The autumn breeze gently swept through Xuan Valley.
Gu An perched on a tree branch, watching the sparring match below. Jiang Shi and An Shengtian were testing their skills in martial arts and footwork, engaging in a balanced and intense battle.
Jiang Shi had a lifespan limit of 4,800 years, while An Shengtian's limit reached 5,000 years. In terms of aptitude, the difference between the two was negligible. After years of cultivation, An Shengtian had matured significantly. In hand-to-hand combat alone, he could go toe-to-toe with Jiang Shi without a clear winner emerging.
However, from Gu An's perspective, their sparring was not particularly interesting. Although his gaze rested on their match, his mind was entirely focused on Li Ya.
Ever since narrowly escaping death, Li Ya had been relentlessly pursued by the Heavenly Demon Sect. Fortunately, no particularly powerful individuals had taken notice of him yet; the strongest among his pursuers were merely at the Wandering Immortal Realm.
Currently, Li Ya was caught in yet another life-or-death struggle.
Most of the followers of the Heavenly Demon Sect were reincarnations of heavenly demons who had awakened their original souls. However, some were heavenly demons from beyond the heavens who had infiltrated this realm. Those who descended as heavenly demons typically possessed cultivation levels of the Fourth Heaven of the Immortal Dao or higher.
After years of warfare with the Immortal Dynasty, the Sacred Court's control over the heavens had weakened significantly. Gu An's eyes occasionally swept over the horizon, observing figures slipping into and out of the Heavenly Sprit Grand World without hindrance.
In this environment, the Heavenly Demon Sect had risen rapidly, spreading like wildfire across the world.
Gu An's Xunxian Island would not remain unaffected in the future.
As Gu An observed Li Ya's fierce battle, his thoughts wandered into the future, considering the opportune moment to reap the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Gu An had no intention of being a blind savior. However, if something threatened him or those he cared about, he wouldn't hesitate to act ruthlessly.
While he preferred to remain hidden, that didn't mean he would do nothing.
After watching Li Ya for a while, Gu An's focus shifted to An Hao.
An Hao was on the verge of nirvana. Currently imprisoned, he would only be released once the Sun Immortal Emperor returned. After his nirvana, An Hao would emerge into the world, embarking on the path of a peerless prodigy.
Compared to Li Ya, An Hao's journey would be far smoother, continuing his brilliance of the past.
Gu An's thoughts then drifted to other old acquaintances. As he mused, he remembered Xiao Chuan and Yang Jian, both of whom had entered the Cycle of Reincarnation. There had been no news of them, and Gu An couldn't sense Xiao Chuan's Extinguishing Dao Fate Seal on his soul, indicating that Xiao Chuan was far away.
After a long time had passed, Jiang Shi approached the tree and looked up to ask, "Master, how did we perform just now?"
An Shengtian followed, his eyes filled with eager anticipation as he awaited Gu An's assessment.
Retracting his divine sense, Gu An gazed at them, pondering before saying, "Your progress is fast, and you both can be considered geniuses. However, there's no need to push yourselves too hard. You don't have to prove anything to me. Whether you're strong or weak, as long as you don't betray me, I will never abandon you."
Both Jiang Shi and An Shengtian had admirable qualities. However, every time they saw Gu An, they became overly tense, eagerly displaying their skills, which Gu An found slightly awkward.
Hearing Gu An's words, An Shengtian smiled with visible relief.
Jiang Shi also exhaled a long breath, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.
Unlike An Xin and Long Qing, who had their connections to Gu An solidified through trust, Jiang Shi and An Shengtian had sought Gu An out of desperation. Thus, they could never truly relax in his presence, holding a deep-seated reverence for him.
Gu An continued, "In a few days, I'll arrange for a disciple to spar with you two. You'll face him together. It'll broaden your horizons."
An Shengtian's eyes lit up at this, and he quickly asked, "Is it one of the disciples from the Third Medicine Valley?"
Both of them had heard about the Third Medicine Valley but had never been there. Although Xuan Valley and the Third Medicine Valley were connected by teleportation platforms, Gu An had set strict rules prohibiting casual travel between the two places. Any violators had been expelled from the valleys.
Gu An nodded. "Yes, but unlike the other disciples, he's one of my personal disciples, like you. That kid loves a good fight, so don't take him lightly."
As Gu An spoke, he descended gracefully from the tree.
Hearing this, Jiang Shi and An Shengtian both tensed up again.
Gu An sighed and said, "Relax. Even if you lose, it's fine. This is just to help you gain practical combat experience."
The two exchanged glances and then forced smiles, their expressions betraying their lingering nervousness.
Finding their reactions unamusing, Gu An shook his head and turned to leave. When the two tried to follow, he waved them off.
"Continue your training. The calamities of the world are becoming more frequent. There may come a day when they reach Xuan Valley. When that happens, you'll need to protect this place."
Hearing these words, the two stopped in their tracks. Their fighting spirits reignited instantly.
They didn't believe Xuan Valley would face a crisis. This was clearly Gu An's way of testing them!
Returning to the Third Medicine Valley through the teleportation platform, Gu An was immediately stopped by someone.
"Greetings, I am Lu Changying. I wish to speak with the Valley Master. May I...?" A middle-aged man stood before Gu An, bowing respectfully.
Before he could finish, Gu An interrupted coldly, "Luoxian Gorge is unworthy!"
Walking past Lu Changying without so much as a second glance, Gu An headed for his pavilion.
Luoxian Gorge was Lu Changying's sect, a significant maritime sect. Gu An had gleaned this information through the threads of karma linked to Lu Changying.
The strongest cultivator in Luoxian Gorge had only reached the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm, which, in Gu An's eyes, was far from enough to command respect.
Hearing Gu An's words, Lu Changying's face flushed red with humiliation. He turned to call out, but looking at Gu An's retreating figure, he dared not show anger, let alone find the courage to stop him.
The opposite party could directly speak of Luoxian Gorge, clearly showing they held no regard for it.
"Is he really the Sword Master of the Dao, or just his disciple?" Lu Changying furrowed his brows as he pondered. Though being rejected was regrettable, the possibility of the other party being the Sword Master of the Dao made his heart race.
The Sword Master of the Dao was a figure comparable to the Sun Immortal Emperor!
Taking a deep breath, Lu Changying turned to leave, intending to visit the main sect city of Tai Xuan Sect.
Just as he turned around, a figure appeared, blocking his path. Startled, he looked up and instinctively frowned.
"I have some ties with Luoxian Gorge. Take me there," said the Sun Immortal Emperor, his tone calm and aloof.
The immense aura of the Sun Immortal Emperor made Lu Changying feel a chill down his spine. He cautiously asked, "May I know who you are, Daoist friend?"
"The Sun Immortal Emperor. Have you heard of me?" the man replied without a hint of humility.
"What?"
Lu Changying's face turned pale with fright, his expression filled with utter disbelief.
Nearby disciples who overheard the name Sun Immortal Emperor instinctively turned their heads to look. With a wave of his sleeve, the Sun Immortal Emperor vanished into thin air, taking Lu Changying with him.
In the distance, Shen Xinzi, meditating beneath a tree, furrowed his brows, his face filled with shock.
That man was none other than the ruler of the Immortal Dynasty, the Sun Immortal Emperor!
Over the past century, he had played many games of chess with the Sun Immortal Emperor, always finding him unfathomable. Never did he imagine that his identity was so monumental.
Even someone as mighty as the Sun Immortal Emperor had spent a century residing in the Third Medicine Valley. What other mythical figures might appear in the future?
Shen Xinzi turned his gaze toward Gu An, watching his towering silhouette. In his heart, Gu An seemed like a pillar supporting the heavens themselves, capable of withstanding any storm.
Thirty years later.
At the Tai Xuan Sect's branch sect, in the Ye Residence.
Gu An and Ye Lan sat in the courtyard, sipping tea. The fragrance of the tea wafted through the air, attracting several spirit birds that perched on nearby branches.
For once, Zhen Qin wasn't around to disrupt the moment. Both Gu An and Ye Lan savored the tranquil atmosphere.
With her chin resting on her hand, Ye Lan glanced at Gu An and asked with a smile, "In the past two years, your Third Medicine Valley disciple, Xu Jie, has gained quite a reputation. His name has even spread to the branch sect."
"That kid is indeed talented. I suppose the Third Medicine Valley owes him some of its current fame," Gu An replied with a slight smile.
Xu Jie had only joined the Third Medicine Valley five years ago and had already completed his training. Gu An had not given him any special guidance, and Xu Jie received the same treatment as all other disciples. As a result, Xu Jie didn't feel a strong sense of belonging to the Third Medicine Valley, treating it merely as a stepping stone on his cultivation path.
Xu Jie wasn't particularly devoted to the Sword Master of the Dao either. Gu An had even overheard him boasting to other disciples that he would one day surpass the Sword Master of the Dao through his own efforts.
Ye Lan chuckled. "In recent years, the number of geniuses emerging from your Third Medicine Valley has only grown. Many of them have ended up under my command."
Her gaze toward Gu An held a trace of admiration. Setting aside his status as the Sword Master of the Dao's disciple, Gu An's own abilities had always earned her deep respect.
From a young age, there seemed to be nothing her senior brother couldn't accomplish.
"Then I'll have to trouble you to take care of them," Gu An replied with a smile, picking up a piece of pastry from the table. Ye Lan had made it herself. Though the taste wasn't particularly outstanding, it was the thought that counted.
Ye Lan asked curiously, "Would you say Xu Jie is your most outstanding disciple?"
With a lifespan limit of 9,000 years, Xu Jie's talent was dazzling. Ye Lan was considering recruiting him into her fold.
Gu An shook his head. "Not even close. My most exceptional disciple is currently breaking through."
"Oh? Breaking through to what realm?"
"The Nirvana Realm."
"Nirvana Realm? Impossible! Don't joke around. Isn't this disciple much older than you?"
"No, he's thirty-four years younger than me."
"An 800-year-old reaching the Nirvana Realm? I don't believe it! You're teasing me again!"
Ye Lan's eyes widened in disbelief. She had never heard of anyone successfully undergoing nirvana before the age of a thousand.
Gu An simply smiled and didn't elaborate further.
He was referring to An Hao, who was currently undergoing tribulation. Nearby, the Immortal Dynasty's celestial spirits were standing guard, and even the Sun Immortal Emperor himself was overseeing the process.
Boom!
A peal of thunder echoed from the sky. Ye Lan looked up to see dark clouds rapidly gathering, rolling with a momentum that seemed to engulf the heavens.
She joked, "Could this be the phenomenon caused by your disciple's breakthrough?"
Gu An glanced up as well and replied, "Of course not. But this is indeed a sign of someone breaking through."
The Sacred Minister was breaking through!
He was attempting to ascend to the Free Immortal Realm!
Sensing an interesting development, Gu An's lips curved into a subtle smile. The eruption of such a phenomenon drew many powerful beings toward the Sacred Court.
The Immortal Dynasty, the Xuan You Divine Dynasty, and the Heavenly Demon Sect would undoubtedly intervene to prevent the Sacred Minister's tribulation.
Gu An conducted a quick calculation in his mind, confirming that yet another variable had emerged in the future.
The Free Immortal Realm had the power to alter the flow of destiny itself!
Hearing Gu An's words, Ye Lan's eyes lit up with curiosity.
What kind of realm could trigger such an immense phenomenon?
Just then, Gu An sensed a powerful aura emanating from the depths of the cosmos.
A meteor, shrouded in demonic energy, shot out from the Desolation Domain, hurtling toward the Heavenly Sprit Grand World with unstoppable force.
Judging by its momentum, it belonged to the ninth level of the Free Immortal Realm!
Initially, Gu An wasn't particularly concerned. Over the years, more than five beings at this realm had descended upon the Heavenly Sprit Grand World.
But then, he suddenly recognized a familiar aura.
This aura was...
The Annihilation God Emperor!
Gu An possessed the memories of Long Zhan and remembered the Annihilation God Emperor's aura vividly. This aura undoubtedly belonged to the Annihilation God Emperor, though it was not as overwhelming as in Long Zhan's memories.