"Where are you going?" The woman was startled to see Evan Yang about to leave.
"I'm heading to Genius Star," Evan Yang replied.
"No way. There are a lot of top experts gathered there right now. If you go, you'll definitely die," the woman said.
"I'm not some savior, but I also don't want the Genius Pavilion to be destroyed because of me alone," Evan Yang said. Thinking of the Pavilion, he recalled Elder Mu's care and couldn't help but remember it.
"Do you really think you can change anything?" the woman asked helplessly. She hadn't expected Evan Yang to be so unaware, and now that he knew, she regretted not telling him sooner.
Evan Yang smiled, "Whether I can change things or not, I'll only know if I try."
"Are you that confident?" the woman asked suspiciously.
Evan Yang didn't have time to explain. He simply said, "I'm going. As for your help, I'll remember it. And your veil—one day, I'll take it off."
"You..." The woman hadn't expected Evan Yang to still remember their conversation from before.
"I'll head out first. Thank you." Evan Yang said gratefully, then flashed away. The people waiting outside saw someone rush out and quickly tried to chase after him, but they couldn't keep up with Evan Yang's speed.
"Sigh, he's just walking into his own doom," the woman said, watching Evan Yang's departing figure.
She then went outside the barrier, found her maid, and explained her intentions. The maid was shocked. "Palace Lord, don't scare me! If your aunt or those elders find out, I'm doomed."
"Relax. The elders won't wake up for another four days. As for my aunt, she's definitely busy on Genius Star right now and won't notice I'm gone," the woman said.
"You..." The maid didn't know what to do.
"I'm leaving Hundred-Bloom Palace in your hands for now. I'm off." With that, the woman flashed away.
The maid was left behind, muttering, "She always leaves me alone."
Evan Yang rushed quickly toward Genius Star. When he arrived, he saw people continuously emerging from the teleportation arrays.
All these people were heading to the same place—a spot where crowds were gathering. Evan Yang opened his divine sense and immediately found Patriarch Fenn, the Ninefold Palace Lord, and other top experts.
"Damn it," Evan Yang muttered, then flashed away, changed his identity, and reappeared in a remote corner, blending in with the Genius Pavilion crowd.
At this moment, two camps faced each other. One side was Patriarch Fenn and the other Palace Lords; the other side was the Genius Pavilion. Both sides kept gaining more people.
Evan Yang blended in unnoticed. The Palace Lords, Patriarch Fenn, and several clan leaders had all taken Clear-Sight Immortal Pills. Every Genius Pavilion member who appeared was scrutinized one by one.
Because there were so many people, they had to check each one individually and couldn't immediately identify Evan Yang. Evan quietly asked someone where Elder Mu was, then flashed over to that location.
The Genius Pavilion's upper echelon had been anxiously waiting for the enemy to make a move so they could respond. Suddenly, Evan Yang appeared, startling everyone.
"Who are you?" someone asked.
Evan Yang dropped his disguise and returned to his original appearance.
"Evan Yang!" Elder Mu exclaimed in shock. The others finally realized who he was—the main culprit behind this incident.
"So you're Evan Yang?" asked the Heaven Pavilion Lord. The other Pavilion Lords curiously sized him up, and the elders looked at him strangely.
"Yeah," Evan Yang nodded, also feeling odd in front of all these strangers. Elder Mu began introducing everyone to him.
It turned out the Genius Pavilion's three leaders were these three Pavilion Lords: the Left Pavilion Lord, Heaven Pavilion Lord, and Right Pavilion Lord.
After the introductions, including the elders, Evan Yang finally said, "Sorry for causing trouble for everyone."
"Don't say that. Even if it wasn't you, the Three Palaces would eventually find a chance to come," said the Left Pavilion Lord.
With those words, the Left Pavilion Lord made the Genius Pavilion's stance clear: no matter what, they intended to protect Evan Yang.
Evan Yang was a bit overwhelmed and said, "Thank you, Pavilion Lords."
The three Pavilion Lords nodded. Everyone began discussing strategies, each offering their own opinions, while Evan Yang stood there unsure what to do.
An hour passed, and they were still arguing over possible plans. Seeing chaos about to erupt outside, Evan Yang realized that if he didn't go out, everyone on Genius Star would face disaster.
"It's better to hand me over," Evan Yang said.
As soon as he said this, everyone fell silent and looked at each other.
"No way. If you go out, you'll definitely die," Elder Mu objected.
"If I don't go out, even more people will die," Evan Yang said bluntly.
Though Evan Yang was only guessing, everyone knew he was right—turning him over might temporarily resolve the immediate crisis.
"If you go out, you'll only solve the crisis temporarily. It can't fix the long-term problem," said the Left Pavilion Lord after thinking for a moment.
"That's right. The Genius Pavilion has long been a thorn in the Three Palaces' side. They're just using this opportunity to wipe us out," said the Heaven Pavilion Lord.
Everyone here understood the Three Palaces' intentions. Whether or not they handed Evan Yang over, the Genius Pavilion would still face the threat from the Three Palaces.
For the first time, Evan Yang felt truly powerless. With so many top experts outside, he alone couldn't handle them or resolve the Pavilion's crisis.
Seeing Evan Yang fall silent, the Left Pavilion Lord asked, "You're a Violet Seventh-Tier genius. What's your current cultivation?"
"Great-Perfection Crossing-Shadow Realm," Evan Yang answered.
"What!" Elder Mu and the others were shocked. A few hundred years ago, when Evan Yang took the test, he was only in the Spirit-Wandering Realm. Even for a Violet Seventh-Tier genius, this was remarkable.
The three Pavilion Lords exchanged glances, then privately transmitted to each other and reached a unified decision. The Heaven Pavilion Lord asked, "Are you willing to formally join our Genius Pavilion?"
"Join?" Evan Yang was only recognized as a Violet Seventh-Tier genius by the Pavilion; he didn't belong to any force. He wasn't sure what the Pavilion Lord meant.
"Yes. If you're willing to join, you'll become our core disciple, and we can send you to the Pavilion's hidden place. If you don't wish to join, we won't force you," explained the Left Pavilion Lord.
Evan Yang understood what they meant. If it were any other time, he would have refused, but now, the Genius Pavilion was facing disaster because of him. Even though the real cause wasn't his fault, he was still the indirect reason. After thinking for a moment, he replied earnestly, "I'm willing."
"Good." As soon as Evan Yang spoke, the three Pavilion Lords all showed satisfied smiles.
Elder Mu was extremely excited, and the surrounding elders also smiled in approval, making Evan Yang feel a bit strange.
"Let's not waste any more time—let's begin," said the Left Pavilion Lord.
The other two Pavilion Lords nodded. The three Pavilion Lords surrounded Evan Yang, while the elders formed a circle around them.
"Evan Yang, from today onward, you join our Genius Pavilion—not only as our disciple, but also as our Grand Pavilion Lord," announced the Left Pavilion Lord.
Evan Yang's mind was blown—Grand Pavilion Lord? What was that? Did the Genius Pavilion really have such a position? But now, he had no chance to ask, because a column of light appeared around him, locking him in place.
"Don't move. Soon, we'll send you to the Pavilion's main building, where you'll understand everything. As for what happens below, you don't need to worry," the Left Pavilion Lord said.
Evan Yang wanted to say something, but found he couldn't move at all. The elders each poured spiritual power into the light, making it grow larger and brighter.
The light expanded outward from the Pavilion, and the high-level experts outside immediately noticed the commotion. Those who understood the Genius Pavilion's secrets cried out, "Forbidden Light of Genius Pavilion!"
The light kept spreading farther and farther, gradually enveloping all the Genius Pavilion disciples outside. When they touched the light for the first time, it was as if they understood something, and they all knelt down in reverence.
The experts from the Three Palaces and the major clans looked at each other, not understanding what the Genius Pavilion was doing.
"Brother Fenn, what is this?" asked the Fenn Family Patriarch, curious.
"Brother Fenn, don't you know the Genius Pavilion has a strange secret?" replied the Ninefold Palace Lord.
"What secret?" asked the Fenn Patriarch, completely puzzled.
"When the Genius Pavilion was founded, there was a Grand Pavilion Lord of extraordinary strength. Later, it's said he ascended to the Immortal Realm, but before leaving, he created an independent space. This space can only be activated in a special way, and only Pavilion Lords are qualified to enter it," explained the Ninefold Palace Lord.
"What? Is this the legendary transmission light?" The Fenn Patriarch seemed to realize something.
"Yes, that's right. This is the Forbidden Light of Genius Pavilion used for transmission. I don't know why they're activating it now—maybe one of the Pavilion Lords is about to enter that space?" The Ninefold Palace Lord frowned.
"So what if they go? Is there really anything valuable in there?" The Fenn Patriarch glanced at the light and didn't see anything special.
"That, I don't know. Only the Pavilion Lords know the truth. Right now, the Genius Pavilion has three Pavilion Lords, but I wonder which one they're sending," said the Ninefold Palace Lord, suspicious.
"Looks like they've lost the will to fight. They must be sending the Pavilion Lords away to preserve the Pavilion's foundation," the Fenn Patriarch sneered.
"Is that so?" The Ninefold Palace Lord was a bit confused.
While the Ninefold Palace Lord and Fenn Patriarch were talking, the Genius Pavilion disciples began to fly off, heading for the teleportation arrays.
It looked just like a retreat without a fight.
"Brother Fenn, it seems you were right. The Genius Pavilion doesn't want to clash head-on—they're evacuating their disciples, and the Pavilion Lords are surely being transmitted away. Only the elders and a few strong cultivators will stay to face us," the Ninefold Palace Lord laughed.
"That works for us. We can reduce losses—just capture the Genius Pavilion elders, and even without the Pavilion Lords, we can still lure that kid out," the Fenn Patriarch smiled coldly.