Chapter 245: Flying Fairy of Heaven and Earth, is it very powerful?

"Again!"

Zhou Tongyou gritted his teeth. He refused to believe it—how could he be unable to defeat a mere errand disciple?

Everyone said Taixuan Sect’s fortune had skyrocketed in recent years, but could it really have risen to the point where even a random errand disciple could best him?

What a joke!

He was the Zhou Family’s number one genius!

Yang beckoned to him, a gesture that only fueled his rage.

The two quickly clashed again. Gu An could tell that Zhou Tongyou’s physique was unique, but unfortunately for him, his opponent was Yang. And Yang's physique was comparable to the Ancient Treasure Body. According to the Seeker of Immortality Daoist, as long as an Ancient Treasure Body matured properly, it was destined to become an Immortal Lord.

No matter how talented Zhou Tongyou was, he was still beneath the Immortal Dao. Two hundred years ago, there were no rumors of anyone reaching the Grand Ascension Stage on this continent—barely anyone had even heard of the Profound Mind Realm.

Compared to Yang’s physique, Zhou Tongyou’s Golden Body of Demon Suppression was the difference between a mortal and an immortal—it posed no real threat at all.

Their movements intertwined, fists and kicks clashing with relentless speed, each strike as swift as a storm.

The Blood Prison Great Saint, drawn by the commotion, slowly approached from the edge of the forest.

Eventually, in his desperation, Zhou Tongyou accidentally infused his attack with spiritual energy, forcing Yang Zhi back.

Yang steadied himself, shook his right hand, and furrowed his brows.

Facing Yang’s gaze, Zhou Tongyou’s face instantly flushed red. "Fine! I lost!"

Hearing this, Yang Zhi’s brows relaxed. Since beginning his cultivation under Gu An, this was his first real duel. He cared deeply about the outcome—if he had lost, wouldn’t that mean he had let down his master’s teachings?

Gu An chuckled. "This kid’s got brute strength, but a cultivator can’t rely on raw power alone. Consider it an unfair advantage on his part. Winning or losing doesn’t matter—now hurry up and thank Senior for his guidance."

Yang Zhi immediately cupped his fists and sincerely expressed his gratitude.

The more genuine he was, the darker Zhou Tongyou’s expression became.

At that moment, Zhou Tongyou noticed a suspicious-looking demon ox wandering nearby and couldn’t help but ask, "Is that ox yours?"

Gu An thought to himself,

You’re not thinking of challenging the ox, are you?

"Yeah, what do you think? Good quality?" Gu An asked with a hint of pride, hoping to steer the conversation away from the duel and give Zhou Tongyou some face.

Zhou Tongyou scoffed. "Looks decent, but its stance is a bit off."

Hearing this, the Blood Prison Great Saint’s bull eyes widened. Just as he was about to lash out, Gu An shot him a glare, forcing him to hold back.

Gu An then invited Zhou Tongyou to the valley for a chat, but he refused, saying he had other matters to attend to.

Gu An didn’t press the issue and simply watched him leave.

Yang scratched his head and asked, "Master, did I offend him?"

Gu An looked at Zhou Tongyou’s departing figure. "Don’t worry about it. Letting him learn that there’s always someone stronger out there isn’t a bad thing."

Gu An actually had a good impression of Zhou Tongyou.

The guy fought recklessly, but the fact that he was willing to give pointers to fellow cultivators he barely knew showed he had a good heart.

His conflict with the Zhou Family was hidden in the shadows, and it shouldn’t affect his personal interactions with Zhou Tongyou.

Besides, Zhou Tongyou’s visit to Taixuan Sect was likely an attempt by the Zhou Family to mend relations. There was no deep enmity between them—perhaps one day, they could let go of past grievances.

"Master, did I make any mistakes in that fight?" Yang asked humbly.

Gu An didn’t hold back and began his critique.

The Blood Prison Great Saint approached with a pitiful look in his eyes.

Only after Gu An gave his head a few pats did his mood improve.

"He’s just a mortal. Why get worked up over him?" Gu An’s words instantly made the Blood Prison Great Saint grin.

—

The Absolute Mountain Sect was a righteous sect within the Taicang Empire. During the last Demonic Cataclysm, they had fought valiantly and had always maintained a good relationship with Taixuan Sect.

Now, their genius disciples had come to spar with Taixuan’s, causing quite a stir.

Pan An’s book

Taixuan Immortal Venerable

remained famous within Taixuan Sect, and it was no secret that the Zhou Tongyou in the story was based on the Absolute Mountain Sect’s Zhou Tongyou. Many were eager to see his performance.

Zhou Tongyou easily crushed multiple Taixuan disciples, displaying the same brilliance from decades past—until he met Wu Jue.

With no suppression of cultivation, only relying on pure skill, Zhou Tongyou was no match for Wu Jue, cementing Wu Jue’s reputation as a true genius.

Wu Jue was Taixuan Sect’s rising star after An Hao. His cultivation speed was astonishing, and he had even been a Golden Ranking genius. With his victory over Zhou Tongyou, any lingering doubts about him were erased, and Taixuan disciples grew even more eager to see what he would accomplish.

—

Full Moon Night.

Lü Baitian and Gu An drank together inside a house.

"Wu Jue sees you as his only brother. Li Ya treats you as the most important person in his life. That Zhang Bukui views you as his only elder. And then there’s An Hao—his sister even became your disciple. Ji Family’s Ji Xuanyu grew up with you. Even Gu Yu from Gu Zong is close to you. Damn brat, and you still say you have no ambition to be the next Sect Master?" Lü Baitian glared.

He truly admired Gu An—he always managed to befriend geniuses, and his relationships with them were all incredibly strong.

Of course, he understood why. Gu An was genuine in his interactions with people, which wasn’t easy.

Most people adjusted their attitude depending on who they were dealing with. Even Lü Baitian himself, despite trying to treat all disciples equally, wouldn’t bother looking twice at a passing ordinary disciple.

Gu An chuckled. "Heaven has treated me well. I truly don’t want to be Sect Master. With so many geniuses in Taixuan Sect, why would we lack a leader?"

"No matter how many geniuses there are, you can’t pick just anyone. A Sect Master needs to command respect."

"My cultivation isn’t high enough to command respect."

"Before I die, I’ll pass my cultivation to you, and you’ll step straight into the Profound Mind Realm."

"By the time you’re on your deathbed, I’ll have reincarnated ten times over."

"Oh? So you’re playing hard to get? Hoping I’ll pass it to you sooner?"

They began bickering, but Gu An had no interest in Lü Baitian’s cultivation.

Me, a Free Soaring Immortal, needing your Integration Stage cultivation?

One breath of spiritual energy from me is stronger than your entire life’s worth of cultivation!

That night, after Lü Baitian left, Gu An quietly departed as well.

Yan Qitian had finally arrived!

Under the cover of night, Yan Qitian rode the clouds, soaring past the full moon like an immortal.

He was contemplating how to face the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path. Even though he was working for him, the thought of meeting him filled him with immense pressure.

Just then—

A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

His heart nearly stopped.

With a thunderous crash, the sea of clouds beneath him dispersed, and he was forcibly slammed into the forest below. By the time his feet touched the ground, his heart was lodged in his throat.

His mana was sealed.

He couldn’t move a muscle.

Such terrifying suppression!

For the first time, fear gripped his heart.

Then, the hand lifted.

Yan Qitian spun around and saw the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path. He immediately bowed.

"Senior, wasn’t that a bit too..."

"Senior, wasn’t that a bit too..." Yan Qitian couldn't help but protest as he struggled to calm his nerves.

Then, a thought flashed in his mind.

He suddenly remembered a certain book that had been circulating within the Starsea Sect Alliance recently—a book about the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path.

According to the book, before the Sword Sovereign killed someone, he always placed a hand on their shoulder first.

At the time, he had dismissed it as an embellishment by the author, Xuantian Yi.

But now… it was real.

Wait!

Could it be—

He was about to be silenced?!

Yan Qitian's face turned deathly pale, his entire body trembling. The dignity of a Scattered Immortal and the second-ranked expert on the Heavenly Rankings was nowhere to be seen.

The higher one stood, the more they feared losing what they had.

The Sword Sovereign could suppress him with just one hand—who knew how terrifying his true power was?

How could he not be afraid?

Gu An spoke calmly, "Where is it?"

Yan Qitian quickly retrieved a scroll from his storage ring and presented it with both hands, his voice trembling slightly. "This contains all the information I gathered through my family and master’s connections. While not entirely complete, it provides a general picture of the Seven Star Spirit Realm’s strength."

Gu An reached out and, with a mere gesture, the scroll flew into his hand. He sent his divine sense into it, effortlessly dispelling all the restrictions placed on it.

Yan Qitian stood to the side, tense and on edge, as though the Sword Sovereign might strike him down at any moment.

He didn’t dare to run—it would be pointless. Instead, he could only try to prove his usefulness.

After a moment, Gu An looked at him and said, "You did well. Our deal—no one else knows about it, correct?"

Yan Qitian hurriedly nodded. "Only my master is aware, and I only told him that a mysterious senior with a grudge against the Seven Star Spirit Realm wanted this information. He didn’t ask further questions. Aside from me, no one knows it was you."

Gu An nodded in satisfaction.

Yan Qitian hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "Senior, dealing with the Seven Star Spirit Realm should not be taken lightly. If you’re willing, why not consider joining forces with our Starsea Sect Alliance? Based on the intelligence I gathered, the leader of the First Star Cave is a Celestial Ascension expert who ascended to that realm fifty thousand years ago. Even our Sect Master has no certainty of victory against him."

Gu An raised an eyebrow. "Celestial Ascension—are they supposed to be strong?"

His casual remark left Yan Qitian utterly speechless.

Strong?

Yan Qitian opened his mouth, but suddenly, he realized something.

Was the Sword Sovereign not ignorant of the Celestial Ascension Realm… but simply so powerful that he didn’t care?

His gaze towards Gu An instantly changed. He wanted to kneel on the spot.

"You performed well," Gu An suddenly said, his tone casual. "Tonight’s conversation—if a single word leaks out, I’ll find you no matter where you hide. And nothing will stop me."

Yan Qitian shuddered violently and immediately bowed in submission. "I swear I will never speak of this!"

Before he could react, Gu An stepped forward, placed two fingers on his forehead, and a surge of invisible force flooded his mind. His body stiffened, his eyes turning vacant.

—

Under the moonlit sky, within a serene courtyard.

Ji Xuanyu sat cross-legged inside a pavilion, both hands weaving intricate seals as she cultivated.

A middle-aged man in a long robe strode towards her. His face was stern, his aura commanding.

Stopping at the pavilion’s entrance, he sighed. "Xuanyu, have you still not made your decision?"

Ji Xuanyu remained silent.

"The Innate Dao Sigil is indeed extraordinary, but our Ji Family cannot protect it. Furthermore, the Ji Family has already pledged allegiance to the Seven Star Spirit Realm—we have no choice but to trust them," the man said with a heavy tone.

Ji Xuanyu opened her eyes and met his gaze with unsettling calm.

Her expression was so unreadable that it made his heart uneasy.