Chapter 253: The Same Person

Chapter 253 The Same Person

【Guo Guhong harbors hostility toward you and has murderous intent. Would you like to use Lifespan Perception on him?】

Seeing Guo Guhong attack him, Gu An couldn’t help but laugh.

This guy was truly ruthless—acting on his killing intent the moment it surfaced. Clearly, he had done this kind of thing many times before.

Too bad. This time, he picked the wrong opponent.

Boom!

The moment Guo Guhong’s claw touched Gu An’s chest, an immense force erupted. The ground beneath Gu An’s feet cracked, sending sand and stones flying, while the lake’s surface rippled violently. In an instant, Guo Guhong was reduced to ashes.

Gu An raised a hand and casually patted his temple before continuing forward, dispersing the remnants of Guo Guhong with a single step.

A system notification about acquiring lifespan appeared before him, but he ignored it. The lifespan was too little to be worth his attention.

The waters of the Northern Sea shimmered, and at the far end of the lake, a massive fish leaped into the air, its curved body resembling a crescent moon.

Sunset fades, moonlight rises.

Two days later, Gu An, in the guise of the Mountain God, arrived at the Mountain God Dao Temple.

The small figure of his divine form leaped down from the eaves.

Hearing the noise, Xuanmiao Zhenren opened his eyes. Upon seeing Gu An, he immediately stood up and saluted.

“How’s the herb cultivation going? I need more for alchemy.”

Gu An landed on the ground, walked toward the temple gate, and asked casually.

Standing behind him like a towering mountain, Xuanmiao Zhenren maintained a respectful posture.

“It’s going well. I just need to know how much you require,” he replied.

The two then left the Mountain God Dao Temple to harvest herbs.

As they walked, Xuanmiao Zhenren recounted everything that had happened recently, including details about those who had passed by the temple.

He spoke truthfully, but that was pointless—Gu An, as a Free Soaring Immortal, could see the past events of this place. There was no room for deception.

Gu An wasn’t particularly interested in the stories but was satisfied with Xuanmiao Zhenren’s attitude.

For decades, the man had dutifully guarded this place, never wavering in his reverence. Gu An felt that such devotion deserved a reward.

After gathering the herbs, the two arrived at an open space. Gu An left half of the collected herbs for Xuanmiao Zhenren.

Xuanmiao Zhenren wanted to ask about the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, but he didn’t know how to start, leaving him momentarily silent.

“These years, your diligence has been commendable. I’m very pleased. Would you like to learn a sword technique from me?”

Gu An stood atop a rock, looking down at Xuanmiao Zhenren with a faint smile.

Xuanmiao Zhenren was momentarily stunned before instinctively replying, “Of course, I would.”

Gu An raised his hand and pointed a finger at him. In an instant, Xuanmiao Zhenren fell into a trance.

No one knew how much time passed before he gradually woke up. When he opened his eyes, the Mountain God was already gone. The golden hues of the setting sun filtered through the forest, casting dappled shadows on his face.

“Celestial Star-Suppressing Infinite Sword…”

Xuanmiao Zhenren was utterly shocked.

A sword technique of such profound depth actually existed in this world?

More importantly…

Why did this sword technique feel somewhat similar to the Li Family’s sword arts?

Though he had trained at Three Pure Mountains since childhood and shared blood ties with the Taicang Empire’s royal family, he had never studied the Li Family’s inheritance in depth.

“Even the Mountain God knows swordsmanship… How does his compare to the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path?”

Xuanmiao Zhenren couldn’t help but ponder. He had always been intrigued by the Sword Sovereign’s power, constantly trying to imagine his level of cultivation.

He had to admit—the Sword Sovereign’s charisma was overwhelming, making people admire him instinctively.

Sinful! This is sinful!

How could I waver in my loyalty to the Mountain God?

Xuanmiao Zhenren tried to suppress his inner turmoil, but a bold thought surfaced in his mind—one even he found difficult to believe.

Could the Mountain God and the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path be the same person?

Before the invasion of the overseas cultivators, how could two beings—both transcending the Seven Star Spirit Realm—exist on the same continent at the same time?

Meanwhile, news of the Sword Sovereign’s massacre of the Seven Star Spirit Realm immortals continued to spread.

In the days that followed, Taixuan Sect and the Seven Star Spirit Realm announced their alliance, vowing to protect the continent’s mortals together. This established Taixuan Sect as the leading sect in the Three Dynasties’ cultivation world.

With its influence skyrocketing, more and more people sought to join Taixuan Sect.

Autumn winds swept through the sect, but no sense of desolation lingered—only prosperity.

In the Mountain Forest

Gu An sat atop the Blood Prison Great Saint, gazing at a group of young boys and girls they had just passed by.

The group was led by two adult men—one a village chief, the other a teacher—escorting them to Taixuan Sect in pursuit of the Immortal Path.

It was a rare sight, especially in the mountains between Xuanrong and Tianyong.

Gu An turned his gaze forward and asked lazily, “What do you think of Taixuan Sect these days?”

The Blood Prison Great Saint pondered for a moment and said, “Not bad. It seems to be improving. I’d say it qualifies as a righteous sect. Both Medicine Valley and the Outer Sect City have a good atmosphere.”

He knew that everything Taixuan Sect had today was due to the person sitting on his back.

If Taixuan Sect ever displeased Gu An, all its prosperity could vanish like an illusion.

After spending so much time as Gu An’s mount, the Blood Prison Great Saint had developed some attachment to Taixuan Sect. Though there were some despicable people in Medicine Valley, the sect as a whole wasn’t bad.

Compared to the lower-realm sects he had once belonged to, Taixuan Sect was far more harmonious. It wasn’t powerful yet, but it embodied his ideal vision of an immortal sanctuary.

He could even sense that Taixuan Sect’s fortune was on the rise—perhaps in a thousand years, it would be unimaginably strong.

“If it qualifies as a righteous sect, then that’s good enough.”

Gu An chuckled softly.

One man and one beast disappeared into the depths of the forest.

One Hour Later: Horizon Valley

Gu An rode the Blood Prison Great Saint leisurely into the valley, sensing the presence of others inside.

Li Xuandao is here.

Unbothered, Gu An continued forward at a relaxed pace.

Inside a courtyard, Li Xuandao was sipping tea while watching a young boy—no older than seven or eight—practice swordsmanship.

The boy’s movements were fluid and lively.

Luo Hun stood nearby, watching the child cautiously, as if afraid he might get injured.

Seeing Gu An from afar, Li Xuandao smiled.

“That kid has become quite flamboyant,” he chuckled.

Gu An rode in majestically on a powerful demonic beast, draped in elegant blue robes and wearing a dark-gold crown, exuding the aura of a celestial noble.

Even Lü Xian, who was meditating atop the mountain, was stunned by Gu An’s appearance.

For some reason, Gu An’s presence unsettled him—a vague, inexplicable feeling of unease, like a primal instinct.

Meeting Li Xuandao’s gaze, Gu An patted the beast’s back, signaling it to speed up.

Soon, they arrived at the courtyard. Gu An dismounted and walked in briskly.

“Uncle, long time no see.”

Gu An saluted.

Habitually, he used Lifespan Perception on the young boy.

【Li Lingtian (Qi Refining Stage, Fourth Level): 8/110/8999】

Hmm?

Eight thousand nine hundred ninety-nine years of maximum lifespan?

Interesting.

Gu An’s mind stirred, but his expression remained calm.

Li Xuandao chuckled, nodding as he replied, "Indeed, it has been a while. I've been here for two days, specifically waiting to see you before leaving."

Right now, he was in high spirits. The Three Dynasties War was still ongoing, but everyone could feel the overwhelming dominance of the Taicang Empire, poised to unify the world within the next few years—something that hadn’t happened in thousands of years.

Li Xuandao’s own cultivation was advancing rapidly, already approaching the Ninth Level of the Integration Stage. In less than a century, he had nearly caught up with Lü Baitian, an achievement few could fathom.

The two exchanged pleasantries. When Li Xuandao inquired about Gu An's recent activities, Gu An simply spoke about Medicine Valley, sharing mundane details. But Li Xuandao listened attentively.

Putting aside Gu An’s relationship with Li Ya, his management of Horizon Valley over the years had been impeccable, something Li Xuandao was deeply satisfied with.

As the conversation flowed, Li Xuandao playfully teased Gu An’s transformation.

“You've changed so much—completely different from before,” he said, amusement in his voice.

Gu An smiled and adjusted the Immortal Lord’s Crown on his head. "A man should enjoy life when he's at his peak. Unlike you and Senior Brother Li, I don't meddle in world affairs. But in my own little world, I can still live grandly, don’t you think?"

Li Xuandao laughed. "That crown of yours seems to be missing a gemstone. Need my help? Or shall I gift you a better one?"

A better one?

You probably can’t afford it.

Gu An shook his head, politely declining. Li Xuandao didn’t press the matter. Instead, he gestured for Li Lingtian to come over.

The young boy immediately ran up, staring curiously at Gu An.

Looking at his youthful face, Gu An couldn’t help but think of Li Ya at fifteen. The two shared a certain resemblance in their brows.

"This is your Senior Brother Gu," Li Xuandao introduced. "He has the closest relationship with your brother, Li Ya."

Hearing this, Li Lingtian respectfully saluted Gu An, his demeanor serious yet adorable.

Gu An considered what he should give as a greeting gift, but before he could decide, Li Lingtian suddenly blurted out, "Senior Brother Gu, I heard that you wrote Journey to the West. Have you met Sun Wukong?"

Gu An froze, then instinctively glanced at Luo Hun, who quickly turned his head away.

Li Xuandao, still smiling, clearly knew about this long ago.

Thinking back, Gu An wondered—had Li Xuandao already guessed that he was Pan An back when he asked about Romance of the Gods? Had he been testing him?

But it didn’t matter anymore.

"I've met him... in my dreams," Gu An replied with a laugh. "But in reality, I took a disciple named Yang Zhi."

Li Lingtian's eyes lit up. "Yang Zhi? Like Erlang Shen Yang Jian? Is he strong? Can I spar with him?"

Gu An chuckled. "Of course, but you'll have to grow up a bit first."

Li Lingtian nodded obediently, then—acting like a little adult—said, "Senior Brother Gu, you have to make sure your disciple trains hard. My uncle says I have the greatest fate in the world. I wouldn’t want your disciple to be too weak to fight me."

Li Xuandao shot him a sharp look. "What has your father always taught you? Stay humble!"

Li Lingtian pouted. "But Uncle said it! Even Mother says that everything in this world exists for me. She told me I should be confident!"

Li Xuandao’s expression darkened instantly.

Meanwhile, Gu An was thoroughly amused. He patted Li Lingtian’s head and said with a grin, "Alright, Senior Brother Gu will make sure my disciple trains hard. But in return, you have to promise me something—before you spar with him, you must train diligently and not recklessly challenge others. Can you do that?"