I Have A Sword

The Great Daoist Brush Master stared at Ye Guan for a while before letting out a sigh. "You need to be reasonable. You know that, right?"

Ye Guan was giving him a headache. He could not be hit or scolded. The Great Daoist Brush Master practically had to treat him as though he was a forefather.

Ye Guan then replied earnestly, "Senior, didn't we work together well before? Together, who in the entire universe could stand against us?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master looked at Ye Guan without saying a word.

Ye Guan felt frustrated. The Great Daoist Brush Master was hard to fool.

Little Pagoda chimed in, "This guy is very shrewd. Even your father might not have the skill to deceive him. It'll be better if you face him honestly."

Ye Guan nodded in agreement. When facing the Great Daoist Brush Master, Ye Guan could only appeal to his reason and emotions.

Fu Wu glanced at the Great Daoist Brush Master and did not say a word, but she was ready to draw her sword at Ye Guan's slightest signal.

Sensing the killing intent emanating from Fu Wu, the Great Daoist Brush Master looked at her and frowned.

Ye Guan then said, "Senior, let's negotiate terms."

"What terms?"

"If you are willing to assist me, I'll owe you a favor. How about that?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master stared at him without saying anything.

"Two favors would work, too," Ye Guan offered.

"Your father has never repaid his debts," the Great Daoist Brush Master said flatly. He then emphasized, "Never!"

Ye Guan's face darkened. His father had tarnished their family's reputation!

"Do you really want to depend on your own strength and connections this time?"

Ye Guan nodded.

The Great Daoist Brush Master thought for a moment and said, "I'm actually somewhat surprised. Many times, I feel that this world is about to witness the rising of a new King of Relying on Others.

"If you eventually become invincible using only your abilities, it will be great. Still, it's fine. Your father and aunt don't really care as long as you are happy. But it's obvious that you don't want to be just a King of Relying on Others."

Ye Guan nodded in agreement. "I wish to change."

"Then I can't help you directly."

"Why not?" Ye Guan was confused.

"Because this has nothing to do with me."

Ye Guan fell silent.

The Great Daoist Brush Master then continued, "Of course, there are other reasons. While I can't lend you my strength directly, I can help you in another way.

"However, all things have a cause and an effect. If I help you once, it means you owe me a favor. I will not ask you to repay this favor in the short term, but in the future, you may not want to repay it."

Ye Guan glanced at the Great Daoist Brush Master. "Then forget it."

The Great Daoist Brush Master was taken aback.

Ye Guan then explained calmly, "Senior, with all due respect, the opponent I will be facing is a Tier Six Civilization elite. You won't be helpful unless you help me directly. And even if you do, the odds of winning aren't great."

The Great Daoist Brush Master laughed. "Are you trying to provoke me?"

Ye Guan shook his head. "If we can't cooperate, then let there be kindness between us. No matter what, I hope that we will not be enemies in the future. After all, you are still a very respectable senior in my heart."

Little Pagoda was speechless.

Upon hearing his words, the Great Daoist Brush Master was slightly stunned. Ye Guan was getting sentimental, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

Ye Guan did not say anything more and turned to Fu Wu. "Sister Fu, let's go." She nodded.

As they were about to leave, the Great Daoist Brush Master suddenly called out, "Wait."

Ye Guan turned back. "Yes?"

"Don't you want to know who I am sending to help you?"

"Brother Ye Qing?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master laughed heartily. "You're as sharp as your father!"

Ye Guan replied, "Is my grandfather not as sharp?"

The smile on the Great Daoist Brush Master froze instantly. He glared at Ye Guan. "You're just as cunning as your father, always setting traps for others."

The Great Daoist Brush Master then continued, "Go ahead. When the time comes, I'll come and support you."

Ye Guan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Senior, this time, my enemy is really powerful."

"Oh," the Great Daoist Brush Master responded cooly.

Ye Guan was speechless.

The Great Daoist Brush Master then said, "You did great with how you handled things at the Guanxuan Academy."

Ye Guan was puzzled. "What did I handle?"

"Punishing the aristocratic families and eliminating corruption in the academy."

"Senior, you've been paying close attention to the academy's matters?" Ye Guan was surprised.

The Great Daoist Brush Master spoke solemnly, "The Guanxuan Academy has been developing rapidly. Within the academy, there are numerous clan factions and aristocratic factions. They are unlikely to have a similar way of thinking as you, wanting to establish a new order for the benefit of the entire vast expanse.

"They will surely be focused on how to earn more profits for themselves. Changing the world is easy, but changing the minds and hearts of others is difficult. It is a complex matter. You will understand this in the future…"

Ye Guan nodded. "I understand, but this matter cannot be rushed; it has to be done slowly."

"It's good that you have that mindset."

Ye Guan then asked suddenly, "Senior, as far as I know, your goal is also to establish a new order. Why don't we join forces?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master laughed and replied, "The order we wish to establish is different. Clan Leader Jing wishes to establish disorder, while you wish to establish an order that is fair.

"As for me, I wish to establish a different kind of order. Perhaps in the future, our paths may align, but they do not align at the moment."

Ye Guan nodded, "I understand."

He then turned to leave with Fu Wu.

When Ye Guan and Fu Wu left, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared beside the Great Daoist Brush Master. He was the Boundless Master, and he was holding a bottle of wine.

The Boundless Master chuckled. "Interesting. This kid is just like his father in his later years, not wanting to be a King of Relying on Others. Let's see how long he can stick to that."

The Great Daoist Brush Master then replied, "No matter what, it's a good thing."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"I want to have some fun," the Boundless Master suddenly said.

"Are you sure?"

The Boundless Master laughed heartily, taking a swig from the wine jug. "While the days of drunken stupor were nice, I yearn for passionate times. It just so happens that this little guy is my nephew.

"Since he doesn't want to call for his dad, I'll help him as his uncle."

"That's up to you," the Great Daoist Brush Master said, chuckling.

The Boundless Master tossed the wine bottle aside and grinned. "I've been silent for so many years, and it's time for me to make an appearance. Otherwise, the world will soon forget about me."

***

Ye Guan did not take Fu Wu directly back to the Devourer Civilization. Instead, he brought her to the Time River. He was there to meet one last person!

Soon, Ye Guan arrived at a small village.

The sky was overcast, and it seemed like it was about to rain. The village was eerily silent, devoid of any sounds. At the entrance, there was a single lounge chair.

As Ye Guan and Fu Wu approached the village entrance, a lady in a white robe walked toward them from a distance. It was Clan Leader Jing.

Upon seeing her, Ye Guan's eyelids twitched. He felt slightly fearful of her as he was unsure of her true strength. Though he was much stronger than before, he still felt that she was hard to read.

Fu Wu frowned upon seeing Clan Leader Jing.

Clan Leader Jing fixed her gaze on Ye Guan. She had a calm expression but was emanating a strong aura. Though it was not overt, standing in front of her still felt overwhelming. Her aura was too strong!

Ye Guan steadied his mind, cupping his fist in salute. "Senior."

Clan Leader Jing merely looked at him, remaining silent.

Ye Guan got straight to the point and said, "Senior, I wish to establish an order in the vast expanse while you desire a world of disorder. Regardless, neither of us intends to destroy the entire universe. Yet now, there are those who wish to refine countless living beings into a Dao artifact…"

He glanced at the lady before him and noted her calm demeanor. Ye Guan sighed inwardly. He knew it was hopeless.

Of course, he hadn't had much hope when he came here. He simply wanted to talk. If he could turn an enemy into a friend, that would be great. But it seemed unlikely now.

Without anything else to say, he turned to leave with Fu Wu.

Clan Leader Jing suddenly spoke up, "Do you understand what order truly means?"

Ye Guan paused, turning to face her.

"Order is merely a form of power. When you establish a new order, it will ultimately become a tool for enslaving billions of lives, as seen throughout the course of history. The world has never changed from ancient times till today," Clan Leader Jing explained.

Ye Guan nodded. "I understand. But just because we know what the ultimate outcome will be, does it mean we should stop striving for it?

"Just like in the secular world, everyone knows they will eventually die, but they continue to fight, struggle, and seek to make their lives meaningful.

"Senior, many times, the process is more important than the outcome. Of course, I recognize that my current strength is lacking, so my words hold no weight in your eyes.

"However, I believe that one day, we can talk to each other as equals."

With that, Ye Guan turned and vanished with Fu Wu. He did not know Clan Leader Jing's ultimate goal, but he sensed that her intentions were far from simple.

After they left, she approached the lounge chair and lay down, closing her eyes.

Then, she murmured to herself, "Order… How naive…"

Her Dao was one where words manifested reality. Her ultimate Dao was disorder. First, order, and then destruction. That was the meaning of true disorder.

In the vast Great Dao, the real battle of the Great Dao was between Clan Leader Jing and Ye Guan, not to mention the Great Daoist Brush Master.

If Ye Guan's order truly gained the support of the entire universe, then she would not be able to break it. However, if his order began to decay and enslave the masses, then it would become her stepping stone…

But for her, these were not important.

She slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the end of the Time River, whispering, "The dragon slayer will eventually become the evil dragon…"