It was a clash between the stars and the sun.

At the moment, a terrifying cloud of light rose high into the sky, suffusing through the entire military base and shrouding the heads of tens of thousands of people.

The qi from the sword moved through it vertically and horizontally, and the musical movements undulated. The destructive pressure made everyone’s face pale. The closest spectators, namely the successors of the various houses, were already shaking, almost blown away by the pure gravitational force of the music theory.

Yuan He took seven consecutive steps back, his expression shocked. Compared to his grandfather’s sword art, which surpassed supernatural forces like ghosts and gods, he was more afraid of Ye Qingxuan, and the power that erupted in a flash… It was a pure, crushing force.

It was as if the ground was rising, and the sky was falling.

The ground and the sky merged.

Everything would be crushed into powder!

In the rumble, the sword of the sun annihilated the endless stars, and it died out as well.

A forlorn wail of metal colliding sounded.

When the light dissipated, what everyone saw was the clash of the Chun Jun Sword and the New Testament Sword, the two swords parrying each other blade to blade.

Yuan Changqing’s robe was torn, revealing the bronze skin below and the muscles that were so strong that they were completely unlike those of an old man, as well as the criss-crossed scars.

The skin on the back of Ye Qingxuan’s hand also cracked, and streaks of scarlet blood seeped out from beneath the broken skin.

Victory and defeat had not been decided.

It was a tie.

The two exchanged a look and withdrew their swords at the same time, then took a step back.

“That was a good fight.” Yuan Changqing flipped his wrist and slid the hot Chun Jun Sword into its sheath. He seemed to feel that the result was unsatisfactory and looked a little regretful.

“Young people nowadays are really difficult to handle.” At the moment, he got to enjoy the long-lost fulfillment and excitement, the joy of putting in all his efforts to fight against an opponent.

However, Ye Qingxuan did not give it his all. He harbored no murderous intention, and he did not put all his chips, in the form of musical movements, on the table, nor did he intend to completely blast Yuan Changqing into pieces.

Regard this, Ye Qingxuan only nodded. “You flatter me.”

The difficult one to handle is not me, but Yuan Changqing!

At the moment, he had completely grasped how terrifying the old man was. Rather than to say that Yuan Changqing was a great swordsman, it would be better to say that he completely forged himself into a sword.

A non-human item.

Ye Qingxuan also felt extraordinarily unhappy about this: The old man sounded fierce, but in the end, he still held back.

Against the power multiple times stronger than him, the sharp blade with an unparalleled ability to kill actually forcibly opened up a path, maintaining its undefeated status purely by relying on a skill that Ye Qingxuan could never ever match.

For such a person, a power ten times stronger than his was nothing at all, even one of a hundred times or a thousand times longer could hardly be of any use.

It had nothing to do with quantity.

It won because of its “essence.”

Although the outcome had not been determined, and it was considered a tie, Ye Qingxuan knew it very well. If the two were to engage in a life-or-death battle at the moment, Yuan Changqing would have no chance of surviving, but Ye Qingxuan would definitely be the one to lose.

It was because of the conflict between where they were coming from. One sought survival, while the other sought victory. When the two opposed each other, the winner and loser would be clear at a glance. The person seeking survival would live, while the person seeking victory would win.

Just like how Ye Qingxuan loved to gamble unrestrainedly, so did Yuan Changqing, but although it was a gamble, all the same, the two wanted different things. Ye Qingxuan wanted to survive, while Yuan Changqing wanted… his enemy to die!

If one was to let him get within ten steps away from themselves, he would be as dangerous to one as the army of an entire country.

No wonder everyone is afraid of getting into a scrap with the madmen of House Yuan. They are actually best at the style of attack that will cause the enemy to perish along with themselves! In such a friendly match with set rules, he probably couldn’t even use up to half of his power.

Looking at Ye Qingxuan who was deep in thought, Yuan Changqing shook his head, dissatisfied. “Another one who thinks too much.” The old man sighed melancholically and said to himself, “Why are there so many smart people in the world?”

Ye Qingxuan smiled. “By trying to act smart, one can at least lead a slightly easier life.”

Yuan Changqing took a glance at him and completely lost any interest to have another go. He just waved his hand and turned to leave. He only paused in his steps when he walked past Yuan He, glancing at his eldest grandson. “Do you understand what you are weak at?”

Yuan He looked down, his expression one of shame. “I have learned my lesson.”

“You d*mn child, you learn everything fast, and you learn everything well, but from whom have you learned to be so shrewd?” Yuan Changqing finally took a last look at him. “Don’t waste any more time learning sword movements, learn to be a bit dumber first.” As he said so, he withdrew his gaze and left.

A melancholic sigh sounded in the wind. “It’s really… lonely…”

Ye Qingxuan stayed where he was, silently gazing in the direction where the old man’s figure had disappeared, thinking about God knew what. After a long time, he suddenly laughed softly and made a slight obeisance towards the direction of Yuan Changqing left. “Thank you for your guidance, Master Yuan.”

At the moment, he raised his head and looked up at the sky.

Rain clouds gathered silently over the dark sky.

As he reached out, the rain clouds rolled, and everyone saw the sky shaking.

Rising from the ground, a hurricane was stirred up from beneath Ye Qingxuan’s feet, accompanied by a massive amount of aether. It gathered into a violent torrent, forming a column of light, that rose into the sky, tearing the rain clouds apart and breaking the dark, gray sky.

A stream of sunlight spilled down from behind the clouds, falling on the incorporeal crown on his head, and the staff of authority of the King of Yellow strengthened him, together with the New Testament Sword, which emitted a majesty that one dared not daze directly upon.

As if layers of camouflage had been removed, a fierce aura hidden by the seal rose from Ye Qingxuan, causing the earth to freeze, the sky to shatter, and the air to almost solidify.

The phantom image of the Land of Dreams emerged.

A mighty, godly power operated, causing everything to bow.

At the moment, all the musicians in the entire military base—no, in all of Aurora—sensed the terrifying scepter that seemed as if it wanted to reform the whole world. Countless elements operated mightily within the scepter, like stars orbiting in the skies.

The mighty starry sky descended here, forming a terrifying pressure that was almost tangible.

Under the pressure that was almost suffocating, the over-confident musicians who tried to resist immediately vomited blood and fell into a coma.

Alarms sounded in the entire base, one after another. God knew how many musicians woke up in shock. They looked at Ye Qingxuan and saw his figure, but their eyes stung and they didn’t dare to look anymore.

“I’ve had a few meals and fought a few times. So, I shall say farewell now.” Ye Qingxuan smiled at the crowd and flicked his sleeves, then walked out of the base. He did not go and visit Bai Heng, nor did he meet with the rest of the lords and heads of households.

He simply left, just like that.

It was as if he was checking out of a hotel after his stay.

Outside Bai Heng’s tent, the man named Jiu Ying gazed, from a distance, at the figure of Ye Qingxuan who left as if no one else was around. On his indifferent face, an eagerness to try to kill the young man emerged.

Just as he raised his hand, ready to give the order, he heard the voice of Bai Heng beside him.

“Let him go.” Bai Heng looked at his expression as he left, and began laughing softly for some reason unknown. “If he wants to leave, you can’t stop him. Your enemy should not be him, just let him go and cause some trouble for Her Majesty.”

Seeing that Ye Qingxuan leaving with such a high-profile, the lords exchanged looks of confusion.

Soon, in the tent, everyone turned their shocked gaze to Yuan Changqing. “Hey, old man, he thanked you for your guidance. What have you taught him?”

Yuan Changqing’s expression twitched, and he felt like vomiting blood. “I didn’t teach him anything! I was just fronting, but he suddenly gained some random realization out of nowhere! How the heck would I know what he has realized?”

Simply nothing can be more confusing than this.

Is this how true geniuses are like?

Gaining realizations out of nowhere?

What the heck, really.

Yuan Changqing took the flask of wine and gulped down a few mouthfuls, full of disheartenment. Ah! If I had known it, I wouldn’t have fooled around!

…

Others were full of puzzlement regarding what Ye Qingxuan had realized by himself.

But to Ye Qingxuan, it was very simple.

All along, he had made many plans in order to take Bai Xi away from the Aurora, including preparations to negotiate with the Aurora, or with Bai Heng, and even made preparations to start a war. But after coming to the Aurora, the complicated situation of the civil war ruined all his plans.

He stayed up all night coming up with countermeasures targeting the empress and Bai Heng, worrying about Bai Xi’s situation and thinking about how to carry out his plan. He conceived more than a dozen plans and overruled them all.

In the end, he felt confused and lost.

Against the intricate and complicated situation, he was instead completely lost and didn’t know where to begin with.

It was not until he saw Yuan Changqing’s stance that he understood something.

I don’t have to worry that much actually.

The attitude of the emperor? Bai Heng’s thoughts? The situation of the Aurora? The outcome of the civil war? The victories and defeats of the two sides?

What the f*ck does it have to do with me?

Why do I need a complex plan that takes into account what other people think, and why should I waste so many brain cells?

After getting used to trying to be smart, Ye Qingxuan suddenly discovered that he no longer needed to think so much nowadays. He was already capable of living simply, like what he once wanted.

Don’t think too much.

Don’t bother about what the irrelevant people might think.

Live according to my will and wishes.

Such was the only insight he gained.

Alone, walking on the barren battlefield, Ye Qingxuan moved in the direction of the imperial city, straight ahead. Wherever he passed, a horrifying aether wave spread in all directions. He did not hide his own strength at all, nor did he attempt to conceal his existence.

Clouds followed the dragon and wind followed the tiger. [1]

When sages took up the responsibility to govern the world properly, everything would rise to take a look at them.

His own advancement faintly distorted the physical world, causing the power of the Land of Dreams to radiate in all directions, regulating the chaotic aether torrents, and reorganizing everything. He made the dark sky lit up again and filled the barren land with the vigor of life once more.

With the strength and power, he no longer had to worry about everything.

He had overruled all the complicated speculations and plans, leaving only the simplest two steps: First, find Bai Xi. Then, take Bai Xi away.

Other than that, whoever blocked his way would be his enemy, and whoever stood in front of him, he would knock them down.

It was so simple.

From then on, Ye Qingxuan decided not to hide his power and intention, announcing his arrival to the whole East and Aurora.

At the moment, in the eyes of musicians, the tornado of aether rising high into the sky, as mighty as the scorching sun, was the most straightforward words—I’m here!

[1] The literal translation of a Chinese proverb that means one would want to become close with ambitious persons, and the people would follow the brave and courageous.