Chapter 1594: Can They Protect You Forever?

After walking for a bit, Ye Guan reached out his hand and said, "Didn't you say there was a reward?"

Sang Mei slapped his hand away playfully. "I'll owe you for now."

Ye Guan's face darkened. "Hey, that's not cool."

Sang Mei chuckled. "You've exceeded all my expectations. I was really surprised. So I've decided to upgrade your reward."

"Upgrade?" Ye Guan's interest was instantly piqued.

"Yup. But you can't have it just yet. You're not ready for it."

"How would you know if you don't let me try?"

"I'll give you a small reward now, and the big one later. Deal?"

"What's the small one?" he asked.

She patted him on the shoulder and said seriously, "Already gave it to you."

With that, she turned and walked off into the distance.

Ye Guan stood there, face black as coal.

Did I get scammed?

After a while, they ran into Nan Xiao.

Nan Xiao led Ye Guan and Sang Mei into a modest little teahouse and said with a smile, "Brother Ye, you're really something. I didn't expect you to turn this place around. Though... about your tiny pagoda..."

Ye Guan replied with a light smile, "It's fine."

Nan Xiao nodded. "Good thing you had the foresight to ask me to keep watch. Damn, those people outside are heartless. Some tried to buy up homes from the locals at dirt-cheap prices. Worse still, a few even resorted to threats..."

"What did you do about it?" Ye Guan asked.

A cold glint flashed in Nan Xiao's eyes. "Made an example out of them. Confiscated their assets."

"That's how it should be. If you don't strike hard, they'll never back off."

The stakes were too high. Without harsh punishment, there'd be no way to deter the greedy.

Nan Xiao hesitated before speaking again. "There's another issue..."

"Go ahead," Ye Guan said.

"In the past few days, some people who sold their homes have started blowing the money by gambling, visiting brothels... They've completely lost themselves in the sudden wealth.

"It's like they've gone mad. There's no reasoning with them."

Sang Mei turned to look at Ye Guan.

Ye Guan fell silent for a moment before saying, "We can't save everyone. We help those who are worth saving."

Nan Xiao nodded. They could deal with external threats, but they couldn't control people wasting their own money.

After all, it was their money; how they spent it was their business.

Ye Guan added, "Still, we can't ignore it entirely. Some people gamble because it's in their bones, but others are being lured into traps. I'm willing to bet there are people nearby deliberately setting those traps. Investigate. If you find any, punish them severely and seize their assets."

"Got it," Nan Xiao said. He paused briefly and added, "Brother Ye, there's something I've been wondering..."

Ye Guan smiled. "Let me guess, you want to know why I suddenly took the initiative to revitalize this place?"

Nan Xiao nodded. "Exactly."

"What if I told you it was the will of the Divinity?" Ye Guan asked.

Nan Xiao hesitated before saying, "If it were someone else, I wouldn't believe it. But you? I do. You wouldn't lie to me."

"

Hahaha.

" Ye Guan laughed. "Do you think what we're doing is meaningful?"

Nan Xiao thought for a moment and replied, "To be honest, if it were before, I wouldn't bother with this. These people don't really matter to me. I never had the power nor a reason to help them.

"After spending some time here, I realized that even under the rule of the Divinity, there are still so many people living in poverty..."

He shook his head. "That's the fault of the Temple of the Gods. All we care about is profits, results, and promotion. That's the culture."

He sighed deeply.

He wanted to do good, but being part of that system made it incredibly hard.

Ye Guan asked, "Have you ever met the Divinity in person?"

Nan Xiao quickly shook his head. "Of course not. I can't even get an audience with the Temple God."

"Then what exactly is this so-called Divine Will?" Ye Guan asked.

"It comes from official seals," Nan Xiao explained. "They're infused with divine will. Once someone reaches a certain rank, they're granted a seal, and through it, they get access to the Divine Will's power.

"But it's just the power, of course."

Ye Guan nodded. "Got it."

Suddenly, Sang Mei asked, "Do you believe in the Divinity because of their ideals like saving the masses or because of the power they give to you?"

"To be honest with you—" Nan Xiao smiled.

"Sang Mei and I are just friends." Ye Guan interjected. Ye Guan glanced at Sang Mei and saw that she was indifferent.

Nan Xiao looked at them and said, "To be honest, I do respect the Divinity. But let's face it, if there were no benefits, very few people would worship them."

Sang Mei said gently, "I see. So it's not really the Divinity you believe in, but the power and authority they offer."

Nan Xiao was speechless.

Sang Mei continued, "And that's not necessarily wrong. After all, people act in their own interest. That's just human nature. And honestly, among officials, you're already one of the better ones. At least you still have some compassion."

Nan Xiao revealed a bitter smile. "For someone like me, becoming a Main God is probably my limit. But after spending time here, I've had some thoughts. If I can gain power and use it to help others... that would be ideal."

Sang Mei smiled faintly. "That's a good way to think."

Ye Guan suddenly asked, "Any news from the Jun Clan lately?"

Nan Xiao's expression turned serious. "They're still up to their tricks, slinging mud at both of us. But it's fine. They'll be dealt with soon."

"What's their young lady like?" Ye Guan asked.

Nan Xiao's tone grew cautious. "She's... not simple. In the beginning, she was completely ordinary. But out of nowhere, she developed incredible talent and rose through the ranks at lightning speed. In no time, she became the leader of the Jun Clan. Since she took over, the clan's wealth has skyrocketed."

Ye Guan frowned.

Sang Mei suddenly said, "People change."

Both Ye Guan and Nan Xiao turned to look at her, but she simply smiled and didn't elaborate.

Ye Guan asked, "Does the Jun Clan have businesses in the other Temples?"

Nan Xiao nodded. "They do. And they're pretty sizable, too."

Ye Guan said softly, "I see."

"This place is a mess right now, Nan Xiao. You'll need to keep a close eye on things."

"Don't worry. The Law Enforcement Guards and Imperial Guards are under my command now. I've already stationed people here. I'll keep things tight."

Ye Guan nodded in approval.

After chatting a bit more, Ye Guan and Sang Mei took their leave.

On the way back, Ye Guan said, "I'm a little worried."

Sang Mei looked at him. "You're afraid your method will be abused by those in the Hall of Gods?"

Ye Guan nodded.

Sang Mei asked, "Have you ever thought about taking their place?"

Ye Guan was stunned.

She smiled. "Only by holding power can you truly make a difference."

Ye Guan shook his head. "A hawk may seem asleep; a tiger may appear sick; but a true gentleman has great power yet chooses restraint."

Sang Mei fell silent for a moment before nodding. "I understand."

Back at home, Ye Guan returned to his cultivation room, while Sang Mei disappeared somewhere.

But no matter how much stronger Ye Guan got, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Even though he could now go toe-to-toe with a Main God without using the Qingxuan Sword, he still didn't feel safe.

It felt like something unknown and dangerous was drawing closer...

Was it the Great Daoist Brush Master?

It was possible. Even though his uncle had forced that bastard to stay away for a hundred years, Ye Guan didn't believe he'd keep his word.

At least not in the shadows...

Pushing aside his thoughts, Ye Guan focused on his cultivation.

Right now, becoming stronger was the top priority!

Half a month passed in a flash.

The slums had completely transformed. Countless clans and sects had flooded in, and now every inch of land was precious. The lives of the locals had drastically changed.

During this period of time, Sang Mei stayed in the slums every day, personally overseeing everything. Everyone knew she was close to Ye Guan, and Ye Guan was Nan Xiao's sworn brother. Hence, the experts from the Temple of the Gods treated her with respect and cooperated with her.

The Temple of the Gods also built a public academy, and Sang Mei volunteered to become a teacher. When she wasn't overseeing the construction, she was busy teaching.

***

Within the Jun Clan Estate, all of the clan's top elites were gathered in the grand hall.

Jun You stood in the middle of them all. She was dressed in black robes with her long hair tied in a ponytail; a purple sash around her waist accentuated her tall, elegant figure, while her cool demeanor emanated a sharp edge.

Nineteen elite Jun Clan cultivators stood before her—six were Higher Gods, and the rest were Divine Realm cultivators, all wielding divine artifacts. With divine artifacts in hand, those cultivators could go against Higher Gods.

Jun Yan looked at her, asking, "You've really made up your mind?"

Jun You calmly replied, "What do you think?"

Jun Yan's gaze hardened. "Hesitation leads to chaos. Let's do it."

The fiery Jun Quan laughed. "I've been itching for this!"

Jun You walked outside, where twelve black-clad figures appeared before her. The one leading them was a full-fledged Main God, while the rest were also formidable.

Even the Jun Clan members were shocked by this unexpected show of strength.

The lead assassin rasped, "Five billion True Spirit Crystals..."

Jun You tossed a ring to him. "Three billion now. Two billion after the job is done, plus a divine artifact."

The assassin didn't hesitate. "Deal."

Jun You coldly spat, "Move out!"

The group vanished into the night. Their target? The Judicial Office.

This was an assassination.

As Jun You gazed into the dark night, she murmured, "Ye Guan... you think your backers can protect you forever? If so, you're about to be very, very disappointed."