Chapter 1380: The Lady in the Plain Skirt

Ye Guan took Diyi Jingzhao back to Diyi City, and after giving a few instructions, he returned to the tiny pagoda.

"Little Soul, how are you?" he asked.

Little Soul replied, "I just need a little more time. Just a little."

Ye Guan asked, "If you succeed, how strong will you become?"

Little Soul was silent for a moment before replying, "I can easily kill three Supreme Emperors and fight against at least five or six. If I succeed, my power will rise even further. I can easily kill eight Supreme Emperors by then."

"Young Master," Little Soul sounded concerned as she said, "that woman from earlier has definitely surpassed the Supreme Emperor Realm."

"I know." Ye Guan nodded. That woman's strength was definitely beyond the Supreme Emperor Realm.

"Young Master, my limits in battle still depend on you. If you're strong, I'm strong. If you're weak, I won't be that strong. Once you're a Supreme Emperor once again, even Supreme Emperors will be like ants before us."

"I know," Ye Guan smiled, saying, "but I need a little more time as well."

Little Soul replied, "I know. I will wait for you."

Ye Guan nodded, then looked up at the battlefield in the void. Among the two hundred swordsmen on the battlefield, another twenty reached the Quasi Emperor Realm.

Almost sixty of the swordsmen were Quasi Emperors at this point. They were making rapid progress! Unfortunately, good news was always followed by bad news. Ye Guan now had two problems to tackle—Pure-grade emperor crystals and Supreme Emperor Origin Essences!

Supreme Emperor Origin Essences could only be found in the Old Lands. Ye Guan frowned.

Should I dilute the Supreme Emperor Origin Essences and turn one portion into a hundred?

Ye Guan shook his head with a smile. He opened his right palm, and a strand of his sword intent appeared in his hand.

Invincible Sword Intent! He considered integrating the Invincible Sword Intent into his Order, but he still couldn't do it. Besides, he felt that there was no need to do so. After all, these two Sword Daos weren't in conflict with each other.

Just then, he opened his left hand, and a strand of Order Sword Intent appeared in his palm. A faint red hue shimmered within it.

Evil...

Ye Guan gazed at it, lost in thought.

Little Pagoda noticed that and asked, "Are you thinking of devouring evil intent like Fan Zhaodi?"

Ye Guan nodded slightly. He had personally experienced the power of Fan Zhaodi's Evil Dao, and just recalling it made him shudder. That power was overwhelmingly strong, and at the time, it was still growing rapidly.

If he hadn't scattered his cultivation back then, he would have become tremendously powerful. After all, he had assimilated that power.

Little Pagoda was about to speak, but before he could, Ye Guan put away that strand of Order Sword Intent and said, "Don't worry, Master Pagoda, I won't act recklessly."

Evil intent was a very potent source of energy, but he couldn't afford to recklessly absorb it. If he were to do that, he would certainly suffer a backlash; he had the Mad Demon Bloodline within him, after all.

He wanted to grow stronger, but he also understood very well that haste would always make waste. The more critical the moment was, the steadier his mind had to be.

Hearing Ye Guan's words, Little Pagoda let out a sigh of relief. He was worried that Ye Guan would make a reckless decision because of that woman earlier.

But now, it seemed that, after enduring multiple ordeals at the hands of Fan Zhaodi, the punk had matured significantly. He was no longer the impulsive person who would fly into a rage because someone taunted him.

However, Little Pagoda also knew very well that Ye Guan wasn't indifferent to many things. He simply kept everything buried deep inside him.

Ye Guan asked, "Master Pagoda, what if we bring all the people of the Ten Desolate Universe into the tiny pagoda?"

Little Pagoda sternly replied, "It's

possible,

but there are two problems you need to consider carefully. First of all, the issue of lifespan. Time flows differently inside the pagoda. The common people will probably be dead the moment you finally take them out of the pagoda.

Ye Guan frowned. "What about the Guanxuan Universe?"

Little Pagoda answered, "You don't have to worry about that. Your aunt must have taken that into consideration, so I suspect that time in the Guanxuan Universe is synchronized with the time outside."

Ye Guan nodded. "The second issue must be spiritual energy, right?"

"Exactly. If we take in the myriad living beings of the Ten Desolate Universe, the spiritual energy here would eventually be drained, unless you move all the Spiritual Veins and Emperor Veins from the Ten Desolate Universe into the pagoda.

"Even then, getting in is easy, but getting out is hard. Once you give them this cheat key, they'll become addicted to it. If you stop providing it later, they'll resent you."

Ye Guan pondered over it for a moment before saying, "Master Pagoda, you've truly thought this through."

Little Pagoda said, "There's an even bigger problem. The world inside the pagoda is ultimately not infinite like our vast expanse. I might soon reach my maximum capacity. What? Do you think I'm invincible or something?"

"In my heart, Master Pagoda, you absolutely are invincible."

"Don't try to flatter me, brat. I'm not falling for it."

"I never really thought about that, actually. It seems I can only allow a small number of people to enter and cultivate."

"I know you're eager to strengthen yourself because of the Suiming Civilization, but as I said, haste makes waste. Don't let yourself become reckless. Besides, if the sky falls, your aunt will hold it up. What's there to be afraid of?"

"Hearing you say that, Master Pagoda, I suddenly feel like none of this is a big deal anymore."

"Kid, I know what's on your mind. You don't want to rely too much on your aunt and your father, and that's a great mindset. But you also need to understand that they're not outsiders, they're your closest family."

"Master Pagoda, I get it, but I can't just call them every time I run into an obstacle. Take what happened earlier. When I was humiliated by that lady in red, if I had called my father or aunt, I would have easily destroyed her, but what would be the point of that?

"You've said it before; if you've lost face, you ought to earn it back yourself. Otherwise, it's meaningless, isn't it?"

"I understand what you mean. I just worry that the pressure will become too much for you, and you'll end up like your father back then..." Little Pagoda trailed off.

"Don't worry, Master Pagoda, I know my limits and I won't lose control. At the same time, I can't afford to be complacent. I need to plan things carefully, not just against the Old Lands but against the Great Daoist Brush Master and Fan Zhaodi..."

Compared to the Old Lands, he was warier of those two. They knew him inside and out, leaving him no chance to feign weakness.

In the days that followed, aside from guiding the True Saint swordsmen in their training, Ye Guan spent most of his time reading books. He had already gone through almost all of the ancient books in the Ten Desolate Universe.

Right now, he had two urgent priorities—train the group of swordsmen inside the pagoda and refine his state of mind in preparation for restoring his cultivation in the future.

During his time in the tiny pagoda, he noticed something. His faith power was increasing steadily.

Outside the pagoda, ever since Ye Guan declared a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence as a reward, the Supreme Emperor Clans and the Immortal Clans had been advocating for the Guanxuan Laws with all their might.

The Dao Clan, in particular, had implemented numerous policies to encourage its widespread usage. For example, from now on, the Dao Clan would no longer accept disciples who weren't practicing the Guanxuan Laws.

Within the clan, any disciple who wished to advance in rank had to master it.

At first, many were resistant, as it felt too forced, but as they began to practice the Guanxuan Laws, they eventually accepted it. After all, the Guanxuan Laws were a high-level cultivation technique that provided them with huge benefits.

With the full support of the major clans, the Guanxuan Laws spread rapidly across the Ten Desolate Universe.

Ye Guan could clearly feel his faith power rising, especially thanks to the policies implemented by Diyi Jingzhao, which were highly beneficial to the common people. Thus, more and more people developed a sense of belonging toward the Guanxuan Academy.

The entrance of the Guanxuan Academy was always packed with people.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Today, Diyi Jingzhao was going through some official documents when she suddenly felt something unusual. She looked up, and in the next moment, she mysteriously found herself in the middle of a starry sky.

A woman dressed in red robes was standing before her.

Diyi Jingzhao's face changed upon seeing her.

The red-robed lady smiled and said, "No need to be nervous. I won't harm you."

Diyi Jingzhao asked, "What do you want?"

The red-robed lady walked closer, sizing her up, then said, "I want you to come with me."

Her tone was absolute and unquestionable.

Diyi Jingzhao frowned slightly. "Where do you want me to go?"

"Come with me to the Old Lands," the red-robed lady said.

To the Old Lands?

Diyi Jingzhao was stunned.

The red-robed lady smiled. "Don't be confused and don't overthink it. The reason I want to take you with me is that your physique is special. However, I'm sure you haven't realized it yet. After all, it has yet to awaken."

"My physique is special?"

"You possess the legendary Great Dao Spirit Physique. In the Old Lands, it's one of the Six Great Spirit Physiques, naturally attuned to Daoist laws. Now, do you understand why you reached the Quasi Emperor Realm at such a young age?"

Diyi Jingzhao stared at her but remained silent.

The red-robed lady said, "I'm not asking for your opinion. Of course, if you think that little swordsman can stand against me, you're welcome to call him over. But let me warn you, I won't give him the slightest chance to live. If he makes a move, he dies."

Diyi Jingzhao clenched her fists, saying nothing.

Then, the red-robed lady took out a fruit and bit into it with a chuckle. "Here, the most you can ever become is a Supreme Emperor, but if you come with me to the Old Lands, your potential will be limitless.

"One day, you'll look back and realize how right this decision was."

Diyi Jingzhao looked down at Diyi City, her fists still tightly clenched.

The red-robed lady smirked. "Have you decided?"

Diyi Jingzhao looked at her. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really."

"Can I make a request?"

"If it were anyone else, absolutely not. I hate bargaining. But you... fine."

"I want wisps of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence."

"Why do you want that worthless trash?"

"Do you have any?"

"I don't carry garbage like that with me, but before I came here, I killed a few people and took their storage rings. They were of decent status, so they might have some. Let me check..."

With that, she took out three storage rings and inspected them. Then, with a casual wave of her delicate hand, wisps of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence flew out and landed steadily in front of Diyi Jingzhao.

There were three hundred sixty of them in total!

Diyi Jingzhao was utterly shocked to see so many wisps of Supreme Emperor Origin Essences in front of her. These deep purple ones were far superior to what the Holy Throne had given to her—no, they weren't even on the same level.

Swoosh!

Ye Guan suddenly appeared in the distance.

Upon learning that Diyi Jingzhao had vanished, Mu Shuo immediately notified Ye Guan.

Without hesitation, Ye Guan told Master Pagoda to find her.

When he saw the red-robed lady, his face darkened.

The red-robed lady glanced at him and chuckled. "

Hahaha,

have you come here to court your own death? This girl has already agreed to come with me to the Old Lands, so this is now out of your hands."

Ye Guan turned to Diyi Jingzhao, who met his gaze and nodded.

His brows furrowed, but when he noticed the Pure-grade Supreme Emperor Origin Essences in front of her, he froze for a moment before coming to a realization.

Then, he stared deeply at her and coldly said, "I see... I really have nothing to offer you. I wish you success, Clan Leader Jingzhao."

With that, he turned and vanished into the distance.

Diyi Jingzhao's face turned deathly pale as if all her blood had been drained from her.

Back on the ground, Ye Guan froze for a while before shaking his head and sighing. "Why am I acting like this? Even if we can't part on good terms, we should have at least left each other with peace of mind."

With that, he turned around and returned to the starry sky, but Diyi Jingzhao and the red-robed lady had already disappeared. He stood in silence for a long time before sighing once more and leaving.

When he returned to the Diyi Clan, his heart was in turmoil.

Just then, Diyi You suddenly appeared before him.

Ye Guan was about to speak when Diyi You held out a storage ring to him.

Ye Guan frowned. "What is this?"

Diyi You looked at him, her eyes slightly red. "Sister asked me to give it to you."

Diyi Jingzhao...

Ye Guan took the storage ring and peeked inside it. The moment he saw its contents, he was stunned. There were three hundred sixty wisps of Supreme Emperor Origin Essences inside it!

Ye Guan felt as if he had been struck by lightning. One of the wisps looked completely different from the others. It was the one he gave her; she had returned it to him.

Ye Guan clenched the ring rightly and looked at Diyi You, asking, "Where is she?"

Diyi You shook her head. "She's gone."

Ye Guan turned around and disappeared into the depths of the starry skies with Little Pagoda's help.

Arriving in the vast cosmos, he swept his gaze across the sea of stars. "Master Pagoda?"

A moment later, Little Pagoda said, "I can't sense them anymore. That woman is too powerful. I'm sure they've already left the Ten Desolate Universe."

Ye Guan tightened his grip on the storage ring in his right hand.

Rumble...

Just then, the spacetime before him began to ripple.

In the next moment, the red-robed lady appeared like a phantom before him.

Ye Guan's eyes narrowed, and the Qingxuan Sword within him got ready to strike.

The red-robed lady stared at him and smirked. "Killing you would be beneath me, but if I were to leave you alive, I fear that girl would become entangled in her emotions. So... why don't you just kill yourself?"

Ye Guan's gaze remained calm as the Qingxuan Sword within him trembled.

The red-robed lady chuckled. "Not willing?"

Snap!

The red-robed lady snapped her fingers.

Boom!

In an instant, with the Ten Desolate Universe at the centre, the Dao and Laws of millions of star fields shifted and condensed into a single character that said, "One."

This character hovered above Ye Guan's head.

Ye Guan felt as if he had fallen into an endless abyss. He was being suppressed by the power of countless Great Daos, leaving him unable to breathe at all.

The red-robed lady watched him, smiling radiantly, but a condescending light flashed in her eyes as she chuckled, saying, "Have you ever witnessed someone destroy billions of star fields with just a mere thought?

"Have you ever seen someone witness the rise and fall of civilizations with just a mere gaze? How about someone tracing the origins of countless Daos with just a single wave of their sleeve?

"Or how about someone rewriting the very fabric of the vast expanse's history with just a single stroke of their brush?"

The red-robed lady shook her head. "A mere ant like you is still struggling within the bounds of cultivation realms. How could you possibly understand what I'm talking about?

"Killing you would be beneath me, but I am merciful. I shall grant you the honor of taking your own life, and you better not be ungrateful."

Just then, Plain-Skirt Destiny walking across a vast and boundless palace came to a halt. In that instant, her gaze turned icy cold. She turned her head, and her gaze landed on the Ten Desolate Universe.