As Gu An was writing in his study within Xuan Valley, a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes:
[Lin Chen harbors deep animosity toward you, hatred etched into his soul. Would you like to perform a lifespan investigation on him?]
Gu An frowned but chose to initiate the lifespan investigation.
[Lin Chen (Mahayana Realm, Second Level): 634/4500/4700]
Mahayana Realm, Second Level? Gu An immediately extended his divine sense toward the North Sea Mountain Range, where a cultivator with this level of strength resided.
In no time, he located Lin Chen. The man was holding a small wooden figure carved to look exactly like Gu An.
No wonder the system triggered a lifespan investigation for a potential threat!
Gu An did not act immediately. Instead, he expanded his divine sense to confirm that there were no other immortal-level cultivators from Seven Stars Spirit Realm in the vicinity.
Under the cover of night, Lin Chen slipped the wooden figurine into his storage pouch. He knew that avenging his father could not be rushed.
Since he couldn't confirm whether the Mountain God was Sword Master of Dao, his focus turned to Tai Xuan Sect.
Lin Chen didn't dare face Sword Master of Dao directly. His current plan was to sow discord between Seven Stars Spirit Realm and the Sword Master.
If he could uncover Sword Master of Dao's true identity and confirm that he wasn't invincible against Seven Stars Spirit Realm, the Sword Master would surely meet his demise.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Chen looked up, preparing to leap into the air. Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder.
Instantly, a chilling dread surged through him, as if he had plunged into an abyss. His spiritual energy froze entirely.
His pupils dilated in shock as an indescribable fear gripped his heart.
"Beware when night falls—Sword Master of Dao might tap your shoulder."
Ji Xuanling's parting words echoed in Lin Chen's mind. In this moment, his hair stood on end, and terror consumed him.
Unable to move, he tried to plead for mercy, but his voice refused to obey him.
The mysterious hand on his shoulder made no further moves, yet its presence alone amplified his fear. His heart sank into the depths of despair.
Suddenly, a sigh echoed from behind him. Lin Chen's initial terror morphed into a flicker of hope. Could this mean his attacker had no intention of killing him?
Boom!
A terrifying wave of divine sense surged into his mind, knocking him unconscious instantly.
As the sun rose, Gu An descended the staircase from his pavilion, joining the disciples in their morning exercises.
The previous night, he had harvested 384 years of lifespan. More importantly, he had gleaned crucial intelligence:
Seven Stars Spirit Realm was divided on how to approach Sword Master of Dao.
One faction advocated investigating his identity. If they deemed him a threat to their dominance, they would devise a way to draw him out and eliminate him.
The other faction pushed for diplomacy, aiming to mitigate the loss caused by Lin Jingxian's death while concealing their crimes.
The latter group particularly feared that Sword Master of Dao might be associated with powerful overseas sects.
The Lin family's strongest cultivator, Lin Jingxian, had only reached the Loose Immortal stage. His death was a devastating blow to the family, severing their ascent within Seven Stars Spirit Realm.
Driven by hatred, Lin Jingxian's son, Lin Chen, had ventured out to investigate Sword Master of Dao, while the higher-ups maintained an ambiguous stance.
For Gu An, this information was good news. It confirmed that without knowing his true identity, Seven Stars Spirit Realm wouldn't act recklessly. This gave him room to maneuver and time to continue lying low.
Interestingly, the current Seven Stars Spirit Realm on the mainland was dominated by the Six-Star Cave, to which the Lin and Ji families belonged. Talents from the mainland could only ascend to the Seven-Star Cave for training, but the higher Five-Star Caves resided overseas.
This revelation deepened Gu An's wariness of Seven Stars Spirit Realm.
He wasn't dealing with a minor sect like the Ephemeral Blossom Sect—this was a colossal force.
Even if he could sweep through the Six-Star and Seven-Star Caves as a Heaven and Earth Immortal, what cultivation level would be required to contend with the Five-Star Caves above them?
Pushing these concerns aside, Gu An focused on his morning exercises. Listening to the disciples' chatter about their plans for the day brought a smile to his face.
What's the use of worrying so much?
His identity was well-concealed. As long as he maintained his facade, Seven Stars Spirit Realm wouldn't dare to make a move.
Cherish the present.
"Did you hear? They're hosting the First Swordsmanship Tournament next year," a female disciple exclaimed, immediately sparking interest among her peers. The disciples excitedly discussed the upcoming event.
Gu An occasionally chimed in, pretending to be just as enthusiastic and full of admiration. After all, he outwardly remained a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator.
By next year, he could raise his cultivation to the Ninth Level of the Foundation Establishment Realm and then advance to the Core Formation stage after turning 100.
Breaking through at 100 years old marked one as a prodigy, but doing so later would help Gu An craft the illusion of a mediocre cultivator reliant on pills.
Around noon, Ye Lan came to visit him.
"Senior Brother, over the past two years, Zhen Qin has become a completely different person—silent and withdrawn. I don't understand her anymore. I noticed she's been investigating the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother. Could she still be hung up on Su Han?" Ye Lan asked, shutting the door behind her, worry evident on her face.
Gu An understood the truth but couldn't reveal it. Nor could he stop Zhen Qin from seeking revenge.
Currently, the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother and the Nine Nether Thirteen Fiends were following Jiang Qiong in the Great Jiang Dynasty, where they had established a sect called the Ju Hua Sect. Their movements were subtle, attracting little attention.
Zhen Qin needed to face life on her own to truly grow. However, if she ever confronted the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother and couldn't win, Gu An would step in to protect her—after all, Zhen Qin hadn't strayed from the righteous path.
"She's grown up and has her own thoughts now. Don't worry too much," Gu An said, comforting Ye Lan.
Ye Lan leaned closer and whispered, "I have a feeling she's hiding a much higher cultivation level. Do you think she's been possessed? Or maybe she's taken a mysterious master? Senior Brother, you have connections with Sword Master of Dao. Can't you ask him to investigate?"
Gu An shook his head. "I haven't seen him in a long time. Remember, never bring up Sword Master of Dao. His name is too big now, and many powerful enemies must be lurking in the shadows, plotting against him. With our cultivation levels, getting involved in his karma would lead to certain doom."
As he spoke, Gu An subtly infused his spiritual power into the ground, creating a barrier around the room to ensure no one could overhear them.
Ye Lan nodded. "I know. I've never mentioned him to anyone else—only to you."
Her steady and cautious nature reassured Gu An, though the most critical factor was that Ye Lan's range of activity remained firmly within his divine sense. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator in Tai Xuan Sect, escaping Gu An's divine sense was virtually impossible.
Such was the cruel disparity between realms.
Ye Lan shifted the topic to other matters, mostly trivial issues involving the Law Enforcement Hall. Gu An listened attentively.
When she finished, Gu An offered, "If you're not comfortable there, let me know. I'll arrange a better position for you."
Ye Lan raised an eyebrow and asked teasingly, "Senior Brother, since when did you have such influence?"
She knew about the Third Medicine Valley, but as an outsider, she couldn't uncover much about it. She had no idea how much Gu An contributed to Tai Xuan Sect.
Sometimes, she even suspected Gu An was cultivating herbs for Sword Master of Dao, given his frequent trips away from Xuan Valley.
Gu An casually picked up a book and tossed it onto the table. "I'll come clean!"
The book was the draft of Investiture of the Gods, a treasured, unpublished version without a cover.
Ye Lan's face paled as she stammered, "Senior Brother, don't tell me you wrote this?"
"Yeah," Gu An said, crossing his arms over his chest, tilting his head, and exuding an air of self-satisfaction.
Ye Lan's expression quickly changed to one of alarm and disbelief. "Senior Brother, if you're so capable, why refuse my help? Do you… have someone else in mind? Is it someone from the valley?"
Gu An froze for a moment, stunned by her sudden outburst. Then, looking down at the book, he realized her misunderstanding. Hastily, he picked it up and opened it. "Look carefully! Junior Sister, what nonsense are you thinking all day? I must scold you for this…"
Ye Lan glanced at the two lines on the page and instantly recognized it. Her eyes widened in shock. "Investiture of the Gods… you're Pan An?"
Gu An shook his head and gave her a look of mock disappointment.
Ye Lan's face turned crimson. She walked around the table, grabbed his shoulders, and gently shook him, playfully whining, "Senior Brother…"
Two hours later, Ye Lan left Gu An's room, closing the door behind her.
Descending the stairs, she passed Lu Jiujia, who greeted her with a cheerful smile.
Ye Lan gave him a curt nod, maintaining a stern expression, before flying off on her sword.
Lu Jiujia was unfazed, having grown accustomed to her demeanor. After all, working in the Law Enforcement Hall for so long, some severity was inevitable.
Days passed in peace as Gu An moved between the various medicine valleys, occasionally visiting the outer and inner sect cities. Life was tranquil, though the deepening demonic energy in the distance signaled the impending unsealing of the Fierce Demon.
Gu An debated whether to break through to the Heaven and Earth Immortal stage early to avoid any mishaps.
After much deliberation, he decided to make the breakthrough at sea near year's end—for safety's sake.
As summer gave way to autumn, preparations for the First Swordsmanship Tournament attracted an increasing number of sword cultivators to Tai Xuan Sect. This influx led to more sparring matches near Xuan Valley.
Fortunately, with Sword Master of Dao residing in the nearby outer sect city, these visiting sword cultivators refrained from causing trouble for the sect's outer disciples.
One afternoon in the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the disciples sweeping the grounds.
Nearby, a White Spirit Mouse played in a pile of fallen leaves, drawing the ire of An Xin, who yelled at it in frustration, unable to catch it.
The peaceful scene brought a faint smile to Gu An's face. As he enjoyed the idyllic moment, a sudden disturbance pulled his attention northward.
Far beyond the Three Dynasties, strange heavenly phenomena appeared in the skies above a river that spanned several mountain ranges.
It bore an uncanny resemblance to the phenomenon that accompanied Lu Lingjun's ascension.
Another ascension?
Gu An narrowed his focus. The heavenly aura this time felt stronger than during Lu Lingjun's ascension but still within a manageable range.
He pondered briefly. Could the ascension's proximity to a significant breakthrough play a role again?
Extending his divine sense across a thousand miles of wilderness, Gu An pinpointed a stone stele hidden amidst overgrown vegetation. The stele was protected by a formation that only Mahayana-level cultivators could breach. Concealed and utterly devoid of aura, it was exceptionally well-hidden.
Interesting.
Gu An dismissed the idea of investigating further. He had already spotted numerous high-level cultivators heading toward the ascension site. Among them were not only Mahayana-level experts but also lower-realm cultivators, including Li Ya and Zhang Buku.
Seeing Li Ya among the crowd, Gu An's expression turned peculiar.
Why did it feel like Li Ya was destined to get hurt again?
Come to think of it, Zhang Buku had been perpetually injured in recent years—often even more severely than Li Ya. Did these two have some sort of mutually destructive magnetism?