Autumn breezes wafted through Mystic Valley.
Gu An sat on a tree branch, looking down at the sparring in the forest below. Jiang Shi and An Shengtian were engaged in a close contest of martial moves and movement techniques, the master and disciple evenly matched.
Jiang Shi possessed a maximum life span of four thousand eight hundred years, while An Shengtian’s life span could reach five thousand years. Talent-wise, there wasn’t a large gap between the two.
After many years of cultivation, An Shengtian had grown significantly. When it came to hand-to-hand combat, he could fight Jiang Shi to a standstill.
However, their sparring didn’t interest Gu An much. Despite watching them, his thoughts were actually on Li Ya.
Since escaping from a desperate situation, Li Ya had been chased by the Sky Demon Great Sect. Fortunately, no particularly strong entities had set their sights on him yet, and the strongest among his pursuers were only at the Wandering Immortal Realm.
Li Ya was currently engaged in battle.
Most followers within the Sky Demon Great Sect were reincarnations of Heavenly Demons, awakening their original souls, but there were also some infiltrators from Outer Heaven who had descended as demons, nearly all of whom had cultivation levels above the Immortal Dao Fourth Layer Heaven.
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After years of warfare with the Immortal Dynasty, the Holy Court’s control over Outer Heaven was weakening. Gu An lifted his gaze and saw figures coming and going from the Great Heavenly Spirit Land without anyone daring to block them.
In such circumstances, the Sky Demon Great Sect was rising swiftly, spreading across the world like a wildfire.
Gu An’s Immortal Seeking Island would be affected in the future as well.
Watching Li Ya battling fiercely, Gu An’s thoughts drifted to the future, contemplating an appropriate time to reap the growth of the Sky Demon Great Sect.
Gu An had no intention of blindly playing the savior, but if threatened, or if those he cared about were threatened, he would show no mercy.
He lived in seclusion, but that didn’t mean he would stand idly by.
After observing Li Ya for a while longer, Gu An’s gaze shifted toward An Hao.
An Hao was about to undergo Nirvana. He was still imprisoned, waiting for the Yang Xian Emperor to return. Once released, after his Nirvana, An Hao would re-emerge into the world, embarking on the path of the heaven-favored.
Compared to Li Ya, An Hao’s journey would be smooth, continuing his past grace.
Gu An then turned his attention to other old acquaintances, and as he did, his thoughts suddenly turned to Xiaochuan and Yang Jian. Both had entered the Reincarnation Vortex, yet there had been no word from them, and Gu An could no longer feel the Destruction Dao Seal on Xiaochuan’s soul, indicating a great distance between them.
After a long while.
Jiang Shi came to the base of the tree, looking up to ask, “Master, how did we perform just now?”
An Shengtian also walked over, expectantly looking up at Gu An.
Gu An withdrew his Divine Thought, glanced at them, and said thoughtfully, “In truth, both of your growth rates are rapid, you can be considered geniuses. You don’t need to be so tense. There’s no need to prove anything to me. Strong or weak, as long as you don’t betray me, I naturally won’t abandon you.”
These two disciples had many merits, but every time they saw him, they became nervous, and they were eager to demonstrate their abilities, which made him feel uncomfortable.
Upon hearing this, An Shengtian smiled.
Jiang Shi also let out a sigh of relief.
Unlike An Xin and Long Qing, they had sought Gu An for their own gain, so they could never be at ease in front of him, always maintaining a deep reverence for him.
Gu An then added, “In a while, I’ll arrange for a disciple to spar with you. The two of you will take him on together, to broaden your horizons.”
On hearing this, An Shengtian’s eyes brightened as he asked, “Is it a disciple from the Third Medicine Valley?”
They had naturally heard of the Third Medicine Valley, but had never been there. Even though Mystic Valley had a Transmission Array Platform, the disciples from the two valleys were not permitted to use it for visits, a rule set by Gu An himself. Anyone who violated this rule was expelled from Medicine Valley.
“Yes, unlike the others, he’s a Direct Disciple like you. This lad is combative, so don’t underestimate him,” Gu An replied, and with that, he descended from the tree.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shi and An Shengtian tensed up again.
Gu An, somewhat helplessly, said, “Don’t be nervous. Even if you lose, it’s normal. My aim is just to enhance your practical experience.”
The two exchanged a glance, then forced a smile, clearly strained.
Gu An found it dull and shook his head, then turned and walked away, refusing their offer to follow.
“Continue your cultivation. The tribulations of the world are increasing. Who knows, they might reach Mystic Valley one day, and then we’ll need you two to guard Mystic Valley.”
Upon hearing Gu An’s words, the pair stopped in their tracks, their fighting spirit suddenly ignited.
They didn’t believe Mystic Valley could be in danger; clearly, this was Gu An’s test for them!
Gu An made his way back to the Third Medicine Valley.
As soon as he stepped from the Transmission Array Platform, someone blocked his path.
“I am Lu Changying. I wish to have a word with the Valley Master, if you may…” said a middle-aged man standing before Gu An, bowing respectfully.
But before he could finish, Gu An interrupted him, “Immortal Fall Gorge doesn’t qualify!”
Gu An walked past Lu Changying, heading towards his loft.
Immortal Fall Gorge was Lu Changying’s sect, a Great Sect on the seas. Gu An knew of it through the causal threads he saw surrounding Lu Changying.
The strongest within Immortal Fall Gorge had attained the Divine Immortal of Wondrous Dharma Realm, which, in Gu An’s eyes, indeed did not qualify.
Upon hearing Gu An’s words, Lu Changying’s face flushed. He turned around, wanting to speak, but seeing Gu An’s retreating figure, he dared not show anger or figure out how to retain him.
For Gu An to speak directly of Immortal Fall Gorge indicated he truly did not regard it highly.
“Is he Sword Venerable Fudao himself, or a disciple of Sword Venerable Fudao?” Lu Changying frowned in thought. Being rejected was regrettable, but the thought that the other party might indeed be Sword Venerable Fudao filled him with excitement.
The Sword Venerable Fudao was an existence comparable to the Yang Xian Emperor!
Lu Changying took a deep breath and turned to visit the Main City of Sect of the Supreme Sect.
As he turned around, a figure barred his way. He looked up and involuntarily furrowed his brows.
“This emperor has some connections with Immortal Fall Gorge. Take me there,” the Yang Xian Emperor said indifferently to Lu Changying.
Overwhelmed by the Yang Xian Emperor’s imposing aura, Lu Changying cautiously asked, “May I inquire who Daoist Friend is…”
“Yang Xian Emperor, have you ever heard of him?”
“What?”
Lu Changying’s face changed dramatically, a look of terror etched on his features.
Passing disciples who heard the three words “Yang Xian Emperor” instinctively turned their heads to look, as the Yang Xian Emperor with a wave of his sleeve, disappeared into thin air along with Lu Changying.
Far away, Shen Xinzi, who was meditating under a tree, furrowed his brows, his eyes filled with a look of shock.
That man was actually the lord of the Immortal Dynasty, the Yang Xian Emperor!
Over the past hundred years, he had played many games of chess with Yang Xian Emperor and always found him inscrutable. He hadn’t realized his origin was so extraordinary.
If even the Yang Xian Emperor would come to spend a century in the Third Medicine Valley, what kind of legendary figures might appear in the future?
Shen Xinzi turned his head towards where Gu An stood, feeling that Gu An’s silhouette was so majestic as if he could bear the weight of the heavens collapsing.
…
Thirty years later.
At the sub-sect of Supreme Sect, Ye Mansion.
Gu An and Ye Lan were enjoying tea in the courtyard. The fragrance of the tea pervaded the air, attracting several spirit birds to perch on the branches.
It was a rare occasion without Zhen Qin causing a nuisance. Gu An and Ye Lan were both enjoying the moment.
With one hand propping her chin, Ye Lan looked at Gu An and asked with a smile, “Recently, Xu Jie from your Third Medicine Valley has become quite famous, even the news has reached our sub-sect, hasn’t it?”
“That kid’s talent is indeed outstanding; he’s really brought honor to the Third Medicine Valley,” Gu An responded with a smile.
Xu Jie had become a master disciple after only five years in the Third Medicine Valley. Gu An did not give him personal guidance; he received the same treatment as the other disciples. This resulted in Xu Jie not having a strong sense of belonging to the Third Medicine Valley, treating it merely as a stepping stone in his journey of cultivation.
Xu Jie was not particularly enthusiastic about Sword Venerable Fudao, and Gu An even heard him privately telling other disciples that he would surpass Sword Venerable Fudao one day.
Ye Lan chuckled, “More and more geniuses have emerged from the Third Medicine Valley over the years, and your disciples all show up under my command.”
Her eyes held admiration as she looked at Gu An. Even setting aside the fact that Gu An was a disciple of Sword Venerable Fudao, she had always respected his own capabilities.
Ever since they were young, it seemed there was nothing that her senior brother couldn’t do.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you to look out for them more,” Gu An replied with a smile and picked up a piece of pastry from the table, which was made by Ye Lan herself. Although the taste was not particularly delicious, the sentiment behind it meant the most.
Ye Lan curiously asked, “Would you say Xu Jie is your most outstanding disciple?”
Xu Jie, with his life span limit of nine thousand years and dazzling talent, was someone Ye Lan also wished to recruit.
Gu An shook his head and said, “How could that be? My most talented disciple is currently making a breakthrough.”
“Oh? Breaking through to which realm?”
“The Nirvana Realm.”
“The Nirvana Realm? Impossible. You’re joking, right? Isn’t this disciple much older than you?”
“Not at all, he’s thirty-four years younger than me.”
“Someone over eight hundred years old breaking through to the Nirvana Realm? I don’t believe it – you’re teasing me again,” Ye Lan exclaimed with skepticism. She had never heard of anyone succeeding in reaching the Nirvana Realm before a thousand years of age.
Gu An laughed, offering no further explanation.
He was talking about An Hao, who was undergoing tribulation with the help of Immortal Spirits from the Immortal Dynasty, and even the Yang Xian Emperor himself was present to witness his tribulation.
Boom—
The sound of thunder rolled in from the skies; Ye Lan looked up to see dark clouds rushing in, carrying the potential to envelop the heavens.
Ye Lan teasingly asked, “That wouldn’t be the celestial phenomena triggered by the breakthrough of that disciple of yours, would it?”
Gu An also looked up and said, “Of course not. However, this commotion is indeed caused by a breakthrough.”
The Holy Minister was making a breakthrough!
Advancing to the Free Immortal Realm!
Gu An sensed it was going to be an interesting event. With the eruption of this phenomenon, many powerful existences quickly flew towards the Holy Court.
The Immortal Dynasty, the Xuanyou Divine Dynasty, and the Sky Demon Great Sect certainly wouldn’t let the Holy Minister have a peaceful tribulation.
After a quick calculation, Gu An realized that the future held new variables.
A Free Immortal could change the fate of the world!
Ye Lan’s eyes sparkled with curiosity upon hearing Gu An’s words.
What kind of realm was capable of causing such a breakthrough phenomenon?
It was at that moment that Gu An saw a powerful aura coming from the depths of the cosmos.
A meteorite wrapped in demonic Qi was hurtling out of the Silent Destruction Domain, bearing down on the Great Heavenly Spirit Land with unstoppable force.
Such momentum suggested it had the cultivation level of the ninth layer of the Free Immortal Realm!
Gu An hadn’t been particularly concerned, for in recent years, there had been more than a handful of Free Immortals arriving in the Great Heavenly Spirit Land.
But suddenly, he felt a familiar presence.
This aura was…
The Annihilation God Emperor!
With memories of Long Zhan, Gu An vividly remembered the aura of the Annihilation God Emperor. Indeed, this aura belonged to him, albeit not as powerful as what Long Zhan remembered.
