After much deliberation, Gu An decided to use the Heavenly Solemn Sword.
The Heavenly Solemn Sword, gifted to him by Li Ya, was one of the three imperial swords of the Tai Cang Dynasty. Although its utility was limited to someone of Gu An's cultivation level, the sword's elegant form made it worth wielding.
Gu An thought of Lu Lingjun's dual-wielding sword techniques and mused that he, too, could explore the style. Against the Seven Star Spirit Realm's Six-Star and Seven-Star Caves, he felt no pressure at all.
Descending the stairs, Gu An made his way to Lu Jiujia, who quickly greeted him with a respectful bow and introduced two new disciples.
The two servant disciples were visibly nervous in Gu An's presence, unlike the dismissive attitudes Li Ya and Meng Lan once displayed toward Cheng Xuandan and Zhang Chunqiu. Tai Xuan Sect now held a position in the Tai Cang Dynasty far surpassing that of a hundred years ago. It was no longer just the leading sect of the dynasty but the foremost sect of the entire cultivation world on the mainland, second only to the legendary Sacred Lands.
Instead of adopting a formal tone, Gu An encouraged the two new disciples warmly, leaving them pleasantly surprised and full of anticipation for life in Xuan Valley.
Afterward, Gu An left, heading not for the Third Medicine Valley but toward the forested mountains outside the valley.
As he strolled, he admired the scenery along the way. It had been many years since he last experienced the beauty of the area on foot.
He recalled the days when he and Xiao Chuan would roam the mountains freely. Those days had been filled with carefree joy.
"If I feel so nostalgic after just a hundred years, how will it be after ten thousand?"
Gu An chuckled at the thought and then composed himself. It was time to invade Seven Star Spirit Realm.
Today, a significant event was about to unfold within Seven Star Spirit Realm, presenting him with the perfect opportunity.
Sunlight streamed into the courtyard, where Ji Qiankun and several members of the Ji family stood, chatting and laughing.
In the distant sky, cultivators floated as if they were celestial beings, each exuding a unique aura.
The Ji family estate, situated atop a single mountain peak, spanned an area of over ten miles. Thick mist swirled at the base of the mountain like an ocean, with peaks rising from the sea of clouds like celestial islands.
The endless clouds created the illusion of standing high in the Nine Heavens, with the sun shining directly overhead.
Ji Hantian leaned against the courtyard doorway, arms crossed and eyes closed. His furrowed brow betrayed his displeasure.
Ji Qiankun approached him, smiling. "Grandfather, the auspicious hour is near. Why not step outside to greet the Luo family?"
Ji Hantian opened his eyes, let out a cold snort, and stormed off.
Ji Qiankun didn't take offense. He knew Ji Hantian held grievances against Seven Star Spirit Realm, but they were merely grievances. When it came to the family's prosperity, Ji Hantian would choose to endure.
With Tai Xuan Sect flourishing, the Ji family had ceased opposing Ji Hantian's decision to remain aligned with the sect. In fact, they now supported him. The family believed it was always wise to have more than one path forward.
Ji Qiankun turned to glance at Ji Xiaoyu's room, its door adorned with red celebratory characters. Seeing the festive decorations eased his unease.
Yet every time he remembered Ji Xiaoyu's words from that fateful night, his thoughts became clouded.
A booming sound broke the silence as a golden light streaked across the horizon, descending swiftly to the gates of the Ji family estate. From the distance came the clatter of hooves and the shrill cries of beasts. Nine white horses pulled a golden carriage along a radiant golden path.
From the carriage windows, two fairy-like female cultivators leaned out, scattering flower petals from their baskets. The petals floated on the wind, transforming into flocks of magpies that soared and danced through the air.
Cultivators from nearby mountain estates emerged, some flying from the misty valleys below, eager to witness the spectacle.
"What an extravagant display—truly fitting for the Luo family."
"I heard Luo Yetian has already broken through to the Mahayana Realm. Is it true?"
"Most likely. A Mahayana cultivator in their early five hundreds is astonishingly talented."
"Ji Xiaoyu isn't ordinary either. They say she was born with an innate Dao rune and boundless fortune. This marriage is a perfect match."
"With the Ji family tied to the Luo family, their rise is certain. If they produce an immortal, they might even gain entry to a Five-Star Cave Heaven."
Each mountain peak housed a family, but these families were at the lower end of Seven Star Spirit Realm's hierarchy, far beneath the Luo family. Their envy of the Ji family's fortune was palpable.
At the end of the golden path, a procession of cultivators riding flying artifacts appeared, stirring the clouds with their grandeur. They landed along the golden path, forming an escort that extended all the way to the Ji family gates. The entourage numbered no less than a thousand, each dressed in resplendent golden robes.
The golden carriage drawn by nine horses stopped before the gates. The curtains parted, and a man in a red robe stepped out. His bearing was regal, his handsome face framed by long hair coiled beneath a jade coronet. He resembled a star god descended to the mortal world, his piercing gaze seeming to encompass all creation.
As he stepped down, the cultivators of the Ji family hurried forward to greet him.
Luo Yetian smiled and asked, "Is Sister Yu ready?"
Having spent most of his years in secluded cultivation, Luo Yetian had met Ji Xiaoyu only once. At that time, he had sensed the innate Dao rune within her and was struck by her ethereal beauty. He instructed his family to propose the match, leaving all arrangements in their hands.
To him, the Ji family's agreement was a foregone conclusion. And as expected, they had complied.
The timing of the marriage had been chosen for this year because Luo Yetian had just achieved the Mahayana Realm. In prior years, his thoughts had been consumed by his cultivation, and Ji Xiaoyu had been little more than a fleeting idea in his mind.
An elder of the Ji family stepped forward with a smile. "She is ready. We can set off whenever you are."
Luo Yetian nodded. "Our family has invited representatives from the Six-Star and Seven-Star Caves, as well as esteemed seniors from Five-Star Cave Heaven, to attend the festivities. This marriage will be a grand celebration. Rest assured, from now on, we are one family."
He spoke with grace, without arrogance, and his words made the Ji family cultivators smile. They expressed their gratitude profusely.
Luo Yetian looked up toward the Ji family estate, his eyes filled with expectation.
He could already sense the aura of the innate Dao rune.
Meanwhile, in Ji Xiaoyu's courtyard, Ji Qiankun arrived at her door, urging her to step out.
"The auspicious hour has arrived. Let's not keep the Luo family waiting," Ji Qiankun said, knocking on the door.
At that moment, the door opened.
Dressed in a red bridal gown and adorned with a phoenix crown, Ji Xiaoyu emerged, accompanied by two female cultivators. A red veil covered her face, revealing only her pale, flawless chin. Her hands rested lightly on her abdomen, and her demeanor was composed.
Seeing that she was ready, Ji Qiankun breathed a sigh of relief, a smile forming on his face.
"Xiaoyu, the concerns you've been harboring may not come to pass. There could be a turning point. The Luo family has invited great cultivators from the Five-Star Cave Heaven to attend. Perhaps they could be of help," Ji Qiankun said softly.
As Ji Xiaoyu walked past him, she suddenly stopped.
"Once I step out of this gate, our father-daughter bond is severed," she said.
Ji Qiankun frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting? I will always be your father, and the Ji family will always be your home."
Ji Xiaoyu gave no response. She lifted her foot and continued forward.
With the two Ji family female cultivators accompanying her, she left the courtyard.
Ji Qiankun watched her retreating figure and exhaled deeply.
For the past three years, he had been worried about anything disrupting this marriage, so he had stayed close to Ji Xiaoyu at all times.
Quickening his pace, he followed her. Until Ji Xiaoyu was personally delivered to the Luo family, he would not be at ease.
Outside the estate gates, a disciple hurried out to inform the Ji family elders that Ji Xiaoyu was on her way. Smiles spread across everyone's faces.
They had heard of Ji Xiaoyu's dissatisfaction with the arrangement, but such was the way of aristocratic families. Marriages were tools for advancing the family's interests.
While they waited, a Ji family cultivator asked Luo Yetian about the rumored World-Ending Ocean Tide and whether it was true.
Luo Yetian pondered for a moment before replying, "I heard about it after I left seclusion. The rumor has spread widely across the seas, but its veracity is still uncertain. For now, it appears that such an event is unlikely to occur within the next century. Beyond that, it's difficult to predict."
The surrounding cultivators began whispering among themselves, discussing the matter.
A short while later, a large group of Ji family cultivators emerged from the gates, with Ji Xiaoyu at the center of the procession.
When Luo Yetian saw her, a smile spread across his face.
At that moment, Ji Xiaoyu stopped abruptly. She reached up and tore the red veil from her head, flames flaring from her palm to reduce it to ashes in an instant.
Her expression was icy as she stared at Luo Yetian, a faint, enigmatic smile tugging at her lips.
Luo Yetian shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. He frowned and asked, "What is the meaning of this?"
The Luo family cultivators around him also frowned, sensing rebellion in her actions.
"Hurry and bring a new veil!" the Ji family patriarch quickly commanded, casting a disapproving glance at Ji Qiankun.
Before Ji Qiankun could respond, Ji Xiaoyu soared into the sky, hovering a hundred feet above the ground. The Luo family cultivators did not stop her, instead observing her with curiosity.
Did she think she could defy this marriage within the Seven Star Spirit Realm?
A crimson pattern appeared on Ji Xiaoyu's forehead—it was the sigil of her innate Dao rune. As its power emanated outward, her aura shifted dramatically.
"You mortal spirits have disrupted my training in this lifetime. It is truly vexing," she said coldly, her voice echoing across the heavens. Her tone was indifferent, and yet it carried an undeniable authority. Even the Ji family cultivators felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity.
Luo Yetian seemed to sense something unusual. He ascended into the air to meet her at eye level, asking suspiciously, "Who are you?"
One by one, Luo family cultivators joined him in the sky, encircling Ji Xiaoyu.
Above, the sea of clouds churned violently, forming thunderclouds. Within the storm, a towering figure appeared—a colossal being standing as if beyond the heavens, gazing down at the world below.
Ji Xiaoyu did not look up but remained focused on Luo Yetian. Calmly, she said, "There are certain karmic ties that you should not meddle with. Disturb my cultivation, and even reincarnation will not forgive you."
Boom—
A vast and oppressive aura erupted from Ji Xiaoyu. Golden flames began to radiate from her forehead, coalescing into a hundred-foot-tall ethereal figure behind her. The figure resembled her exactly but exuded an aura that far surpassed the Mahayana Realm.
Ji Xiaoyu raised her hand, and the ethereal figure mirrored her motion. With one grasp, it dispersed the storm clouds above. When the figure's hand lowered, it held within its palm the once-majestic silhouette from the storm—a mighty cultivator now reduced to trembling fear.
Before he could speak, golden flames ignited his body. In mere moments, he was incinerated, leaving no trace—not even ashes.