As Gu An approached, Ye Qingxue still didn’t dare to greet him, but the nearby disciples came over to pay their respects and greet him.
Third Medicine Valley was now home to many disciples, all of them Cultivators who required space for practicing their Spells. Even Qi Absorption Cultivation needed space, hence, around Third Medicine Valley, one could always see people, especially near the entrance that represented the main gate of Medicine Valley.
The closer Gu An got, the more nervous Ye Qingxue became, hearing nothing but her own breathing and heartbeat.
She held power within her Sub-Sect as well, and she was considered a talent. Years of experience had rendered her calm in handling matters, so why was she so nervous at this moment?
She didn’t understand; she could only secretly chide and blame herself.
“Now that you are here, why not come in? Must your Master Uncle come out to fetch you personally? You’re making quite the entrance, even grander than the Sect Leader.”
Gu An’s light laughter reached her ears, startling her into looking up and meeting his gaze.
She quickly raised her hand in salute, her voice trembling as she spoke, “Greetings, Master Uncle, I…”
“Let’s go. I happen to be free today,” Gu An said with a smile.
Before Ye Lan passed away, the only thing she was worried about was Ye Qingxue, as she was the disciple Ye Lan had personally raised, which was evident from their shared surname.
“Go? Where to?” Ye Qingxue asked nervously, her heart surprisingly lifted, not expecting her Master Uncle to still remember her and treating her with the same gentle attitude as before.
She had thought that after her Master’s death, his brother would no longer show her kindness.
“To resolve your troubles.”
Gu An answered and began walking out of Medicine Valley.
Ye Qingxue was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed his pace.
She caught up to Gu An’s side and asked, “But I haven’t mentioned my troubles… How do you know?”
Gu An glanced at her and laughed, “You are also a Cultivator, do you think the Immortals you look up to can’t predict the future?”
Ye Qingxue was shocked.
Gu An then took her flying toward the Sect’s Main City. Their flight wasn’t too fast, and along the way, he inquired about how she had been these past years, quickly easing the tension in her heart.
After dropping her guard, Ye Qingxue began to discuss the difficulties she had encountered.
Her disciple was exceptionally talented and caught the eye of a Great Cultivator who attempted to recruit her. Failing to persuade her, he kidnapped her. She wanted to seek Zhen Qin’s help, but Zhen Qin had been out on a journey for hundreds of years, leaving her no way to find her.
After much deliberation, she decided to turn to Gu An.
Gu An knew she was telling the truth, and he also marveled inwardly at the fearsome nature of Heavenly Dao.
Hundreds of years ago, noble families within the Sect wouldn’t dare scheme against anyone linked to him by karma, but now, those in the upper echelons of these families believed he feared the Heavenly Dao and would no longer take action.
Of course, they still acted cautiously, not harming Ye Qingxue.
If Supporting Dao Sword Venerable really decided to act, they could pretend they were unaware of this connection.
This family, surnamed Qin, held formidable power within the Supreme Sect; even the leader of the Sub-Sect bore the name Qin. They had mastered an Evil Skill, collecting ninety-nine gifted individuals destined for great fortunes and transferring all their Destiny and Talent to another individual, creating the strongest of the Qin Family to compete for the Celestial Mandate.
The old ancestor of the Qin Family was a Divine Immortal of Wondrous Dharma, with inconspicuous Cultivation Level but well-known by many for their possession of Celestial and Earthly Immortals. The bustling scenes caused by the Qin Family allowing these Immortals into the Supreme Sect had greatly boosted their reputation.
The Evil Skill of the Qin Family was naturally a secret, and they dared not practice such deeds within the Supreme Sect, therefore, Ye Qingxue’s disciple had been transferred to an isolated island overseas.
After Ye Qingxue finished speaking, she looked at Gu An with pleading eyes.
To her, the Qin Family was a colossal entity that could not be shaken. She had mobilized all her connections, even reporting to the Law Enforcement Hall, but all efforts vanished without a trace. She had also received warnings, but for some reason, the Qin Family hadn’t taken action against her.
Gu An continued forward, his gaze fixed on the path ahead, the breeze fluttering his robe. He spoke, “Qingxue, do you feel that the changes within the Supreme Sect are significant? Are the changes in this world significant?”
Ye Qingxue was perplexed and didn’t understand why Gu An suddenly asked such a question. After a moment of consideration, she said, “The changes are naturally significant, aren’t all things in the world changing? Every place has its dark corners, and my disciple’s experiences are just an exception, and won’t affect my sense of belonging to the Supreme Sect.”
Gu An glanced at her, a smile spreading across his face.
Ye Qingxue thought Gu An was satisfied with her answer and a smile also appeared on her face.
With a Senior Brother stepping forward, there would surely be hope for her disciple.
The pressure that had enveloped her for several days dissipated, and she began to think about how to repay her Senior Brother.
Half an hour later, Gu An and his companion finally arrived at the Elder Hall in the Sect’s Main City.
This place was the power center of the Supreme Sect, and its influence was even greater than that of the Sect Master’s Mansion.
In front of the grand doors of the Elder Hall stood two ten-meter-tall Qilin stone statues, life-like and imposing, giving an overwhelming sense of oppression.
Looking at the three characters on the plaque, Ye Qingxue became nervous again. She had been here hundreds of years ago, accompanying Ye Lan on some errand, and the important figures in the hall had left a deep impression on her with their commanding aura.
The disciple guarding the door, seeing Gu An walking straight towards it, subconsciously meant to ask questions.
He had just taken a step when a voice reached his ears, causing his face to change dramatically, and with a thud, he knelt down.
It wasn’t just him, the other gate-guarding disciples also knelt down, looking toward Gu An excitedly.
Ye Qingxue, seeing them suddenly kneel, naturally guessed that they had recognized the identity of her Senior Brother.
Gu An walked straight into the mansion, and along the way, every disciple and cultivator who saw him also knelt down in succession; some recognized him, but many were just alarmed or prompted.
Even Ye Qingxue noticed something amiss, seeming to sense that someone was secretly watching Gu An along the way.
She thought of one of the sect’s branches, the most mysterious one.
Dark Hall!
“Gu An, what brings you here?”
A voice sounded, revealing Ancient Sect with a smiling face coming up to greet him.
He was one of the few elders who had a very good relationship with Gu An. They had known each other for one thousand nine hundred years, back when Gu An’s identity as the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable had not yet been revealed.
Gu An spoke with a smile, “Arrange it, I need to see all the elders.”
Ancient Sect’s heart skipped a beat. Gu An had never made such a request before, and his first thought was that something serious had happened.
And it was something major!
He didn’t dare to ask further and immediately went to make arrangements.
Ye Qingxue, watching Gu An’s commanding presence, looked at his back in admiration, not even realizing that her gaze was now the very one she had most despised in the past—her master had looked at Gu An in the same way.
One by one, elders appeared out of thin air, and upon showing themselves, they immediately saluted Gu An. Seeing that Gu An did not pay attention to them, they too became anxious.
Gu An was known for his gentle demeanor and meticulous courtesy, and was well respected, but if he forwent these courtesies, the elders could feel the terrifying pressure from the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable.
Many elders even thought about fleeing the place, yet they were afraid of offending Gu An.
They wondered in their hearts.
What exactly had happened?
Was it an invasion by external enemies, or did some reckless fool provoke the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable?
Their eyes inevitably fell on Ye Qingxue; with the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable bringing this woman, there had to be a reason.