Ye Guan's sword strike was devoid of any elaborate sword techniques and it was just a straightforward thrust. Yet, even in its simplicity, it carried the potential for devastation. His current Sword Dao mastery was incredible and with his Invincible Sword Intent and the Qingxuan Sword, its unleashed power was not to be underestimated. Even those in the Divine Dao Realm had to be cautious.

At the sight of Ye Guan's strike, the old man lightly tapped his smoking pipe.

Boom!

Countless wisps of smoke surged forth from the pipe and transformed into a mysterious barrier that ensnared Ye Guan. But in an instant, Ye Guan's sword shattered the barrier, piercing straight towards the old man.

The old man remained composed, nudging his smoking pipe forward.

Bang!

Ye Guan was sent hurtling thousands of meters away, but his Sword Intent remained unbroken.

The old man glanced down at his smoking pipe, noticing a crack at its tip.

Seeing this, his brows furrowed deeply.

Meanwhile, Ye Guan stood firm in the distance. With his sword in hand, his eyes were ablaze with determination. Without a word, he vanished from his spot.

Swish!

A flash of swordlight drew across the starry sky.

The old man extended his palm, summoning countless blood-red lightning bolts that converged towards Ye Guan. It created a cage-like prison upon Ye Guan. But in the next moment, Ye Guan's sword swept through, reducing the menacing bolts to ash.

The old man's frown deepened as he stepped back a thousand meters.

Shwing!

Ye Guan's strike fell short, but in the blink of an eye, a column of blood-red lightning crashed down upon him.

With a casual wave of his hand, the lightning column was cleaved apart. It seemed as though he could dismantle anything effortlessly.

Witnessing this, the old man's frown intensified. "Your sword..."

Before he could finish, Ye Guan vanished once more.

A flash of sword light streaked through the battlefield.

This time, the old man stood his ground. He stepped forward, igniting his smoking pipe. From its tip, a torrent of blood-red lightning burst forth.

Bang!

As soon as the lightning met the Qingxuan Sword, it shattered into pieces, along with the old man's pipe.

Retreating once more, the old man narrowly evaded Ye Guan's blade.

Ye Guan paused, locking eyes with the old man. "If you keep dodging like this, we'll get nowhere."

The old man retorted, a hint of annoyance in his voice, "If you're so skilled, why rely on that sword?"

Ye Guan stared him down. "Then why don't you lower your realm to that of a Heavenly Sovereign?”

The old man's lips twitched slightly. At that moment, he was genuinely shocked. He hadn't expected Ye Guan's sword to be so powerful. It seemed to possess an inherent ability to break through anything. And coupled with Ye Guan's considerable mastery of swordsmanship, even he felt the need to tread carefully. This sword was simply untouchable.

My own smoking pipe was a rare divine artifact but Ye Guan had effortlessly shattered it

.

It was utterly inconceivable.

"Shall we continue?" Ye Guan asked.

The old man glanced at Ye Guan, falling silent. He had to face an uncomfortable truth: he couldn't match Ye Guan if Ye Guan used that sword. He had never imagined a sword could be this terrifying.

Feeling somewhat agitated, the old man suggested, "Let's resume our conversation."

With a wave of his hand, the two teleported back to the small tavern. Ye Guan sheathed his Qingxuan Sword and rose to leave. "I think there's no need for further discussion."

Just as Ye Guan turned to depart, the old man interjected, "How about we discuss the Temple of the Gods and the Qi Family?"

This caught Ye Guan's attention, causing him to pause. The old man continued, filling his smoking pipe as he spoke. "Between you and the Dao Market, there's technically no irreconcilable enmity. But the Temple of the Gods and the Qi Family are different. Especially the Temple of the Gods—they're waiting outside for you, preparing for a major move."

Ye Guan nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm aware."

"For the conflict between you and the Dao Market, how about this: you offer an apology and compensation, and we'll consider the matter settled. What do you say?"

In the end, the old man chose to pursue reconciliation rather than escalate the conflict.

That sword was too terrifying. And its real owner must be insanely powerful too. Ye Guan must have a strong backer.

Ye Guan looked at the old man and suggested, "Instead of me, why don't you discuss this with my mother when she arrives? I'll abide by whatever decision you reach with her."

The old man furrowed his brows, contemplating this proposal. Eventually, he relented. "Okay."

With a nod, Ye Guan turned to leave, leaving the old man to ponder his next move. As he sat in the tavern, puffing on his pipe, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

At that moment, the tavern owner approached him, offering a jug of wine with a grin. "Old Zhao, rare to see you taking a loss, huh?"

Old Zhao shot the tavern owner a disgruntled glance, but the latter continued with a chuckle, "That young man seems quite extraordinary, doesn't he? So young, yet his swordsmanship is unparalleled. And that sword of his... It surpasses all the treasures in Dao Market combined."

Old Zhao requested, "Investigate his background for me."

However, the tavern owner shook his head, prompting Old Zhao to ask, "Why not?"

"I understand you're not happy about this, but I advise you to let it go."

Old Zhao remained stoic, drawing deeply from his pipe. "He's not planning to let it go."

"Have you ever wondered why he's daring to act this way?"

A crease formed on Old Zhao's forehead.

Continuing, the tavern owner said, "At its core, this whole situation stems from Dao Market’s foolishness. Trying to curry favor with the Mu Family, you played a dangerous game with him. If it were anyone else, Dao Market might would have easily prevailed. But unfortunately, you picked a fight with someone they shouldn't have. And when you, Old Zhao, approached him, you still carried that air of superiority..."

"Old Zhao, don't be upset. Your level of cultivation far surpasses that young man's. But let me ask you this: Do you have any certainty that you can defeat the owner of that sword?"

Old Zhao remained silent.

The tavern owner pressed on, "If you were to humble yourself, apologize, and make amends, perhaps this conflict could have been resolved. But now, that young man is sending you to negotiate with his family. His intentions are clear: this matter won't be settled easily..."

Old Zhao tapped his smoking pipe, a smirk forming. "Among all the major powers in the various realms, there's none known as the Yang family."

"That's precisely what makes them the most frightening."

Old Zhao's heart skipped a beat.

Taking a sip from his jug, the tavern owner stated, "The unknown is always the most terrifying."

After a moment of silence, Old Zhao said, "Since he's not backing down, let's see who prevails: Dao Market or the Yang family backing him."

With that, he rose and left.

Shaking his head with a smile, the tavern owner muttered, "Let them duke it out... It's got nothing to do with me anyway, haha..."

...

Ye Guan arrived in the Star World via Dao Market’s teleportation array. After a quick scan of his surroundings, he vanished.

Before long, he found himself at the Star River Clan.

Considered one of the strongest sects, the Star River Clan ranked among the top five in terms of power.

Ye Guan didn't sneak around. Instead, he flew straight into the Star River Clan. As soon as he entered, a middle-aged man appeared before him. The middle-aged man cupped his fists together and greeted, “I am the Clan Leader of the Star River Clan, Li Qi, who might you be?”

Ye Guan returned the gesture, introducing himself as Ye Guan. "I've come to your clan in search of someone—her name is Wang Junru."

Li Qi paused briefly, then swiftly turned away. "Elder Yu!"

An elderly figure materialized before Li Qi, his voice solemn. "Our clan indeed has a disciple named Wang Junru."

Li Qi wasted no time, "Please bring her here at once."

But the elder hesitated.

Seeing this, Ye Guan furrowed his brows. "What's the matter?"

Li Qi was urgently asked, "What's wrong?"

In a grave tone, the elder explained, "Not long ago, Wang Junru and a group of disciples ventured into the Ancient Sovereign Ruins Remains, but they haven't returned..."

Li Qi's expression darkened, "Have we sent anyone to find them?"

"An elder was dispatched, but the area around the ruins is peculiar. Our people are hesitant to go too deeply..."

Suddenly, Ye Guan spoke up, "Where are these Ancient Sovereign Ruins?"

The elder glanced at Ye Guan and gestured to the right, "It is tens of thousands of miles from here..."

Ye Guan turned to the elder, "What does she look like?"

After a moment of hesitation, the elder conjured an image of Wang Junru. Ye Guan took the sketch and swiftly soared into the sky on his sword, disappearing into the distant horizon like a streak of light.

Observing Ye Guan's departure, Li Qi's expression grew grave, "He's an incredibly powerful swordsman..."

"I wonder what connection he has with Wang Junru."

"Summon everyone. We're heading to the Ancient Sovereign Ruins..."

Puzzled, the elder questioned, "But, Clan Leader, she's only an Inner Courtyard disciple..."

Li Qi's tone was firm, "Times have changed. Don't ask too many questions. Gather everyone immediately..."

The elder dared not object and promptly departed.

Before long, countless experts from the Star River Clan ascended into the sky, making their way towards the Ancient Sovereign Ruins.

...

In a flash, Ye Guan arrived at the Ancient Sovereign Ruins, his heart filled with urgency.

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

As he approached, Ye Guan sensed a powerful yet hidden aura. Frowning, he jumped on his sword transformed into a streak of light as he flew into the deepest part of the ruins. Simultaneously, his divine senses spread out like an expansive net, enveloping the entire area.

Soon, he detected something and abruptly changed course. He rushed towards the entrance of a cave. Upon arrival, a menacing aura emanated from within.

Ye Guan furrowed his brow and swiftly swung his sword.

Swish!

The aura dissipated instantly.

"Hmm?"

A voice filled with anger echoed from inside the cave.