“I must kill him myself!”
The words of Gu An echoed in the great hall, the flickering flames growing more intense, as if startled by his declaration.
The Punisher of Demon Souls, held by the shoulder with one hand by Gu An, listened with secret alarm. Despite the overtures of goodwill from the Holy Minister, Sword Venerable Fudao was still so overbearing—a clear sign of a character that brooked no defiance.
The Holy Minister fell silent upon hearing these words.
Gu An was not in a hurry, waiting for the response from the Holy Minister.
He was not blinded by hatred; he wanted to use this opportunity to show the Holy Court his boundaries and to prove that his target was solely the Great Nether Saint King.
“The Saint King of the Holy Court is held in high esteem. Even in death, it should come at the hands of the Holy Court personally,” the Holy Minister said without a trace of mirth.
The Punisher of Demon Souls grew tense at once—if these two were to fight, both he and the Heavenly Prison would suffer the consequences.
Amassing his thoughts, the Holy Minister’s tone shifted, “If Daoist Friend is willing to join the Holy Court, I will personally offer up the Great Nether Saint King. You need not accept the Qi Fortune Fruit Position. Simply joining the Holy Court in name will suffice. Normally, the Holy Court will not assign you any tasks. When the Great Heavenly Spirit Land faces an existential threat, only then you would need to act.”
Simply join in name?
Gu An first thought of the Immortal Dynasty which had also reached out to recruit him.
With the Immortal Dynasty as a potential rival, the Holy Court indeed found it hard to trust an unidentified existence.
Even if the Holy Court was unaware of Sword Venerable Fudao’s true identity, it was not important. What mattered was letting all beings know that the recently renowned Sword Venerable Fudao had joined the Holy Court.
Gu An actually did not object to joining the Holy Court. Lacking a stance, one only gathers more enemies. What he opposed was merely the Qi Fortune Fruit Position.
“Good,” Gu An uttered a single word.
The Holy Minister immediately raised his hand, sending a golden token flying towards Gu An, who lifted his right hand to catch it.
Not heavy, lighter than a feather, nearly twenty centimeters in length, and about four fingers wide. Its edges were carved with dragon figures, and at the top were two fire phoenixes, their claws intertwined, symmetrical, and exquisitely done, possessing an aesthetically pleasing look.
Three words were inscribed on the token.
Holy Sword Three!
“The Holy Sword is the title I bestow upon you,” the Holy Minister explained. “The three below signifies your Heavenly Position. The Saint King too holds a Third Grade Heavenly Position. It is indeed beneath your talents to be at the Third Grade Heavenly Position as a Divine Thought True Immortal. However, since you are unwilling to accept the Qi Fortune Fruit Position, the Holy Court cannot fully trust you. I hope you can understand.”
“This token is made of the same material as other Holy Orders, but I have not imposed any other Restrictions on it, lest it provokes your apprehension. Its only purpose is to display your identity to others. Its unique material ensures it cannot be replicated by other powers.”
After listening, Gu An thought to himself, had this fellow decided upon this before even coming here?
But he had to admit, with the deep foundation of the Holy Court, they indeed had such confidence!
Above the Saint King was the Holy God, and it was not impossible for the Saint King to reach Dao Void Mysterious Immortal, or the Holy God to reach Divine Thought True Immortal. Add to that the exalted Shengtian, and the Holy Court’s strength was formidable to even contemplate.
Most crucially, the Holy Court not only possessed high-level combatants, but the number at each realm was beyond measure.
As a Divine Thought True Immortal, Gu An could now observe Qi Fortune, and the Qi Fortune of the Holy Court was more terrifying than all other powers in the Great Heavenly Spirit Land combined, including the Immortal Dynasty.
“From today onwards, you are the Holy Sword of the Holy Dynasty. This is a title created especially for you. I will announce it to the world in the future; I will have someone send your treatment to the Taicang Continent. You need not visit the Holy Court for audience. Are you satisfied?” the Holy Minister asked.
Gu An replied, “Of course, satisfied. Thank you, Holy Minister.”
The Holy Minister chuckled, “From now on, we shall address each other as Daoist Friends. Although the Heavenly Prison does not enjoy the Holy Court’s Qi Fortune, it serves the Holy Court. If you are dissatisfied with this Prison Master, you may kill him. I will arrange someone else to take over.”
At these words, the despair was clear on the Punisher of Demon Souls’ face. Begging for mercy, he implored, “Please spare me, Senior… Senior…”
Gu An released his left hand, and the Punisher of Demon Souls regained his freedom. He promptly knelt down, incessantly kowtowing to Gu An.
The Carefree Primordial Immortal was in such a wretched state, lacking any of the demeanor expected of him.
“Let him continue as he was,” Gu An stated.
The Holy Minister smiled and transformed into a golden light that contracted and disappeared into thin air.
The Punisher of Demon Souls, overjoyed, continued to bow and thank Gu An.
“Do as you see fit.”
With that parting remark, Gu An vanished.
Lifting his head to find Gu An gone, the Punisher of Demon Souls sighed in relief.
“Great Nether Saint King, even you have met your day!”
The Punisher of Demon Souls thought of the fate awaiting the Great Nether Saint King and couldn’t help but feel secretly thrilled.
He was deeply grateful to Gu An. The words of the Holy Minister had clearly been an abandonment, and under such circumstances, Sword Venerable Fudao had still spared his life. How could he be anything but thankful?
He vowed to please Sword Venerable Fudao from now on.
This might be an opportunity!
…
Gu An returned to Mystic Valley, settling beneath the Green Vine Tree in the Eight Scenic Caves. He took out the Holy Order, musing thoughtfully.
He had checked the Holy Order—it truly held no traps, not even qualifying as a Magic Artifact.
He had to say, the Holy Minister was quite sincere.
Even though Gu An didn’t fully agree with the Holy Minister’s methods before, he had now been successfully recruited. That the Holy Minister had climbed to his position was no coincidence.
But Gu An didn’t want to get too close to the Holy Minister; agreeing to join the Holy Court was merely to reduce trouble.
The Holy Minister’s Ninth Level Divine Thought True Immortal realm also pressured Gu An.
Gu An didn’t want to test his combative abilities at the same realm; he preferred to fight from a higher realm against a lower one.
Next, he had to vigorously accumulate Life Span and break through to the Ninth Level of the Immortal Path!
Being weaker than others made Gu An insecure.
With the actions of the Holy Court, they could become foes at any moment. Under this premise, Gu An had to strive to strengthen himself even more.
The Green Vine Tree seemed to sense Gu An’s mood, extending two vines to gently massage his shoulders.
Gu An closed his eyes and began to relax.
Now, he just needed to wait for when the Holy Minister would send the Great Nether Saint King.
If the Holy Minister truly intended to forsake the Great Nether Saint King, he likely wouldn’t go down without a fight. There was an interesting show to look forward to.
It was only when night fell that Gu An returned to the Third Medicine Valley.
The autumn night sky was strewn with stars, dazzling like a painted scroll.
Gu An stood below the tower, appreciating the moonlight.
Long Qing ran to him, arms wide, asking to be held.
Gu An picked up Long Qing, laughing, “How big you are now, still asking to be held, are you still a little man?”
Five-year-old Long Qing, wearing a refined blue robe and with a lovely face bright with playful eyes, heard Gu An’s words and pulled at his eyelids and stuck out his tongue, saying, “I don’t care, I want Master to hold me!”
Gu An couldn’t help but squeeze his little nose, feeling that An Xin was raising him with a hint of femininity.
“Master, have you ever been to the stars?” Long Qing suddenly pointed to the night sky and asked.
Gu An casually replied, “No, do you want to go?”
“I do! Just a few nights ago, I dreamt that I was flying among the stars,” Long Qing said, his face full of longing.
Gu An patiently chatted with him, but his thoughts drifted to Long Xin and Lu Qiuxian when they were young.
Chu Lu had children too, but alas, just a year after the child was born, Chu Lu was crushed by the Black Profound Emperor.
Gu An possessed these memories and felt the emotions within them, but he didn’t get caught up in those attachments; after all, those memories from three lifetimes ago were far removed from his current life.
Gu An always believed that his present self was truly him, and Reincarnation Evolution was just a way to become stronger.
He was the original, and the others were merely his projections.
Maybe at a certain realm, he would need to go through reincarnation as a form of practice, like Ji Xiaoyu.
As Gu An was lost in thought, he suddenly sensed the presence of Dao Void Mysterious Immortal erupting from afar.
Focusing his gaze, he saw a Dao Void Mysterious Immortal flying out from the Holy Court and swiftly headed into the universe.
However, an immense void hand emerged from the darkness above the universe, capturing the Dao Void Mysterious Immortal at a lightning-fast speed.
The Dao Void Mysterious Immortal had almost reached the edge of the Silent Destruction Domain, just shy of escaping into it.
Gu An could tell that the void hand was transformed from Divine Thought.
The Holy Minister!
This void hand’s aura was precisely that of the Holy Minister he had seen before, only stronger.
After capturing the Dao Void Mysterious Immortal, the void hand vanished along with the trace of the Dao Void Mysterious Immortal.
Gu An noticed many powerful Divine Senses probing from within the Great Heavenly Spirit Land, including Divine Thought True Immortal’s Divine Senses, originating only from two locations—the Holy Court and the Immortal Dynasty.
Indeed, the world still hid many Great Powers.
Gu An mused silently, fortunate that he had not offended too many, as every breakthrough was shielded by a Life Span Barrier, otherwise, he would have been crushed long ago.
A Dao Void Mysterious Immortal publicly captured, Gu An seriously suspected it was an intentional display by the Holy Minister.
Wishing to showcase his own strength!
Otherwise, that Dao Void Mysterious Immortal would have had no chance to escape the Holy Court.
Gu An felt apprehension and refrained from further thought; let alone powers without a Dao Void Mysterious Immortal realm old monster at the helm. Experience exclusive tales on empire
Of course, those who were aware of this battle were at least Divine Immortals of Wondrous Dharma.
Carefree Primordial Immortal could sense the earlier aura, but definitely couldn’t keep pace with the speed of Dao Void Mysterious Immortal, probably oblivious to what had occurred.
Gu An withdrew his Divine Sense and carried Long Qing upstairs.
Listening to the little guy recount his dreams, Gu An found it abstract and amusing.
Talk of An Xin rolling on the stars and Bull Demon King fighting with the stars seemed utterly absurd.
…
Five days later.
Gu An returned from Nianchu Cave to the Third Medicine Valley, in high spirits, he started discussing Journey to the West with Shen Xinzi.
Shen Xinzi already knew that Journey to the West was written by Gu An, although Gu An claimed that he heard it from others, combined with his own dreams, which made Shen Xinzi more reverent towards Journey to the West.
Therefore, Shen Xinzi steadfastly held on to his interpretation, even attempting to persuade Gu An.
They debated for a long time.
“Do you understand Journey to the West better than Pan An?” Gu An couldn’t help but say.
Shen Xinzi said nonchalantly, “What is Pan An in comparison? He’s just a writer. What does he know about Journey to the West?”
Gu An, amused and frustrated, gave him a thumbs up, exclaiming, “You’re amazing!”
With that, Gu An left.
Shen Xinzi was undisturbed and continued reading.
Gu An flew towards the Outer Gate City, sensing two powerful auras emerging on the edge of the continent. Both were Dao Void Mysterious Immortal realm cultivators.
One of them was the Dao Void Mysterious Immortal captured by the Holy Minister five days ago. His aura was now weak, clearly having suffered serious injuries.
Gu An had not anticipated the Holy Minister to act so swiftly, having already sent the Great Nether Saint King.