Chapter 211: The Unfathomable Gu An

Qiao Dai ignored Ji Hantian’s provocation and fixed his gaze on the Heaven-Splitting Axe.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward him. Over the years, countless cultivators had come to challenge the Heaven-Splitting Axe, but few carried such an imposing presence.

The strongest cultivator of Lingxia—just the title alone was intimidating!

Though Qiao Dai appeared calm, inwardly, he was nervous.

The Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path had built an unrivaled reputation over the years. Even in the Spirit Realm, his name was widely known. Qiao Dai knew he wasn’t a match for the Sword Sovereign, but the Heaven-Splitting Axe was merely a treasure the Sovereign had left behind. He was confident he could lift it.

He raised his right hand and gripped the axe handle.

The moment his hand made contact, he felt an unimaginable weight press down on him.

His brows furrowed as he exerted force.

Rumble—

The Heavenly Mending Platform trembled, and all eyes were locked on him.

Regardless of sect or faction, none of the cultivators present wanted him to succeed.

The disciples of Taixuan Sect were concerned about their sect’s honor, while the other factions desired the opportunity for themselves. Who wouldn’t want to inherit the Sword Sovereign’s legacy?

At this point, the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path had become a revered figure among all sects in the Three Dynasties.

Beneath Gu An, the Blood Prison Great Saint was inwardly shocked. Truth be told, he had also considered trying to lift the Heaven-Splitting Axe. Aside from the one sitting on his back, he had yet to meet anyone truly stronger than himself.

But Qiao Dai was different. The Blood Prison Great Saint could tell that this man’s cultivation was slightly higher than his own.

If even Qiao Dai couldn’t budge the axe, then he stood no chance.

This realization deepened his reverence for the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path.

To think that the Sovereign had casually left a treasure here, and yet, after so many years, no one had been able to move it—let alone lift it. The sheer level of power required was beyond comprehension.

Qiao Dai began channeling his secret arts, his aura surging to new heights, causing the Outer Sect City to tremble.

More and more figures appeared on the Heavenly Mending Platform, all of them high-ranking members of Taixuan Sect.

They watched Qiao Dai with apprehension.

But after observing him for a while, they began to smile.

His aura was terrifying—but so what?

If he couldn’t lift it, then he couldn’t lift it!

Zuo Yijian smirked as he watched Qiao Dai strain.

You act so arrogantly, yet you came here with nothing to show for it?

Ultimately, Qiao Dai did not lose himself in frustration like Xuantian Yi or Li Xuanling. After holding on for only a few breaths, he suddenly withdrew his aura.

Straightening his posture, he let go of the axe and said, “The Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path is truly extraordinary. I, Qiao Dai, admit defeat!”

His voice echoed throughout the entire city.

Although his words carried an air of grandeur, many people felt like saying, "Who even are you?" No one had heard of him before.

But given the power he had just displayed, no one dared to provoke him.

Since they couldn’t afford to offend Qiao Dai, they turned to praising the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path instead.

In an instant, the Heavenly Mending Platform was abuzz with discussion about the Sovereign’s might.

Qiao Dai turned to Ji Hantian and snorted, "Where is your Sect Master? I want to see him!"

Ji Hantian nodded and gestured for Qiao Dai to follow him. The two quickly departed from the Outer Sect City.

Gu An patted the Blood Prison Great Saint on the back, signaling him to move.

Once outside the city, Gu An spoke leisurely, “In a few years, I’ll let you reach the Second Rank and gain the ability to speak.”

Upon hearing this, the Blood Prison Great Saint’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

Not being able to speak was absolute torture!

He was already looking forward to the day he could curse out those damn ants that kept touching him all the time!

“But remember,” Gu An warned, “there are things you can say, and things you must never say.”

The Blood Prison Great Saint quickly nodded. In truth, he wouldn’t have much to say anyway—he still had no idea how powerful Gu An truly was.

Time passed day by day, and summer drew to a close.

Atop a mountain peak north of Xuan Valley, Gu An was sparring with Chu Jingfeng in swordplay.

Even as he swung his sword, Gu An’s divine sense drifted outward, scanning the world beyond the continent.

In the far eastern sky, he saw a Celestial Ascendant soar across the heavens and descend upon the mortal world.

Over the years, Gu An had seen many figures coming and going from heaven and earth. Celestial Ascendants were rare, but at his current level, he could spot at least one a day—proof of how vast this world was.

Celestial Ascendants weren’t even the strongest.

Even at their level, Gu An’s divine sense couldn’t cover the entirety of the mortal world.

No wonder it was called the Heavenly Great Realm—this world was simply too vast!

For Gu An, the larger the world, the better.

The larger the world, the smaller he seemed.

Just then, Gu An sensed an immense surge of energy erupting in the far east, beyond the continent—even farther than Seeker’s Island.

This energy sent chills down his spine.

It was powerful!

Yet it did not feel like the aura of a living being.

It felt more like some kind of supreme treasure.

Could it be that the person descending from the heavens had come for this mysterious treasure?

Gu An thought it was highly possible.

At that moment, Chu Jingfeng sheathed his sword and panted heavily. “I’m exhausted. I can’t beat you.”

His expression toward Gu An grew even more complex.

Every time he felt his swordsmanship had improved, he would challenge Gu An, only to find himself on the verge of victory—yet always losing.

Their duels involved no spiritual energy—only raw strength.

And if he failed to defeat Gu An before exhausting his strength, it meant his swordsmanship still wasn’t superior.

Gu An chuckled. “You’re so close. You’ve improved a lot.”

Chu Jingfeng wiped the sweat from his forehead and stared at Gu An. “Are you saying you’re also improving? Or have you been holding back this whole time?”

He was beginning to feel that Gu An was truly unfathomable.

Back when they first met, he had only felt gratitude toward Gu An. But now, he was starting to wonder—was Gu An a peerless genius or a hidden master?

He suddenly recalled the Greedy Wrath Demon Ghost’s rampage.

At the time, it had died inside Gu An’s residence.

Even now, no one knew who had saved Gu An.

Could it have been Gu An himself?

Gu An smirked. “Come on, I’m a Ninth-Level Core Formation Cultivator. I’ll reach the Golden Core Stage soon. Of course, I should be able to beat you! Don’t forget—I’m ranked 500th on the Golden Ranking!”

Seeing his smug expression, Chu Jingfeng couldn’t help but chuckle.

Yeah, why overthink it?

After chatting a bit longer, Gu An descended the mountain with his Tianxiu Sword, while Chu Jingfeng remained on the cliffside, meditating on their sparring session.

The next morning, the First World Cultivation Tournament officially began.

It was said that over 50,000 cultivators and demons had registered—across all realms, including mysterious Grand Ascension cultivators.

Gu An didn’t participate.

Instead, he traveled to Horizon Valley to harvest medicinal herbs.

This year, he had to reach 7 million years of lifespan.

Only by surpassing 10 million years could he look forward to 100 million years.

And 100 million years would unlock new abilities…