Chapter 82: The Struggle Between Righteous and Demonic Paths, Protecting the Medicine Valley

【Lü Baitian (Core Formation Stage, Third Layer): 754/1050/3200】

Core Formation Stage, Third Layer?

Seeing Elder Tian’s cultivation soar so high, Gu An was inwardly alarmed.

I’d better keep an eye on him. I wouldn’t want him surpassing me without me realizing it.

Gu An had come to understand that the higher the cultivation realm, the better people were at concealing their true strength. Simply relying on senses made it nearly impossible to gauge an opponent’s cultivation.

In other words, the cultivation world was a game of who could hide their power best!

Fortunately, Gu An had hidden himself deeply enough and was confident he could continue to do so.

Elder Tian seemed to sense Gu An’s gaze. He opened his eyes and looked over, prompting Gu An to nod slightly before heading back indoors.

With the demonic path’s invasion imminent, Gu An remained unbothered. He continued with his routine, confident that the Taixuan Sect was no pushover—especially with Elder Tian, a hidden sect master, working in the shadows. Gu An’s focus was solely on protecting his Medicine Valley.

Late summer brought a pleasant coolness.

Walking through the outer sect city, Gu An noticed a sharp increase in Law Enforcement Hall disciples. The city walls in all directions bristled with the presence of Transformation Stage cultivators.

The entire city exuded an atmosphere of tension and martial readiness.

The demonic path’s invasion was no longer a rumor—it was real!

As always, Gu An first made his way to the Heavenly Mending Platform.

The Huangquan Demon Emperor and the Nightshade Ghost Mother were still there, sitting alone like ascetic cultivators, with no other hidden demons or monsters in sight.

Gu An couldn’t shake the suspicion that the Huangquan Demon Emperor might be connected to the demonic path, but reporting it would risk entangling himself in the chaos. His goal was longevity.

A thousand years from now, will the Taixuan Sect even still exist?

He had never been a righteous hero with grand ambitions—just an ordinary man seeking a simple life.

After a cursory scan revealed no unfamiliar powerful faces, Gu An felt reassured. It seemed the Taixuan Sect had tightened its control over outsiders, allowing them to leave but not enter.

Next, Gu An went to visit Jiang Qiong.

Jiang Qiong wasn’t at her residence, and her attendants asked him to wait in the main hall.

As Gu An stood in the hall, he observed his surroundings. He could sense the intricate array of formations concealed throughout the hall—formations invisible to the naked eye.

Thanks to Jiang Qiong’s

Purple Star Array Manual

, Gu An had developed a solid understanding of formations. Now, he could discern some of their mysteries.

As he studied them, Gu An’s expression turned peculiar.

There’s a vast space beneath this residence—similar to the Eight Views Celestial Realm under Xuan Valley!

An hour later, Jiang Qiong finally returned.

As she entered the hall, she waved her hand, causing the large doors to close with a resounding boom.

Gu An stood and greeted her, but she gestured for him to sit. “No need for formalities. Sit down.”

Her face was grim—clearly, something unpleasant had happened.

Gu An retrieved a storage pouch from his waist and placed it on the table beside her. “This contains the first batch of mature herbs. Please inspect them.”

Jiang Qiong’s herbs were of high grade, which was why this first batch had taken so long to mature.

But instead of reaching for the pouch, Jiang Qiong asked, “You must have other matters to discuss. Otherwise, you could’ve sent Hu Mo to handle this.”

Gu An nodded. “I’ve heard rumors that the demonic path plans to siege the Taixuan Sect. Is it true?”

Jiang Qiong nodded solemnly. “Yes, it’s true. Within six months, a righteous-demonic war will erupt across the Taicang Empire. The main reasons are the Taixuan Sect’s rapid expansion, which has unsettled the demonic path, and the involvement of the demon race. Together, they believe they have a chance to defeat the Taixuan Sect.”

Gu An hesitated before asking, “But I’ve heard that a century from now, the Nine Dynasties will face an invasion by demonic beasts. Shouldn’t we be uniting and focusing on cultivation? And how can they trust the demon race so easily?”

Jiang Qiong shot him a glance and snorted. “Do you think the demon race is unified? The demonic beasts beyond the Nine Dynasties are not pure demon race members. If they invade, the demon race will suffer slaughter as well.

“As for the human race—when have we ever been truly united? On the contrary, the more dire the circumstances, the fiercer the competition. The Nine Dynasties’ cultivation resources are limited. The stronger the Taixuan Sect becomes, the more it squeezes other sects’ resources.

“Throughout history, so-called righteous-demonic conflicts have always been about resource allocation. They just need a righteous excuse to start the fight. This time, the demonic path claims it’s to punish the Taixuan Sect for its sins. Soon, rumors will spread, sowing discord within the sect. Once the Taixuan Sect’s morale wavers, the demonic path will strike.

“If the demonic path wins, the roles of righteous and demonic factions will reverse. If they lose, the Taixuan Sect will still lack the strength to eradicate them entirely.”

Gu An fell silent.

More than anyone, he understood this reality. Every time he advanced in cultivation, he absorbed massive amounts of spiritual energy, affecting the Taixuan Sect’s environment. If all the empire’s resources were concentrated in one sect, its leaders would have a much higher chance of achieving breakthroughs.

For the grandmasters, it wasn’t about the world—it was about their own cultivation. With enough power, they could sail southward in search of immortal opportunities, leaving worldly conflicts behind.

After some thought, Gu An asked, “Martial Ancestor, whose side are you on?”

Jiang Qiong smiled. “I’m on the side of the victor. Don’t worry. I’ll ensure this outer sect city remains unharmed. With so many grandmasters here, the demonic path won’t attack from this direction.”

Gu An sighed in relief, then grinned. “As long as my Medicine Valley isn’t threatened, I’ll be fine.”

“Afraid now? I’ve told you before to focus on cultivating, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“Cultivation isn’t something to rush.”

“Humph! You’re just lucky to have me as your Martial Ancestor,” Jiang Qiong snorted. “Before you leave, go find Hu Mo. I’ve already told him to prepare a batch of cultivation pills for you in advance. Use them to improve your cultivation. You’re already fifty years old and still haven’t reached the Core Formation Stage—what a disgrace. Don’t ever claim to be my disciple’s disciple again.”

“Thank you, Martial Ancestor!” Gu An replied with a cheerful smile, but internally, he was full of sarcasm.

Fifty years old and already at the Ninth Level of Integration? Ever heard of that? It’d scare you to death if I said it out loud!

Gu An then asked about the highest cultivation level among the demonic path’s leaders. Jiang Qiong admitted she wasn’t sure, but stated confidently that if Lü Baitian were still around, the demonic path wouldn’t dare invade. However, with Chu Tianqi as the current sect master, a battle between the strongest righteous and demonic cultivators would likely end in a draw.

Gu An silently mourned for the demonic path.

Lü Baitian isn’t dead yet!

“By the way, Martial Ancestor, have you ever heard of the Huangquan Demon Emperor?” Gu An suddenly asked.

Jiang Qiong thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, why?”

“It’s nothing. I just read about it in a book. It’s supposed to be someone powerful, but since you don’t know, never mind. I’ll take my leave now.”

Gu An bowed, then turned and left. Jiang Qiong watched his retreating figure thoughtfully.

After speaking with Jiang Qiong, Gu An’s worries about the righteous-demonic war subsided. His days returned to their usual peaceful rhythm.

Three months later, as autumn came to an end, the Third Medicine Valley was still blanketed with piles of withered yellow leaves.

In the early morning, Gu An was leading the disciples in their exercises. Elder Tian was also participating, and Gu An was the only one who noticed how much sturdier the old man had become.

He’s already reached the Ninth Level of the Core Formation Stage.

Gu An marveled silently.

How does he cultivate? He never causes any fluctuations in spiritual energy when I’m around.

After the exercises ended, Gu An dismissed the disciples and headed toward the pavilion. Sixteen Ancient Gold-Eating Insects hovered around him, making him appear surrounded by a golden halo.

Just as he reached the base of the pavilion, he stopped abruptly.

Two figures were speeding toward him from the horizon—Vice Sect Master Ji Hantian and Elder Gu Zong.

Elder Tian, inspecting the herbs in the garden, glanced at them briefly before resuming his work.

Ji Hantian and Gu Zong landed and called Gu An upstairs for a private conversation.

Once inside, Gu Zong set up his usual restrictions.

Bang!

Ji Hantian slammed his hand on the table, startling Gu An.

**n it! Do you have to slap the table every time you come here?

Gu An wanted nothing more than to use the Grand Yin-Yang Transformation to take on a demonic form and beat Ji Hantian to a pulp.

The furniture in this room was crafted from premium wood. If Ji Hantian broke it, Gu An would feel the loss deeply.

“Chu Tianqi has gone too far! The entire Chu family is rotten! Pan An, you must write a book exposing their actions to the world! The Taixuan Sect is the righteous sect of the world and must be held accountable!” Ji Hantian fumed.

Here we go again.

Gu An remained silent, regretting his past restraint.

Gu Zong, sitting down, said irritably, “Why are you so worked up? Don’t act like you’re unaware of what he’s done. I think you just want to be the sect master. This time, you’re not using Pan An as your pawn. He’s already the Taixuan Sect’s banner for recruiting disciples. That banner can’t become a tool for internal power struggles.”

Gu An glanced at Gu Zong.

Finally, someone who makes sense.

Ji Hantian sighed and admitted, “I do want to be sect master. I believe I could make the Taixuan Sect better. Look at the mess Chu Tianqi has created! His people are refining Greedy Wrath Demon Ghosts and even planning to sacrifice an entire outer sect city. I once thought he was the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, but he’s not.

“With the demonic path gaining momentum, rumors about Chu Tianqi’s misdeeds are spreading like wildfire within the sect. The unrest is threatening the Taixuan Sect’s stability!”

Refining Greedy Wrath Demon Ghosts?

Gu An was taken aback. He’d previously heard Chu Jingfeng mention them and assumed it was the work of the Chu family’s enemies.

But now it seemed there was more to the story.

Is this internal strife within the Chu family, or are they staging this themselves?

"Chu Tianqi is truly disappointing. When he punished Chu Xian’s descendants back then, I thought he was sacrificing family for righteousness. But in hindsight, it was probably just self-preservation," Gu Zong said, shaking his head. "However, dealing with Chu Tianqi won’t be easy. Many in the Elder Hall were elevated by him, and his relationship with the Dao Tian Sect is particularly strong."

Hearing this, Gu An was thoroughly confused.

What are these two trying to pull?

Why were they discussing such things with an outer sect disciple like him? What was the point?

Probably putting on a show,

Gu An surmised.

Trying to rile me up so I’ll expose the so-called darkness within the Taixuan Sect on my own.

The two continued to lambast Chu Tianqi, detailing his various alleged crimes. As Gu An listened, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of anger.

If Chu Tianqi truly did these things, then he was indeed unforgivable.

But Gu An maintained his composure and refused to be swayed.

Gu Zong turned to him and said, “The Taixuan Sect may face a great calamity soon. The herbs in your Third Medicine Valley are abundant, and someone must safeguard them. We plan to assign fifty Core Formation cultivators to guard the valley. What do you think?”

Ji Hantian added, “The Gu family and the Ji family will each send twenty-five people. Oh, and Xuanyu will be among them. They can help you protect the valley while staying away from the main conflict.”

Gu An silently evaluated their intentions. On the surface, it seemed like a solid offer, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this "protection" came with strings attached. Nevertheless, he maintained his calm expression and nodded politely, masking his true thoughts.