Chapter 1426: A Gamble

As Mu Shuo listened to Sui Gujin's words, she felt a chill crawl up her scalp. She realized that Sui Gujin wasn't lying at all. It was true that both the Ten Desolate World and the Forbidden Wildlands had experienced tremendous growth and development.

Whether it was the top-tier clans and sects or the common folk at the bottom, everyone had reaped great benefits. Had they relied on themselves, they could never have gained all those benefits in a lifetime.

What about Ye Guan? Had he received the purest faith power from the Ten Desolate World, the Forbidden Wildlands, and the Other Shore? No!

Ye Guan had provided his tiny pagoda, offered countless Pure-grade Supreme Emperor Origin Essence Veins, and single-handedly supported the Ten Desolate World, the Forbidden Wildlands, and the Other Shore.

Yet in return, he received nothing close to what he had given. Even now, everyone was still prioritizing their interests. Some were still thinking about how they could extract more from Ye Guan.

"Going from rags to riches is easy to accept, but it is hard to accept going from riches to rags. Once they get used to the Academy Master's help, they'll hate him once he stops helping them. That's just human nature. Give a starving man a bowl of rice and he'll be grateful. Give him more and you become his enemy."

Mu Shuo's expression grew complex.

"Before things get to that point, you need to make a change. Like what I said earlier, do the so-called "ideological work" and keep promoting it. They must understand that they will have better days

only

if the Academy Master manages to build a brand-new Order.

"If the Academy Master fails, everything they own will vanish into thin air."

Sui Gujin looked at Mu Shuo and asked, "Who is the reason behind your survival and settlement in the Old Lands today?"

Mu Shuo's face was grave as she replied, "The Academy Master."

"If I were him, I'd fire everyone in the Guanxuan Committee, including you."

Mu Shuo looked at her in shock.

Sui Gujin turned to look at the horizon. There was a ripple of emotion in her eyes as she softly said, "Back when we sought to gain a foothold here, we fought a war. Do you have any idea how brutal it was?

"My Suiming Civilization lost countless people in that war before we were allowed to gain entry into the Old Lands. But you people didn't have to sacrifice anything to settle in the Old Lands, and it was all because of the Academy Master.

"Despite that fact, I don't see a trace of gratitude in your eyes. Not even from you. In other words, you've started to take everything he's done for granted."

Mu Shuo's face went pale.

"People tend not to cherish what is easy to obtain. That's human nature. You must make everyone understand that the Academy Master is the reason they have everything they have at the moment.

"Without him, they would have nothing. And that's the truth. Forgive me for being blunt, but if it weren't for him, the Old Lands wouldn't even consider allowing you to settle here."

Mu Shuo's complexion grew even paler.

"From now on, you need to take every opportunity to promote the simple slogan and scroll I gave you. You must give them weight and meaning. Let all beings across the Guanxuan Universe understand how difficult their life would become without the Academy Master.

"You must also make them understand the Academy Master's hardships. Let them understand that the Academy Master is building this Order for them. Without this Order, they will have nothing—they must know this fact."

Mu Shuo nodded. "I understand."

Sui Gujin stared deeply at her before vanishing into thin air.

Mu Shuo let out a deep sigh. She knew that Sui Gujin had no regard for her. If it hadn't been for Ye Guan, she wouldn't have spoken even a single word to her.

After thinking about it, however, Sui Gujin's words made sense. Without Ye Guan, would the Old Lands spare even a glance at the Ten Desolate World and the Forbidden Wildlands?

Mu Shuo took a deep breath. She looked at the scroll in her hand, her gaze more resolute than ever.

She understood the look that Sui Gujin had given her before leaving. She was telling Mu Shuo that this was her last chance.

Do well, and your name will go down in history. Mess it up, and you're out.

***

Sui Gujin made her way to at Feixian Tower. As soon as she arrived, the manager of the tower, Elder Zhu, appeared before her.

Sui Gujin nodded slightly but said nothing as she walked upstairs.

Suddenly, Elder Zhu asked, "Lady Sui, what exactly is Young Master Ye's background? If I were to follow him, would I truly be able to go further?"

Sui Gujin glanced at him and said, "Forget it."

Elder Zhu was stunned.

Sui Gujin turned and continued walking up the stairs. "He doesn't need you anymore."

Sui Gujin made her way to the ninth floor. The Domain Lords of the Four Great Immortal Domains were seated there.

They were Zuo Jian, the Domain Lord of the Tianfu Immortal Domain; Zou Mu, the Domain Lord of the Tianmu Immortal Domain; Mu Wujian, the Domain Lord of the Wujian Immortal Domain; and Cang Ge, the Domain Lord of the Canghai Immortal Domain.

When they saw Sui Gujin, they rose to their feet and looked at her.

Sui Gujin walked over and sat down before them. "All four of you have invited me here. Is there something going on?"

Zuo Jian smiled. "Lady Sui, we wish to collaborate with Young Lord Ye."

When they learnt that Ye Guan had joined the Old Lands, they were shocked. They had never imagined that the Old Lands would allow Ye Guan to join them.

It had to be known that the Four Great Immortal Domains had been coveting the Old Lands for many years, yet they never dared to speak of it openly.

Back then, the Suiming Civilization fought a full-scale war just to enter the Old Lands.

The battle was unimaginably intense.

Despite that, Ye Guan managed to join the Old Lands without breaking a sweat.

They couldn't help but wonder just how powerful Ye Guan's background was.

Sui Gujin asked, "Lord Zuo, aren't you afraid of the Great Daoist Brush Master?"

Without hesitation, Zuo Jian replied, "I'm afraid."

Sui Gujin stared at him, but he smiled and said, "But we still choose Young Lord Ye. Why? It's simple. The Great Daoist Brush Master doesn't value us. He doesn't even see us as people."

If he hadn't kept a cautious mindset and gone after Ye Guan back then, he would have died without knowing how he died. The Great Daoist Brush Master was just too ruthless.

Zou Mu nodded in agreement. "Young Lord Ye is younger and easier to get along with."

Mu Wujian added, "Lady Sui, you're smart, so we're not going to beat around the bush. Someone is playing a grand game of chess. The four of us old men know our limits and cannot be involved in this game.

"But this involves the Ancestral Civilization and the Universe Ruler. We're not willing to sit on the sidelines, so we want to choose a wise leader. We refuse to be abandoned pawns."

"You're curious why the Old Lands chose him, aren't you?" Sui Gujin asked.

Mu Wujian smiled. "Exactly."

Sui Gujin didn't beat around the bush either. "I'll take the four of you somewhere else."

With that, she led them into the tiny pagoda.

Once they stepped inside, their expressions changed instantly.

Sui Gujin looked at them and said, "This isn't a mere reversal of time. This is the creation of time."

They were horrified and released their divine senses to inspect the spacetime within the tiny pagoda. Gradually, looks of fear appeared on their faces.

They had initially thought that it was merely a time reversal. Of course, even that would be heaven-defying, but they hadn't imagined that time itself was being created here.

Sui Gujin added, "He claims that he's the reincarnation of the Universe Ruler."

The four of them turned to look at her.

"It's up to you whether you believe it or not. I don't," Sui Gujin said calmly.

The Universe Ruler! He was the ruler of the Ancestral Civilization?

The four of them looked at each other. They naturally had doubts about Ye Guan's claim, but they had no doubts that Ye Guan likely came from the Ancestral Civilization or another incredibly powerful civilization.

The tiny pagoda was just too powerful.

Their minds churned with turbulent thoughts.

Sui Gujin led the four out of the tiny pagoda. Inside the room, she looked at them and said, "You can be honest with me."

They remained silent.

"Actually, I suggest that the four of you remain bystanders for now. This Great Dao Contest involves far too many players. As of now, we don't even know everyone who is involved. Jumping into it at this stage would be unwise."

Cang Ge suddenly asked, "Then why are you getting involved at this point?"

Sui Gujin glanced at him and responded, "I'm taking a gamble."

A gamble.

Cang Ge fell silent.

Getting involved now was indeed a gamble. If it paid off, it would mean climbing to a higher level, or even several levels. Otherwise, it would send one to their grave.

How would they choose?

While the four were hesitating, Sui Gujin turned and walked away.

Zuo Jian quickly called out, "Lady Sui!"

"You shouldn't be wondering whether or not to follow him. What you should be wondering is if he even wants you on his side."

Zuo Jian hurriedly said, "Pavilion Master Sui, let's talk about this some more."

The other three Domain Lords quickly nodded in agreement.

An hour later, Sui Gujin left the Feixian Tower and made her way to the Divine Martial Arena.

Ye Guan was still cultivating within the array. He had become a cultivation maniac. Under the intense training of the top cultivators of the Suiming Civilization, Ye Guan grew even more powerful.

About half an hour later, Ye Guan emerged from the Divine Martial Arena and walked up to Sui Gujin with a smile. "Lady Sui."

Sui Gujin opened her palm. The tiny pagoda and the Qingxuan Sword flew toward Ye Guan.

"You don't need them anymore?" Ye Guan asked

Sui Gujin nodded.

Ye Guan smiled and put the tiny pagoda and the Qingxuan Sword away.

"How is your strength now?" she asked.

Ye Guan thought for a moment and replied, "I'm not exactly sure where my combat level stands. But at this point, someone at the Emperor Lord Realm is no longer a threat to me."

Sui Gujin nodded. "Still not enough, but it'll do for now."

"When are we heading to the Immortal Domain Secret Realm in the Genesis Starry Region?"

"We're going now."

"All right," Ye Guan said, grinning. "Let's go."

Sui Gujin nodded, and the two vanished into thin air.

Three days later, they finally arrived at the Genesis Starry Region. Ye Guan revealed a confident smile. After all, he had just become even stronger. Unbeknownst to him, however, a shocking scheme awaited him here.