Jiang Qiong only stayed for a single night before departing again. Gu An could sense a renewed vigor in her, as if she were reliving the days when she first regained her physical body—bold and full of ambition.
Gu An held high hopes for her future. If she could lead the remaining followers of the Ephemeral Blossom Sect down a righteous path, it would truly be a meritorious achievement.
Though the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother was using Su Han, their goals were aligned. The followers wished to return to their homeland, while Su Han needed protection. Who would ultimately prevail in this arrangement depended on their own cunning and capabilities.
Everyone had their own path to follow. Even those closest to Gu An—Ye Lan, Zhen Qin, and Li Ya—were living their own lives in pursuit of the Dao, only occasionally visiting to reminisce with him.
After Jiang Qiong's departure, Gu An's life returned to its usual rhythm.
Even at the ninth level of the Wandering Immortal Realm, Gu An found no tedium in tending to flowers and herbs. His ambitions reached much higher realms.
Since harvesting medicinal plants required his personal touch to gain their lifespan-augmenting properties, Gu An rarely used his clones for such tasks. As for greeting visitors or handling matters, he preferred to handle them personally. Such occurrences were rare enough in his life to serve as enjoyable diversions.
For Gu An, every day was fulfilling in its own way.
Tian Wei Dynasty – Heaven Palace Mountain
Nestled in the vast expanse of the Cangmang Mountains, Heaven Palace Mountain boasted a magnificent palace atop its summit. A stone staircase ascended from the base to the peak, unimpeded by any trees, leaving the palace visible to all who gazed upward. Known as the "Heavenly Palace," climbing the mountain was often likened to ascending to the heavens.
On the staircase leading to the peak, Su Han approached with his bone sword in hand, his black robes fluttering in the wind. His long hair danced wildly as he looked up at the figure on the mountaintop, his face betraying an unwillingness to accept defeat.
Standing atop the peak was none other than An Hao.
Dressed in white robes embroidered with golden patterns and crowned with a dragon crest, An Hao exuded an aura of opulence and authority. His wrist guards, belt, and boots all gleamed with intricate craftsmanship as he gazed down at Su Han with a condescending smirk, his posture brimming with arrogance and confidence.
"The Heaven-Hating Divine Sword? Is this all it's capable of? I've heard you can devour the spiritual energy of others, yet even with such shortcuts, your progress can't compare to mine."
An Hao's voice boomed across the skies, full of unshakable pride.
Su Han stared at An Hao, his expression calm but his eyes betraying a hint of complexity.
Suddenly, shadows emerged from the forest below, their movements ghostly as they swiftly joined Su Han at the foot of the mountain.
The Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends!
Su Han raised his sword, blocking their advance.
Li Sanyou, the third fiend, spoke gravely, "If you don't deal with that brat, you won't be able to absorb the spiritual energy of the cultivators within the palace!"
Su Han responded evenly, "He's a disciple of the Tai Xuan Sect. I have no intention of opposing them."
Li Qiyou, the seventh fiend, sneered, "You don't have to kill him—just injure him. That's not against the rules."
As the Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends made their move, An Hao narrowed his eyes and raised his right hand. A sword materialized in his palm, its blade shimmering under the sunlight.
Su Han frowned, his hesitation evident.
But the Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends did not wait for his decision and began ascending the staircase.
Boom!
The sky darkened as rolling clouds gathered, transforming into thunderclouds. A powerful sword intent descended upon the fiends and Su Han.
Su Han's eyes widened in shock, his earlier composure shattered.
"This sword intent… How is this possible…"
Though younger than Su Han, An Hao had achieved a mastery of swordsmanship that left Su Han baffled.
"To have refined the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword to such heights… What is your connection to the Sword Master of Dao?"
A voice echoed from above—it was the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother.
The mere mention of the Sword Master caused the Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends to halt in their tracks, fear evident in their expressions. Fortunately, they had refrained from attacking An Hao earlier.
An Hao scoffed coldly. "Why ask so many questions? If it's a fight you want, then fight!"
His Tai Cang Sword Intent caused the thunderclouds to coalesce into a massive face in the sky. Had Gu An been present, he would have been delighted to see that An Hao's mastery of the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword had reached new heights.
"Retreat!"
The Ghost Mother's voice rang out, and the Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends turned and descended the mountain without hesitation.
As they passed Su Han, one of them gave him a light shove on the shoulder.
Su Han followed, but as he retreated into the forest, he couldn't help but glance back at An Hao.
It was the first time Su Han had seen someone capable of forcing the Ghost Mother to back down, leaving him deeply unsettled.
"If I had the same background as him, would my situation be so dire…"
Su Han disappeared into the forest alongside the Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends.
At the mountain's summit, An Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Though outwardly arrogant, the pressure from facing the Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends had been immense.
It's all thanks to my master!
Wherever I go, his reputation paves the way!
An Hao felt a surge of pride as he turned and headed toward the Heavenly Palace.
Before he could reach the gates, Si Yan'er peeked her head out, her face lighting up with excitement as she spotted him.
When An Hao finally approached the gates, Si Yan'er whispered excitedly, "So it's true—your master is the Sword Master of Dao?"
An Hao patted her head without answering and strode confidently into the Heavenly Palace.
Late Autumn – The Third Medicine Valley
Gu An sat on the stairs of his pavilion, watching his disciples sweeping fallen autumn leaves. The vastness of the Third Medicine Valley stretched before him, its majestic scenery filling him with tranquility.
The sky was clear, the breeze gentle, and everything seemed perfect—except for the ominous gathering of powerful demonic energy to the north.
Using his Wandering Immortal-level divine sense, Gu An scanned the region. He saw an endless horde of demons surrounding a mountain that appeared as though its peak had been sheared off by a celestial blade. At the mountain's summit was a sacrificial altar.
Around the altar stood towering demon kings, their cultivation ranging no lower than the Profound Heart Realm. Among them, one radiated the unfathomable power of the Nirvana Realm.
"That must be the Demon Emperor," Gu An surmised, but his focus quickly shifted to the sacrificial altar itself, where a presence far stronger than the Demon Emperor was coalescing.
The thick demonic aura enveloped the heavens, causing the clouds to churn violently. Occasionally, meteors streaked through the sky, creating an apocalyptic spectacle.
To make matters worse, Gu An detected the auras of powerful cultivators encircling the demon-infested area, many of whom also radiated Nirvana Realm energy.
Clearly, the Seven Stars Spirit Realm was watching closely, waiting for the revival of the Demon Ancestor.
"Neither human nor demon—what a world we live in."
Gu An chuckled softly, his tone laced with sarcasm. Retracting his divine sense, he pulled out his copy of Daoist Seeking Spring and began to read.
He had no intention of preemptively stopping the demon catastrophe. For now, his role was to act in secret, out of sight of the Seven Stars Spirit Realm. The time for intervention had yet to come.
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon rose high, An Xin approached the stairs where Gu An sat.
"Master, why are you sitting here?"
Gu An smiled at her and replied, "Just enjoying the moonlight. What about you? How's your cultivation coming along?"
Since fusing with the Water Spirit Pearl, An Xin's maximum lifespan hadn't increased, as Gu An had expected. Miraculous treasures capable of altering lifespan were exceedingly rare. However, he could sense that her qi absorption rate had significantly improved.
An Xin smiled sweetly. "I'm doing well, Master. Thank you for everything. I'll take good care of the medicinal plants to repay you for your losses."
Gu An laughed. "A single sixth-tier herb is worth a fortune. If you're planning to repay me, it might take you a lifetime."
"That's fine with me. As long as you don't mind, I'm happy to spend my life in the Medicine Valley."
Unlike An Hao, who sought to carve his name across the cultivation world, An Xin—aware of her modest talents—focused solely on the Medicine Valley.
The valley housed hundreds of disciples, providing her with a lively and fulfilling environment. Occasionally, she even visited the nearby outer city for leisure. For her, life here was simple and joyful, free from burdens.
Watching her radiant smile, Gu An couldn't help but smile in return.
"Then I'll care for her for a lifetime," he thought.
Gu An had never been kind to his disciples out of expectation for repayment. None of them, no matter how talented, could ever surpass him. He simply enjoyed forming bonds. Doing good for others and feeling that connection brought him genuine satisfaction.
As they chatted, An Xin began discussing the White Spirit Mouse, complaining that it had grown too fat and needed exercise.
Amused, Gu An handed the White Spirit Mouse over to her. "From now on, you can do whatever you like with it," he said. An Xin beamed with excitement.
The next morning, a large contingent of Tai Xuan Sect disciples flew northward, their ranks passing over the Third Medicine Valley in an impressive display. The sight sparked much discussion among the valley's disciples.
After watching briefly, Gu An stepped onto a teleportation platform.
An Hour Later – Tianya Valley
Gu An arrived at Tianya Valley, where he noticed Lü Xian meditating on a cliff, facing the valley entrance.
When Lü Xian spotted Gu An from afar, he gave a slight nod in greeting.
Gu An returned the gesture and continued into the valley.
The past two years had seen dramatic changes in the world's political landscape. What remained were three dynasties: the Tai Cang Dynasty, the Tian Wei Dynasty, and the Great Jiang Dynasty.
Among them, the Tai Cang Dynasty controlled the most territory, while the Great Jiang Dynasty was the weakest, having refrained from internal strife to focus on battling demons.
After harvesting medicinal plants, Gu An assigned three demon monkeys to sow new seeds.
Luo Hun approached him and said, "His Majesty has instructed me to remind you to quickly raise your cultivation to the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm and prepare to form your core."
Luo Hun handed Gu An a brocade box, adding, "His Majesty believes that, given your current standing in the Tai Xuan Sect, someone will undoubtedly assist you with forming your core. This golden core is a gift in advance, as he cannot return to aid you personally."
Curious about Gu An's position in the sect, Luo Hun observed him closely. Unfortunately, the letter from Li Xuandao lacked specific details.
Gu An placed the brocade box in his storage pouch and asked Luo Hun to convey his gratitude to Li Xuandao.
Lowering his voice, Luo Hun asked, "And the book?"
Gu An discreetly handed over a copy of The Adventures of Green Hero. "This is the latest edition, written personally by the Green Hero himself. You're the first to see it."
Luo Hun's face lit up as he accepted the book.
Just then, Ji Ruolai, the older brother of Ji Xiaoya, appeared behind Luo Hun as if from thin air. He glanced at Gu An and asked, "You know Xuan Tianyi?"
Startled, Luo Hun stepped aside to give them space.
Gu An replied calmly, "Why do you ask?"
"The Adventures of Green Hero was written by Xuan Tianyi," Ji Ruolai stated flatly.
Luo Hun froze, looking embarrassed as he edged away.
Gu An nodded. "Indeed. We've even sworn brotherhood."
Luo Hun stopped mid-step, staring at Gu An in disbelief.
Ji Ruolai narrowed his eyes, studying Gu An intently.
From his perch on the cliff, Lü Xian opened his eyes. The name Xuan Tianyi resonated deeply—who in the cultivation world didn't know of the Tai Xuan Sect's esteemed direct disciple?
Ji Ruolai added, "It seems Xuan Tianyi is quite fond of your Investiture of the Gods."
"What do you mean by that?"
Luo Hun interjected, frowning. "Are you saying Investiture of the Gods was written by Gu An?"
Ji Ruolai nodded solemnly.
Luo Hun's astonishment surpassed even his shock at Gu An and Xuan Tianyi's sworn brotherhood.