Chapter 1413: Messing With Him

The moment Shang Hongyi moved to attack Plain-Skirt Destiny, Sui Gujin's face paled.

It's over!

she thought. She understood Shang Hongyi's intentions, but the problem was that Plain-Skirt Destiny was not an ordinary person in any way.

Just one look was enough for anyone to tell that she was a peerless expert. Trying to take her hostage was an unbelievably stupid move. It would have been far safer to go after Ye Guan instead.

Sui Gujin closed her eyes. She knew that Shang Hongyi had been completely blinded by humiliation and rage. Of course, she could understand why. She was a proud woman who had never been weaker than anyone, but today, she was utterly humiliated. How could she just let it go?

In the blink of an eye, Shang Hongyi reached Plain-Skirt Destiny, but...

Thud!

Her legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees before Plain-Skirt Destiny. Her kneecaps were shattered, and blood splattered everywhere!

Shang Hongyi was stunned. She knew how she moved forward, but she had no idea how she ended up kneeling.

Plain-Skirt Destiny looked down at the dazed Shang Hongyi and asked, "Would you like to try again?"

"

Ahhh!

" Shang Hongyi let out a furious roar, her eyes bloodshot. Powerful auras burst wildly out of her.

When had she suffered such humiliation? And not just once, but twice! A warrior could be killed but never humiliated!

In her fury, her aura became unimaginably violent. Terrifying waves of pressure erupted continuously from her, but no matter how much power she unleashed, it was all in vain. She felt like a tiny needle streaking across the universe. How could that needle possibly shake the vast cosmos?

It couldn't make even the slightest ripple.

Deep within her heart, an even more terrifying thought began to surface—Fear.

For the first time, she felt uncontrollable fear before Plain-Skirt Destiny.

Who exactly was she?

Shang Hongyi looked up. Plain-Skirt Destiny's face was utterly calm, without the slightest emotion. She gazed down at her with eyes devoid of any emotion as if she were merely looking at an ant.

Despair consumed Shang Hongyi.

Plain-Skirt Destiny paid her no attention and turned to Ye Xuan instead.

Ye Xuan smiled. "No rush."

Plain-Skirt Destiny nodded.

Then, Ye Xuan turned to Ye Guan and said, "Earlier, you made a bet with a certain young lady. I thought that was a pretty interesting bet. Now, your old man wants to make a bet with you, too..."

Ye Guan's expression changed slightly. "Father, I don't want to lose my cultivation again! This feels like an endless loop. I can't take it anymore!"

Ye Xuan burst into laughter. "What? This one's different. I want to help you upgrade Master Pagoda."

"

Woooof!

" Little Pagoda barked. "Do it! Whatever it is, I'll bet on it!"

Ye Xuan smiled and looked at Ye Guan, waiting for his response.

Ye Guan asked, "Father, what kind of bet are we talking about?"

Ye Xuan said, "I'll help upgrade Master Pagoda. After the upgrade, it can help you conceal your aura, your bloodline, and even your own existence. But for the next five years, your aunt and I won't interfere. If, by the end of those five years, you still can't make it on your own..."

"What's going to happen?"

"Then you'll just settle down as a privileged third-generation heir. You'll inherit the legacy your mother and I have built for you and live life however you want."

Ye Guan fell silent.

Ye Xuan patiently waited for his answer with a smile.

After a long moment, Ye Guan asked, "Five years?"

Ye Xuan nodded. "Yes."

"Make it ten years. If I still can't make it after ten years, I'll accept my fate and live as a third-generation heir. I won't pursue the Dao of Order anymore."

"That's the spirit! But knowing you, I'm sure you have another condition, right?"

"Father, Master Pagoda has been with our family for three generations. I want it to have a proper upgrade, something worthy of its status. I want it to look a bit more dignified."

"Hell yeah!" Little Pagoda exclaimed. He was deeply moved. "Kid, the next time we need to ignite our souls, I'll burn mine first!"

Ye Xuan chuckled. "Deal."

Ye Guan nodded. "Deal."

Smiling, Ye Xuan opened his palm. The tiny pagoda flew into his hand. He glanced at it and grazed it with his left index finger.

The tiny pagoda trembled violently. Its figure transformed bit by bit, and intricate patterns appeared all over it.

Ye Guan smiled at that. Master Pagoda was finally getting a worthy upgrade.

A moment later, the tiny pagoda flew back to Ye Guan.

Ye Xuan said, "From now on, he will be able to completely conceal your aura and divine artifacts. No one will be able to see through you at a glance anymore."

Ye Guan blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, at least in this observable universe, no one can."

"What about beyond this observable universe?"

"That's too far off for you to worry about right now."

Ye Guan fell silent, contemplating his words. Ye Xuan turned to Shang Hongyi and Sui Gujin, then said, "However, there are some things you have to resolve on your own."

Ye Xuan patted Ye Guan's shoulder and added, "You once said, 'One must not harbor ill intentions towards others, but one must always be wary of others.'

"That's a good principle, but sometimes, you don't need to overthink things. Schemes and plots don't really matter. What matters is acting with a clear conscience. Even if you fail in the end, it's fine. I will be here to catch you."

With that, he and Plain-Skirt Destiny vanished into thin air.

Ye Guan snapped out of his thoughts and quickly looked up into the deep void. He tried to sense his father and aunt's presence, but he couldn't track them at all.

He smiled bitterly to himself. It turned out that his father and aunt's strength was beyond his imagination. He had always thought his dad was just coasting through life, but in reality, he had been hiding his true powers all along.

Shaking off his thoughts, he turned his gaze toward Shang Hongyi, who was still kneeling nearby.

Shang Hongyi looked back at him, and her eyes were as cold as ice.

Ye Guan looked down at her and asked, "If I let you live, will you keep coming after me?"

For a woman as proud as her, how could she ever back down?

Without the slightest hesitation, she answered, "Yes!"

Ye Guan suddenly thrust his sword into her forehead.

Boom!

The Qingxuan Sword frantically devoured her soul.

Shang Hongyi's eyes widened in shock. She wanted to resist, but she couldn't do it, as Plain-Skirt Destiny's power was still suppressing her. All she could do was watch as the Qingxuan Sword consumed her soul.

Not far away, Sui Gujin spoke up, "You just told your father that you wouldn't kill her! That you'd keep her alive!"

Ye Guan glanced at her and casually said, "I was just messing with my father."

Little Pagoda was at a loss for words.

Sui Gujin froze in shock. She clearly had not expected Ye Guan to say something like that. She quickly turned to Shang Hongyi and said, "Hurry up and admit defeat! If you yield now, you can still survive!"

However, Shang Hongyi stared at Ye Guan with fierce determination, refusing to back down.

Seeing that, Sui Gujin frowned. Just as she was about to speak again, something clicked in her mind, and her expression changed dramatically. "You... clever bastard."

Ye Guan also sensed something amiss just then. His eyes locked onto Shang Hongyi, and with an open palm, he commanded the Qingxuan Sword to absorb Shang Hongyi's soul.

However, he frowned. Something was off.

That wasn't a complete soul!

Ye Guan's face darkened. "Father... you bamboozled me!"

Shang Hongyi's true body had never been here. His father clearly knew about that, but he never told him. If his father had warned him about that, he wouldn't have acted so recklessly!

They had just made a bet that he had to survive for ten years without any help, and Shang Hongyi was an extremely formidable foe. If he could kill her true body, it would be a great thing.

Otherwise, he was in deep trouble.

Ye Guan suddenly had the urge to slap himself.

Damn it! I screwed up again! And she heard that bet... Shit!

Ye Guan felt an unbearable headache coming on.

Little Pagoda said,

"I told you not to play mind games with your father, but you just wouldn't listen. Your father has been living for so many years, and the only person who ever got the better of him was your grandfather, and it was mostly because he couldn't beat him."

"Still, I can't believe that woman actually had another trick up her sleeve."

Ye Guan shook his head.

"It wasn't just one trick. She had a whole bunch of them."

Little Pagoda was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

A complicated look flashed in Ye Guan's eyes.

"When she attacked my aunt just now, it wasn't because she was stupid. She was testing Aunt's strength. There's no doubt about it; she's truly a schemer. Damn it, I was so naive.

"

He had to admit that she was a master of deception.

Ye Guan turned to look at Sui Gujin, who stood not far away from him. Shang Hongyi was just as clever as Sui Gujin, but she was much better at pretending to be a brainless beauty.

And deep down, his instincts told him that things weren't

that

simple.

He wondered what her goals were. There was also the fact that she left with the Other Shore Ark and Diyi Jingzhao... Was that really just a coincidence?

Ye Guan felt uneasy. Someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes. It had to be that damned Great Daoist Brush Master!

Little Pagoda said,

"Humans are so complicated. Everything has to be about schemes and mind games. It's so boring! Not like me and Little Soul, we're still so pure."

Little Soul interjected,

"Who's 'we'?"

Little Pagoda was speechless.

At this moment, Sui Gujin was staring at Ye Guan.

Ye Guan noticed that and smiled. "Lady Sui, I'm sure you have many questions. Coincidentally, so do I. Shall we have a chat?"

He was well aware that his situation was worse than before. He had to find an ally soon, or he would get beaten to death within three days.

More importantly, he had the unsettling feeling that he was caught in someone's game, but as someone inside the game, it was difficult to see the full picture. He needed someone to help him strategize, and without a doubt, Sui Gujin was the perfect candidate to.

Sui Gujin remained silent. He didn't rush her and simply waited. He knew she was calculating her next move, and that was understandable. At the moment, she had the upper hand over him.

After all, for the next ten years, he was on his own.

Sui Gujin asked, "Young Lord Ye, you've realized that you're caught in a game, haven't you?"

Ye Guan nodded. "Yes."

"Then, have you considered the possibility that one of the people playing this game might be your aunt or your father?" Sui Gujin asked.

Ye Guan stiffened.