I Have A Sword

Taigu Qing ignored the Great Daoist Brush Master and fled with his clan members.

Unlike the Celestial Clan and the Empire, the Taigu Clan neither had resources nor strength. If they lost even a few Transcendent Realm experts here, it would severely weaken their overall power.

Even worse, they could lose their chance to gain any benefits from this conflict.

Sacrifice the Taigu Clan for the benefit of the Empire?

He couldn't do it!

As for the Great Daoist Brush Master. Damn it, he was just good at talking and had actually not lifted even a finger the whole time. He was like some lazy bum! He was an infuriating figure to deal with.

When the Taigu Clan experts withdrew, the Zhou Clan and the Wu Clan powerhouses also sensed that things were turning bad. They quickly retreated with their people as well.

Their Transcendent Realm experts were fewer compared to the Celestial Clan and the Empire. In other words, losing even one of them would be a devastating blow.

When the top experts from the three clans retreated, the Empire's advantage vanished. The Celestial Clan's morale surged, and everyone charged forward in unison.

Seeing that, the Great Daoist Brush Master said, "Retreat."

He knew that the Empire alone could not destroy the Celestial Clan.

Even though Tian He had fallen, the Celestial Clan's overall strength was still intact. If they kept fighting, the Empire's chances of winning were slim.

The Empire's experts looked at Ji Zhan, whose face was dark and terrifying.

The Great Daoist Brush Master said, "Retreat first."

Ji Zhan remained silent.

The Great Daoist Brush Master turned to the Empire's experts and shouted, "Still not retreating? Want to die here?!"

He was truly furious!They're a bunch of idiots! Damn it!

Soon, the Empire's experts began to retreat.

Ye Guan led the Celestial Clan in pursuit for some time, but he couldn't catch them. He finally stopped. Around him, Celestial Clan cultivators were visibly excited, and their blood boiled.

They hadn't expected to win!

And they even killed several Transcendents and hundreds of Void Breakers.

Tian Lian, with her stunning features, also looked thrilled. She turned to Ye Guan, just as he collapsed to the ground.

Tian Lian was shocked and quickly supported him. Blood gushed from Ye Guan's mouth, splattering on her chest. His fleshly body also cracked open, piece by piece.

The Great Daoist Brush Master was correct, Ye Guan's fleshly body and soul were unable to withstand the vast power of the True Void Spirits. He had been running on fumes during the battle.

Now that the enemy had retreated, he could no longer hold out.

Nearby, Tian Yan ordered, "Take him back!"

Everyone rushed to carry Ye Guan back into the Celestial World.

Ye Guan's figure emanated a faint emerald light. The Divine Lotus was healing him.

Thankfully, the Divine Lotus was there, or he wouldn't have lasted nearly as long.

Tian Yan looked at him solemnly and said, "He was pushing himself far beyond his limits..."

Tian Lian nodded. "He was... unusually strong."

Tian Yan said, "Bring another Divine Lotus!"

An elder quickly ran out and returned shortly with another one.

This time, no one objected.

As soon as Ye Guan consumed the second Divine Lotus, his fleshly body began to recover at a rate visible to the naked eye. His aura stabilized as well.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Tian Yan said, "Tian Lian, you stay and take care of the clan leader. Everyone else, come with me to set up defenses."

They left, leaving Ye Guan and Tian Lian alone in the hall.

After a long time, Ye Guan opened his eyes. He tried to get up but found that he had no strength at all.

Tian Lian quickly helped him up.

Ye Guan glanced at his body and revealed a bitter smile. He felt like mush, completely powerless. The aftereffects were severe. He had seriously exhausted himself!

Tian Lian said, "You need to rest and recover."

Ye Guan asked, "Did the Empire's people all retreat?"

Tian Lian nodded. "They likely won't return anytime soon."

Ye Guan shook his head. "That would be normal... but the Great Daoist Brush Master is not normal."

Tian Lian said, "The Grand Elder has taken people to reinforce our defenses."

"In any case, we mustn't let our guard down. I need to recover quickly..." Ye Guan looked at Tian Lian.

Tian Lian said, "I'll take you somewhere."

Ye Guan agreed. "Okay."

Soon, Tian Lian brought him to a mountaintop covered with strange rocks and blooming flowers. By the cliff wall, there was a natural hot spring, and its water was tinted slightly red.

Tian Lian said, "This is the Celestial Clan's Sacred Spring. Beneath it lies a special spiritual vein. It can heal injuries and also boost one's cultivation."

"Great." Ye Guan nodded. He walked to the spring and turned to Tian Lian. She understood and turned around, but she did not leave. "You're too weak right now. I need to stay nearby."

Ye Guan didn't argue. With a thought, his clothes disappeared completely. He entered the spring. The moment he stepped in, warmth flooded him, and currents of energy flowed into him, making him feel utterly relaxed and refreshed.

He already had two Divine Lotuses within him, and with the Sacred Spring, his injuries improved at breakneck speeds. However, his soul recovered relatively slower, as he had exhausted not just his body, but his soul as well.

If Taigu Qing had listened to the Great Daoist Brush Master, they would have lost.

Nearby, Tian Lian suddenly asked, "I heard that you and the Great Daoist Brush Master came here to compete for the Dao. Is it true?"

Ye Guan replied, "Yes."

"Why here?"

Ye Guan looked at her. "Lady Lian, I'm sorry... that wasn't up to me."

He knew that if he and the Great Daoist Brush Master hadn't come here, the Celestial Clan and the Empire would have remained balanced.

Their arrival broke that equilibrium.

Tian Lian shook her head slightly. "I'm not blaming you. Just curious."

Ye Guan didn't reply. He focused on healing, as he knew that bastard Great Daoist Brush Master definitely wasn't done yet. When he tried to kill the Great Daoist Brush Master earlier, he realized something strange with the latter's strength.

He still couldn't confirm whether the Great Daoist Brush Master's strength had been restored or not. Even if the guy's Dao was sealed by his father, if Ye Guan could retrain himself, why couldn't he?

He had no idea how much the Great Daoist Brush Master had recovered.

In short, he couldn't afford to be careless!

Ye Guan dismissed the thought and focused on healing.

***

Elsewhere, in the starry sky, Ji Zhan was seated in meditation, healing. Ye Guan's earlier sword strike had nearly crippled him.

The Great Daoist Brush Master sat next to him.

After a long time, Ji Zhan opened his eyes. The golden currents swirling around him rushed into him. His expression was blank, but the humiliation of almost being destroyed by Ye Guan was still clear.

A flicker of resolve crossed his eyes. He had made up his mind. He calmed his emotions and turned to the Great Daoist Brush Master.

The Great Daoist Brush Master said, "Those were True Void Spirits. You should be able to recognize them. It comes from the Boundary of Truth and Illusion. You start sensing them once you reach the Transcendent Realm."

Ji Zhan asked expressionlessly, "Why would the True Void Spirits help him?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master's face darkened.

Damn it!Why would they help that two-faced bastard? Clearly, he had to have relied on his family's power. Those arrogant spirits wouldn't help him otherwise. Unfortunately, he had no proof! Technically, that bastard hadn't called for help.

So he exploited a loophole, huh?

Ji Zhan frowned deeply. He had to admit Ye Guan's strength was beyond expectations.

The Great Daoist Brush Master said, "By the end, he was already at his limits. If we had joined forces, the Celestial Clan would have been annihilated earlier."

He sighed.What a pity.

Ji Zhan shook his head. "Whether it's the Taigu Clan, the Zhou Clan, or the Wu Clan, they may cooperate with the Empire, but they all have their own agendas. They won't truly go all-out for us."

The Great Daoist Brush Master said calmly, "But the more they hold back, the closer they come to annihilation."

Ji Zhan asked, "What now?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master paused and replied, "Regroup. We strike again."

Ji Zhan said nothing.

Great Daoist Brush Master looked at him. "That two-faced bastard's power is growing abnormally fast. Give him a little more time, and he'll be able to instantly kill Transcendent Realm experts."

Ji Zhan was silent, but his expression turned grim.

Ye Guan's power was indeed growing at a monstrous pace.

The Great Daoist Brush Master continued, "This time, the Empire must go all in. No more holding back."

Ji Zhan said, "The Taigu Clan must also join."

Great Daoist Brush Master nodded. "Of course."

Ji Zhan said, "Summon the three clan leaders."

Soon, the leaders of the Taigu Clan, the Zhou Clan, and the Wu Clan appeared.

Their expressions were far from pleasant.

The Great Daoist Brush Master looked at Taigu Qing but said nothing.

Ji Zhan said, "Ye Guan's power is increasing at a terrifying speed. Give him a bit more time, and who in this universe will be able to stop him?"

Everyone was silent.

"So, are we going to kill him or not? If not, we should just go home and wait for him to become even stronger."

Taigu Qing suddenly turned to the Great Daoist Brush Master and said, "Brother, I want a straight answer. Just how powerful is the person behind Ye Guan?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master replied, "Powerful? He's just an injured swordsman, nothing more."