Witnessing Gu An effortlessly suppressing two Wandering Immortal, Chi Jiuxiao was left slack-jawed, while An Hao trembled with excitement.
Gu An glanced at the purple-robed man in his grasp and activated Lifespan Investigation.
[Nine Star True Lord (Wandering Immortal Realm Level 5): 42,089/150,000/160,000]
He then shifted his gaze to the red-robed man beneath his foot, casting the same technique.
[Cangye True Lord (Wandering Immortal Realm Level 6): 56,803/160,000/190,000]
"Quite the elders," Gu An mused to himself. The titles "True Lord" seemed to signify a rank or title within the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, distinct from their cultivation realm.
As Gu An pondered, the red-robed Cangye True Lord managed to speak through gritted teeth, "Who exactly are you? If that boy is truly your disciple, take him and leave!"
Before Gu An could respond, a deafening explosion erupted behind him. A colossal black scorpion emerged from the storm of wind and sand, its size akin to a towering mountain. It raised its massive pincers, aiming directly for Gu An.
Swallowing Immortal Scorpion!
The creature's speed was incomprehensible, so swift that neither Chi Jiuxiao nor An Hao could react. They barely saw its emergence before it lunged forward. However, before its pincers could land, the Swallowing Immortal Scorpion suddenly exploded, scattering black venom across the heavens. The blast was followed by a terrifying roar that shook the ground.
Boom!
A massive cloud of dust rose behind Gu An, swallowing the venom in its wake.
"Impossible…" The Nine Star True Lord, still held by Gu An, stared in disbelief.
That Swallowing Immortal Scorpion was a Wandering Immortal Realm existence, yet it perished in an instant. He hadn't even seen Gu An make a move. The moment the scorpion's pincers touched Gu An, its body disintegrated.
[You successfully claimed 57,009 years of lifespan from the Swallowing Immortal Scorpion (Wandering Immortal Realm Level 2).]
Gu An noted the notification with satisfaction. The scorpion had fallen to his Dao Gang Primordial Qi, a divine ability evolved from the Ji family's legendary Heaven and Earth Dao Gang. This defensive ability automatically retaliated against any attack on his body, delivering a fatal shock to the aggressor.
Cangye True Lord, unable to turn his head or extend his divine sense, felt the eruption of Dao Gang Primordial Qi as if his own soul were about to be annihilated. Despair overwhelmed him.
"This opponent… He must be beyond Wandering Immortal!" Cangye True Lord thought, panic surging through him. "How could such an existence appear on this desolate continent?"
The Nine Star True Lord, having witnessed the explosion of Dao Gang Primordial Qi, was equally terrified. His courage shattered, leaving only pure dread.
The longer they had lived, the greater their fear of death.
"Senior… please…" Cangye True Lord stammered, his voice trembling.
Although Gu An detected no immediate hostility from Cangye True Lord, the earlier attempt to sic the Swallowing Immortal Scorpion on him sealed the man's fate.
Without a word, Gu An pressed down with his right foot, shattering Cangye True Lord's body into a mist of blood. All that remained was his storage pouch.
The Nine Star True Lord's eyes widened in horror.
Gu An's palm glowed with the Path-Crushing Divine Light, and in an instant, the Nine Star True Lord was reduced to nothing but fine powder. His storage pouch fell to the ground, joining the remains of his companion.
Two Wandering Immortal, annihilated without the slightest resistance!
Chi Jiuxiao and An Hao were both stunned, their minds unable to process what had just transpired. They were acutely aware of the power of these two Wandering Immortal, which made their abrupt deaths all the more shocking.
Two notifications appeared before Gu An. He had gained an additional 20,000 years of lifespan.
A figure flew in from the distance, landing behind Gu An. It was none other than Chi Bei, Chi Jiuxiao's master. He bowed deeply, cupping his fists as he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Many thanks, senior, for your intervention."
Chi Bei was in a sorry state, his robes tattered and his body oozing black blood.
"Do not speak of this to anyone," Gu An stated coldly. "If you do, you'll share their fate."
Without waiting for a response, Gu An vanished into thin air, taking the two storage pouches with him.
Chi Bei raised his head but could no longer sense Gu An's presence. A sigh escaped his lips.
At that moment, Chi Jiuxiao rushed out of the protective formation to support his master.
"Master, are you alright?" Chi Jiuxiao asked anxiously.
Chi Bei winced, barely managing to respond. "Bring out the medicine cauldron. I need to purge this poison…"
Chi Jiuxiao quickly followed the instruction, retrieving a cauldron and preparing for treatment.
Soon, Chi Bei immersed himself in the cauldron, mixing medicinal herbs with spirit water to begin detoxifying his body.
An Hao approached the cauldron cautiously and asked, "What's the origin of the Swallowing Immortal Scorpion?"
Staring at the cauldron, Chi Jiuxiao replied somberly, "The Swallowing Immortal Scorpion is one of the nine ancient poisons of the seas. It's also the strongest venomous creature alive today. Even immortals will dissolve into toxic blood if swallowed by it. One sting from its tail can dissipate a person's cultivation, leaving even gods and Buddhas beyond saving."
An Hao shivered, his fear rendering him speechless. He struggled to find words to comfort Chi Jiuxiao.
Chi Jiuxiao turned to An Hao and asked, "Who exactly is your master? This is… beyond comprehension."
Gu An's earlier display was overwhelming. Even though Chi Jiuxiao had been saved, he couldn't help but feel a deep-seated fear of Gu An's immense power.
It was the kind of fear born from confronting something utterly beyond one's understanding.
"I can't say my master's name. He forbids me from speaking of it," An Hao replied with a shake of his head, though his tone carried pride.
Every time he witnessed beings of higher realms, he couldn't help but wonder what level his master truly stood at.
But each time, his master shattered his understanding of cultivation.
No matter how powerful an existence appeared before Gu An, they were invariably reduced to mere ants.
An Hao had long realized that, despite his unparalleled talent, he was insignificant compared to his master. Sometimes, he even suspected that his exceptional aptitude was due to his master's favor.
Hearing this, Chi Jiuxiao fell silent, his mind replaying Gu An's earlier actions. A trace of admiration gleamed in his eyes.
A true cultivator should possess such an indomitable aura!
Meanwhile.
Gu An didn't return directly to the Tai Xuan Sect. Instead, he took a single step, arriving at a secluded island in the vast ocean.
He appeared amidst the trees and swiftly sorted through the storage pouches of the two fallen True Lords. Removing any suspicious items, he transferred all valuable treasures into his own pouch.
The sheer volume of their accumulated wealth exceeded the capacity of his storage pouch. Reluctantly, he refined one of their pouches for his own use.
Once he was done, Gu An left the island with a single step and entered his self-created Cave Heaven. Dumping out the contents of the storage pouches, he carefully examined everything before burning the pouch of the Nine Star True Lord to ashes.
Even though he had found nothing particularly problematic, Gu An always erred on the side of caution.
With that task completed, Gu An finally returned to the Tai Xuan Sect.
He ascended to a mountain peak near Xuan Valley and gazed into the distance.
Although killing the three Wandering Immortal had been effortless, Gu An's heart remained uneasy.
This incident is bound to cause an uproar!
However, he had no regrets. He couldn't let his enemies live.
There was one potential solution, though. If he could locate the Celestial Spirit rumored to be in the The Mysterious Divine City and gift it to someone else, the conflict might resolve sooner.
Gu An had no interest in The Mysterious Divine City, no matter how powerful its forces were. The karmic ties of the city were too heavy; he preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Giving the Celestial Spirit to another cultivator, someone who could leave with the Star Sea Sect, was the best course of action.
Having ventured into The Mysterious Divine City twice, Gu An had already caught faint traces of the Celestial Spirit's movements.
Days later, in a small world within The Mysterious Divine City, the winds and sands finally calmed.
Chi Jiuxiao supported Chi Bei as he emerged from the medicinal cauldron and sat down. Clad in a clean white robe, Chi Bei's face was pale, his hair disheveled, lacking the poise of a Wandering Immortal.
As he settled, Chi Bei sighed deeply. "To think The Mysterious Divine City has provoked a Flying Immortal…"
Hearing this, An Hao's face lit with curiosity.
"Flying Immortal? Isn't that the legendary realm where immortals roam the heavens and traverse the stars?" Chi Jiuxiao's eyes brightened with excitement as he asked.
Chi Bei nodded solemnly. "It must be. Even within the Wandering Immortal Realm, defeating those two True Lords so effortlessly is impossible otherwise."
He looked at Chi Jiuxiao and added, "Since that senior saved us, we must honor our promise. Do not mention his involvement. Say instead that it was the cultivators of the Star Sea Sect who took action. Understand?"
Chi Jiuxiao nodded firmly.
Chi Bei then turned to An Hao, scrutinizing him carefully. He could see that An Hao's roots were extraordinary but couldn't discern any trace of his master in An Hao's karmic ties from the past decade.
As for Lü Baitian, Chi Bei dismissed him entirely; a mere Body Fusion Realm cultivator wasn't worth considering.
"Is your master also from the Tai Xuan Sect?" Chi Bei asked.
An Hao shook his head cautiously. "I'm not sure, but probably not." He left some room for ambiguity, not entirely trusting Chi Bei.
Chi Bei chuckled. "You're fortunate, boy. With a master like that, your future is limitless. Consider joining the Star Sea Sect in the future."
An Hao hesitated. "I have more than one master. My other master is the Tai Xuan Sect's sect leader. I have a duty to strengthen my sect."
Chi Bei's smile softened. "I'm not asking you to leave the Tai Xuan Sect. You could train at the Star Sea Sect for a time, fostering goodwill between the two sects. The Star Sea Sect could help you grow stronger quickly. When you're powerful enough, you'll be able to protect the Tai Xuan Sect more effectively. And one day, if the Star Sea Sect faces difficulty, you could offer your support."
Hearing this, An Hao wavered. He looked to Chi Jiuxiao for guidance.
Chi Jiuxiao snorted. "Do you think my master would deceive you? Look at Xuan Tianyi; he's a testament to the benefits."
Throughout their journey together, Chi Jiuxiao had learned of the bond between Xuan Tianyi and An Hao.
He was eager to draw An Hao into their fold.
Gaining An Hao's allegiance meant securing ties with a Flying Immortal—an unparalleled advantage!
Although the Star Sea Sect had produced Flying Immortals before, they existed only in legends, and Chi Jiuxiao had never seen one with his own eyes.
After a moment's hesitation, An Hao finally nodded, bringing smiles to Chi Bei and Chi Jiuxiao.
Chi Bei quickly grew serious again. "The poison of the Swallowing Immortal Scorpion hasn't been fully purged. Let's leave The Mysterious Divine City before the Seven Stars Spirit Realm sends more pursuers."
"But the city…" Chi Jiuxiao hesitated.
Chi Bei glared at him. "The Mysterious Divine City is teeming with Flying Immortals and other Wandering Immortal. Do you think you're qualified to fight for the Celestial Spirit?"
Chi Jiuxiao deflated instantly, rubbing his head sheepishly and dropping the subject.
Though An Hao felt a pang of regret, he didn't leave empty-handed. Traveling with Chi Jiuxiao had yielded plenty of treasures.
Thus, the three quickly gathered their belongings and began seeking a way out.
In a dimly lit grand hall, a series of brass oil lamps hung on one wall. Many of the lamps had already gone out.
Standing before the wall of lamps was a woman in a purple dress, her face obscured by a veil. Her hair was elegantly pinned up, and her visible brows and eyes exuded both beauty and coldness, giving her an air of mystery.
A young boy wearing only a small vest appeared on her shoulder, tilting his head curiously. "Mother, what are you looking at?" he asked.
Upon closer inspection, the boy's feet seemed to merge into the woman's shoulder. He wasn't a living being but a spirit.