Under the pressure of Emperor Xie's overwhelming presence, Zhou Ye eventually retreated with his men. However, before leaving, Zhou Ye harbored resentment toward Gu An. Although it didn't reach the point of deep hatred, it was clear that he was dissatisfied and sought an opportunity to teach Gu An a lesson.
After the confrontation, Emperor Xie revealed his true identity to Gu An. The revelation left Gu An utterly shocked. Without saying much more, Emperor Xie turned and departed.
As he walked away, his back to Gu An and the disciples lining both sides of the street, he let out a faint sigh.
From this point onward, Emperor Xie feared it would be nearly impossible to forge a genuine friendship with Gu An. The disparity in their status and cultivation realms loomed too large.
Even if he wished to maintain their camaraderie, it would only bring pressure to Gu An. Smiling bitterly, Emperor Xie couldn't help but mock himself for entertaining such naive thoughts.
Meanwhile, Gu An casually rode the Blood Prison Saint, leisurely wandering the bustling streets for nearly two hours before finally heading out of the city.
On the way back to the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An spoke to the Blood Prison Saint, introducing the Tai Xuan Sect and its prominent families.
The Blood Prison Saint listened intently, knowing that Gu An had promised to release him after a millennium. Understanding this world during his servitude would be crucial for navigating it once he was free.
"Do you know why I captured you?" Gu An asked casually.
The Blood Prison Saint, although unable to speak human words, wasn't foolish. He quickly deduced that it must be connected to those two half-human, half-demon individuals who had acted recklessly.
"You might think this world is nothing extraordinary, but it's far more dangerous than you realize. That's why I hide my true cultivation. Serving me for a thousand years isn't just to atone for your sins but also to temper your character. Make good use of this opportunity," Gu An said lightly.
If the Blood Prison Saint performed well, Gu An wouldn't mind passing down the Innate Reincarnation Technique to him. This technique paired perfectly with the Return to Origin Dao, making the Blood Prison Saint an excellent candidate for experimentation to test its efficacy.
"Hmm…" The Blood Prison Saint let out a low grunt. Though he couldn't form words, Gu An understood his tone of submission.
In truth, the Blood Prison Saint's mindset had already shifted. He had realized long ago that following Gu An might be a rare opportunity.
At the very least, Gu An could serve as a solid backing for him.
If, back then, it had been someone else with a similar cultivation level attacking him instead of Gu An, the Blood Prison Saint would likely have already perished.
Putting himself in Gu An's shoes, he understood that if someone dared to harm his disciples or juniors, he wouldn't have shown any mercy either.
Within the cultivation world, there was a saying among powerful cultivators: "It's better to provoke the Blood Prison Saint himself than to target his juniors."
The Blood Prison Saint's pace was unhurried, but Gu An didn't urge him forward. Riding on his back, Gu An seemed to talk to himself, yet the Blood Prison Saint didn't find his words grating.
Lately, the Blood Prison Saint had noticed a subtle change in Gu An.
Even a single casual statement from Gu An exuded an inexplicable calmness and authority.
He didn't think this was an illusion; it had to be connected to Gu An's cultivation progress.
Perhaps following Gu An could lead him to new discoveries.
After the lively and busy Spring Festival, Gu An returned to his simple, peaceful life. During this time, no one from the Zhou family came looking for trouble, possibly deterred by Emperor Xie or due to their newfound awareness of Gu An's connection with Lü Baitian.
Either way, Gu An paid it no mind.
At his current stage, the Zhou family no longer posed any threat. If Zhou Ye were to develop murderous intent toward him, Gu An would not hesitate to eliminate him immediately.
In the following months, Gu An made regular trips to the Inner Gate City to sell his medicinal herbs, steadily accumulating spirit stones.
He had already identified a flourishing cultivation city overseas, intending to purchase a significant supply of high-tier herbs for planting within his cave heaven.
His days were busy yet purposeful, and he didn't find them dull in the slightest.
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, more than half a year passed, and Gu An turned ninety-seven.
To the north, demonic energy grew increasingly intense. Gu An estimated that within a few years, the so-called Fierce Demon would break its seal.
The World's First Sword Dao Tournament was in full swing, and Gu An found himself entertained by the spectacle.
Far away, in the depths of the demon lands…
In the underground space where An Hao and Xuan Tianyi had once separated, Ji Xuanling stood at the edge of a cliff, staring down at the lava below with a deep frown. Several skeletal remains floated amidst the bubbling magma, sinking and resurfacing.
Behind him stood a group of cultivators from the Seven Stars Spirit Realm.
"Could this be where the Fierce Demon is sealed?" one of them murmured, their voice trembling slightly.
"The demonic energy here is overwhelming. We must call upon the elders in our realm to deal with this," another said nervously.
"A message has already been sent. For now, we must guard this place to prevent any reckless cultivators from disturbing the seal and ruining everything."
"But if the Fierce Demon suddenly breaks free, we won't be able to stop it…"
Ji Xuanling ignored their chatter, his gaze fixed on the distant cave walls. He spotted deep, jagged cracks that indicated an intense battle had once taken place here.
One particular crack caused his brow to furrow.
"Could it be him?" Ji Xuanling thought, recalling Xuan Tianyi.
He had crossed swords with Xuan Tianyi countless times and was intimately familiar with his combat techniques.
The possibility that Xuan Tianyi had died here unsettled him for reasons he couldn't quite explain.
Ji Xuanling's thoughts were racing. "Wait a moment. The seal hasn't been broken yet, so how could there have been a battle here? Could someone have been trying to stop Xuan Tianyi? But who could have arrived here before the Seven Stars Spirit Realm?"
His frown deepened as a chilling thought crossed his mind. The implications made his face grow even grimmer.
Meanwhile, in the Tai Xuan Sect's main city, a grand hall was filled with an air of tension. An Hao stood stiffly, staring at Lü Baitian, who sat in the main seat, his expression darkened by deep contemplation.
"Master, what should we do?" An Hao asked, his voice heavy with worry. A sense of foreboding weighed on his heart.
Lü Baitian remained silent, his brows furrowed in thought, contrary to the fury An Hao had expected.
"Xuan Ancestor is the only Mahayana Realm cultivator we have on the surface! We can't give up on him!" An Hao gritted his teeth, desperation clear in his voice.
Lü Baitian glanced at him and replied calmly, "You said it yourself—he's the only one. If even he couldn't withstand the enemy, what can we possibly do?"
"Unless the Sword Master of the Dao intervenes, but we don't even know where to find him. We can't have the entire sect beg him for help over one person, can we?"
An Hao's face contorted as conflicting emotions surged within him.
After failing to summon his master during that perilous escape, An Hao had assumed his master wished to remain uninvolved. Since then, he hadn't dared to call out to him again, returning to the Tai Xuan Sect with a heavy heart.
His master's unwillingness to act, combined with the sect's hesitance, left him with no clear path forward.
What stung the most was that he couldn't blame anyone.
If he were strong enough, he wouldn't need to rely on others!
The Tai Xuan Sect housed countless disciples; it was unreasonable to risk the entire sect for one individual.
His master, too, owed him nothing and had no obligation to repeatedly clean up his messes.
A sudden thought struck An Hao. He turned around, swiftly removed his robe, and revealed his bare back. "Master, this was left by Xuan Ancestor. It seems to be some kind of restriction, but my spiritual sense can't decipher it."
Lü Baitian's eyes widened in shock. In a flash, he appeared behind An Hao, his hands gripping An Hao's shoulders firmly, ensuring he couldn't move.
"So that's it…" Lü Baitian muttered, his voice laced with astonishment.
An Hao, though thoroughly confused, didn't dare interrupt as his master examined the mysterious restriction on his back.
As mid-autumn approached, the World's First Sword Dao Tournament concluded. The champion was a renowned sword cultivator from the Gu Family, with Emperor Xie finishing as the runner-up.
Gu An had watched the final match between Emperor Xie and the Gu Family sword cultivator. If Emperor Xie hadn't stubbornly insisted on using a sword, he might not have lost.
Though Emperor Xie was a Profound Heart Realm cultivator, his swordsmanship was still too immature.
The tournament captivated the entire cultivation world, bringing immense profits to the Tai Xuan Sect. Inspired by its success, other sects began organizing similar events, but for now, none could rival the grandeur of the Sword Dao Tournament.
After the tournament, An Hao sought out An Xin, his sister. The two siblings, having been separated for some time, were overjoyed to reunite and spent hours catching up.
Gu An noticed that An Hao seemed troubled, but given the distance in their relationship, he refrained from asking.
Before leaving, An Hao approached Gu An to thank him for taking care of An Xin. He even gifted Gu An several high-grade herb seeds. Despite Gu An's initial reluctance, he eventually accepted the gift with some persuasion.
Their conversation was brief, and An Hao soon departed. Watching his retreating figure, Gu An suspected his troubles were linked to his experiences in the demon lands.
"Don't worry, my disciple. The moment he re-emerges, he's dead," Gu An thought to himself, his mind suddenly drifting to Xuan Tianyi.
An Hao had spent time with Xuan Tianyi, so why had only An Hao returned? Using his divine sense, Gu An searched the entire continent but found no trace of Xuan Tianyi.
"Did he venture overseas?" Gu An mused. "But I didn't see him leave…"
His gaze shifted toward the dense demonic energy in the north, where many Seven Stars Spirit Realm cultivators were gathered. Even Ji Xuanling, who had once visited the Tai Xuan Sect, was among them.
The only unexplored areas on the continent were the sealed grounds of the Fierce Demon, a few hidden secret realms, and the deep underground.
"Could Xuan Tianyi have been captured by the Seven Stars Spirit Realm? Or did he fall into the sealed grounds of the Fierce Demon?" Gu An wondered.
Two months later, an eruption of terrifying demonic energy shook the northern lands, its intensity rivaling that of the ancient Demon Ancestor. The wave of power sent shockwaves across the Three Dynasties.
In the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An paused his herb-picking and turned to look northward. Not far away, the Blood Prison Saint also gazed toward the source of the demonic energy, his expression grave.
"What terrifying demonic energy! This land truly hides dragons and tigers! I wonder what cultivation realm this being has reached…"
The Blood Prison Saint shuddered, his thoughts racing. Despite his unease, when he glanced at Gu An and saw his calm, unbothered demeanor, a sense of relief washed over him.
To this day, the Blood Prison Saint couldn't gauge the true extent of Gu An's cultivation.
The disciples in the valley, however, weren't as composed. They gathered in small groups, their faces filled with anxiety as they speculated about the source of the oppressive energy.
"Could it be the Fierce Demon?" one disciple whispered.
Ever since the Sacred Land publicly acknowledged the Fierce Demon's existence, the ancient being had become a symbol of dread for cultivators across the Three Dynasties.
The demonic energy didn't dissipate, hanging over the land like an ominous shadow. While it didn't directly interfere with daily life, it cast a heavy pall over everyone's spirits.
The following morning, countless cultivators soared past the Third Medicine Valley, heading north.
Gu An observed the movements of sects across the Three Dynasties. Numerous cultivators were being dispatched to the demon lands, their figures streaking through the sky like shooting stars.
He remained unperturbed. Judging from the current intensity of the Fierce Demon's aura, it was at most equivalent to a Loose Immortal. Furthermore, the seal had yet to be fully broken.
"I'm curious to see if the Seven Stars Spirit Realm will truly aid the Three Dynasties in combating the Fierce Demon," Gu An thought, his expression serene.
In a dense forest, Zhang Buku trailed behind Li Ya. Staring at the surging demonic energy on the horizon, he couldn't suppress his unease. "Brother Li, this kind of demonic energy must belong to the Fierce Demon. We should stay out of it and leave the fight to the great cultivators."