Outside the imperial city, the lady in the red robe stood with her saber in hand, her left hand holding a sugarcane. She took a bite, chewed twice, and spat it out, appearing completely at ease.

In her right hand, she held a blood-red saber, and on her back, she carried a sword, its name unknown.

On the city walls, numerous powerful figures of the Great Zhou imperial family were assembled, their expressions extremely solemn. It had been countless years since anyone had dared to provoke the Great Zhou imperial family so brazenly.

Just one person had actually decided to challenge the entire Great Zhou?

"Arrogant!"

An old man suddenly stepped forward, arriving before the lady in the red robe. Just as he was about to speak, Zhou Fan on the wall below shouted, "Elder Zhe, stand down."

The old man turned and bowed slightly to Zhou Fan, then said, "Your Highness, she has insulted our Great Zhou. I cannot tolerate what she has done. Today, I will disobey your order, and I will accept my punishment later."

With that, he turned around and punched directly at the lady in blood-red robes, his fist moving with the speed and ferocity of thunder.

The lady in blood-red robes swung her saber down gently.

Slice!

With just a light swing, the old man was split in two, blood spraying everywhere.

Instantly killed!

Everyone in the scene was horrified.

Zhou Fan's face turned ashen. "From this moment, without my orders, no one is to leave the city to fight."

She then turned to Elder Dao beside her. Elder Dao nodded slightly, and with a burst of profound energy, he roared, "Activate the array."

Boom!

In the depths of a certain mountain within the Great Zhou Imperial City, a beam of blue light suddenly shot up into the sky. In an instant, the mountains and the space within a radius of tens of thousands of miles trembled violently.

The blue light slowly condensed into the form of a middle-aged man in a Daoist robe with a Daoist sword in hand.

From all around, streams of mysterious blue light continuously converged towards the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe.

The Dao Clan's Dao Slaughter Array!

The most powerful killing array of the Dao Clan!

This array was personally created by the founder of the Dao Clan, Dao Yan, who left a fragment of his soul within it as the core. Over countless millennia, every successive head of the Dao Clan had infused their power into this array, making it stronger with each generation. This was the Dao Clan's ultimate trump card, and it was considered unparalleled in the Great Zohu!

Dao Jun turned to Zhou Fan, who said solemnly, "Rest assured, Dao Jun. The Great Zhou and Young Master Ye will not let the Dao Clan down."

Dao Jun nodded slightly. This array was originally intended as a defense against the Fantian Temple and the Great Zhou Imperial family. Now that it had been activated, it wouldn't be usable for at least a thousand years.

If the Great Zhou were to attack the Dao Clan now, the sect would have no means to defend itself. By activating this array, Dao Jun was making a gamble—a high-stakes gamble with everything on the line.

Retreat was no longer an option. Since that was the case, he would go all in. If he won, the Dao Clan would soar to new heights. If he lost, the Dao Clan would be doomed.

Dao Jun glanced at Ye Guan, who was unconscious in Zhou Fan's arms, then turned and bowed deeply to a certain spot. "I beseech our ancestor to defend against the enemy."

In the distant mountain skies, the Patriarch of the Dao Clan slowly lifted his head. With a single step, he appeared in front of the lady in blood-red robes. The lady in blood-red robes took a bite of her sugar cane and smiled. "Wait until I finish this sugar cane."

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan glanced at her and said, "Evil Dao Alliance."

The lady in blood-red robes remained silent, chewing on her sugar cane. The Patriarch of the Dao Clan turned to look at Dao Jun, who hurriedly bowed. The patriarch looked Dao Jun over and shook his head, "Your talent...is quite lacking."

Dao Jun had no idea what to say.

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan continued, "It seems this lady's target is not our Dao Clan. Did you activate this array for another reason?"

Dao Jun did not dare to hide anything and recounted everything truthfully. After listening, the patriarch's gaze fell on Ye Guan, who was in Zhou Fan's arms. Seeing Ye Guan, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Dao Jun quickly added, "This Young Master Ye has excellent character. He promises that if we survive today's calamity, he will lead our Dao Clan to greatness."

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan asked, "Is he one of our Dao Clan?"

Dao Jun shook his head. "No."

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan nodded slightly and then opened his palm. A jade pendant floated over to Ye Guan, "From this moment on, Young Master Ye is my...junior brother!"

Junior brother!

Everyone was stunned, especially Dao Jun.

What is this? Ancestor, are you taking a disciple on behalf of your master here? But who is your master, anyway? Because in the Dao Clan, this patriarch is already the highest authority, does he have a master? No one had ever heard of that.

Zhou Fan looked at the jade pendant with a strange expression.

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan looked at Zhou Fan and smiled without saying anything.

Zhou Fan remained silent for a moment, then accepted the jade pendant, saying, "I accept this on behalf of Lord Ye."

She understood that the Patriarch of the Dao Clan intended to solidify the relationship between the Dao Clan and Ye Guan, which made sense. After all, the Dao Clan had staked everything on this.

The patriarch himself might not need this connection, but future generations of the Dao Clan certainly would. Relationships could fade over time, but with Ye Guan formally associated with the Dao Clan, things would be different. As long as Ye Guan lived, he would be a part of the Dao Clan. Anyone who wanted to harm the Dao Clan would have to think twice.

Seeing Zhou Fan accept the jade pendant on Ye Guan's behalf, the Patriarch of the Dao Clan smiled. He then turned to face the lady in blood-red robes, who had finished eating her sugar cane.

The lady in blood-red robes smiled. "You make the first move."

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan nodded slightly. "Please, grant me your guidance."

With that, he took a step forward and transformed into a streak of sword light. As the sword light appeared, myriad Daoist laws emerged within the heavens and earth, accompanied by a mysterious power.

This power was his own unique Dao!

Unlike other powerful beings who forged their own paths, he had not only created his own Dao but had also passed it down, establishing it for countless followers.

Establishing a lineage and spreading one's Dao to the world is an extraordinary feat. There are very few who can create their own path and even fewer who can establish a tradition and share their teachings with the world.

As the Patriarch of the Dao Clan swung his sword, it was not just the creation of a unique path; his Dao was complete and well-developed. The lady in blood-red robes' eyes narrowed as she stepped forward and slashed her saber.

Bang!

The clash of sword and saber resonated through the air. In an instant, the Patriarch of the Dao Clan's body turned ethereal, like mist and smoke. Meanwhile, the lady in blood-red robes was forced back a thousand feet. The crimson saber in her hand was covered in cracks, with mysterious blood energy continuously seeping out like a raging tide.

The lady in blood-red robes glanced at her cracked saber, then looked up at the distant Patriarch of the Dao Clan and smiled. "You're pretty good. There's quite a bit more to you."

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan smiled. "You didn't use your full strength."

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The lady in blood-red robes nodded.

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan asked, "How much did you use?"

The lady in blood-red robes took out another sugar cane and began to eat it, then replied, "A tenth."

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan was momentarily stunned, and then he laughed as his figure faded away.

The lady in blood-red robes said, "You're not that weak. If your true body were here, we would have had a proper fight."

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan said nothing more as he completely vanished.

The surroundings fell into a deathly silence.

The Patriarch of the Dao Clan had been defeated!

And that lady had only used a tenth of her strength.

A tenth!

How could they possibly win against that?

Many people began to feel a sense of despair. The lady's overwhelming strength made them feel utterly hopeless, unable to muster any thoughts of resistance.

At this moment, the lady in blood-red robes suddenly looked at Zhou Fan and smiled, "If you personally kill the boy in your arms, I'll spare the Great Zhou. How about that?"

On the city wall, Zhou Fan remained silent.

The pressure now fell on the Great Zhou.

All around, everyone turned to look at Zhou Fan. At this moment, countless people suddenly realized that the lady was not targeting the Great Zhou. She was here because of this boy.

Who was this boy?

The lady in blood-red robes suddenly spoke again, "Little girl, this boy is not even a member of the Great Zhou. Is it worth putting the entire Great Zhou in danger for him?"

He was not a member of the Great Zhou!

Upon hearing these words, countless strong individuals in the area immediately became grim.

If the boy were a member of the Great Zhou, it would be understandable for the Great Zhou to protect him. But since he was not, why would the Great Zhou risk provoking such a terrifying strong opponent for him?

What was the relationship between Princess Zhou Fan and this boy? Even if there was such a relationship, how could Princess Zhou Fan disregard the interests of the Great Zhou for the sake of a boy?

On the city wall, Zhou Fan glanced at the distant lady in blood-red robes, her expression complex. With just a few words, this lady had sown discord among the previously united people of the Great Zhou.

Outside the city, the lady in blood-red robes looked at Zhou Fan with a playful expression. It wasn't that she feared a united Great Zhou; she simply found it entertaining, nothing more.

On the city wall, an elderly man in a white robe slowly stepped forward. He bowed slightly to Zhou Fan and then said, "Your Highness, is he a member of the Great Zhou?"

Zhou Fan's expression was complex. "Prime Minister Yuan, I'm surprised to see you step forward."

Prime Minister Yuan!

The Prime Minister of the Great Zhou, a representative of Confucianism, symbolizing the countless scholars of the Great Zhou, held a position of immense influence within the empire.

Prime Minister Yuan said solemnly, "Your Highness, I understand that the lady is trying to sow discord within the Great Zhou, hoping to create internal strife. However, I must still ask, is he a member of the Great Zhou?"

Zhou Fan shook her head. "No."

As soon as these words were spoken, a restless murmur spread around them, and many people's gazes turned hostile.

Prime Minister Yuan looked at Zhou Fan. "Your Highness, are you willing to have the Great Zhou oppose that lady at any cost for his sake?"

At this moment, Dao Jun walked forward and slightly cupped his fists, "Prime Minister Yuan, Her Highness cares deeply about him. Does that make him a member of the Great Zhou?"

Prime Minister Yuan frowned slightly and looked at Zhou Fan. Zhou Fan glanced at the unconscious Ye Guan in her arms and nodded slightly.

Prime Minister Yuan stared at Zhou Fan and asked again, "Your Highness, is this gentleman truly the one you care for?"

Zhou Fan nodded. "Yes."

"Then he is indeed one of us. Since he is a member of the Great Zhou, we must protect him at all costs," Prime Minister Yuan said, nodding. He then turned to the lady in blood-red robes. "The Great Zhou has stood for countless millions of years through numerous battles, victories, defeats, and near-destruction. And we have never faltered throughout those hardships. Today, even if our citizens have to fight to the death, we are going to protect this individual. We scholars will be the first ones to stand!"

With that, he took a step forward, and a grand, awe-inspiring statue manifested behind him.

It was a statue of Confucius!

The world brightened, and a solemn air enveloped everyone!