost keeled over upon hearing that.