Chapter 1381: It's Not Worthy of Me

The red-robed lady gazed at Ye Guan, who was being suppressed by countless Great Daos. A faint smile played at the corner of her lips. She was enjoying the kind of amusement a cat would feel when toying with a mouse.

She truly enjoyed this feeling. It was like how humans would play with ants when they were bored, teasing them with bits of food just because it was fun.

At this moment, Ye Guan remained calm despite the weight of the countless Great Daos and Laws weighing down on him.

Yes, he was shocked by the terrifying power of the lady before him, but it didn't mean that he was completely powerless. After all, in this starry region, her cultivation realm was also being suppressed.

Just as he was about to draw his sword, however, the Great Daos and Laws suppressing him suddenly vanished without a trace.

"

Pfft!

" The red-robed lady let out a laugh. "I've changed my mind. Killing you here is far too boring. Don't look at me like that, I know you're unwilling to accept this, so fine, I'll wait for you in the Old Lands!

Hahaha!

"

As her laughter echoed, she vanished without a trace.

***

"Qing'er, stop looking. Come here, there's something interesting up ahead," Ye Xuan said.

Plain-Skirt Destiny withdrew her gaze and walked forward. This grand palace seemed endless both in width and height. One could look up and see the starry skies.

Plain-Skirt Destiny and Ye Xuan walked along the vast and empty halls of the palace, but if one looked far enough into the distance, they would realize that its walls weren't made of stone. Instead, they were made out of stars.

Ye Xuan glanced at the river of time beneath his feet and chuckled. "Qing'er, this place is pretty interesting, isn't it?"

Plain-Skirt Destiny took a brief look at the flowing river beneath her but remained silent.

Soon, they arrived at the end of the river. There, they saw a majestic throne. Behind the throne, two swords were embedded in the ground. One sword had the character "Dao" engraved on its hilt, while the other had the character "Law" engraved on it.

On either side of the throne stood two towering statues, each reaching dozens of meters high, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.

The statue on the right depicted a cloaked figure with a massive sword strapped to his back. His eyes were slightly closed, as if he were a slumbering deity.

The statue on the left was of a woman. Her palms were open, and in her left hand burned a black flame, while there was a white flame above her right hand. The two flames seemed to have been burning for an eternity.

A stone stele was also behind the throne, and sixteen names were engraved on it. The Universe Ruler was at the top of the list; the second name was the Great Daoist Brush Master, and the third place was shared by three names: Sifan Jing, Cizhen, and Beixin Ci.

The fourth place had two names, the Old God and the Eternal Ruler. The fifth place was again shared by three names—Ruler Sui, the Ancestral Emperor, and the Observer.

As for the remaining six names, they were shifting constantly. They appeared and disappeared, and at times, they even changed into entirely different names. Clearly, the ranking wasn't permanent.

Ye Xuan glanced at the stone stele, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. "So this is the legendary Great Dao Rankings. I've heard that all those who make it onto the list are all contenders in the Great Dao Contest."

Then, he turned toward the throne and exclaimed, "And it's all for that throne! Let me sit on it for a while."

Just then, he stepped forward and was about to sit on the throne when the two swords behind the throne shook violently. Immediately afterward, an ancient voice echoed throughout. "Who dares to desecrate the divine throne?!"

In an instant, mysterious energies gathered from all directions. These energies were not from this era but from trillions of years ago... In the ancient, unknown era, someone had foreseen events that would occur trillions of years later and reached out to the present.

Plain-Skirt Destiny pressed down with her right hand, and the energies vanished without a trace.

"How is this possible..." muttered the ancient voice, sounding astonished. "You're beyond the Dao...? But why are you not on the Great Dao Rankings?"

Plain-Skirt Destiny glanced at the river of time beneath her feet and replied, "It's not worthy of me."

"

Hahaha!

" Ye Xuan laughed. "Qing'er, this throne is great. Its size is perfect for my son,

haha!

"

He patted the chair, and the two swords that had been trembling behind it immediately went silent. He smiled, and after sitting on it for a while, he stood up, grabbing Plain-Skirt Destiny by the hand before walking out.

"Qing'er, how could such a brilliant and magnificent civilization just disappear like that?"

"It's all part of a cycle."

"Have you stepped out of this cycle?"

"Brother, I did that many years ago..."

***

Ye Guan stared at the Supreme Emperor Origin Essences in his hands for a long, long time. Eventually, he closed his eyes and said, "Master Pagoda, I'm going to the Old Lands!"

Little Pagoda said, "You have yet to subdue the Forbidden Wildlands. If you leave now—"

"To hell with staying lowkey!" Ye Guan exclaimed with wide eyes.

He raised two fingers and pointed forward.

Buzz!

A sword tore through the sky, piercing the Forbidden Wildlands. The overwhelming aura of a Supreme Emperor engulfed the region in an instant. Every being in the Forbidden Wildlands looked up in terror toward the depths of the starry sky.

Just then, a voice echoed. "Any being above the True Saint Realm must report to the Ten Desolate Universe in three days. Failure to report means death."

The voice boomed like thunder, rolling across the Forbidden Wildlands. In an instant, his message spread across the entire region, shaking the starry skies and everything else.

The Supreme Emperor's decree!

The experts of the Forbidden Wildlands looked up in shock.

Moments later, chaos erupted. Lights streaked across the sky as these experts headed straight for the Ten Desolate Universe. No one dared to ignore the Supreme Emperor's commands. Even ancient beings awakened from their slumber and set off toward the Ten Desolate Universe.

For a time, the star fields leading to the Ten Desolate Universe were trembling as if they were experiencing a powerful earthquake. Stars quaked violently, creating a terrifying scene.

***

As soon as Ye Guan walked into the hall, Mu Shuo and the others stood up in unison. At this point, they were already aware of Diyi Jingzhao's departure. Before she left, she made sure to leave a letter for everyone here, detailing matters that needed to be taken care of moving forward.

Diyi Jingzhao was in charge of the Academy's affairs. If she had left without giving clear instructions, the Academy would have been thrown into complete disarray.

Ye Guan walked slowly to the desk where Diyi Jingzhao usually worked. Staring at the towering piles of memorials and the three Bronze War Generals standing nearby, a flicker of complex light flashed in his eyes.

Mu Shuo approached and carefully said, "Academy Master, Lady Jingzhao..."

Ye Guan replied, "She went somewhere else."

Mu Shuo glanced at him. Seeing his gloomy face, she dared not ask any questions.

"Lady Mu Shuo, did she leave any instructions?" Ye Guan asked.

Mu Shuo replied, "She said that from now on, I'll be in charge here..."

Ye Guan nodded. "Then you will be in charge from now on."

Hearing his approval, Mu Shuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief before saying, "Academy Master, the Academy is gradually getting on the right track. Moving forward, we should focus on steady development.

"Additionally, there are too many people wanting to join the Academy. Every day, the place is overflowing with people. We need to be stricter in our selection, or perhaps consider opening branches."

Ye Guan shook his head. "We can't open branch academies just yet. If we expand too fast, we won't be able to manage them properly. We can increase admissions slightly, but there must still be some sort of crowd control."

"Understood." Mu Shu nodded. She paused for a moment, then added, "Before leaving, Lady Jingzhao implemented a number of policies..."

Ye Guan firmly said, "Make sure that they are executed."

"Understood," Mu Shuo said.

Ye Guan continued, "I have already broken the barrier between the Ten Desolate Universe and the Forbidden Wildlands. In three days, the experts from that side will arrive."

Mu Shuo's expression changed drastically. "Academy Master..."

"I know you're worried that it'll be difficult to manage the place if all the powerful cultivators flood in at once."

"Yes."

"Don't worry, I'm only allowing those at the True Saint level and above to come through. And even then, I won't let them immediately join the Guanxuan Academy."

"Then why are you in such a hurry? Could it be... You've met a new enemy?"

Ye Guan nodded.

The red-robed lady came from the Old Lands, and she was anything but friendly. This place wouldn't remain a secret for long, so he had to unify the Ten Desolate Universe and the Forbidden Wildlands as soon as possible.

Of course, there was another important reason as well...

Mu Shuo said solemnly, "Academy Master, I don't understand everything, but I believe that you shouldn't rush to establish your Order. We must proceed slowly.

"Right now, we're doing a great job spreading the Guanxuan Laws and our policies. The response from the people has been overwhelmingly positive.

"However, if we push too hard and too quickly, it'll backfire. This is just my opinion."

Ye Guan looked at her for a moment before nodding slightly. "That's a prudent perspective. You focus on managing the affairs below, I'll handle everything above."

With that, he opened his palm, and a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence floated over toward her.

Everyone working in the hall froze. They all turned to look at Ye Guan and Mu Shuo in disbelief. Soon, their disbelief turned into envy.

Mu Shuo was also stunned, clearly not expecting Ye Guan to bestow a Supreme Emperor Origin Essence upon her from out of nowhere.

Ye Guan calmly said, "Take it."

Mu Shuo clenched her fists tightly, struggling internally. She took a deep breath and said, "Academy Master, I can't accept this."

Ye Guan looked slightly puzzled.

Mu Shuo sternly said, "You shouldn't do this, Supreme Emperor Guan."

Ye Guan grew even more confused.

Mu Shuo looked at him, no longer hesitant. Instead, her eyes were filled with firm determination. "May I know why you decided to give me this strand of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence?"

"Because you're doing great," Ye Guan replied.

Mu Shuo shook her head. "Forgive my boldness, Academy Master, but rewards and punishments must be clearly defined. You said I'm doing great, but there are thirty-six others here who are also working diligently, no less than I do.

"If you only reward me, what will they think of me? Furthermore, although my work is tedious and exhausting, it is far from deserving of a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence.

"If rewards are given so easily, many people will start seeking shortcuts, believing that as long as they please you, they might receive one as well.

"If that happens, who will focus on doing their work properly? Corruption in official circles stems from flattery and manipulation. This kind of culture must not be allowed to take root.

"After the Academy is established, besides the Guanxuan Law, there must also be rules, systems, and regulations. Whether it's rewards or punishments, the Academy Master must set an example by following these rules rather than acting on personal whims."

Cold sweat broke out all over Mu Shuo, and her voice was trembling at the end of her speech. Her hands hidden in her sleeves were tightly clenched as well. She hadn't spent that much time with Ye Guan, so she knew little about his temperament.

Mu Shuo had done something extremely risky. One wrong word and she could face severe consequences.

However, she dared to speak because of Diyi Jingzhao's farewell letter.

He can be a little childish at times, but he has great tolerance. The more honest and direct you are with him, the more he will appreciate and value you.

On the other hand, if you try to flatter or manipulate him, you might be able to fool him for a while, but once he realizes it, he will distance himself from you.

When dealing with him, don't play mind games and don't be afraid of him. Just be direct. Say things as they are.

Everyone in the hall looked at Mu Shuo in disbelief. They had never expected her to speak to Ye Guan in such a manner. Moreover, she even refused a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence. Was she insane?

A single wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence could not only change her fate, but could also alter the fate of her entire clan.

However, some people looked at her with deep admiration. Refusing a Supreme Emperor Origin Essence was something that few could ever bring themselves to do.

Ye Guan remained silent for a long time before finally putting away the Supreme Emperor Origin Essence. Then, he said, "You're absolutely right. I didn't think this through carefully."

Mu Shuo heaved a sigh of relief. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. The moment she finished speaking earlier, her heart nearly leaped into her throat.

The man before her could decide her life and death in an instant. More than that, he could determine the fate of her entire Mu Clan with a single word.

Ye Guan said, "You are quite impressive. Entrusting the Academy to you puts me at ease."

Then, his gaze shifted to the three bronze statues on Diyi Jingzhao's desk and said, "From now on, these three Bronze War Generals will follow your command. If anything happens, you can contact me directly."

Hearing this, Mu Shuo's heart finally calmed down. She bowed deeply to him and said, "I will not fail you, Supreme Emperor Guan."

Ye Guan nodded slightly. "You all have worked hard these past few days. It wouldn't be right not to reward you. As for how the rewards should be distributed, discuss it among yourselves and decide together."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the hall.

Inside the hall, everyone was overjoyed and immediately rose to bow in respect. As soon as he left, all of them eagerly gathered around Mu Shuo.

When Diyi Jingzhao left and Mu Shuo took over, there was naturally some resistance at the beginning. However, now, everyone was completely convinced.

Mu Shuo's refusal of the Supreme Emperor Origin Essence was a move that benefited them all. How could they not be convinced? She refused a Supreme Emperor Origin Essence!

Mu Shuo let out another deep sigh of relief. Her greatest fear was that these people wouldn't accept her as a leader. If that were to happen, then she would face a lot of difficulties implementing her policies, which would disrupt Ye Guan's plans.

Mu Shuo glanced at Ye Guan's disappearing figure, and a complex light flickered in her eyes. Despite being a Supreme Emperor, Ye Guan wasn't arrogant at all. More than that, he was even willing to admit his own mistakes.

Mu Shuo shook her head slightly, pushing away those thoughts and focusing on her work.

***

The next day, Ye Guan stood amidst the vast starry sky. Before long, a wave of terrifying auras surged toward him from afar.

"Greetings, Supreme Emperor Guan!"

"Greetings, Supreme Emperor Guan!"

Countless voices resounded through the boundless skies, creating an endless chorus of voices that were filled with utmost reverence.