As soon as Li Ya put down the paper, the conversation naturally veered back to the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, as if they could talk about him forever.

Zhang Bukui mentioned that when the Sword Sovereign acted earlier, he saw a fleeting shadow and suspected that it was him—meaning the Sword Sovereign had passed right by them.

Li Ya also claimed he saw the same thing, and both of them were convinced.

Gu An found it amusing.

He had done it on purpose, making sure that An Hao and the others caught a glimpse of him. More precisely, he wanted Taixuan Sect cultivators to sense that he had rushed over from their sect.

With his Infinite Free Step, Gu An could teleport instantly to Divine Soul Lord’s side in a single stride.

The three of them chatted for another hour before Li Ya and Zhang Bukui finally bid their farewell.

Li Ya planned to formally induct Zhang Bukui into the sect, and there was much to be done, so Gu An did not insist they stay.

Watching their figures disappear into the vast snowfall, Gu An lingered for a while before finally heading back inside.

As the end of the year approached, the New Year Festival drew near.

With humanity’s complete victory over the Demonic Cataclysm, the world now appeared to be entering an era of peace. In response, Lü Baitian declared that this year’s festival would be a grand celebration.

Even before the New Year arrived, various cities had already begun their preparations, and this festive atmosphere extended to Xuan Valley and the Third Medicine Valley as well.

To mark the beginning of a new era, Lü Baitian issued several decrees, increasing benefits for disciples at all levels—even errand disciples—filling the entire sect with joy and excitement.

Gu An, riding the Blood Prison Great Saint, wandered through the Outer Sect City, taking in the lively sights.

He could sense numerous individuals concealing their cultivation within the city. There were over twenty cultivators at the Profound Mind Realm, three at the Grand Ascension Stage, and even one at the Nirvana Stage.

These individuals had all come from overseas. Over the past year, they had been gathering intelligence—mainly regarding Taixuan Sect’s stance on the Seven Star Spirit Realm and the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path.

Since they posed no threat to Gu An, he paid them little attention.

As he wandered, Gu An encountered several familiar faces—disciples from Medicine Valley, fellow cultivators he had befriended at the Library Hall and Alchemy Hall. Engaging in casual conversations, he found amusement in hearing about their cultivation journeys.

The festive atmosphere permeated every street, and even the Blood Prison Great Saint glanced around curiously.

Unknowingly, Gu An found himself in front of the Heavenly Mending Platform once again.

The vast platform was packed with people, voices blending into a vibrant chorus. Numerous Outer Sect disciples stood guard along its edges.

First, the Demon Ancestor was slain. Then, the Sealed Demon was vanquished.

The Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path’s prestige had reached its peak. Even disciples from other sects would climb the platform just to pay homage to the two inscribed characters: Righteous Path.

The entire cultivation world was discussing the Sword Sovereign.

Notably, Xuantian Yi’s book, The Sword Sovereign: A Myth, had become wildly popular.

In the book, the Sword Sovereign was described as someone who liked to tap his enemies on the shoulder under the cover of night—coincidentally mirroring the moment when he had placed a hand on Divine Soul Lord’s shoulder.

This led many to wonder—could the Green Hero actually know the Sword Sovereign?

Gu An merely observed from below. There were many like him, mostly cultivators at the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining Stages, content with simply watching from afar.

Then, patting the Blood Prison Great Saint, he signaled for it to move on.

With the festival approaching, he needed to prepare gifts for his disciples.

This year’s New Year celebration carried special significance. Taixuan Sect was poised for rapid expansion—events like the Golden Ranking Tournament, the Alchemy Tournament, and the World’s Number One Sword Dao Tournament had amassed immense wealth for the sect. Now that the world was at peace, it was time to make a bold move forward.

Gu An also needed to gather high-grade medicinal herbs for his Celestial Realm.

Suddenly—

A system prompt appeared before his eyes:

[Divine Soul Lord has developed hostility toward you. He harbors killing intent. Would you like to use Lifespan Perception?]

Gu An frowned.

Interesting.

Taking a deep breath, he chose to activate Lifespan Perception once again. He had already checked before, but this time, he was looking at his own fate.

[Divine Soul Lord (Roving Immortal Stage, Level 3): 28,098 / 130,000 / 180,000]

With roughly 100,000 years of remaining lifespan—

He could steal at least 10,000 years!

Changing plans, Gu An had the Blood Prison Great Saint leave the Outer Sect City—not towards the Inner Sect, but toward a secluded forest outside the city.

Inside a secluded palace, soft light reflected off the polished floors. Spirit Stones embedded in the stone pillars emitted a radiant glow, illuminating the grand hall.

At the far end of the hall, Divine Soul Lord sat at the highest seat, reading a scroll.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and glanced at the black-clad figure kneeling before him.

“You may leave,” he commanded.

Without hesitation, the black-clad man turned and exited.

As the doors shut, Divine Soul Lord furrowed his brows, propping his left hand against his cheek while holding the scroll in his right.

His gaze lingered on the contents of the scroll.

“Xuantian Yi…”

He murmured under his breath.

Although he had feared the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, he hadn’t given up.

After leaving the mainland, he had ordered spies within Taixuan Sect to investigate all of Xuantian Yi’s connections. The scroll in his hands contained detailed records of everyone closely linked to him.

The Sealed Demon’s rise in strength? Surely tied to Xuantian Yi.

The Sword Sovereign’s intervention? Clearly to save him.

No matter how he looked at it, Xuantian Yi was to blame for his defeat.

Thus, his killing intent toward Xuantian Yi and everyone associated with him only grew stronger.

However, he dared not act rashly—who knew if the Sword Sovereign was hiding among them?

Just the mere thought of the Sword Sovereign made Divine Soul Lord uneasy.

Luckily, Samsung Cave had rarely contacted him in recent years. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even know how to explain himself.

“Sigh…”

Letting out a long sigh, Divine Soul Lord stood up, preparing to retreat into Small Spirit Realm for secluded cultivation.

Right now, the Seven Star Spirit Realm needed to focus on maintaining its image and concealing its dark deeds from the surrounding major factions. As the realm’s lofty Cave Master, all he had to do was issue orders—he had no intention of personally handling the details.

He took two steps forward, just about to descend the staircase—

When suddenly—

A hand landed lightly on his shoulder.

Though it was just a gentle tap, his heart stopped cold.

That feeling…

He would never forget what it felt like to have the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path touch his shoulder.

Fear instinctively gripped his heart.

Just as he was about to speak, an overwhelming surge of divine power flooded his body—

In an instant, his flesh turned to ashes.

His soul was utterly annihilated.

The difference between a Ninth-Level Celestial Ascension Stage cultivator and a Third-Level Roving Immortal Stage cultivator was simply too vast.

Before Gu An, Divine Soul Lord was no different from an ant.

Even the scroll in his hands was reduced to nothingness.

The Nine Extremes Yin-Yang Body-cloaked Gu An vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there.

In less than ten breaths, he was back at Taixuan Sect, emerging from the bushes to reunite with the Blood Prison Great Saint.

As if nothing had happened.

The Blood Prison Great Saint, unaware of his brief absence, merely stood up upon seeing him return.

Gu An casually plucked a wildflower and placed it on the beast’s horn.

“Let’s go,” he said, guiding it back toward Xuan Valley.

Though outwardly composed, his heart raced with excitement.

Glancing at the system notification again, he smirked.

[By killing Divine Soul Lord, you have obtained 10,500 years of lifespan.]

Roving Immortal Stage cultivators really were worth more.

When Gu An executed Divine Soul Lord, he didn’t even dare to search his soul.

Divine Soul Lord had surely encountered many high-level immortals, and Gu An feared that soul-searching might inadvertently alert those powerful beings.

He could already glimpse the workings of karma, and if he deepened his understanding of the Dao of Karma, it would be equivalent to unlocking a permanent Lifespan Perception ability.

Thus, he didn’t even bother investigating the cave dwelling.

It wasn’t uncommon for a grandmaster like Divine Soul Lord to disappear for decades or even centuries.

The real question was whether the Seven Star Spirit Realm had any spiritual artifacts capable of detecting a disciple’s demise.

Gu An had read about certain maritime sects possessing unique magical artifacts that could instantly sense when their members perished.

But it didn’t matter. This was a gamble.

One thing was certain—Gu An would never allow someone harboring killing intent toward him to continue living. The longer he delayed, the greater the danger.

After the New Year, Taixuan Sect began preparations for a grand tournament—the First World Cultivation Tournament.

But what exactly was this tournament about?

The idea came from Lü Baitian’s study of the Heaven-Splitting Axe—a competition where participants would wield a single mystical artifact using their spiritual power.

Once the announcement spread, it sent shockwaves through the cultivation world.

Such an event had never been held before.

Lü Baitian planned to take five years to prepare it, even publicly inviting cultivators from overseas to participate.

Since eliminating Divine Soul Lord, Gu An had kept his divine sense scanning the Three Dynasties daily.

So far, everything was peaceful, and his Lifespan Perception had yet to be triggered again.

By mid-March, Lü Baitian visited Gu An.

The two of them sat in Gu An’s room, drinking wine.

Gu An listened carefully as Lü Baitian spoke of his ambitions, occasionally adding his own thoughts.

He wasn’t well-versed in sect management, but he could offer insights. So far, Lü Baitian’s approach has aligned with his expectations.

Lü Baitian had focused all his energy on expanding the sect’s influence, and as a result, internal conflicts had greatly diminished.

For the first time in its history, Taixuan Sect was truly united.

“Even though the world is at peace now,” Lü Baitian sighed, putting down his wine bowl, “I still feel uneasy… It’s like back when we fought the Sealed Demon. That mysterious cultivator—his strength was terrifying.”

That man is already dead.

Gu An answered in his heart but replied, “Didn’t they say he was an immortal from the Holy Land? The Holy Land shouldn’t bring calamity, should it?”

Lü Baitian scoffed. “Who knows?”

Then, shaking his head, he said, “Forget it. In any case, my goal is for Taixuan Sect to produce a cultivator who surpasses the Grand Ascension Stage within my lifetime. I will do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Gu An nodded.

“Then you should focus on An Hao—his talent is extraordinary. He’s your best bet.”

“Yes…”

A rare smile appeared on Lü Baitian’s face.

After surviving the Sealed Demon Cataclysm, his opinion of An Hao had clearly changed.

Good.

Let him set his sights on An Hao.

Gu An had no interest in becoming Sect Master himself.

The two of them continued chatting for a long time before Lü Baitian finally departed.

Even before the First World Cultivation Tournament had begun, he was already planning his next grand event.

After Lü Baitian left, Gu An didn’t linger in the Third Medicine Valley.

He returned to Xuan Valley, then quietly slipped away.

Activating Infinite Free Step, he swiftly distanced himself from the mainland.

After just a few dozen steps, he arrived at a vast oceanic island—

The most prosperous island in this region, home to over five million cultivators, with people constantly coming and going.

Gu An made no attempt to disguise himself.

This place was too far from Taixuan Sect.

Even Grand Ascension cultivators would need a significant amount of time to travel here, and the sea was crawling with countless sea demons along the way.

No one here would recognize him.

His purpose this time?

To purchase medicinal herb seeds.

His Celestial Realm would only cultivate herbs of the Seventh Grade or higher.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep