True Immortal inheritance?
Gu An considered the possibility that it might be real. He recalled the inheritance he had received from Lu Xian, which contained the inheritance of the Heavenly Dao's immortal position.
And then there was Ji of the Yan Tribe, who, at the end of his life, had refused the position of an immortal deity, only to face complete annihilation as a consequence.
Was there an immortal divine force manipulating the Heavenly Dao Discourse from behind the scenes?
Even at the Dao Fruit Realm, it was difficult to perceive the existence of immortals and deities. They were elusive, almost mythical, their names rarely spoken in the vast universe.
Blood Prison Saint and An Xin began an animated discussion about the Heavenly Dao Discourse and the True Immortal inheritance.
For cultivators, the allure of immortals and deities was irresistible.
After all, wasn't the pursuit of immortality the very essence of cultivation?
Many had once believed that the Immortal Dynasty represented true immortality.
Only later did they realize that those beings were merely powerful cultivators who had reached the Immortal Dao Realm, but they were not true immortals.
The existence of real immortals and deities remained a mystery beyond comprehension.
Gu An, too, was curious.
What kind of unfathomable force controlled the faction of immortals and deities?
However, he had no intention of involving himself with the True Immortal inheritance—at least not for now.
If he became entangled in the karma of immortality, then even if he refused to ascend, he would still face endless trouble.
The fact that news of this had already spread to Tai Xuan Sect meant it had likely stirred a massive wave across the world.
"Another storm of bloodshed is about to begin."
Gu An thought to himself.
One of the Heavenly Dao Discourse's authentic scrolls was in his possession, and he was eager to see what the future held.
However, he did not predict everything.
He preferred to let the unknown remain.
After all, even if he intervened, new variables would always emerge.
Jiang Shi and An Shengtian continued sparring for a while longer, until Gu An finally signaled them to stop.
The two disciples approached him.
Gu An gave them a few words of advice before leaving.
Even though Jiang Shi had an exceptional talent for sensing karma, that did not mean Gu An would dedicate himself to nurturing him.
There were too many geniuses around him.
If he personally mentored each one, when would he have time to enjoy life?
On the way back, An Xin persistently questioned Gu An about his opinion on the True Immortal inheritance.
Gu An simply replied:
"Truth or falsehood—it must be experienced firsthand."
Blood Prison Saint, on the other hand, had a different curiosity.
Could their master also be a True Immortal who descended into the mortal world?
To this day, no one knew where Gu An had come from.
Blood Prison Saint glanced at Gu An's figure ahead, his eyes filled with reverence and expectation.
His own future path to immortality depended entirely on how powerful his master truly was!
Gu An overheard Blood Prison Saint's inner thoughts and couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
A Century Passed in the Blink of an Eye
An elderly man with snow-white hair, Chen Luo, stood at the edge of a towering cliff.
Before him stretched an unbroken chain of mountains.
In the sky above, cultivators outnumbered birds, all traveling in the same direction.
"Tai Xuan Sect…"
His weathered face revealed a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.
How many years had it been?
At last, he had arrived at Tai Xuan Sect.
It had taken him over a hundred years to make this journey from the Sacred Domain.
Along the way, he had encountered many benefactors who aided him.
Without them, he would never have survived to reach this place.
A century of trials and hardships had tempered his character.
He was no longer the impatient and impulsive youth he once was.
"Tai Xuan Sect—Tai Cang Continent's number one sect. It is the very pillar of this mortal world, the final sanctuary for humanity. It is said that a celestial being dwells within its halls, one who once saved the world. Some call him the Sword Master of the Dao, others refer to him as the Hidden Sage. Regardless of how he is named, one thing is certain—his existence alone has ensured peace for the people of this world."
A voice spoke from behind Chen Luo.
Turning, he saw a Daoist in a green robe, holding a horsetail whisk.
The Daoist appeared to be in his forties, his long beard fluttering in the wind, and a small crane perched on his right shoulder.
Chen Luo studied him carefully.
As the Daoist approached, Chen Luo finally asked, "Senior, now that we have reached Tai Xuan Sect, can you finally tell me why you sought me out?"
Without this Daoist's guidance, his journey might have taken decades or even another hundred years.
The green-robed Daoist gazed into the distance and said,
"I am searching for the hope that will end this age of turmoil."
Chen Luo was puzzled.
"Are you referring to the Sword Master of the Dao?"
The Daoist shook his head.
"Have you heard of the Heavenly Dao Discourse? Tai Xuan Sect possesses one of the authentic scrolls."
Chen Luo's eyes widened in shock.
He was about to press for more details when the Daoist suddenly waved his horsetail whisk, sweeping him into a gust of wind.
The two of them soared toward the outer sect city in the distance.
Amid the rushing wind, Chen Luo suppressed his curiosity.
He had not forgotten his true purpose for coming here.
For the past century, there had not been a single moment when he did not long for his wife.
The Sacred King had ordered him to come to Tai Xuan Sect.
But once he arrived—
What was he supposed to do next?
He had no answer.
The two of them arrived at the outer sect city and joined the queue to enter.
As soon as they entered, a man approached Chen Luo and asked, "Are you Chen Luo from the Sacred Domain?"
The speaker was Long Qing, who was curiously sizing up Chen Luo.
Hearing this, Chen Luo's emotions surged. He quickly raised his hand and greeted, "I am Chen Luo. Greetings, Daoist friend. Were you sent by the Sacred King?"
"Sacred King?"
Long Qing chuckled and shook his head before saying, "Follow me."
He, too, was curious why his master wanted to see this person and planned to learn more along the way.
Without further explanation, Long Qing turned and walked away, and Chen Luo quickly followed.
The green-robed Daoist, who had been accompanying them, watched Long Qing's departing figure with flickering eyes, deep in thought.
Deep within a forested mountain range, Gu An was sparring with Chen Chuan in swordplay.
Gu An used only his fingers as a sword, effortlessly deflecting every move that Chen Chuan unleashed.
At one hundred and eleven years old, Chen Chuan had already reached the sixth level of the Divine Transformation Realm. He wore a black robe and wielded a treasured sword, exuding an air of youthful confidence.
At fifty years old, he had been taken in by Gu An and had spent sixty-one years comprehending the sword Dao under his guidance.
Although his cultivation realm was high, his true strength far exceeded it.
Now, he was renowned as a prodigy within the Third Medicine Valley, but no one knew his origins.
The only certainty was that anyone personally chosen by Gu An was destined to be extraordinary.
Even Lü Baitian found himself envious of Chen Chuan and would frequently inquire about his progress.
At this moment, Chen Chuan felt utterly powerless.
He had always believed that his swordsmanship had reached perfection, yet when sparring solely in the art of the sword, he could find no flaws in his master's technique at all.
Meanwhile, Gu An watched his disciple's fierce attacks with satisfaction.
This was exactly the kind of person Chen Chuan had aspired to become.
The two exchanged a hundred more moves, before Gu An called for a stop.
Chen Chuan withdrew his sword and respectfully saluted his master.
His gaze was filled with undeniable admiration.
So this was the true strength of the world's greatest sword cultivator?
Having spent so much time in the Third Medicine Valley, he had already learned that his master was none other than the legendary Sword Master of the Dao, the savior of the world.
Realizing this, he felt incredibly fortunate, gradually letting go of the shadows of his childhood.
After giving a few pointers, Gu An led Chen Chuan back toward the valley.
Along the way, disciples training in various techniques could be seen everywhere.
Each time they passed Gu An, the disciples bowed and greeted him respectfully.
However, when they looked at Chen Chuan, their eyes were filled with envy.
There were countless geniuses in the Medicine Valley, but only a handful received personal guidance from the master.
Moreover, Chen Chuan had been brought here from the outside world.
Still, he paid no mind to the envious gazes.
Instead, he humbly sought further teachings from his master, voicing the lingering doubts in his heart.
Soon, they arrived back within the valley.
There, Long Qing and Chen Luo were waiting in front of the pavilion.
Chen Luo looked extremely nervous, while beside him, Blood Prison Saint scrutinized him with sharp eyes.
From afar, Chen Chuan took one glance at Chen Luo before looking away, focusing once more on his sword comprehension.
His father had left when he was just an infant.
He had no memories of him at all.
Long Qing noticed Gu An's arrival and immediately greeted, "Master!"
Chen Luo also turned to look at Gu An and was instantly taken aback.
It wasn't that he recognized Chen Chuan—rather, he was stunned by Gu An's ethereal presence.
Was there truly such an immortal-like existence in this world?
Gu An approached Long Qing and instructed, "Take your junior brother with you."
Long Qing quickly wrapped an arm around Chen Chuan's shoulders and led him away, leaving Chen Luo standing there alone, facing Gu An's imposing presence.
"Come upstairs to talk."
Gu An smiled faintly and ascended the steps first.
Chen Luo took a deep breath, then followed.
After stepping inside, he closed the door, walked to the study table, and dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.
"Senior, please save my wife!"
Chen Luo's voice was filled with restraint.
He was not trembling in desperation, but rather, he was doing his best to control his emotions.
Gu An gazed down at him and asked, "After all these years of experience, have you gained any insights? What have you come to understand?"
Chen Luo lifted his head.
He had already prepared himself for this kind of questioning.
Without hesitation, he answered, "Yes. The world is full of suffering. I am not the most miserable among them. Aside from my wife, I still have my parents and my son to care for. I should not have been so selfish. I should not have acted so recklessly."
Gu An shook his head slightly and said, "Wrong. You are still overlooking something."
"Please guide me, Senior," Chen Luo asked cautiously.
At the same time, he was already trying to figure out what he might have missed.
Gu An's gaze turned indifferent, making Chen Luo feel an overwhelming pressure.
"You should be grateful that you were born into a world of cultivation," Gu An said, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable weight.
"What is cultivation?"
"Cultivation is the pursuit of the power to overturn all tragedies."
"Your wife's death should not be a reason for you to despair—it should be your greatest motivation to cultivate."
"If you become an immortal, then perhaps… you might just be able to save her."