Chapter 69: The Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, A Name that Shakes the World

Chapter 69: The Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, A Name that Shakes the World

Looking for me?

Gu An felt like laughing, but he managed to hold it back.

First Ji Hantian wanted him to write about himself; now Jiang Qiong wanted him to track himself down. Although the requests concerned different personas, the absurdity was undeniable.

What kind of situation was this?

Feigning hesitation, Gu An said, “I mostly stay in the Medicine Valley. I’m afraid it will be hard for me to find any news about Pan An.”

Jiang Qiong waved dismissively. “That’s not necessarily true. Pan An loves writing, so he must interact with people. The book

Taixuan Immortal Venerable

stirs the emotions of many low-level cultivators, so perhaps he often talks with outer sect and miscellaneous disciples. Keep an eye out, and if you discover anything, let me know.”

Seeing no way out, Gu An nodded reluctantly.

Jiang Qiong went on to discuss a few other matters before instructing Hu Mo to fetch a bag of high-grade seeds for Gu An to take with him.

Leaving Jiang Qiong’s residence, Gu An headed toward the Heavenly Mending Platform.

The platform had become the most popular attraction in the outer sect city. Disciples from other outer sects and even inner sect cities came to see it.

The battle a month ago had spread throughout the cultivation world. Even Luo Hun of Horizon Valley had heard about it, which confirmed that Luo Hun occasionally left his valley.

When Gu An arrived at the platform, he saw that at least ten thousand people were present.

Near the two large characters for "Righteous Path" engraved into the platform, many cultivators were seated, meditating.

Among them, Gu An spotted two familiar faces: Zuo Yijian and Zuo Lin!

The father-and-son pair were studying the sword intent Gu An had left behind when he carved the characters. As the engraving contained traces of his sword intent, it held great allure for sword cultivators of the Taixuan Sect.

Another familiar figure stood out—Su Han, Gu An’s disciple.

Su Han, also a sword cultivator, had recently grasped the essence of the Hatred Heaven Divine Sword, rapidly advancing his mastery of the sword. His entire demeanor was undergoing a transformation.

Gu An watched from a distance without disturbing them, instead listening to the conversations around him.

“The Sword Sovereign’s sword intent is truly magnificent. It’s hard to imagine the level of his swordsmanship.”

“Word is that the Sword Sovereign’s strength rivals the Deputy Sect Master. He might even stand a chance against the Sect Master himself.”

“Could the Sword Sovereign actually be the Sect Master?”

“Impossible. The Sect Master publicly stated he knew nothing of Chu Xian’s actions and has vowed to thoroughly investigate anyone involved with him. He promised that no matter their status, anyone who violated the Taixuan Sect’s principles would be severely punished.”

“Just looking at these two words—‘Righteous Path’—stirs my heart. I heard Pan An plans to write about the Sword Sovereign in his next book. I wonder what kind of story it will be.”

The Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path!

This title had been bestowed on Gu An’s mysterious sword-wielding persona by Sect Master Chu Tianqi. The title symbolized the defender of righteousness, charged with upholding justice within the Taixuan Sect. If any injustice or evil arose, even from the Sect Master himself, the Sword Sovereign was empowered to act.

The title sounded grand, but Gu An found it rather pointless.

Chu Tianqi’s proclamation primarily served to protect himself. Since naming the Sword Sovereign, criticism of the Sect Master had lessened significantly. Instead, he was praised for his boldness and responsibility, with many lauding his magnanimity.

However, Gu An also overheard voices questioning the Sect Master, or more precisely, the Chu family.

Chu Tianqi and Chu Xian—the connection between them was hard to ignore.

The public nature of these criticisms and praises was unusual for cultivators. It wasn’t clear whether these individuals were mere pawns in a larger game.

Ultimately, though, none of it concerned Gu An.

After spending some time at the Heavenly Mending Platform, Gu An headed to the inner sect’s teleportation platform to purchase more medicinal herb seeds. Although Gu Zong had given him a large supply on behalf of the sect, it wasn’t nearly enough to cover a hundred-mile radius.

Just the thought of having such a vast expanse filled with his herbs made Gu An excited.

Reflecting on the events of a month ago, Gu An felt satisfied. His risky intervention not only saved those around him but also brought him enormous benefits.

By evening, Gu An returned to the Third Medicine Valley.

With the addition of seven new miscellaneous disciples, the valley had grown livelier. The disciples were busy weeding and clearing new plots of land, while the occasional bark of spiritual dogs echoed from the distant forest, adding a pastoral charm.

As soon as Gu An arrived, he sensed Shen Zhen’s presence. Once again, she was waiting for him in his loft.

Heading upstairs, Gu An saw Shen Zhen standing by his bookshelf. Hearing his footsteps, she returned the book she had been reading to its place before turning to face him.

Gu An closed the door behind him and asked, "Miss Shen, what brings you here today?"

“I heard you’re planning to write a book about the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path?”

“I’ll write about him, yes, but not entirely focused on him. The main subject will be the incident in the outer sect a month ago.”

“Then you’d better be careful,” Shen Zhen said with a light chuckle. “The Sword Sovereign’s fame has already spread beyond the Taicang Empire. Just yesterday, I received a letter saying that sword cultivators from the Da Yu Dynasty are preparing to challenge him. Many people believe that since you’re writing about the Sword Sovereign, you must be connected to him. They think finding you will be easier than finding him.”

There was a playful glint in Shen Zhen’s eyes as she spoke.

Gu An sighed. “How could I possibly meet the Sword Sovereign? Writing about him means I’ll need to gather material from the outer sect.”

“Don’t worry,” Shen Zhen said with a smile. “I haven’t revealed your identity to anyone—not even my father, who tried to pry information about you from me.”

As she spoke, she pulled a book out of her storage pouch and placed it on the table.

“Still, it’s better to be cautious. The Sword Sovereign’s strength has made many sects uneasy, and they’re all trying to gather intel about him. Also, this is my new book. Within a month, it’ll be sold in libraries across the region. You can take a look first.”

With that, Shen Zhen turned to leave, brushing past Gu An as she walked out.

The two were already familiar with each other, so Gu An didn’t see her off. Instead, he sat down at his desk and picked up Shen Zhen’s book.

The Secrets of Taixuan!

Hmm? It sounded quite serious.

Gu An immediately started reading, but as he progressed, his brows furrowed.

What the…

He had thought Shen Zhen’s writing couldn’t surpass the

Adventures of the Green Hero

, especially when it came to romantic or intimate details. To his surprise, her writing was even more daring and unrestrained than he’d imagined.

So this is the person who pretends to be reserved in front of me? And yet she writes this kind of stuff so boldly in private?

There’s no way this content can be published, right?

Gu An hoped the library’s review process would stop the book in its tracks.

Despite his frustration, he couldn’t help but find the content engrossing.

He ended up reading it all night.

At dawn, Gu An gathered the disciples for morning exercises. With the number of disciples in the Third Medicine Valley growing, he felt it was essential to maintain tradition. He even insisted that Elder Tian join them.

After the exercises, Gu An assigned tasks. Three disciples were tasked with planting seeds, while the rest continued clearing new plots of land.

The forests surrounding the Third Medicine Valley were dense, and turning them into suitable farmland required a tremendous amount of time and effort. Even without using magic, Gu An didn’t feel tired. He encouraged the disciples, reminding them that this was also a form of cultivation.

The disciples didn’t mind the hard work either. In fact, they were full of enthusiasm. The larger the valley grew, the more benefits they received, as Gu An was generous. The more herbs they cultivated, the more elixirs they could enjoy.

Life began to settle into a peaceful rhythm.

Gu An spent most of his time in the Third Medicine Valley, busy with cultivation and planting.

Five days later.

Shen Zhen came to visit again, furious this time.

Her book had been rejected by the library.

Gu An almost burst out laughing but managed to suppress it.

Shen Zhen, however, was stubborn. The more the library refused to publish her book, the more determined she became to see it distributed. She decided to print it herself and quietly circulate it within the inner sect.

Gu An tried to persuade her to revise and remove certain parts, suggesting that this might allow the library to approve it, but she refused to listen.

In any case, without the library’s backing, Gu An doubted her book would gain much traction, and his concerns eased considerably.

As winter snow began to blanket the land, turning everything white, Gu An found himself filled with a sense of calm.

By noon, Gu An arrived at Horizon Valley.

In the valley, Gu An noticed an unfamiliar presence—someone with a formidable aura.

Before he could investigate further, Luo Hun sensed Gu An’s arrival and leaped out from the forest, landing before him as swiftly as a flying goose.

“You’ve come at just the right time. Let me introduce someone to you,” Luo Hun said, gesturing for Gu An to follow him toward the pavilion area. “This person was arranged by His Majesty. Any herbs you harvest should be at his disposal to aid his breakthrough.”

Gu An followed Luo Hun without protest. He had never coveted the herbs of Horizon Valley; his interest was purely in harvesting them. Once gathered, how Li Xuandao chose to allocate them was none of his concern, as the herbs belonged to Li Xuandao in the first place.

As the two approached the pavilion, the door of a nearby courtyard opened, and a man in white robes emerged.

【Yi Liuyun (Transformation Stage – Tier 9): 466/1208/2850】

Transformation Stage Tier 9!

The Emperor’s resources were indeed formidable.

Yi Liuyun appeared to be in his early forties, exuding an aura of grace and poise. His white robes accentuated his striking appearance and the aloof elegance characteristic of a master swordsman.

Standing behind the courtyard wall, Yi Liuyun cupped his hands in salute. “This humble one, Yi Liuyun, greets the Valley Master.”

Luo Hun introduced him, saying, “Senior Yi is the Emperor’s foremost Sword Attendant. His mastery of swordsmanship ranks among the finest in the Taicang Empire. There are barely a handful of people in the world who can rival him in the Way of the Sword.”

Gu An returned Yi Liuyun’s salute respectfully.

Yi Liuyun fixed his gaze on Gu An and asked, “Valley Master, you are a disciple of the Taixuan Sect, correct? Do you know anything about the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path? What realm has he achieved?”

The Sword Sovereign’s fame had spread far and wide. People knew of his feat in slaying Chu Xian, a cultivator at the Void Transformation Stage, but the fact that he had also crossed swords with Ji Hantian remained a secret. Ji Hantian had chosen not to disclose the matter, as though it had never happened.

“I am merely an outer sect disciple of the Taixuan Sect and don’t know much. However, the Sword Sovereign’s sword intent has been left on the Heavenly Mending Platform in the outer sect. Senior, you might find it enlightening to visit.”

It was clear to Gu An that Yi Liuyun was seeking information to challenge the Sword Sovereign. Sending him to the Heavenly Mending Platform was the perfect way to temper his expectations—those engraved characters might help him realize the vast gulf between himself and the Sword Sovereign.

As expected, upon hearing about the Sword Sovereign’s sword intent, Yi Liuyun’s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he leaped into the air, soaring out of the medicine valley in an instant.

Gu An turned to Luo Hun. “He can just head to the Taixuan Sect directly?”

Luo Hun nodded. “He holds the Emperor’s Sword Attendant Token. It grants him free passage through the major sects.”

With that, Gu An asked no further questions and headed toward one of the gardens to harvest the nearly ripe herbs.

An hour later, Gu An departed from Horizon Valley.

The new year arrived amidst the biting cold of winter.

Shortly after the Lunar New Year celebrations ended, Gu An returned to the outer sect. He first visited Jiang Qiong to obtain a batch of high-grade medicinal herb seeds before heading to the Heavenly Mending Platform to enjoy the lively scene.

The father-and-son duo, Zuo Yijian and Zuo Lin, were still seated in contemplation, immersed in their study of swordsmanship. Gu An also spotted Yi Liuyun.

The man sat cross-legged near the "Righteous Path" inscription, his brows deeply furrowed as he meditated, lost in thought.

Gu An’s gaze drifted upward, toward the character for “Path” at the top of the inscription, and his expression darkened slightly.

There was someone there.