Chapter 107: The Sacred Land and the Death of the Sect Leader

Gu An had no idea what Li Ya had experienced. Every few days, he would use his divine sense to scan the Taicang Empire, and each time, he would find Li Ya practicing swordsmanship at the empire’s borders. Oddly, Li Ya now housed an additional soul within him, confirming that the enigmatic Jinghong Guest hadn’t deceived him.

Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the Nightshade Sect to gather so he could eliminate them in one fell swoop.

Despite Gu An’s destruction of a Nightshade Tree, the sect continued to operate as though unaffected, clearly indicating that there was more than one such tree.

The true enemy of the Taixuan Sect wasn’t the current Nightshade Sect but the Grandmasters of the sect’s main bloodline, who would soon arrive. Gu An planned to elevate his cultivation to the ninth level of the Grand Ascension Stage. The difference of just one minor stage was significant, especially at such high levels!

After the New Year, everything returned to normal.

Lu Lingjun no longer sought out Gu An. She busied herself with daily chores and cultivated under the Sevenfold Purity Tree at night. When Gu An looked at her, he couldn’t help but feel that she avoided meeting his gaze.

Meanwhile, An Xin quickly adapted to life in the Third Medicine Valley. “The master of a valley shapes its atmosphere,” she thought. The disciples of the Medicine Valley were kind and placed little emphasis on cultivation levels, allowing her to feel at ease.

Spring turned to summer, and on this day, Gu An turned sixty-one.

Tang Yu came to collect his Foundation Establishment Pill, making the entire Medicine Valley lively with celebration. Tang Yu represented the valley’s future, and watching him was like glimpsing their own breakthroughs into the Foundation Establishment Stage.

This commotion even drew a rare glance from Lu Lingjun, while An Xin entirely let down her guard. She realized her previous judgment of Gu An had been misplaced—he truly was a good person.

Not only was Gu An kind to his disciples, but his words were always gentle, and he rarely displayed anger. People felt refreshed in his presence, as if basking in the spring breeze.

Once his disciples departed, it was time to recruit new ones. Gu An assigned this task to Xiao Chuan, both as a way to build his authority and to train him.

At midday, Ji Xuanyu came to visit Gu An. The top ten prodigies, who were currently cultivating their hearts in the Medicine Valley, rarely interacted with errand disciples, keeping their distance.

“I’m preparing to leave and participate in the Sacred Land’s examination,” Ji Xuanyu said softly after taking a seat inside.

Sacred Land?

As Gu An poured her tea, he curiously asked, “What kind of force is the Sacred Land, and where is it located?”

Ji Xuanyu replied, “The Sacred Land is the oldest force on this continent, with a legacy spanning ten thousand years. It is located beyond the Nine Dynasties. They are detached from worldly affairs and never involve themselves in conflicts. Every hundred years, they recruit disciples. Those admitted can stay for up to a hundred years, depending entirely on their own fortunes. The Ji family rose to prominence thanks to the Sacred Land’s inheritance.”

Gu An became even more intrigued. “What do they seek? Why don’t they retain anyone permanently?”

Ji Xuanyu shook her head. “No one knows. Even clan elders who returned from the Sacred Land spoke little of it, only mentioning that entering it offers the possibility of glimpsing the path to immortality.”

Sounds mysterious!

“I’ve heard that a demonic calamity is coming in a century. Why doesn’t the Sacred Land intervene?” Gu An pressed further.

Ji Xuanyu took a sip of tea before answering, “There was a demonic calamity before the era of the Nine Dynasties as well. Back then, this continent was dominated by demons, with humans reduced to livestock. Even then, the Sacred Land didn’t act. Yet despite their inaction, humanity eventually rose, founding the Nine Dynasties. Our elders say that the Sacred Land has transcended worldly concerns. What they care about is not the safety of one generation but the perpetuity of the immortal path.”

Hearing this, Gu An couldn’t help but respect the Sacred Land. They truly seemed detached from the mortal world.

He refrained from asking more and instead wished Ji Xuanyu success in passing the Sacred Land’s examination.

Ji Xuanyu didn’t stay long; she was set to leave that very day.

Seeing Ji Xuanyu off, Gu An was approached by Lu Lingjun, who asked curiously, “Master, who was that? She seems extraordinary.”

Lu Lingjun had long noticed the ten prodigies cultivating in the Medicine Valley. Knowing they were personally assigned by the sect master to be taught by Gu An made her hold him in even higher regard. Among the ten, Ji Xuanyu intrigued her the most.

She could sense an aura of innate dao sigils from Ji Xuanyu, even feeling a momentary urge to seize them, though she suppressed it.

“She’s Ji Xuanyu, a true legacy disciple of the sect and a young mistress of the Ji family. One of the sect’s top talents,” Gu An explained.

And truly a top talent—among cultivators, only An Hao surpassed Ji Xuanyu in maximum lifespan.

An Hao had already reached the Core Formation Stage and was said to be a legend in the inner sect, unrivaled. Gu Yu even compared him to the true legacy disciples training outside.

In this world, there were many paths to take. Not all geniuses participated in the Hundred Clans Conference or sought the Sacred Land.

Lu Lingjun nodded before asking, “Master, have you read The Secrets of Taixuan?”

Gu An’s smile stiffened, and he frowned. “Why are you reading such a book?”

Unbelievable!

When will the Taixuan Sect’s atmosphere finally improve? Even ascended cultivators were tainted upon arrival!

Suppressing his frustration, Gu An cursed Shen Zhen in his heart.

“It was recommended by someone in the outer sect. Wasn’t it written by you? The protagonist is also named Gu An…” Lu Lingjun replied honestly.

Furious, Gu An exclaimed, “Do I seem like that kind of person to you?”

“Not really, which is why I asked,” Lu Lingjun said, smiling as her lingering doubts about him dissipated.

She had suppressed her curiosity for a long time before finally asking today.

“You should destroy the book. The Library Hall’s oversight is too lax for such things to circulate,” Gu An said sternly.

It was rare to see him so serious, which amused Lu Lingjun. Smiling, she asked, “Master, do you think The Secrets of Taixuan or Adventures of the Green Hero

is better?”

Gu An froze at her words.

Not waiting for his answer, Lu Lingjun turned and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Gu An opened his mouth but ultimately let out a sigh instead.

My reputation is ruined!

Shaking his head, he headed back to his loft, pulling out a copy of Adventures of the Green Hero from his sleeve.

Well, since my reputation is already ruined, why bother hiding it anymore?

That night, beneath the starry skies of Xuan Valley, Gu An studied a foundational fire-attribute cultivation manual in his loft.

Previously, he had bought manuals for various elemental attributes from the inner sect, as there seemed to be no manuals encompassing all five elements. He intended to comprehend them himself.

After all, he had plenty of time to refine his understanding, even if his aptitude was poor.

As midnight approached, Gu An suddenly sensed an unfamiliar presence entering within a hundred-mile radius of Xuan Valley.

A Void Transformation Stage cultivator!

Such a cultivator concealing their aura to approach Xuan Valley could hardly mean anything good.

Gu An did not act immediately. He had a suspicion about who it might be.

Sure enough, a while later, Yang Ni emerged from her courtyard. She quietly left Xuan Valley, heading swiftly in the direction of the Void Transformation Stage cultivator.

Eventually, the two met in a forest roughly thirty miles away.

In the dim woods, Yang Ni stopped and looked toward a figure under a tree. In the moonlight, she could make out a female cultivator.

“You’re a bit slow, Yang Ni. Why have you stayed in the outer sect so long? Didn’t Li Xuandao arrange for you to enter the inner sect?” the female cultivator asked, her voice icy.

She was dressed in a long purple gown, her hair intricately styled with jade hairpins. Her demeanor was dignified, her face strikingly beautiful. Even though her eyes were cold, they carried an enchanting allure that could captivate anyone.

“No, Li Xuandao tasked me with protecting an outer sect disciple. This person is closely tied to his son, Li Ya,” Yang Ni replied.

“Does Li Xuandao suspect your true identity?”

“He shouldn’t. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent me to protect Li Ya.”

“The Nightshade Tree was destroyed by a mysterious cultivator, and even the sect leader is dead. It could only have been the work of a high-level cultivator from the Taixuan Sect. You must find out if there are any cultivators above the fifth level of the Integration Stage within the sect besides the sect master,” the purple-gowned woman said.

Above the fifth level of the Integration Stage!

Yang Ni was visibly alarmed and quickly replied, “With my cultivation level, how could I possibly come into contact with such powerful figures?”

“From the information we’ve gathered from the Elder Hall, Lü Baitian failed his tribulation and couldn’t have been the one to kill the sect leader. Given how mysterious this figure is, it’s highly likely to be the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path. Since his rise to fame, our sect has been investigating him. After ruling out all other possibilities, we suspect that the Sword Sovereign is a hidden cultivator, potentially even disguised as someone in the outer sect where the Heavenly Mending Platform is located.”

The purple-gowned woman’s words made Yang Ni frown deeply.

“Of course, this is just a guess. Either way, you need to find a way to investigate the outer sect,” the woman added.

Yang Ni hesitated before saying, “I’ve been busy cultivating Nightshade flowers lately and can’t leave.”

“Can’t leave?”

The purple-gowned woman paused, then extended her divine sense toward Xuan Valley in the distance.

Moments later, she scoffed coldly. “That boy does have a good face.”

Yang Ni’s expression shifted, and she quickly interjected, “Don’t touch him!”

“What’s your relationship with him?”

“He’s not only someone Li Xuandao wants to protect, but he’s also a disciple I’ve just taken under my wing!”

“Your disciple? Why don’t you offer him to me then?”

“Shut up!” Yang Ni roared angrily, drawing her sword.

The purple-gowned woman cast her a disdainful glance and said, “I’ll return next year. If you don’t provide me with satisfactory information by then, that boy will be mine. After draining his yang energy, I’ll turn his bones into a pendant for you. You can keep it as a memento whenever you think of him.”

With that, she turned and left.

Yang Ni glared at the purple-gowned woman’s back, her eyes full of fury. Yet her grip on her sword hilt trembled, unable to draw it.

Taking a deep breath, she could only turn back toward the valley. She moved quickly, as if afraid that something might happen to Gu An.

Meanwhile, the purple-gowned woman walked through the woods, a mocking smile on her lips as she recalled Yang Ni’s reaction.

Smack!

Suddenly, a hand clamped down on the woman’s shoulder, forcing her to stop in her tracks. Her pupils dilated instantly.

She instinctively tried to turn around, catching a glimpse of a dark purple shadow in her peripheral vision.

“Thou—”

Boom!

A terrifying divine sense forcibly invaded her mind, rendering her gaze vacant and empty.

Back in Xuan Valley, Yang Ni arrived beneath Gu An’s loft. Seeing the oil lamp still lit inside and sensing Gu An’s aura, she finally sighed in relief.

Inside, Gu An sat at his desk. Kneeling before him was the purple-gowned woman, her head pressed under his right hand as he performed Soul Search.

His spiritual energy enveloped the purple-gowned woman, cloaking her under the transformative energy of his Nine Extremes Yin-Yang Body. Unless someone physically entered the room, even divine sense would be unable to detect her presence or aura.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep