Chapter 1512: Did I Say I'd Call My Father?

In this vast domain, aside from the two dominant powers, the Celestial Clan and the Empire, there were three other superpowers—the Taigu Clan, the Zhou Clan, and the Wu Clan.

The Zhou Clan had long aligned itself with the empire, while the Wu Clan stood proudly with the Celestial Clan. As for the Taigu Clan, they were neutral, proud, and aloof, until recently.

They suddenly took the Celestial Clan's side, a move that gave the Celestial Clan the upper hand on the Empyrean Star Battlefield.

Upon learning this, Ye Guan instantly sensed that the Great Daoist Brush Master might soon target the Taigu Clan.

It didn't take long before Tian He brought Ye Guan directly to the Taigu Clan.

The Taigu Clan was an old and once-glorious clan, even predating the rise of the Celestial Clan. In their heyday, they ruled as an unrivaled hegemon, but the decline of talent and power had left them weakened over the years, eventually surpassed by the empire and the Celestial Clan.

The fall from power explained why they had remained neutral for so long. Having once stood above all, how could they stomach bowing to another?

Emerging from a rift in spacetime, Ye Guan and Tian He were greeted by a breathtaking sight—a grand realm of ancient palaces towering between heaven and earth. There were tens of thousands of them, each majestic, imposing, and soaked in the aura of history.

They were in the Taigu World.

Just then, an old man appeared before them.

Tian He nodded. "Old Li, is your clan leader available?"

"Clan Leader Tian He, our clan leader is currently receiving guests..."

Ye Guan's face immediately darkened.

One of the guests was definitely the Great Daoist Brush Master!

Tian He's expression also soured. He hadn't expected the Great Daoist Brush Master to strike so quickly.

"Clan Leader Tian He..." the elder said awkwardly, caught in a spot.

Just then, a voice echoed in the elder's mind.

He immediately straightened up and said, "Our clan leader has invited you in."

With that, he led Ye Guan and Tian He into the distance.

Soon, they entered a grand hall, and the Great Daoist Brush Master was there, sitting casually on one side. He looked at them with a faint, knowing smile.

At the center of the room stood a middle-aged man, Taigu Qing, the leader of the Taigu Clan, and a young man was next to him.

"Brother Tian He," Taigu Qing said with a smile, rising up slowly from his seat.

"Brother Qing," Tian He said, returning the greeting. "Please take a seat."

Ye Guan and Tian He sat opposite the Great Daoist Brush Master, who maintained his placid, knowing smile.

Without further ado, Taigu Qing got to the point. "This fellow Daoist claims he can help us unseal our clan's Taigu Divine Scripture."

Tian He's brows instantly furrowed.

The Taigu Divine Scripture was the greatest sacred artifact of the Taigu Clan, a powerful divine item and a legendary technique scroll once hailed as the number one divine technique in all realms. It represented the pinnacle of the Taigu Clan's legacy and might.

The clan's gradual decline in recent years was closely tied to the dormancy of this very artifact. Ever since the passing of the Taigu Clan's second ancestor, this artifact fell into a sealed, dormant state and had never awakened again.

Fortunately, the Taigu Clan had a vast foundation and deep reserves. Had it not been for that fact, they would have been wiped out a long time ago.

And the Great Daoist Brush Master claimed that he could unseal it...

Tian He's heart sank. If this man wasn't bluffing, there was no way the Taigu Clan could resist that temptation.

Taigu Qing turned to Tian He and Ye Guan, the implication clear: if they couldn't present something of equal or greater value, the Taigu Clan would likely side with the Great Daoist Brush Master.

Ye Guan suddenly stood up.

The Great Daoist Brush Master's voice rang out immediately in mockery, "Traitor, don't tell me you can unseal it, too?"

Ye Guan ignored him and looked directly at Taigu Qing. "Senior, someone in my family should be able to unseal it..."

"Bullshit!" the Great Daoist Brush Master snapped. "What's your damn family got to do with this? You forgot you've been cut off from them?"

Ye Guan glanced at him coldly. "Anxious?"

Taigu Qing's interest piqued, and he asked, "Your family?"

Ye Guan nodded. "Yes."

Taigu Qing smiled. "I heard the rumor about how you fought Ji Zhan. I didn't believe it at first. However, I can see that you've already formed the True Void Divine Body. It seems I underestimated you."

The young man beside him looked at Ye Guan with a mix of curiosity, surprise, and the will to fight.

The Great Daoist Brush Master stared silently at Ye Guan. There was no surprise in his expression, and that unsettled Ye Guan. However, he remained composed and smiled slightly at Taigu Qing. "Senior, to be honest, if this man says he can unseal the Scripture, I believe him..."

Taigu Qing grew curious.

The Great Daoist Brush Master became willing.

"I can't do what he claims, but..." Ye Guan trailed off, before saying, "my family can do it. Once this matter is over, I can ask them to help unseal it... if you're willing to wait."

"You shameless bastard!" the Great Daoist Brush Master sneered. "Ye Guan, how can you bring your family into this again? Do you have any shame at all?!"

Ye Guan looked at him indifferently. "And how about you? How old are you this year? Compared to you, my life has barely begun."

Though the Great Daoist Brush Master's powers were sealed, his vast experience and memories were not sealed. He retorted coldly, "Your father promised that this would be a fair competition, yet you're calling in family?"

Ye Guan responded calmly, "Did I say I'll call my father? Did I?"

"Don't play word games with me!" the Great Daoist Brush Master roared.

"I said that after this matter is over, I'll ask my family to help the Taigu Clan," Ye Guan said. "Why are you so jumpy?"

The two locked eyes, neither backing down.

Tian He and Taigu Qing exchanged glances. The tension was bizarre. What kind of grudge were these two nursing against each other?

The Great Daoist Brush Master suddenly burst into laughter. "Alright, you wanna play like this?"

"Tell me, Great Daoist Dog, did I break any rules?"

"Not technically..." The Great Daoist Brush Master shook his head. Then, he turned to Taigu Qing. "Brother Taigu, bring out your Scripture. I'll unseal it for free. No strings attached. No allegiance required."

Ye Guan's face darkened instantly.

Taigu Qing didn't hesitate. He raised his hand, and an ancient scroll floated toward the Great Daoist Brush Master.

The Great Daoist Brush Master accepted it, and then he turned to Ye Guan with a smirk. "Come on, traitor. Show us what you've got. Let's see if you can crack this open."

Ye Guan said nothing.

"

Pfft,

you've got nothing?" The Great Daoist Brush Master laughed. "I knew it! Come on, don't be shy. I promise I won't laugh..."

Ye Guan ignored him, instead facing Taigu Qing. "Senior, I may not be able to unseal the Scripture, but I do have something else. Please take a look."

He opened his palm, and a scroll floated forward.

It was the Breaking Wall Scripture, a complete copy at that!

It was the life's work of a reclusive genius, and even the Great Daoist Brush Master coveted it. Ye Guan believed it was no less powerful than the Taigu Divine Scripture.

Sure enough, the moment Taigu Qing saw it, his expression changed drastically.

"You traitor!" the Great Daoist Brush Master snarled. "That's yours?!"

Ye Guan replied, "If it's not mine, is it yours? I spent years writing that."

"Bullshit!" the Great Daoist Brush Master exploded. "You're even more shameless than your old man! How can you, do you have any shame!!"

Ye Guan replied coolly, "Not your damn business."

Taigu Qing looked visibly conflicted.

It was fortune that arrived without the slightest warning, like a thunderclap on a clear day.

Moments later, he understood.

The Great Daoist Brush Master offered to unseal the scripture "for free," but it was clear that the Taigu Clan would owe him a favor afterward. No one would offer something like that without expecting anything in return.

Ye Guan knew this, too. Hence, he offered something even more valuable.

If the Great Daoist Brush Master later tried to use the Taigu Clan against the Celestial Clan, how could they agree in good conscience?

Clearly, the Taigu Clan had become the biggest winners.

"The Taigu Clan will remain neutral," Taigu Qing replied solemnly.

He had no choice. Taking sides now would only invite future entanglements.

The Great Daoist Brush Master's face went blank. He failed his objective, and now, he had no choice but to unseal the Scripture, as refusing would turn an entire clan against him.

"Very well." Ye Guan nodded. He turned to Tian He. "Senior, let's go."

Tian He nodded.

Just like that, the two of them left the hall.

Inside the hall, Taigu Qing turned to the Great Daoist Brush Master. "Brother Daoist, this..."

The Great Daoist Brush Master smiled. "No worries. I said I'd help, and I will help. I'll do it right now."

He looked at the ancient scroll in his hands and smiled again.

***

Upon leaving the Taigu World, Tian He suddenly stopped.

Ye Guan turned to him.

"We're going to kill him," Tian He said coldly. He was talking about the Great Daoist Brush Master.

Ye Guan's expression suddenly changed upon realizing it.

Wasn't he alone? Shit, this is bad.