I Have A Sword
Chapter 1375: Corruption

Chapter 1375: Corruption

Corruption!

After the incidents involving the Ancient Heavenly Dragon Clan and the Great Zhou, Ye Guan had grown cautious.

The academy was founded, and the powerful clans had become a part of it, which meant that the influence and authority of the clans were practically immeasurable. Their direct descendants, distant relatives, and even affiliated clans would obtain immense power as well.

And power, when concentrated in the hands of a select few, could easily lead to oppression, deceit, and unchecked arrogance. If it were allowed to go rampant, it would spell disaster for the common people.

Having learned from his mistakes, he was determined to prevent history from repeating itself. Against such corruption, there could be no leniency.

If one corrupted official were to appear, he would eliminate them.

If there were many of them, he would eradicate the entire department.

The gathered crowd understood Ye Guan's intentions. Without hesitation, they pledged to enforce strict discipline within their ranks.

Ye Guan calmly said, "If any clan dares to exploit their power to bleed the people dry, don't blame me for being ruthless."

The first to step forward was Di Ling. He bowed respectfully and declared, "Rest assured, Academy Master. Upon my return, I will ensure that no one in my Di Clan will dare to commit such acts. If anyone is daring enough to do so, you won't even need to make a move, I'll be the first to wipe out their lineage!"

The crowd turned to look at Di Ling.

Wait a minute. If his relatives committed the crime, and he wiped out their whole lineage... wouldn't that mean that he'd kill himself?

Rather than ridiculing him, however, they found themselves admiring Di Ling's resolve.

The Di Clan was once the weakest among the Supreme Emperor clans, but now? It stood just beneath the strongest, the Diyi Clan, as Di Ling had become Ye Guan's closest confidant.

And with the help of a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence, there was a high chance that a Supreme Emperor would appear in the Di Clan. If that happened, then their rise to power was inevitable.

Di Ling truly had guts. With his bold declaration setting the tone, the others quickly followed suit, each promising to keep their people in check.

Truth be told, they had no interest in petty corruption or exploiting the common folk. What mattered now was Ye Guan's favor. If they could earn even just a single wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence, their status would skyrocket instantly.

Compared to that, the wealth of the common people was nothing.

Still, they understood that while they had little interest in minor gains, those beneath them would certainly be interested. Preventing their subordinates from stirring up trouble had to be their priority.

"That's all," Ye Guan said, "You're dismissed."

The crowd bowed deeply before taking their leave.

Ye Guan then turned to Diyi Jingzhao with a smile. "Come with me. I'll take you somewhere."

Without another word, he led her into the tiny pagoda.

As soon as they stepped inside, Diyi Jingzhao's expression changed. This was her first time inside the tiny pagoda.

"Jingzhao, from now on, you can come here and leave whenever you want," said Ye Guan.

Diyi Jingzhao stared at Ye Guan with a steady gaze.

"You're still not ready to ascend to the Supreme Emperor Realm. Your foundation still needs to be strengthened. Once it's solid enough, I'll help you make a breakthrough."

"You really intend to help me reach the Supreme Emperor Realm?"

Ye Guan chuckled. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Diyi Jingzhao hesitated before asking, "Are you not afraid that once I become a Supreme Emperor, I might..."

"You mean, you might break free from my influence and refuse to serve me?"

Diyi Jingzhao remained silent, watching him closely.

Ye Guan thought for a moment before saying, "Jingzhao, I have no intention of controlling you. But let's be honest, I'm not some selfless saint either. I gave you power and even a wisp of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence, but I've done all that with a goal in mind."

Diyi Jingzhao's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm. "What goal?"

Ye Guan grinned. "Nothing improper, if that's what you're worried about. It's just that—"

Before he could finish, Diyi Jingzhao turned around and walked away.

"Huh?" Ye Guan was confused. "Jingzhao, where are you going? You need to cultivate here!"

"I don't want to cultivate."

"Don't you want to become a Supreme Emperor?"

"Not interested."

And just like that, she was gone.

Just then, Eclipse Sun appeared beside Ye Guan and bowed. "Sword Emperor, I found them."

Ye Guan's eyes lit up. "Where?"

Eclipse Sun replied, "They're in the Forbidden Valley. That Ling Xiao fellow is truly fearless; he forced his way through the barrier and entered the Forbidden Wildlands..."

Ye Guan was stunned. "Big Brother is already there?"

"Yes. His strength far surpasses most Quasi Emperors, but the truth is that he's below that realm. And judging by his aura, he's on the verge of a breakthrough."

Ye Guan laughed. Big Brother's growth has been nothing short of astonishing. Once he reaches the Quasi Emperor Realm, his battle prowess will surely be terrifying.

Ye Guan asked, "What about my Second Brother?"

"They're with him," Eclipse Sun said. "And not just them, the First True Saint, Lord Yu, and Hao Ran have all ventured into the Forbidden Wildlands as well.

"Their strength is exceptional. They're only True Saints, but they're on par with, if not stronger than most Quasi Emperors. I can even say that they're strong enough to fight the Bronze War Generals."

Ye Guan's smile deepened.

Whether it was Ling Xiao, First True Saint, or the others, they had all undergone a complete transformation upon their rebirth. He had underestimated just how much stronger they had become.

Of course, this was excellent news.

He needed more Supreme Emperor Origin Essence. He needed so much more than just a few. Even the most monstrous talent couldn't ascend to the Supreme Emperor Realm without the help of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence.

Ye Guan suddenly remembered the Holy Throne. Perhaps it was time to have a chat with it.

Meanwhile, Eclipse Sun was feeling the pressure.

Back then, he believed that he was indispensable to Ye Guan. However, Ye Guan was now surrounded by geniuses and powerhouses. He had to work harder to prove his worth, or Ye Guan could abandon him.

Even if that weren't the case, Eclipse Sun himself wouldn't have the face to remain at his side.

Ye Guan asked, "What about the Ancestral Dao?"

Eclipse Sun hesitated before replying, "We couldn't find him."

"You lost track of him?"

"He left the Other Shore and disappeared without a trace."

Ye Guan's brows knitted together. Where did that guy even go?

After a moment of contemplation, he set the thought aside. Looking up, he saw countless sword lights crisscrossing the sky, clashing fiercely against several Bronze War Generals.

He had strong allies, but they still weren't enough. He needed more, both in numbers and in raw strength.

Supreme Emperor Origin Essence... He needed practically a ton of Supreme Emperor Origin Essence and Pure-grade emperor crystals.

Big Brother, Third Sister... they all had to reach the Supreme Emperor Realm.

With that thought, Ye Guan focused his efforts on training the swordsmen within the tiny pagoda. Unlike his formidable siblings, these cultivators needed proper guidance.

If trained well, however, they would become blades sharp enough to cut down all obstacles in his way.

Once these two hundred Quasi Emperor swordsmen became two hundred Sword Emperors. The Great Daoist Brush Master who? Fan Zhaodi who? They will all kneel before me by then.

After the unification of the Ten Desolate Universe, the Guanxuan Academy was founded. It was built on a vast plain within the Diyi City, and construction was completed in less than ten days under the supervision of Diyi Jingzhao.

The academy's scale was so grand that calling it an academy hardly did it justice; it was more like an entire city that was both towering and majestic.

With the establishment of Guanxuan Academy, the Supreme Emperor Clans and the Immortal Clans quickly became active, sending their disciples to enroll in the academy.

Beyond recruiting students from these prestigious backgrounds, Diyi Jingzhao also opened admissions to the general public. Of course, compared to the disciples of the Supreme Emperor Clans and Immortal Clans, those from ordinary backgrounds were worlds apart in both talent and status.

Inside a grand hall, Diyi Jingzhao was busy reviewing a stack of official documents, as Ye Guan had left everything to her.

Since the academy was founded, she had yet to have a moment of rest, working tirelessly throughout the day.

The unification of the Ten Desolate Universe had just ended, and the academy had just been founded, so there were countless affairs to handle.

Just then, Mu Shuo walked up beside her. After hesitating for a brief moment, she asked, "Vice Academy Master, are you really planning to open enrollment to the entire Ten Desolate Universe?"

Diyi Jingzhao nodded. "Yes."

"The gap between rogue cultivators and those from small clans compared to those from the Supreme Emperor Clans and Immortal Clans is simply too vast. If they are all placed in the same academy, it would be extremely unfair to them, and conflicts will inevitably arise."

Setting her documents aside, Diyi Jingzhao nodded. "I understand these concerns, but we have no choice."

Mu Shuo was puzzled. "Why?"

"Little Guan's goal is not to widen the gap between the strong and the weak in this world; he wants to close that gap. If we limit admissions to those from elite backgrounds, they will only grow stronger, while the common people will become weaker and weaker. They'll be stuck at the bottom forever."

Mu Shuo hesitated. "But if they're mixed together..."

"That's an easy fix," Diyi Jingzhao said. "We'll establish advanced and basic classes. The advanced class will consist of disciples from the Supreme Emperor Clans and the Immortal Clans, while the basic class will be for those from humble backgrounds."

Mu Shuo still shook her head. "Wouldn't that create factions and division?"

"There's a solution for that as well. For example, we can assign tasks to the advanced class. Aside from their own cultivation base, each advanced-class student must mentor a student from the basic class.

"If the basic-class student excels in their assessment, they will receive generous rewards, while their mentor will receive academic credits. And what are academic credits?

"They can be exchanged for rare treasures. If someone aspires to become the academy's Student Representative, they must accumulate enough academic credits.

"The Student Representative will have the opportunity to receive personal guidance from the Supreme Emperor."

Mu Shuo's eyes lit up. "So the senior cultivators will train the newcomers?"

"Exactly. This approach will not only resolve tension but will also address our shortage of instructors. More importantly, as mentors and students spend time together, they'll naturally become even closer.

"In the end, we need them to see each other as part of the same community, or else they will never truly get along."