Chapter 71: Sword Dao Sanctuary, Plans Restarted

Chapter 71: Sword Dao Sanctuary, Plans Restarted

When Gu An saw the old man attempting to deface his characters, his expression darkened.

What was this supposed to mean?

Comprehend my sword intent and then destroy my inscription?

Gu An almost made a move, but it turned out to be unnecessary.

"Impudent!"

A thunderous shout rang out. The speaker was none other than Yi Liuyun, the First Sword Attendant of Li Xuandao.

Yi Liuyun, at the Ninth Layer of the Transformation Stage, exuded an imposing aura. His single shout startled everyone in the city.

It wasn’t just Yi Liuyun. Several other grandmasters meditating near the "Righteous Path" inscription stood up as well. Even the Ninth-Layer Void Transformation Stage Huangquan Demon Emperor cast a displeased glance at the old man in the sky.

Gu An quickly used his lifespan-detection ability.

[Pang Yu (Void Transformation Stage Second Layer): 1279/1720/1770]

Close to his limit!

No wonder he was so deranged!

Floating in the sky, Pang Yu looked down at Yi Liuyun and sneered contemptuously. “A mere Transformation Stage cultivator dares to stop me?”

Transformation Stage?

The disciples on the Heavenly Mending Platform erupted in a commotion, retreating in fear of being caught in the crossfire of a battle between grandmasters.

“If you disdain the Transformation Stage, how about the Void Transformation Stage?”

A cold voice rang out. It wasn’t the Huangquan Demon Emperor but another cultivator—a Fifth-Layer Void Transformation Stage elder in Taixuan Sect robes.

Pang Yu’s expression shifted slightly. With a flick of his sleeve, he withdrew his hand and scoffed. “Fine, your Taixuan Sect is impressive with its numbers. I’ll leave!”

He turned and flew out of the city, disappearing beyond the outer sect boundaries in a blink.

“Attempting to desecrate our Taixuan Sect’s meditative grounds and thinking you can just leave?”

A cold snort echoed. Gu An recognized the voice—it belonged to Gu Zong.

He could sense Gu Zong streaking across the skies in pursuit of Pang Yu. The Void Transformation Stage Fifth-Layer elder also vanished from sight.

The tense atmosphere on the Heavenly Mending Platform began to dissipate, and the cultivators started discussing the incident while marveling at the Taixuan Sect’s strength.

Gu An felt the city owed him a massive favor. When had this outer sect city ever attracted so many grandmasters? Now, with two Void Transformation Stage experts guarding it at all times, it exuded a palpable sense of security. Ȓ�

And it was all thanks to the two characters he had inscribed:

Righteous Path

!

With the tension easing, Gu An led the servant disciples toward Elder Tian.

The servant disciples were brimming with excitement. Having just been promoted and witnessing a confrontation between grandmasters—featuring both the Transformation and Void Transformation Stages—they were awestruck.

“Let’s go. Time to head back,” Gu An said, patting Elder Tian on the shoulder.

Elder Tian snapped out of his daze and stood up.

When their eyes met, Gu An felt something was different about Elder Tian.

Out of instinct, he used his lifespan-detection ability.

Hmm?

[Qi Condensation Stage Eighth Layer]

How did he suddenly jump two layers?

How long had it been?

Gu An was surprised but kept his face expressionless. He had long suspected Elder Tian would make a comeback. After all, Elder Tian hadn’t stepped down due to defeat but rather because of a personal mishap. Such individuals often found their way back to the peak.

An hour later, Gu An and his group returned to the Third Medicine Valley. He tasked Xiao Chuan with organizing the new disciples.

After visiting the valley a few times, Xiao Chuan had decided to stay, even moving all his spirit beasts over. Gu An had a deep fondness for Xiao Chuan and naturally didn’t object.

Among his peers, only Xiao Chuan remained by his side.

Although Wu Xin was his junior brother, he had come later and, in Gu An’s heart, didn’t hold the same weight as Xiao Chuan.

From childhood, Xiao Chuan had always been by Gu An’s side, obedient and supportive. A junior brother like this deserved to be treasured.

Gu An knew that, two centuries from now, when his old acquaintances passed away, it would be difficult for him to forge such bonds again. That made him cherish them even more.

Upon returning, Elder Tian secluded himself under a large tree, meditating silently as though deep in thought.

As the sun set, the golden rays of twilight bathed the mountaintop. Ye Yan practiced spear techniques in the fading light, creating a mesmerizing scene that drew the admiration of the new servant disciples.

Seasons came and went. Over two years passed in the blink of an eye.

That summer, now 46 years old, Gu An stood atop the mountain, gazing over the valleys below. The landscape was blanketed in medicinal fields, with the silhouettes of gardens faintly visible through the woods.

After over two years of effort, Gu An had finally filled the hundred-mile radius of land with medicinal herbs. As he surveyed the landscape, a deep sense of accomplishment welled up in his heart.

A familiar figure approached—it was Xiao Chuan.

“Senior Brother, it’s been months since Ye Yan left. When will we recruit another servant disciple to fill his spot? The Medicine Valley is too large. Without someone in that position, everyone else has to walk further,” Xiao Chuan asked.

Gu An retrieved the Valley Master Token and handed it to Xiao Chuan. “You handle it. Let’s see your judgment.”

Xiao Chuan’s eyes lit up. He bowed gratefully to Gu An and eagerly hurried down the mountain.

Gu An, meanwhile, turned his attention toward the outer sect city. He sensed a powerful sword intent emanating from the Heavenly Mending Platform.

Someone else had just comprehended sword intent there.

In the past two years, four individuals had experienced significant breakthroughs in sword intent at the platform. This had elevated both the platform and the reputation of the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path to new heights.

The Heavenly Mending Platform had even become a holy land for sword cultivators across the Taicang Empire. Swordsmen from various sects and factions came to pay homage, and the Taixuan Sect, displaying the magnanimity of the world’s foremost righteous sect, allowed disciples of other sects to meditate there.

This inclusive stance, coupled with the widespread popularity of

Righteousness and Demons

, had not tarnished the Taixuan Sect’s reputation. On the contrary, it had enhanced it.

Whenever Gu An thought of this, he couldn’t help but admire the elders of the sect.

These people were truly adept—not just in vying for power but also in crisis management. No wonder they held such esteemed positions.

After standing atop the mountain for a while, Gu An began his descent.

Two years had passed, and most of the herbs were still maturing. Nevertheless, his lifespan growth rate had been steady. It was time to restart his daily cultivation regimen.

Every night, he planned to invest five years of his lifespan into his cultivation, gradually advancing his level.

Being at the First Layer of the Integration Stage felt insufficient, given the increasing number of grandmasters at the Heavenly Mending Platform. Who knew when an Integration Stage expert might show up?

As he walked downhill toward his pavilion—more than twenty miles away—he appreciated the scenery, savoring the sight of his thriving domain. Far from tiring him, these daily walks brought him immense satisfaction.

After half an incense stick’s time.

Gu An was strolling along the riverbank when a figure descended from the sky, landing behind him.

“Long time no see.”

Li Ya patted Gu An on the shoulder, trying to startle him.

Gu An feigned a startled reaction, shivering slightly. Li Ya had clearly used some stealth technique to land silently.

“What brings you here? How have you been these past years?” Gu An asked, pleasantly surprised.

Li Ya grinned smugly. “Of course I’ve been great. After being seriously injured by that demonic cultivator, I started training diligently. I’m not the same as before.”

“Oh really? I don’t believe you.”

“Wanna test it?”

“No thanks. Our cultivation gap is too wide. It wouldn’t be fair.”

“At least you know that.”

“Heh.”

Gu An chuckled, thinking to himself, *Brother, it’s unfair to

you

.

The two continued forward, chatting as they went.

Li Ya spoke about his experiences after joining the inner sect. Upon arriving, he immediately sought out the Elders’ Hall, but before he could make any progress, a crisis erupted in the outer sect.

Hearing about the trouble, he had been extremely anxious, fearing something had happened to Gu An. He even took a day to visit Xuan Valley, but Gu An wasn’t there at the time.

Only after confirming Gu An’s safety did Li Ya return to the inner sect to focus on his cultivation.

“I didn’t want to lose again, nor did I want to keep fighting battles above my level,” Li Ya explained.

“What made you visit me today?” Gu An asked curiously.

Li Ya smiled. “My father sent me and Li Xuanyu to participate in the Hundred Clans Conference. It’s no trivial event—it’s a competition among the top families of the Nine Dynasties. Rankings from the duels are recorded and spread throughout the cultivation world. The winners also receive unimaginable fortunes. It’s not just about family prestige; it’s a personal battle for fame and fortune.”

“Oh, and your Ji family’s Ji Xiaoyu will also be participating.”

Hearing this, Gu An’s mind conjured a series of dramatic scenarios, piquing his interest.

However, he had no qualifications to attend, nor the inclination. Listening to others’ stories was enough for him.

“Do you think you can defeat our Third Miss?” Gu An teased.

“Maybe not before, but now? Who knows,” Li Ya replied confidently, his words brimming with vigor.

Gu An gave him a sidelong glance, intrigued by his boldness.

Something about this kid’s vitality feels off.

Why does it seem like there’s demonic beast blood in him?

Gu An pondered this quietly as they chatted on their way back to the valley. That evening, the two of them drank late into the night. Other disciples gathered around to hear Li Ya talk about the Hundred Clans Conference, and even Elder Tian joined the fun.

“By the way, the former sect master Lü Baitian once claimed the top spots on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the Dragon Phoenix Ranking, and the Immortal Fate Ranking,” Li Ya recounted with a sigh. “At every stage, he was an undefeated powerhouse. They say he was the strongest Taixuan Sect Master in 3,000 years. It’s a pity he fell into madness and perished.”

Gu An raised an eyebrow.

So Elder Tian used to be that impressive?

He avoided looking at Elder Tian to avoid giving away that he knew his true identity.

Tang Yu couldn’t resist asking, “Uncle Li Ya, do you think Zhou Tongyou can claim the top spot on the Hidden Dragon Ranking this time?”

The Hidden Dragon Ranking was a competition among geniuses under 100 years old from various clans.

Zhou Tongyou was already regarded as the top talent of the younger generation. His fame had been further amplified by the book

Taixuan Immortal Venerable

, as many believed the Zhou Tongyou in the book was based on him. He had even visited the Taixuan Sect before, where he had swept through the younger disciples undefeated before leaving with his head held high.

Li Ya glared at Tang Yu. “What are you saying? The top spot will naturally belong to your Uncle Li Ya! As for Zhou Tongyou, just wait and see—this time, I’ll make him taste defeat!”

This declaration made the disciples look at Li Ya with admiration. His confidence and vigor were truly inspiring.

Elder Tian chuckled. “Actually, Zhou Tongyou isn’t your greatest rival. The Taixuan Sect has another hidden talent, someone even more gifted than Zhou Tongyou. He’s just been in seclusion, so his name hasn’t spread.”

Li Ya turned to him. “Who is it?”

“Lü Xian. He reached the Foundation Establishment Stage at the age of thirty.”

“What?”

Li Ya was visibly shaken, and the others were equally astonished.

Most of those present were already over thirty. They couldn’t even fathom how extraordinary it was to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage at such a young age.

Gu An’s expression turned peculiar.

Two years ago, someone named Lü Xian arrived at Tianya Valley. Gu An hadn’t connected Lü Xian with Lü Baitian at the time, but now it seemed likely they were related by blood.

Li Xuandao must be something else. Digging up the Taixuan Sect’s hidden number-one genius was an outrageous move.