Chapter 254: The Real Yang Jian, the Fake Sun Wukong

Hearing Gu An’s words, Li Lingtian didn’t think too much and agreed immediately.

Li Xuandao, however, was displeased and scolded Li Lingtian. As he kept speaking, Li Lingtian became angry and started talking back.

What followed was a lesson taught with a firm hand—Li Xuandao picked Li Lingtian up, slung him over his leg, and started spanking him while scolding him sternly.

This scene reminded Gu An of his childhood in his previous life. His past memories were becoming blurry, feeling like distant recollections.

Gu An hadn't expected Li Xuandao to have such a side. He also wondered whether Li Ya had been disciplined in the same way when he was a child.

However, he could tell that Li Lingtian’s mother was no ordinary woman. Even Li Xuandao’s words carried a tone of helplessness when speaking about her.

Gu An turned his gaze toward Li Lingtian’s karma, peering into his past.

Soon, he gained some insight.

Li Lingtian’s mother came from the ocean and bore the surname Yang, belonging to a prestigious family. For her sake, Li Xuandao had abolished his former empress and made her the new empress, even going as far as grooming Li Lingtian as the crown prince.

After looking into Li Lingtian’s past, Gu An couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

With such a powerful mother, it was no wonder he could act so recklessly.

But Li Lingtian’s fate was indeed extraordinary. He was born overseas, and the moment he was born, the skies roared with thunder, forcing the grandmasters of his clan to step in and protect him.

Only after his birth did Li Xuandao officially marry Empress Yang, and the Yang family even assigned specialists to guard Li Lingtian as he grew up.

Even now, there were two Grand Ascension Stage cultivators stationed in the distance, watching over him.

In the past, Grand Ascension cultivators were incredibly rare, but now they kept appearing within the Three Dynasties' cultivation world.

Perhaps the Yang family had also recognized this continent’s potential and placed their bet in advance. And Li Xuandao, the man about to unify the Three Dynasties, was certainly a promising candidate.

Li Lingtian was indeed remarkable. No matter how much Li Xuandao hit him, he refused to cry. Instead, he glared at his father stubbornly.

This brat was like a little devil. In the future, both Li Xuandao and Li Ya were bound to have their hands full with him.

“Uncle, that’s enough. The child can be taught slowly in the future. He didn’t actually do anything wrong—his way of speaking was just a bit impolite, but I didn’t find it offensive,” Gu An spoke up, offering Li Xuandao a way out.

Hearing this, Li Xuandao looked somewhat ashamed. He glanced at Gu An and said, “This brat was born with unnatural strength, and he holds grudges. Don’t let him spar with your disciple, or he might fixate on him.”

Li Lingtian slipped down from his father’s lap and ran to Gu An’s side, clutching his arm and sticking out his tongue at Li Xuandao.

Gu An could feel the strength in his grip—this kid was only eight years old but seemed strong enough to crush a rock effortlessly.

“No worries, my disciple is strong too,” Gu An said with a smile.

Hearing this, Li Xuandao could only shake his head and stop trying to dissuade him.

In his mind, only An Hao could be compared to his youngest son. Even Lü Xian was no match for Li Lingtian in terms of talent.

The conversation then shifted to the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path.

At the mention of this topic, Gu An immediately perked up and enthusiastically joined the discussion.

Li Xuandao assumed he was also a fan of the Sword Sovereign, which was understandable. Even as the Emperor of Taicang, he felt his blood boil whenever he heard tales of the Sword Sovereign. It was only natural for ordinary cultivators to admire him.

After talking for an hour, Li Xuandao left with Li Lingtian.

Before leaving, Li Lingtian waved at Gu An and said, “Senior Brother Gu, don’t let Yang forget about this. Once I’m grown up, I’ll come challenge him!”

Gu An nodded with a smile, secretly looking forward to seeing Li Lingtian take a loss.

When it came to lifespan limits, Yang had the upper hand. When it came to age, Yang was older. And when it came to mentors—did Li Lingtian think he could find a Free Soaring Immortal as his master?

Since Li Xuandao had treated him well, Gu An figured he should properly educate Li Lingtian to keep him from straying down the wrong path.

After finishing his herb gathering, Gu An rode away on the Blood Prison Great Saint.

A hundred miles beyond Horizon Valley, the Blood Prison Great Saint spoke up.

“Master, that kid’s blood and vitality are extraordinary.”

With a single glance, he could tell that Li Lingtian had exceptional physique and a unique fate.

“He’s indeed impressive, but do you think he can compare to Shi’er?” Gu An asked casually.

“Of course not! There’s no one more monstrous than that boy!”

Mentioning Yang, the Blood Prison Great Saint was filled with emotion.

He had witnessed Yang’s transformation from a mortal, which made him respect Gu An even more.

If not for Gu An discovering Yang, he might have remained an ordinary disciple in the valley, living a mundane life.

“I’ve passed on cultivation techniques to you, so you’d better train well. In a thousand years, the world might change entirely. Even if Grand Ascension cultivators remain powerful, their status won’t be what it is now.”

“Master, don’t worry! I won’t let you down!”

“This isn’t about me—you cultivate for yourself.”

“Heh, I plan to follow you for a lifetime.”

“You bull-headed fool, are you trying to latch onto me forever?”

“Master, please have mercy!”

The collapse of the Seven Star Spirit Realm had stirred even greater turmoil across the ocean.

When Gu An visited Seeker’s Island, many cultivators there were discussing it.

At a private gathering hosted by Daoist Tang Hai, the attendees were in awe of the Sword Sovereign’s strength.

After this battle, the Sword Sovereign’s name spread across the sea, even more renowned than on the continent.

While the chaos at sea didn’t affect the mainland, major powers like the Starsea Sect Alliance dared not interfere in the Sword Sovereign’s domain. Instead, many cultivators flocked to the continent, seeking opportunities.

Under these circumstances, peace came to the land.

Gu An’s days became more settled as he focused on cultivating herbs, waiting for his hidden realm’s harvest.

As he waited, he continued expanding his realm and planting more herbs.

Now that he could relocate the hidden realm, he felt even more at ease.

Tianqing and Tianbai helped Tian Yao’er manage affairs, and both the hidden realm and Nianchu Cave Dwelling remained trouble-free.

In the blink of an eye—

A decade passed.

This year, Xiao Chuan activated his Innate Reincarnation Technique and broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, reaching a lifespan limit of 286 years—far less than Ye Lan’s.

It was due to his cultivation attitude. He wasn’t as diligent as Ye Lan.

Still, Xiao Chuan could live for at least another century.

After breaking through, Xiao Chuan bid farewell to Gu An, planning to return to his hometown and experience a mortal’s life. If possible, he even wanted to start a family.

Though Gu An didn’t personally escort him, he used his divine sense to watch over Xiao Chuan the entire way, ensuring his safety.

Half a month later, after Xiao Chuan safely arrived home, Gu An finally withdrew his attention.

During midsummer, the Third Medicine Valley welcomed visitors.

Gu An personally greeted them, watching as a man and a woman approached the valley entrance.

[Yang Ni (Transformation Stage, Fifth Level): 318/1200/1360]

[Li Lingtian (Foundation Establishment Stage, Ninth Level): 18/350/8999]

Gu An’s gaze landed on Yang Ni. She was Li Ya’s mother’s biological sister. Back when the Nightshade Sect caused chaos, she was drawn into it. After protecting Gu An for a while, she had left.

Over the years, Gu An had occasionally sensed her through his divine sense—she wandered from place to place, training in various locations. She encountered trouble now and then, but overall, she lived well.

Dressed in red with a sword at her waist, she still looked as beautiful as ever.

Seeing Gu An from afar, she seemed a little dazed.

The boy she once protected had now become a Core Formation cultivator, his entire demeanor transformed.

Yang Ni studied Gu An and said, "It’s been years, and you’ve changed a lot. You finally look like a real cultivator."

Gu An chuckled. "I suppose so."

Then, he looked at Li Lingtian, deliberately feigning hesitation. "And you are…?"

Li Lingtian had also been sizing up Gu An. Hearing this, he grinned and said, "Senior Brother Gu, it’s me! Li Lingtian! I’m here for our duel!"

As he spoke, his gaze wandered, searching for Yang Shi.

Gu An shook his head with a smirk, then invited Yang Ni and Li Lingtian to sit down and chat. However, Li Lingtian wasn’t having it—he insisted on fighting first.

Gu An had no choice but to summon Yang and lead them out of the valley to find a secluded place for their duel.

Li Lingtian assumed that Gu An was only agreeing to avoid embarrassment and didn’t refuse.

The entire way, Li Lingtian kept staring at Yang with intense curiosity, making Yang Shi visibly uncomfortable.

A decade had passed, and Yang had already reached the eighth level of Core Formation. His outward cultivation level had been suppressed to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Gu An walked ahead, chatting casually with Yang Ni as they reminisced.

Yang Ni also had a lot to say upon seeing Gu An again.

However, she hadn’t come here to accompany Li Lingtian. He had overheard Li Xuandao arranging for her to visit Taixuan Sect and had stubbornly insisted on coming along.

"Empress Yang’s surname is also Yang… I wonder…" Gu An suddenly asked.

Yang Ni shot him a glare. "Don’t ask. Our Yang family could never compare to hers."

Clearly, despite sharing the same surname, there was no connection between them.

Li Ya’s mother, Lady Yang, was once Li Xuandao’s greatest love—so much so that he had even gifted her the Tianxiu Sword.

Now, Li Lingtian’s mother was also named Yang, which inevitably led Gu An to overthink things.

Could it be that Li Xuandao chose Empress Yang not just for her background but simply because she shared the same surname?

"By the way, Li Lingtian doesn’t hold back in a fight. If he injures your disciple, don’t take offense. But don’t worry, I’ll keep a close eye on them and step in before he suffers any serious harm," Yang Ni reminded him.

Gu An smiled. "It’s fine. They’re both in the Foundation Establishment Stage. A fight at the same level shouldn’t be an issue."

If Li Lingtian ended up getting beaten to death, he would step in to save him.

Behind them, Li Lingtian continued sizing up Yang before finally speaking. "Your name is Yang? Why did you pick that name?"

Yang replied, "Because I liked

Romance of the Gods

and

Journey to the West

as a child."

"What a coincidence! I love those too! But I like Sun Wukong the most. So today, is this a battle between Yang Shi and Sun Wukong? Let’s see if you’re the real Yang Shi!" Li Lingtian grinned mischievously.

Yang glanced at him, unimpressed. "I like Sun Wukong too. Whether I’m the real Yang Shi or not, this fake Sun Wukong will find out soon enough."