The Revenge of the Reborn Supreme Sovereign

"Have we arrived?"

Hearing the question, Six Paths opened his eyes. He hadn’t stepped outside the Imperial Kitchen in decades, and the sudden change of scenery made him feel a bit unaccustomed. He gazed at the desolate landscape outside the aircraft, not moving immediately, as if he needed a moment to adapt.

Outside the aircraft, Elder Ru Yi stood waiting, his respectful posture unchanged. His reverence for the ageless man was bone-deep.

A few moments later, Six Paths stood up. His expression was serene, almost frighteningly so. Even enlightened old monks who had renounced worldly affairs for decades in remote mountain temples could hardly match his level of detachment.

Treading on the meteorite-paved floor, Six Paths slowly exited the aircraft.

"Ru Yi, is it still peaceful outside?" Six Paths asked quietly, his voice calm as he walked past the old man and descended the gangway steps.

"Master, our intelligence network reports that starting three days ago, numerous Transformation Realm Grandmasters suddenly appeared," Ru Yi replied, following closely behind him. "They are secretly stirring up trouble, attempting to provoke conflicts within the Martial Arts World, inflame existing tensions, and are even showing signs of extending their influence into the secular world! This appears to be related to Qin Fan’s slaughter of Bo Xianmin and his family at Jinling Mansion. Bo Xianmin was a popular candidate for the next major appointment."

"Numerous Transformation Realm Grandmasters have appeared? Targeting Qin Fan? Heh, interesting. Have you discovered their identities?" His pace, tone, and expression remained unchanged. Despite the chuckle, not a single flicker of emotion crossed his face.

"An organization called the Heavenly Dao Institute! They control numerous warlord organizations in war-torn countries abroad, with no fewer than one hundred members at or above the Transformation Realm. Among them are a considerable number of Gang Realm masters and even a number of God Realm masters! This organization has always been under our intelligence network’s surveillance, but we cannot determine their leader’s true identity. Our only clue is that he may be one of the four great dark giants, the Masked Shura. However, our network has been unable to uncover anything about the Masked Shura’s background. It’s as if he appeared out of thin air. His past and the upper limits of his power are a complete mystery."

The respect on Elder Ru Yi’s face slowly gave way to gravity as he spoke. To remain mysterious for decades despite being under surveillance by my intelligence network... This person is truly without peer in the current age!

"Since you can’t find out who they are, just wipe them out," Six Paths said dismissively. "Ru Yi, your blade has been sheathed for a long time. Is it still sharp enough?"

Elder Ru Yi’s eyes snapped wide open, his face a mask of disbelief. He couldn’t believe his master would issue such an order. He had heard his master’s stories. When the Ming dynasty fell to the Qing, his master had watched indifferently. When opium ravaged the Divine Land, he had ignored it. When the Eight-Nation Alliance Army pillaged and plundered, he had remained unmoved. He hadn’t even batted an eye when Japan’s iron-heeled armies broke through the defenses of the Three Eastern Provinces to ravage the vast lands of China.

For years, no matter how the victors rewrote the history books, he had always remained a detached spectator. His hands had never been stained by a single drop of blood. In recent decades, he hadn’t even taken a single step out of the Imperial Kitchen. The intelligence network itself had been established on Ru Yi’s own initiative, simply because he wanted to do something for his master; he had never been ordered to do so.

Given this history, how could he not be shocked that his master would, with a few simple words, order him to deal with an entire organization?

But he quickly realized the reason. Is it because of Qin Fan? Yes. It must be! The Master has been detached from worldly affairs for decades, unseen by anyone for years. Yet he had that long talk with Qin Fan, and now he’s given such an order because of him. It’s impossible that there’s nothing going on!

"Master, is this because of Qin Fan?" Even though he already knew the answer, Elder Ru Yi couldn’t help but ask. The shock was simply too great.

"Ru Yi, you of all people should know better." However, Six Paths simply shook his head and replied with this. The implication was clear: do not ask what you are not meant to know.

Hearing this, Ru Yi shuddered and quickly bowed his head. "Master, I was wrong!"

"Go. You don’t need to accompany me. The Ancient Capital of the Six Dynasties, Jinling... To think it has been a hundred years since I last set foot there. After a century of earth-shattering changes and weathering the vicissitudes of time, I wonder what it has become. I think I’ll take a stroll and see the sights," Six Paths said calmly.

"Yes, Master! I will at least accompany you from the airport first!"

"Mm."

「Beijing.」

Deep within Four-nine City, a courtyard sat under a bleak winter sky. Fallen leaves littered the ground, unswept, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

Hua Xiaotian stood before the entrance to the main courtyard. He hacked twice, his face pale. The injury from Qin Fan’s kick clearly hadn’t healed.

"Master Hua, there’s been an incident!" a figure said, hurrying up from behind him.

"Speak," Hua Xiaotian ordered, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"The Martial Arts World is in chaos. Conflicts have erupted among the Martial Artists, and some have even brought their life-and-death struggles into the secular world! In official terms, it’s tantamount to lashing out at society. An hour ago, our people sanctioned a Dark Energy Peak Martial Artist, but he claimed the Guardian Institute only oppresses the weak and demanded to know why Qin Fan remains untouched. After extensive investigation, we’ve traced the source of these provocations to a group of Transformation Realm Martial Artists who seemed to appear from nowhere. What’s strange is that these elusive figures have no records in the Martial Arts World. In short, it’s as if they materialized out of thin air; we have no information on them whatsoever," the confidant reported gravely.

Without waiting for a response, he continued, "Master Hua, I’m afraid things have gotten serious! The Forbidden City’s worst fears are coming to pass! If this trend continues, the consequences will be unimaginable. More importantly, with the emergence of a new wave of Transformation Realm Martial Artists, the situation is already beyond what our Guardian Institute can handle!"

"What’s meant to come has finally arrived," Hua Xiaotian said, appearing exceptionally calm. He was weary. So very weary.

The confidant frowned, completely baffled by his master’s cryptic calm. "Master, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. If they want chaos, we’ll give them chaos. As long as the Guardian Institute stands, our mission to guard and sanction will never cease! No creation without destruction. If they dare to cause trouble, kill them. For those you can’t kill, give me their names. I will handle them personally," Hua Xiaotian said, his voice hoarse.

"Yes, Master Hua!" The confidant, though puzzled and astonished by Hua Xiaotian’s aggressive stance, could only acknowledge the order.

Kill them? Is it really that easy? If this provokes a backlash from the entire Martial Arts World, it would be a devastating, mutually destructive outcome!

But he didn’t dare voice these thoughts. Surely Master Hua had considered the things he had?

"Go. Relay my orders immediately. Let them fight amongst themselves all they want, but if any of them dare to lay their claws on the ordinary world, we will spare no one," Hua Xiaotian said, his voice chilling.

As his confidant departed, Hua Xiaotian let out a long, weary breath and muttered to himself, "A wave of Transformation Realm experts, appearing from nothing... Child of the Heavenly Dao, are you finally going to show yourself?"