Chapter 1376: Karmic Consequences

Hearing Diyi Jingzhao's words, Mu Shuo's eyes flickered with complicated emotions.

Deep down, she was finally convinced. Truth be told, she had never fully accepted Diyi Jingzhao's leadership, thinking she was merely someone who gained influence through her pretty face.

At this moment, she realized that she had underestimated her.

The biggest challenge in establishing the academy was the students.

The disciples of the Supreme Emperor Clans and the Immortal Clans were far superior to rogue cultivators and disciples from smaller clans. How could they coexist peacefully?

This was the core issue.

Yet Diyi Jingzhao resolved it with just a few words.

The strong guiding the weak, the wealthy supporting the poor.

This approach wasn't just going to bridge the power gap; it'd also preemptively resolve future conflicts. More importantly, it gave those at the bottom a fighting chance against the elites.

The people at the bottom...

Having mastered the Guanxuan Laws, she understood Ye Guan's goal. The Guanxuan Laws weren't just a cultivation method or an Order. They were a form of restraint, a restriction on the strong.

The Guanxuan Laws were far from beneficial for those part of the elite, but Mu Shuo also knew that pushing forward with this new Order was inevitable.

The tides had shifted, and there was no turning back.

And at the heart of it all were the people at the bottom.

How could they be given more opportunities?

The Guanxuan Academy was a step in the right direction, but it wasn't nearly enough.

"Lady Mu," Diyi Jingzhao said.

Mu Shuo snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her.

Diyi Jingzhao studied her closely and asked, "You're thinking about the future of this order, aren't you?"

"Vice Academy Master, you must know that this isn't something that can be easily achieved."

"If it were easy," Diyi Jingzhao replied, "why would he need us?"

Mu Shuo was stunned.

"From the perspective of our noble clans, this system is a huge disadvantage. But have you ever considered that if we align ourselves with him, we could go much further than ever?"

Mu Shuo bowed slightly. "I would appreciate your guidance, Vice Academy Master."

Diyi Jingzhao put down her brush and calmly said, "If I were him, I would eliminate the Supreme Emperor Clans and the Immortal Clans. I would seize their cultivation methods and wealth to establish the academy."

Mu Shuo's eyes widened in shock.

Diyi Jingzhao's voice remained steady. "That way, any future threats would be eliminated, and for a long time, we wouldn't have to worry about sects and clans causing any trouble."

"Vice Academy Master, this..."

"You think we're valuable to him?" Diyi Jingzhao asked.

Mu Shuo nodded.

"You're wrong. Many Supreme Emperor Clans and Immortal Clans have made the same mistake—the mistake of overestimating their worth. In his eyes, we are no different from ants.

"Answer me, if he travels to the Suiming Civilization, what use are we to him? If we go there, we won't even qualify as cannon fodder."

Mu Shuo's face paled slightly. She couldn't refute it, as it was simply the truth.

"Miss Mu, you must understand that the fact that he is building this Order is something we should be grateful for. If he weren't, we would never be able to serve him, much less follow him to greater heights.

"Take the Suiming Ruins, for example. Without him, we never would have even discovered that civilization, not to mention obtain a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence."

Diyi Jingzhao sighed softly. "Do you know how many bones were piled up in that place? They were stacked dozens of meters high. They were the remains of our Ten Desolate Universe's geniuses, and they had to crawl to enter that place.

"Despite that, they still ended up dying, and even our Supreme Emperors had to crawl."

Mu Shuo could hardly believe it. "T-that can't be true..."

"You don't believe it?"

"I don't."

In her eyes, Supreme Emperors were akin to gods. Crawling? Impossible.

Diyi Jingzhao's gaze deepened. "I struggled to accept it at first, too, but it's the reality. And yet, Little Guan walked in."

Mu Shuo looked at her in shock.

"He walked in, and the Holy Throne inside submitted to him, willingly handing over the Supreme Emperor Origin Essences in its possession. That throne was afraid of him. Without him, do you really think that our Ten Desolate Universe would uncover the secrets of the Suiming Ruins in the next billion years?

"Would we be able to have the chance to obtain a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence?"

Mu Shuo was shaken.

She assumed that Ye Guan could crush everything in his path, as he was a Supreme Emperor. She had never imagined that the truth was far more terrifying than she thought.

"This isn't just an opportunity for our clans, it's an opportunity for our starry region," Diyi Jingzhao stared at Mu Shuo, saying, "If we were to follow him, we'd be able to elevate the Ten Desolate Universe to heights we could never reach by ourselves.

"Stop prioritizing your personal or even family interests. Change your mindset, or we will leave you behind."

Mu Shuo bowed deeply. "I understand."

For the first time, she was truly convinced. Before, she had only been thinking about how to secure more benefits for the Mu Clan within the academy. After hearing Diyi Jingzhao's words, however, she realized that if she couldn't change her mindset, both she and her clan would eventually get left behind.

Why had the Di Clan risen to such power? It was all because they changed their mindset. When faced with a crisis, they didn't hesitate to burn their very souls as a clan.

If even their lives could be sacrificed without any hesitation, what could they

not

achieve?

They were once driven away, and they finally returned as kings.

Diyi Jingzhao added, "He has decided to stay here for a while, and this is our chance. Once he starts moving again, we won't be able to keep up with him."

"Work well," said Diyi Jingzhao while staring at Mu Shuo. "He's kind, so if others treat him well, he will return the kindness. He won't discard his allies even after they've served their purpose."

Mu Shuo nodded. "I understand."

Left all alone, Diyi Jingzhao gazed at the mountain of official reports in front of her and sighed. Being Vice Academy Master was no easy job. She had to manage the Guanxuan Academy as well as handle the relationship between the various clans and the academy.

They had all sworn allegiance, but their past rivalries and grudges remained. If things weren't handled properly, internal strife would erupt, leading to endless troubles.

Conquering a land and governing it were two entirely different things.

Meanwhile, Ye Guan had completely abandoned the academy's affairs.

Diyi Jingzhao wasn't particularly fond of dealing with these trivial matters either, and she often felt frustrated by the endless demands.

Whenever she thought about Ye Guan's words, however, her irritation would vanish.

And she couldn't let him down, could she?

With that in mind, she picked up her brush and got back to work.

***

A hundred years had passed within the pagoda. Over the past century, thirty-two swordsmen became Quasi Emperors. What was even more remarkable was that their breakthrough was due to their combat experience.

The thirty-two Quasi Emperor swordsmen were now strong enough to suppress a bronze war general. Outside, they would be considered unrivaled among their peers, but they were still too weak against a single bronze war general.

For Ye Guan, though, this was still acceptable. Unfortunately, these swordsmen consumed a ton of Pure-grade emperor crystals. Ye Guan had over sixty thousand at first, but now, he only had around twenty thousand.

However, it was all worth it.

Ye Guan hadn't been idle, either. Every day, he would read and study. By now, he had finished every book and historical record in the Ten Desolate Universe.

He had grown quite fond of this peaceful and quiet life. He had never been this at ease before. In the past, he was either fighting or on his way to a fight. It was utterly absurd.

On this particular day, Ye Guan spent some time in the kitchen before heading to the Diyi Hall. Inside, Diyi Jingzhao was handling official matters. When she saw him, she merely glanced at him before resuming her work.

Looking at the towering stacks of documents, Ye Guan felt a little guilty. He walked up to Diyi Jingzhao and gently said, "Miss Jingzhao, you're working so hard."

Without looking up, Diyi Jingzhao calmly asked, "How are the swordsmen?"

Ye Guan smiled. "Not bad. Thirty-two have reached the Quasi Emperor Realm."

Diyi Jingzhao was taken aback. That was an astonishing number, but she quickly understood why. Training inside the tiny pagoda, with an endless supply of Pure-grade emperor crystals and Ye Guan's personal guidance, how could they not improve rapidly?

Just then, Ye Guan casually pushed some documents aside, and with a flick of his wrist, he placed six dishes on the table.

Diyi Jingzhao was stunned.

Ye Guan grinned. "I made these myself."

He slid a dish toward her and smiled. "This is your favorite, sweet and sour ribs. It's still warm. Try it."

Diyi Jingzhao stared at the dish in a daze, looking as if she had been struck by lightning.

A deathly silence descended upon the hall.

Several officials and around twenty representatives from many different clans were present in the hall, and their eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before them.

A Supreme Emperor actually cooked for Diyi Jingzhao? And he even served her personally!

Ye Guan chuckled. "No need to be so touched. I just want you to work even harder for me."

Diyi Jingzhao snapped out of it and shot him a glare. "Enough nonsense. As if I don't know what kind of person you are."

With that, she picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of the sweet and sour ribs, and put it in her mouth. Feeling the weight of everyone's gazes, a faint blush spread across her face, and her ears grew warm as an unfamiliar sense of delight crept into her heart.

Ye Guan asked, "Does it taste good?"

Diyi Jingzhao nodded slightly. "

Mmhm.

"

Ye Guan smiled and pushed another dish toward her. "Try this one, steamed pork ribs. It's my first time making it, so I don't know if it turned out well."

It's his first time making that dish?

People within the hall exchanged glances.

Supreme Emperor Guan actually decided to learn how to cook for Diyi Jingzhao?

Diyi Jingzhao glanced at the dish, and an inexplicable emotion rose within her heart, but even she had no idea what that emotion was.

Ye Guan turned to the others and asked, "Do any of you want some?"

The officials immediately shook their heads.

Hell no!

Who would dare eat at a moment like this? They'd probably get executed by their clans the next day for overstepping their boundaries.

Ye Guan turned back to Diyi Jingzhao and smiled. "Go on, eat."

She looked at him and nodded. "Mm."

And so, they ate together. Ye Guan chatted away like a storyteller, while Diyi Jingzhao listened quietly, occasionally glancing at him.

The two of them seemed like an ordinary couple, sharing a meal and talking about mundane things.

Meanwhile, the others were in agony. Leaving felt inappropriate, but staying felt even worse.

Before long, Ye Guan and Diyi Jingzhao finished eating. Ye Guan gathered the dishes and smiled. "Let's go for a walk."

Diyi Jingzhao glanced at the pile of documents. "I'm busy..."

Ye Guan said, "I'm giving you a day off."

Before she could protest, he grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

The moment he held her hand, Diyi Jingzhao's cheeks turned bright red, and her heart skipped a beat. She glared at him in embarrassment and frustration, trying to shake free.

Regardless of whether Ye Guan's grip on her arm was too strong or she simply wasn't resisting hard enough, she failed to break free and ended up being led out of the hall.

Watching them leave, Mu Shuo shook her head and chuckled. A complicated gleam flickered in her eyes. Moments later, she dismissed the thoughts and returned to work.

The others lowered their heads and focused on their tasks as well, pretending as if nothing had happened. Deep down, however, they were utterly shocked.

Who would have thought that Emperor Guan could cook?

Someone muttered, "I bet his cooking is actually pretty good. Honestly, I'd love to try some. Imagine being able to say you've eaten a dish made by a Supreme Emperor, instant fame!"

Another person scoffed, "Please. Do you really think you're worthy? Can you even bear the karmic consequences of eating food made by a Supreme Emperor?"