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Xuan Ji watched Ye Zichen rub his hands together. She smiled, but shook her head and refused.

His plan was quite good, and did in fact sound interesting, exciting even. If she were an ordinary, unknown person and not the subject of hundreds of millions of gods' attention, she might have really agreed.

Ye Zichen's plan really was tempting.

But she was Xuan Ji, the pavilion master of Heavenly God City's Profound Pavilion. She was Lady Providence, the subordinate of the God Emperor, Zhou Wu. Everything she did and said was under the scrutiny of the masses. She had to consider her impact on other people.

His plan, put nicely, was an underdog's effort to replace his superiors: fun and exciting. But put differently, it was a bit insane.

Interest wasn't enough to convince her to participate. She needed sufficient courage.

Xuan Ji was no coward, and had never lacked for courage, but hers wasn't the only life on the line. She had to consider her subordinates, too.

"What a pity," said Ye Zichen. He sighed as if he felt bad for her and shrugged. "You've just passed up an opportunity to change history."

"It really is a pity," said Xuan Ji, but she remained unmoved.

In truth, Ye Zichen had never seriously considered getting Xuan Ji involved in his scheme. He knew better than anyone just how insane his plan was.

As the pavilion master of the Profound Pavilion, everything Xuan Ji drew the masses' attention.

If she actually joined him, it might very well stir up panic amongst the gods and alert his targets.

Even though he knew all that, he still thought it would be nice if she joined up.

If Xuan Ji got involved, that meant both she and her entire Profound Pavilion would stand behind him, including their various subordinate powers. This would strengthen his forces to an enormous degree. Furthermore, with the Profound Pavilion's backing. This would make him and his plan seem far more legitimate, too.

In any event.

If she wanted to join up with him, he'd welcome her with open arms. If she didn't, it wouldn't actually have too much of an impact on his plans.

Besides, his true purpose in coming here wasn't convincing Xuan Ji to begin with.

But….

"Surely you can help me with one small favor though, right?" Ye Zichen smiled.

This "favor" was his true reason for seeking out Xuan Ji. It was the precondition for the rest of his plans to work. If he had to act on his own, he could use his status as an emissary of the Outside and ask Zhou Wu for help. Ye Zichen was sure that, given the Upper Three Realm's current tense, ambiguous state, the God Emperor wouldn't refuse.

But after that, the God Emperor was sure to watch and consider Ye Zichen's every move carefully.

That's why he didn't want to use the God Emperor as a shortcut to get his plans into motion. Xuan Ji was the top expert in Heavenly God City save for the God Emperor himself, and she was his top subordinate. He was sure that she could achieve the same effect, and that given their relationship, she wouldn't expose his plans.

Xuan Ji froze somewhat. She naturally understood what favor Ye Zichen was referring to.

"Have you really thought this through?" She didn't agree directly. Instead, she looked at him solemnly. She was worried that he'd let his excitement get to his head and that he was acting on the spur of the moment.

"Naturally." Ye Zichen nodded and smiled assuredly. "I'm sure you already know I have the Yao-Sealing Pagoda in my possession. Although my faction can be considered a newcomer amongst the countless powers of the God Race, in terms of comprehensive fighting strength, we're no weaker than other, established family clans. The yao servants of the Pagoda are no different from the descendants of ancient clans, either; there is absolutely no way they'll betray me. We're inferior to established clans only in terms of history and acc.u.mulated insider information."

"Of course. Owning the Yao-Sealing Pagoda naturally makes you the head of a faction. But you ought to know just who you're up against. Relying purely on the yao servants of the pagoda…."

"Don't I have you, too?" Ye Zichen laughed.

"Don't interrupt," she said seriously. "You already know that I can't possibly support you openly. Not even your mom can do that, as your plan will influence the higher-ups of the God Realm. All I can do is try my utmost to stop other factions from suppressing you. No more, no less."

Ye Zichen was keenly aware that she meant every word. Furthermore, he knew she was asking out of concern for him. He smiled, then glanced at Pu Jingwan. "Isn't she… enough?"

"Her?" Xuan Ji examined Pu Jingwan without reservation. Pu Jingwan was staring at the two of them, her eyes wide. She hadn't understood a word of their conversation, but now, suddenly, they were talking about her. She was a bit stunned. "Is she from the first era?"

Ye Zichen nodded. Xuan Ji looked Pu Jingwan up and down and said, "Her cultivation is enough, but she's just one person. She's not enough to support your plan!"

"What if I add the same special emissary from the tournament?"

"Both of them?" Xuan Ji contemplated the matter for a while, but decided the two of them still weren't enough to make Ye Zichen's plan work. After a lengthy silence, she shook her head. "The two of them would be enough to intimidate any given region, but you want to establish a major power. You're still lacking in top experts."

"I have twenty other rulers too," laughed Ye Zichen.

"What on earth is going on with the First Era? They really sent you over twenty rulers?" Xuan Ji was stunned, but this time, she didn't shake her head.

With Yang Jian and Pu Jingwan, Ye Zichen had enough top experts. Now he just needed ordinary rulers.

He didn't need so many, either. Five or six would have been enough. But now Ye Zichen said he had twenty? Add that to his yao servants, and if he formed a faction, it'd be on par with the Divine Mountains' Holy Lands.

It was just as Ye Zichen said. He didn't lack manpower. He merely lacked history and insider information.

Now that he'd laid his cards out in the open, Xuan Ji was no longer worried about it. Assuming Ye Zichen wasn't just bragging and that he really meant what he said, his ranks were enough to support the later stages of his plan. As for her, although she couldn't participate directly in this exciting endeavor, she could at least lend a hand.

"Alright, leave it all up to me. I'll prepare what you need as soon as possible. But…. how are you going to pay me for it?" asked Xuan Ji.

To complete the favor Ye Zichen needed, she'd need a veritable ocean of resources. As his aunt, she could give him the odd trifle or two, but money didn't grow on trees. Besides, as everyone in the God Realm knew, Xuan Ji loved money as much as life itself.

"Please pay for everything on your own for now," said Ye Zichen. "Then, before long, the Outsiders will come with the rest of the resources. I'll pay you back then, alright?"

"How long?"

"Half a month at most!"

Xuan Ji took in Ye Zichen's certainty, but she still didn't quite believe it. She fell into silent contemplation, then said, "I can do that, but you have to pay me back with interest."

"How much?" asked Ye Zichen.

"I want a double return on my investments!" Before Ye Zichen could object, she continued, "Don't rush to refuse me. If you don't agree, you can find someone else to help you; it won't hurt me in the slightest. Don't even consider using the Outside's Pills of Fortune to threaten me, either. I can just consider them repaying all the profits I got from my friendship with your mother over the years. Losing them doesn't hurt at all."

"No way, you still want me to reimburse you for those pills before you agree to help?" said Ye Zichen.

"I spent those Pills of Fortune helping you out… Don't you...want to reimburse me?" Xuan Ji furrowed her brows."

Ye Zichen leaned into his chair and let out a deep sigh. He had to put his plan into action as soon as possible. The longer he dragged things out, the more passive a position he'd find himself in.

He took in his dear auntie's unwillingness to make even the slightest concession, then steeled himself and said in a low voice, "Deal!"