Zhang Buku followed the sparrow, passing through the forest. Although his injuries were severe, his physique was strong. He had suffered such injuries before and only needed a month to recover.
However, he hadn’t rested for long before he began his journey again. The exhaustion rushed over him like a tide, testing his willpower. After walking several miles, he could hardly hold on and wanted to lay down for a sleep.
The sparrow’s chirping kept urging him forward, and he had no choice but to continue.
Gradually, Zhang Buku’s eyelids grew heavier and his steps became more sluggish.
Gu An did not help him, only kept urging him on.
It was unclear how much time had passed.
Finally, unable to endure any longer, Zhang Buku collapsed on the hillside and lost consciousness completely.
Sunset and moonrise.
A night passed.
Zhang Buku’s eyelids fluttered. His consciousness gradually returned, and he slowly opened his eyes. The sunlight falling on him made him feel warm.
At this moment, a few small birds were perched on his body. Sensing his movement, they all flew away.
Zhang Buku opened his mouth, feeling his throat dry. He struggled to get up and looked around, but the sparrow that had led the way was nowhere in sight.
His brow furrowed, and he prepared to go downhill to find a place to clean his wounds.
He suddenly sensed a faint demonic energy he had never encountered before, inexplicably compelling him to approach.
After hesitating for a moment, he took a step forward.
He walked around the hillside to the other side and pushed aside the weeds in front of a rock wall to reveal a rather small cave entrance.
He began to dig through the soil.
After resting for a night, his strength had recovered considerably.
An hour later, he crawled into a tunnel. After crawling for a long time, he finally reached a spacious cave chamber.
Upon landing, his gaze fell on a smoothed round stone in front of him, upon which a bright red demon core, the size of a human head, was placed.
Seeing the demon core, a greedy expression involuntarily appeared on Zhang Buku’s face.
Step by step, he walked forward with trembling hands.
Meanwhile.
Hundreds of miles away, Gu An observed the scene with his Divine Sense.
That demon core was the demon core of the Six-Headed Sea Dragon!
A demon core from the Mahayana Realm, sufficient for Zhang Buku to defy fate and change his destiny!
However, given Zhang Buku’s current realm, whether he could withstand the power contained in the demon core was uncertain.
If he couldn’t hold on, Gu An would intervene.
Under his Divine Sense’s watch, Zhang Buku grasped the demon core tightly and began to cultivate, absorbing the demonic power. His body trembled incessantly, the scabs on his skin transforming into blood energy and dissipating. His face contorted, and his skin turned red at a visible speed.
“What is this pain!”
Zhang Buku gritted his teeth. Thinking of the hardships he had endured over the years, he was determined to seize this opportunity!
He could feel the high realm of this demon core, possibly the strongest demon he had encountered so far.
If he could obtain its demonic power, he would undoubtedly be reborn!
His expression became more twisted, and his eyes filled with blood. Wisps of blood energy overflowed from his body, coalescing behind him into the terrifying form of a demon—the shape of the Six-Headed Sea Dragon, exuding immense pressure.
…
By evening.
Gu An returned to Mystic Valley. Along the way, many servant disciples greeted him.
“Senior Brother, Senior Brother Li Ya has returned.” Lu Jiujia said to Gu An. Gu An nodded at him and then walked towards the pavilion.
From the moment Li Ya started his journey back to the Supreme Sect, Gu An had sensed his presence.
Along the way, Li Ya encountered many events, including slaying demons and resolving grudges. It seemed they would have a long conversation.
Upon going upstairs and entering the room, Gu An saw Li Ya writing at the table.
Li Ya was already at the ninth layer of the Core Formation Realm, but his lifespan had not increased, still at 1,550 years.
Compared to Li Xuandao, he was not only less talented but also less fortunate.
Fortunately, Li Ya was unaware of how powerful his father was and still carried himself with confidence.
Gu An closed the door and smiled, asking, “Senior Brother Li, long time no see, what are you writing?”
Li Ya looked up at him and said, “I’m writing a body cultivation method that can extend your lifespan for you.”
Gu An was intrigued and walked over to see the cultivation technique Li Ya was writing.
“How have you been these years?” Li Ya asked while writing.
“Quite well, peaceful and at ease,” Gu An replied and then asked in return.
Li Ya began to recount his experiences cultivating at Three Pure Ones Mountain.
After arriving at Three Pure Ones Mountain, he discovered many members of the Li family living there. With the help of his family elders, he lived well and learned many spells. Especially his Daoist Heart, which had become more solid than before. Now, when he performed swordsmanship, it carried Daoist Intent, which, according to the accomplished cultivators at Three Pure Ones Mountain, was very rare—even a genius like Sage Xuan Miao hadn’t mastered it.
Gu An could sense the Daoist Intent within him, a power similar to Sword Intent but more advanced.
With Daoist Intent, Li Ya’s perception of spiritual energy in nature became keener, and he might even be able to capture the rules of heaven and earth.
It seemed he had indeed gained a lot.
After talking about Three Pure Ones Mountain, he spoke of the events he encountered on his return journey.
Li Ya also encountered many cultivators who took the opportunity of the demon calamity to commit evil acts, including cultivators from reputable sects, which made him very angry.
“Now I not only slay demons but also people. Although many tell me that in extraordinary times, these people are needed to resist demons, I don’t listen.” Li Ya said coldly.
He then looked at Gu An and asked, “Junior Brother, do you think I’m wrong?”
Gu An replied, “How could you be wrong? If these people were willing to resist demons, they wouldn’t commit evil acts. By doing evil, they are a burden to the entire human race. I support you.”
Li Ya’s face immediately broke into a smile, knowing his junior brother understood him.
He continued to speak about his journey, and Gu An listened attentively.
Over the decades, Gu An had made many friends, disciples, and even had romantic interests, but Li Ya still held a high position in his heart.
They had both entered the Supreme Sect together, and before reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, Li Ya had taken care of him. This kindness he would naturally remember.
Once Li Ya finished writing, he had also concluded his story.
Li Ya put down his brush and looked at Gu An, smiling, “Junior Brother, I have come specifically to visit you. Tomorrow, I must descend the mountain again.”
“The world is in chaos. Senior Brother can go and do what you must. I don’t have your strength and can only plant herbs in Medicine Valley. I will pray for you, wishing you safety,” Gu An said with a smile as well.
Li Ya laughed, “With you praying for me, I will certainly be safe.”
He then asked, “By the way, do you still have contact with my emperor father?”
This matter had been hidden for decades, and Gu An felt it was time to speak out, so he told him about Tianya Valley.
“I used to disdain him, but now his deeds have made me look at him with new eyes. Follow him well. If he dares to scheme against you, I will not spare him,” Li Ya said with emotion.
After the demon calamity, the three dynasties had ceased fighting, united against the demons. Li Xuandao even personally led troops to expedition against the Demon King, his fame growing larger, acknowledged more highly in the Immortal Cultivation World than even the emperors of Tianwei and Great Jiang.
“Oh yes, a wise man at Three Pure Ones Mountain divined that our Li family has a person destined for great things. That should be me. I might become an immortal in the future. See, isn’t your Senior Brother impressive?” Li Ya said proudly.
Only in front of Gu An could he reveal his true feelings.
Gu An curiously asked, “What are the characteristics of a person destined for great things? Is it top talent or unrivaled fortune?”
Li Ya raised an eyebrow, “Whether in terms of talent or fortune, I am the strongest among the direct bloodline of the Li family. How do you see it? I should be the person destined for great things. Or do you think there is someone else? You don’t possibly like my sister, do you?”
“How could that be? I haven’t seen your sister for years. By the way, is Senior Sister Li well?”
“Of course she’s well, but wait, you just said you don’t like my sister?”
Li Ya’s eyes widened, and he began to bicker with Gu An.
Senior Sister Li was Li Xuanyu. Gu An had once helped her manage her cave, and she had introduced him to other businesses. They had a good relationship, but in recent years, Li Xuanyu had been in seclusion in the Inner Sect, and the two had only met a few times, exchanging brief greetings before parting.
Thus, it continued until the next morning when Li Ya finally departed.
Gu An stood at the window sill, watching him leave.
“A person destined for great things… Senior Brother, in any way I see it, your father seems more like the person destined for great things…”
…
In the cave.
Zhang Buku sat on the ground shirtless, in meditation. The blood spots on his body had disappeared, and his skin had become even fairer. There were three black scales on each side of his neck, and eerie phantasms emerged around him, like the lingering souls of demons.
He slowly opened his eyes and stood up, his joints cracking like thunder.
Feeling his newfound strength, a look of excitement appeared on his face.
Not only had his Cultivation Level advanced greatly, but his Qi-Blood had also undergone a complete transformation. The feeling was truly wonderful.
He began to stretch his bones.
After a while, he seemed to notice something and walked to the rock wall, examining it closely.
“Heaven-Cutting Divine Axe…”
Zhang Buku muttered. Having been on the run for years, he was unaware of major events in the Immortal Cultivation World and had not heard of the Heaven-Cutting Axe, but he could tell that a mighty technique was inscribed on the rock wall.
After finishing reading, he discovered it only contained the general outline of the Heaven-Cutting Divine Axe and not the specific mental method, which disappointed him.
Just from its description, he could tell the Heaven-Cutting Divine Axe was formidable. If he could master it, he would be invincible.
He suddenly sensed something and used his Divine Sense to inspect the rock wall.
Bang!
A vast amount of memory surged into his mind, causing him to become dazed.
After some time.
His eyes cleared, and a look of ecstasy appeared on his face.
He had unexpectedly inherited the complete Heaven-Cutting Divine Axe!
Recalling those grandiose moves, his heart burned with eagerness.
He was impatient to start practicing the Heaven-Cutting Divine Axe, but he had no axe in hand.
He glanced around and noticed a stone axe wedged in a crack in the rock, making him delighted.
He pulled out the stone axe and swung it a few times, feeling it was too light.
Nonetheless, he at least had an axe to practice the moves!
He stepped back a few paces and then knelt, facing the rock wall, “Senior, though I do not know your identity or whether you are still alive, what I have gained today is entirely due to your grace. From now on, you will be my master! I will never forget your kindness!”
Afterward, he began kowtowing heavily, his forehead bleeding profusely.