On the cliff, two figures stood silently. One was the white-robed man who had conversed with the Dark War Emperor, while the other was disheveled, clad in tattered red robes, his hands bound by iron chains. His back was plastered with numerous talisman papers that fluttered in the sea breeze, revealing his messy, windblown hair.
"Xingshi Sacred King, what do you think seeing me in this state?" the chained man asked, his tone indifferent, his gaze deep as an ancient well.
The white-robed man, referred to as the Xingshi Sacred King, remained expressionless as he replied, "I feel even more fortunate. The Dao Void Profound Immortal Realm is indeed powerful, and a Sacred King stands atop the pinnacle, but the higher you climb, the more caution is required, for your enemies will only grow stronger."
Hearing this, the Great Ming Sacred King closed his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face.
The Great Ming Sacred King raised his hand slightly, causing the iron chains to clink melodiously.
"And how can you be so sure your cautious choices are the right ones? Just wait. The Sacred Minister must still be harboring an even greater scheme," the Great Ming Sacred King said with a carefree laugh, having already come to terms with life and death.
The Xingshi Sacred King's expression shifted subtly as he instinctively turned his head, sensing an overwhelming presence behind them.
A figure wreathed in dark purple demonic energy loomed behind them.
It was Gu An, the Sword Master of the Dao!
The Xingshi Sacred King felt a wave of pressure crash over him, so immense it was as if he were standing before the Sacred Minister or even a Divine Sovereign.
In that moment, he understood why the Sacred Minister had shown such deference to the Sword Master of the Dao.
He immediately cupped his fists in salute. "Greetings, Sacred Sword."
Hearing this, the Great Ming Sacred King's body trembled slightly. Though he appeared calm, facing death was never without tension.
[Xingshi Sacred King (Dao Void Profound Immortal Realm, Level 4): 1,740,982/6,000,000/7,500,000]
[Great Ming Sacred King (Dao Void Profound Immortal Realm, Level 2): 1,580,442/4,000,000/5,000,000]
Gu An glanced at their lifespan values, feeling satisfied.
A Dao Void Profound Immortal's lifespan could reach several million years. Judging by the difference between levels four and two, it seemed plausible that a Divine Thought True Immortal could surpass ten million years.
Gu An gave the Xingshi Sacred King a faint nod, his gaze then locking onto the Great Ming Sacred King, who was visibly tense.
A sudden burst of golden light erupted from Gu An's forehead, engulfing the Great Ming Sacred King entirely. The golden light surged towards the sea, dissipating after less than a thousand feet.
When the golden light faded, the Great Ming Sacred King had vanished without a trace.
Gu An had no interest in conversing with or hearing excuses from the Great Ming Sacred King. Even if there were misunderstandings, they were not Gu An's responsibility. With so many fingers pointed at the Great Ming Sacred King, it was unlikely they were all mistaken.
The Xingshi Sacred King watched the scene unfold, his heart pounding.
This was a Dao Void Profound Immortal, sealed or not. For him to be eliminated so effortlessly was shocking.
How high was the Sword Master of the Dao's cultivation?
[You have successfully absorbed 370,963 years of lifespan from the Great Ming Sacred King (Dao Void Profound Immortal Realm, Level 2)]
Reading the notification before him, Gu An felt a trace of satisfaction. More importantly, he had removed a significant thorn in his side.
Without another word, Gu An disappeared, leaving the Xingshi Sacred King alone on the cliff.
The Xingshi Sacred King stood in silence for a long time before departing.
The death of a Sacred King, a being who stood above countless others, cast a shadow over his mind.
To him, the Heavenly Spirit World seemed ever more complex and perilous.
At Mortal Peak, atop Dingtian Peak, the air was tranquil.
In the peak master's courtyard, Gu An sat leisurely sipping tea. An Xin stood quietly behind him, while a line of Wandering Immortals, disciples of Dingtian Peak, gathered before him. Among them was Zhu Xinglan.
They were eagerly discussing the Sacred Court's conferral of the title Sacred Sword upon the Sword Master of the Dao.
"Sacred Sword—the greatest sword under heaven. It seems the Sacred Court holds the Sword Master of the Dao in the highest regard."
"The aura of that heavenly demon was terrifying, yet it crumbled before the Sword Master of the Dao. With such power, how could the Sacred Court not seek to win him over?"
"I heard the heavenly demon targeted the Sword Master of the Dao because one of the Sacred Kings plotted against him, sending numerous reincarnated heavenly demons into the Tai Cang Continent. Such malice!"
"Yes, it was the Great Ming Sacred King. He underestimated the Sword Master of the Dao's strength."
"Honestly, who could've guessed? Such a small, insignificant place housing such a terrifying cultivator."
The Wandering Immortal disciples were animated in their admiration. Only in front of Gu An did they behave this way. Among their own followers, they maintained the air of lofty, Dao-adorned cultivators.
Zhu Xinglan's gaze turned to Gu An. He had heard rumors that his master had also emerged suddenly. Could it be that his master knew the Sword Master of the Dao?
The possibility that his master was the Sword Master of the Dao himself never crossed Zhu Xinglan's mind.
The world was vast, filled with reclusive cultivators. The Sword Master of the Dao merely hid his identity. Who could say if he had once shaken the world under a different name?
An Xin listened quietly, her mind secretly amused.
The person they so admired stood right in front of them. How would they react if they knew?
An Xin didn't fully grasp the distinction between realms like Wandering Immortal and Flying Immortal. To her, they were all impossibly powerful beings.
Gu An listened patiently to the disciples' chatter, occasionally glancing toward Yang Jian with his divine sense.
The Tianzong had received news of the Great Ming Sacred King's fall and was preparing to bring Yang Jian into the world. Over the years, Yang Jian had grown significantly stronger, while Tianzong himself had grown visibly older. Though his cultivation level had not decreased, his vitality was clearly waning. The loss of Tianzong's protective fate had drastically shortened his lifespan, leaving him with only a few years to live.
Gu An finally spoke, his tone calm but laden with meaning, "You all must cultivate diligently. I have a feeling the world is becoming increasingly turbulent."
The disciples all nodded in agreement, echoing his sentiments. Recent events had shaken the world to its core, leaving even the most detached cultivators with a sense of unease. It had been many years since the last great upheaval, and now it seemed the tides of fate were stirring once more.
After lingering a while longer, the disciples bowed and took their leave.
An Xin, who had been standing quietly by Gu An's side, stretched lazily and took a seat. She did not remove her mask but instead looked at Gu An with curiosity. "Master, what exactly is the Sacred Court?"
She knew full well that Gu An was the Sword Master of the Dao, but in the presence of others, she maintained proper decorum and referred to him formally.
Gu An's reply was measured. "It is the ruling power of the human realm and the strongest force of this era. As for whether it is good or bad, that depends on the situation."
No power or individual could be entirely good or bad. Even the Tai Xuan Sect, where Gu An currently resided, harbored its fair share of corruption and darkness.
Despite his nominal allegiance to the Sacred Court, Gu An harbored no affection for it. His ultimate goal remained clear: to surpass the Ninth Heaven of the Immortal Dao, after which he would no longer have to fear or rely on the Sacred Court.
What intrigued him most now was the Desolate Domain. The Annihilation God Emperor had effortlessly eradicated Long Zhan, who had surpassed the Ninth Heaven. However, from what Gu An had observed, the Divine Sovereign seemed capable of resisting the Desolate Domain.
Could it be that there were multiple Desolate Domains? Or perhaps the Annihilation God Emperor had long since departed?
An Xin remained curious about the strength of the Sacred Court, but Gu An's knowledge was limited. His answers were ambiguous, leaving her unsatisfied.
The conversations with the disciples earlier that day had reaffirmed the Sacred Minister's cunning. Although Gu An had not merged with the Sacred Court's fate, the news of his alliance with the Sacred Court had spread across the world in just a few years.
Regardless of his personal intentions, he was now publicly aligned with the Sacred Court.
This alignment also meant inheriting the Sacred Court's enemies. The Sacred Court, of course, had its share of adversaries—be it the Immortal Dynasty eyeing its position or the countless heavenly demons threatening from beyond.
Gu An could only hope these entanglements would not disturb his peace.
After some casual conversation, Gu An rose to his feet. "It's time to test the results of your cultivation. Don't let Long Qing surpass you."
An Xin quickly stood as well, her competitive spirit ignited. She had been the one to raise Long Qing during his early years, but the boy had since attached himself to You Yingying, leaving An Xin feeling a mix of envy and frustration.
Now, she was determined not to let the child outshine her.
Her thoughts wandered briefly to the events of the day. Hearing so much about the world's turmoil had stoked her inner resolve. With a master like Gu An guiding her, why shouldn't she carve out her own path of greatness?
Without realizing it, her mindset had begun to mirror that of An Hao.
The seasons shifted, and eight years passed in the blink of an eye.
At thirteen years old, Long Qing dashed through the Third Medicine Valley, his movements swift as a leopard as he chased after a plump, pig-like white-furred mouse. His sharp eyes gleamed with determination, though his youthful face retained a touch of innocence. His long hair, tied in a style reminiscent of a girl's, drew playful jabs from the disciples he passed.
After a lengthy pursuit, Long Qing finally stopped in a secluded spot, hands on his knees as he panted heavily.
"Stupid mouse. How are you so fast? Have I never pushed you to your limit before?" he muttered, his face flushed with effort and indignation.
As he caught his breath, the sound of footsteps reached his ears. Turning quickly, he stood upright and clasped his hands together, bowing respectfully to the approaching figure.
The sight of the boy's earnest demeanor brought a smile to Shen Xin Zi, who struggled to stifle his amusement.
"You want to catch it? How about becoming my disciple?" Shen Xin Zi asked with a teasing grin as he approached.
Long Qing scratched his head sheepishly. "Senior, I already have a master."
Shen Xin Zi chuckled. "Of course, I know that. But who said you can only have one master? Have you read Journey to the West?"
Long Qing nodded hesitantly. He wasn't much of a reader but enjoyed listening to others recount the stories.
"You're like Sun Wukong, and I'm like Bodhi Patriarch. What if I secretly taught you a few tricks?" Shen Xin Zi suggested with a sly smile.
Like You Yingying, Shen Xin Zi had taken a liking to the boy. After observing him for years, Shen Xin Zi was confident that Long Qing was not the reincarnation of a heavenly demon. The boy's natural charisma and auspicious fate marked him as anything but ordinary.
"You think you're Bodhi Patriarch?" Long Qing asked, skepticism plain on his face.
Shen Xin Zi smirked. "Your master is merely at the Core Formation Realm. Do you know what realm I've reached?"
"Body Fusion?" Long Qing guessed, eyes widening slightly.
Shen Xin Zi laughed heartily. "You know about Body Fusion? Then do you know what comes after?"
"What? You're stronger than Body Fusion?" Long Qing exclaimed, his disbelief evident.
Growing up in the Third Medicine Valley, Long Qing had absorbed bits and pieces of cultivation knowledge. To him, the Body Fusion Realm was akin to the pinnacle of divinity. Observing the reverence other disciples showed Shen Xin Zi, he had already deduced that this senior's cultivation was extraordinary—but this revelation was beyond his imagination.
Shen Xin Zi lifted his chin proudly. "Above Body Fusion is the Profound Heart Realm. Beyond that are Mahayana, Nirvana, Loose Immortal, Wandering Immortal, and Flying Immortal. I am but a step away from the Flying Immortal Realm."
As Shen Xin Zi listed the realms, Long Qing's jaw dropped further with each name. By the time Shen Xin Zi finished speaking, the boy's mouth hung open in shock.
Shen Xin Zi found Long Qing's expression immensely gratifying. At that moment, he finally understood the joy described in Tai Xuan Immortal Lord, a book he had once dismissed for its shallow portrayal of showmanship and exaggerated characters. Today, having basked in Long Qing's awe, he had a newfound appreciation for its appeal.