Chapter 973: My Opponent is Your Grandfather

Ye Guan soon found his way into the Ascension World.

The Ascension World was as bustling as ever. Countless cultivators from different civilizations across the vast expanse flocked here in search of opportunities, while others had simply come here to cultivate as the spiritual energy here was far denser than in most places.

After all, this place was blessed by the Existing Dao.

Many people came in hopes of opportunities, especially proud geniuses. They hoped to catch the attention of the Existing Dao. If one were to be acknowledged by him, it would be a shortcut to power.

Who wouldn't want that?

On the road to the summit of cultivation, there was a massive difference between having a powerful backer versus walking the path to the summit of cultivation by oneself.

Ye Guan looked up at the heavens.

With a single step, he ascended directly to the Ninth Heaven.

A young man stood beneath the massive stone gates. He was none other than Chen Suiye. Chen Suiye's aura was calm, and his realm was indiscernible. When he saw Ye Guan, he smiled gently and said, "So we meet again, Young Master Ye."

"I'm here for your master."

Chen Suiye replied, "My master is in seclusion. He's unavailable."

Ye Guan's gaze sharpened as he looked at Chen Suiye. "He better come out."

"Do you wish to settle the three-year agreement early?" Chen Suiye narrowed his eyes.

Ye Guan took a step forward toward the stone gate, and his voice was calm as he said, "Young Master Chen, I'll say this one last time—I'm here for your master."

"My master is unavailable," Chen Suiye said firmly.

Ye Guan stepped forward, and as soon as his foot touched the ground, a streak of sword light flew toward Chen Suiye.

Chen Suiye's pupils shrank, and he clenched his hands into a fist. In an instant, the spacetime around him twisted into strange and eerie patterns.

However, his mastery over spacetime couldn't compare to Ye Guan's.

Ye Guan's sword moved swiftly through the distorted space, and it cut through the distorted spacetime at the same time. Unaffected, the sword headed for Chen Suiye.

Chen Suiye's heart pounded in terror, and he raised both arms in defense.

Bang!

A thunderous explosion echoed, and Chen Suiye was sent flying a thousand meters away. Before he could stop, Ye Guan's sword was already at his forehead.

Chen Suiye froze.

However, Ye Guan did not even glance at him as he turned around and walked toward the stone gate.

"

Sigh...

" A soft sigh came from within the gate. Then, the Existing Dao emerged.

Ye Guan halted.

The Existing Dao looked at Ye Guan with a complex expression.

In such a short period of time, he has gotten exponentially stronger. He is truly a monster!

"I've heard that you decided to hold hands with the Second Hall Master."

The Existing Dao was silent.

Ye Guan gazed at him, waiting for an answer.

After a moment, the Existing Dao nodded. "Yes."

Ye Guan chuckled and said nothing. He opened his palm, revealing a storage ring, which floated toward the Existing Dao. Over two hundred thousand Eternal Crystals were inside the storage ring, and the sight of it puzzled the Existing Dao.

Ye Guan explained, "This is the debt that my father and I owe you with interest."

The Existing Dao remained surprised, uncertain of Ye Guan's intentions.

"Our old debts are cleared, so now, it's time to settle the new ones."

The Existing Dao's eyes narrowed.

Boom!

The spacetime before him split open, and a sword shot out without warning.

Reacting swiftly, the Existing Dao clenched his fist and launched a powerful punch.

Bang!

The sword was halted, but the spacetime around the Existing Dao twisted into strange grids that spat out a myriad of sword lights. Alarmed, the Existing Dao was about to retaliate when Ye Guan swung the Qingxuan Sword from far away.

Lifespan Severance!

Before the Existing Dao could react, the space around him became illusionary, and his body began to fade away.

With a wave of his hand, Ye Guan summoned the storage ring he had given earlier to the Existing Dao as well as the Existing Dao's personal storage ring.

Ye Guan turned around to leave, but he paused with a frown after just a few steps. He looked back at the Existing Dao, whose figure had become like a wisp of smoke.

The Existing Dao smiled at Ye Guan and remarked, "Young Master Ye, my true opponent isn't you—it's your grandfather."

With that, the Existing Dao's figure dissipated. It turned out that he was just an avatar. However, the Nine Heavens fractured upon his departure, and it crumbled slowly into ashes.

Chaos erupted throughout the Ascension World. Countless elites looked up in shock at the crumbling Nine Heavens, and their faces were filled with terror.

What had happened?

Several powerful experts appeared, and a white-haired elder arrived, followed by ten Path Creation Realm cultivators. They stood not far from Ye Guan and surrounded Chen Suiye protectively; their eyes were full of caution as they regarded Ye Guan.

The white-haired elder cupped his hands toward Ye Guan and respectfully said, "Young Master Ye, Suiye has offended you earlier, but please forgive him."

The white-haired elder produced a storage ring, which floated toward Ye Guan.

The storage ring contained ten thousand Eternal Crystals.

Ye Guan glanced at the ring and shook his head. "It was a sparring match. There's no other grudge between us, so there's no need for that."

With that, Ye Guan turned around to leave.

"Wait!" Chen Suiye called out, "Young Master Ye."

Ye Guan paused and turned to look at him.

Chen Suiye stared at Ye Guan, and he firmly said, "In three years, I hope we can have another match."

Ye Guan thought for a moment before nodding. "Sure."

With that, Ye Guan turned into a beam of sword light that disappeared into the distance. Now that Ye Guan had left, the white-haired elder and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Ye Guan's name had become infamous—legendary, even.

They had heard the stories of him, but witnessing his might in person made them realize that Ye Guan was far more powerful than any tale could describe.

Even though the Existing Dao was merely an avatar, his strength was far beyond a Path Annihilation Realm elite. Despite that, he was felled by Ye Guan with a single strike.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The white-haired elder glanced at Chen Suiye, who was still staring at the spot where Ye Guan once stood.

The white-haired elder sighed inwardly, and his eyes were filled with complexity as he muttered, "Suiyue..."

His grandson was born with the Dao's blessing, and he was destined to be the brightest star of this era. However, fate had placed him at the same time as Ye Guan, a monstrous talent. He was born in the wrong era!

Chen Suiye slowly closed his eyes and murmured, "Win or lose, I need a goal."

The white-haired elder finally relaxed. His greatest fear was the destruction of Chen Suiye's Dao heart, but thankfully, it hadn't shattered.

Soon, the group left the Ascension World.

***

After leaving the Ascension World, Ye Guan made his way to the Great Zhou, but instead of seeking out Zhou Fan, he wandered around the Imperial City.

The wide streets were bustling with people.

The Great Zhou had fully integrated with the Guanxuan Universe, and they now adhered to the laws of the Guanxuan Universe.

Initially, there was some resistance, but it was futile, as Zhou Fan had the unwavering support of the Great Zhou's higher-ups.

They made quick work of any dissent, and soon, even the opposition began to accept the Guanxuan laws. Of course, it was all thanks to the efforts of the Guanxuan Academy.

A branch of Guanxuan Academy was made in the Great Zhou. It was new, but Zhou Fan was the Academy Chief. At first, many influential families and clans were skeptical of the academy, but soon, they came to realize its power.

The academy had Path Annihilation Realm elites as instructors. This was unprecedented in the Great Zhou, which had never seen such a powerful cultivator in its history.

And the academy had more than just one Path Annihilation Rea;m expert!

With instructors of such caliber, it didn't take long for the academy to become a hotbed of excitement for clans and families throughout the Great Zhou.

Additionally, the academy offered excellent benefits, so any clan without members in the academy would undoubtedly be left behind.

Thus, the clans and noble families scrambled to send their disciples to the academy. Even small clans and ordinary citizens sought to enroll, as it was a rare opportunity to change their fate.

The Guanxuan Academy quickly became the most popular place in the Great Zhou. Besides the academy, there was another powerful force in the Great Zhou, and its power rivaled even the Guanxuan Academy.

The Immortal Treasures Pavilion!

Thanks to Zhou Fan's support, the Immortal Treasures Pavillion quickly became the top merchant organization in the Great Zhou. It didn't stop there, though.

They established trade routes between the Great Zhou and other universe regions. Having constructed numerous teleportation arrays, the Immortal Treasures Pavilion drastically reduced the travel time between the two universe regions, fostering trade and interaction.

The Great Zhou was afraid of the Tianxing Civilization. With

that

sword energy as their deterrent, however, they were no longer fearful of anyone, allowing the Great Zhou to enter a phase of rapid, unprecedented growth.

Ye Guan soon found himself standing before the Immortal Treasures Pavillion in the Great Zhou Imperial City.

It was a sight to behold; the surroundings were vibrant and filled with energy.

The steady stream of visitors flowing in and out made the Immortal Treasures Pavillion appear like a hive of activity. The interior was vast, designed to accommodate tens of thousands of people.

Despite the sheer number of people, everything was still running smoothly.

Just then, a young lady with delicate features walked up to Ye Guan.

"Good day," the young lady bowed respectfully toward Ye Guan and asked, "How may I assist you today?"

Ye Guan glanced at her, and his lips curled up into a faint smile. "I'm here for some money."

The young lady's face froze, and then she was terrified as she stammered. "I-Is this a robbery?"

Ye Guan had no idea what to say.