Half a month passed after Lü Baitian and Ji Hantian left. Suddenly, rumors began to spread throughout Tai Xuan Sect.
A group of seemingly crazed disciples roamed the inner sect city, loudly proclaiming that the Sheng family genius had bullied Wu Jue, which led to his retaliation.
The case of Wu Jue killing a fellow disciple had already caused a stir. Now that this group of disciples was presenting an entirely different narrative, how could it not provoke widespread debate?
Even though those disciples were quickly subdued, the news spread like wildfire.
Curious disciples began investigating, uncovering that these witnesses who testified against Wu Jue had gone mad. Their current accounts contradicted their earlier testimonies, leading many to suspect foul play.
Some speculated that someone supporting Wu Jue had intervened. Others believed the witnesses, unable to handle the psychological burden, feigned madness to reveal the truth. The most sensational theory suggested that the Sheng family had poisoned them to force false testimonies. Now, with the poison's effects manifesting, the disciples used their final moments of clarity to confess the truth.
The sect was abuzz with speculation, and once again, Wu Jue became the center of attention within Tai Xuan Sect.
The uproar grew so intense that even Ye Lan and Zhen Qin from the branch sects sought out Gu An, fearing he might become entangled in the chaos.
"The Sheng family is truly ruthless, resorting to poisoning people. Tsk tsk, even the branch sects are talking about this. Wu Jue is supposed to be one of Tai Xuan Sect's poster geniuses. But without a family backing him, if this matter isn't handled well, it'll chill the hearts of all the disciples without family support," Zhen Qin remarked with a click of her tongue.
Ye Lan remained calm, her tone steady. "What sect has ever maintained centuries of peace? There's always some turmoil. The Sword Master of the Dao hasn't shown himself for years. Perhaps the families are testing his stance."
Meanwhile, Gu An sat with a book in hand, his divine sense focused on a distant ocean.
Deep in the waters, the Deep Sea Dragon Koi was being hunted by a group of monstrous creatures. It was in dire peril.
The poor creature had endured eighty-one trials and was now facing its final one.
Zhen Qin casually flicked her hair, her expression indifferent. "Let it escalate. It was bound to happen eventually."
Gu An glanced at her and asked, "What about you? Still making trouble for the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother?"
The mention of the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother wiped the smile off Zhen Qin's face. She snorted coldly. "I'm no match for her. I can't keep troubling Senior Jiang Qiong. I'll have to focus on cultivating for now."
Because of Su Han's death, Zhen Qin's resolve in cultivation had grown, enhancing the effects of her innate reincarnation abilities.
"That's good. Jiang Qiong has her own difficulties. After saving you, she must have found herself in an awkward position with her vice sect leader," Gu An said, following her train of thought.
Zhen Qin nodded, then changed the subject. "I once heard a senior mention that the Yuanxu Immortal Ancestor truly opened the cycle of reincarnation, and it resides in the heavens. I wonder what reincarnation actually looks like."
The mention of reincarnation brought Xiao Chuan to Gu An's mind. Xiao Chuan had been caught in the Reincarnation Vortex for so long without being reborn. At least within the Heavenly Spirit World, Gu An had yet to find traces of Xiao Chuan's Extinguishing Dao Life Seal.
Could it be that Xiao Chuan had been reincarnated into another grand world?
Could a Divine Thought Immortal be this powerful?
"If reincarnation truly exists, I'd look forward to it. But what if there's no reincarnation at all? If everyone is simply a reincarnated soul, where did the first souls originate?" Ye Lan mused, her tone skeptical.
The two women delved into a discussion about reincarnation, carefully avoiding the topic of Wu Jue.
Gu An occasionally interjected, making the time pass quickly.
As evening approached, the two women took their leave.
Gu An then left the Third Medicine Valley, first heading to Xuan Valley with plans to spend an hour there before moving on to the Submerged Spirit Palace.
When he arrived at Xuan Valley, he saw a group of disciples gathered together, listening to an older disciple talk about the Sheng family. Jiang Shi stood by a tree, listening intently.
The Sheng family's actions had caused such an uproar that disciples of all levels were talking about it.
The disciples who went mad had nothing to do with the Sheng family. It was Gu An who took action, using the Power of Karma to entangle those disciples. Trapped in an endless cycle of illusions showing the tragedy of the Sheng family genius, their minds eventually collapsed.
As for the truth about Wu Jue's case being revealed, that too was guided by Gu An's Power of Karma.
At this moment, chaos erupted within the Sheng family. The upper echelons were frantic, trying to figure out how to handle the situation.
Gu An walked over to the disciples, casually joining their discussion about the Sheng family drama.
When Jiang Shi saw Gu An approach, he immediately sat up straight, his demeanor cautious and respectful.
Decades had passed, yet Jiang Shi still harbored hope of cultivating under Gu An's tutelage. Even though he had already reached the Core Formation Realm, he showed no intention of leaving Xuan Valley.
The more devoted Jiang Shi appeared, the more reluctant Gu An was to accept him.
Gu An had once deduced Jiang Shi's karmic ties. There didn't seem to be any great cultivator scheming against him. Yet, the lack of complications only made Gu An more uneasy.
Why was Jiang Shi so fixated on him?
Could it be that the Heavenly Dao was laying the groundwork for a tribulation in his path?
Jiang Shi, unaware of Gu An's thoughts, remained at Xuan Valley out of fear. He worried that leaving prematurely would make him vulnerable to the royal Li family's pursuit. Without the strength to protect himself, he wouldn't dare venture outside.
As for Gu An, Jiang Shi only thought of him as an extraordinary mentor, never associating him with the Sword Master of the Dao.
To Jiang Shi and the other disciples of Xuan Valley, the Sword Master of the Dao was a mythical figure. Apart from Lu Jiujia, none of the disciples in Xuan Valley had ever seen the Sword Master in action in their lifetimes. Many even doubted whether he truly existed.
After chatting for a while, Gu An stood up to leave. The disciples dispersed shortly afterward.
Watching Gu An disappear into the forest, Jiang Shi turned to Lu Jiujia and hurriedly asked, "Senior Brother, where is Master going so late? Why does he always leave like this?"
This question had been on his mind for over a century, and he could no longer hold it back.
Lu Jiujia gave him a glance and replied, "Don't pry into Master's whereabouts."
Hearing this, Jiang Shi quickly apologized.
Lu Jiujia said nothing more and headed toward his quarters.
Once inside, he sat cross-legged on his bed. Gazing at the moonlight streaming through the window, a trace of melancholy flickered in his eyes.
Recently, he had felt increasingly powerless, a deep fatigue that was hard to shake. There was an ominous sense that if he closed his eyes, it might be for the last time.
He was beginning to understand that when people spoke of their lives reaching their end, it wasn't just a figure of speech.
His time was running out, and he needed to think about his affairs.
When he passed, who would take over as the first disciple? Who could serve their master as faithfully as he had?
Jiang Shi was the first to be ruled out. There was no way he would leave such an important role to someone the master clearly disliked.
Meanwhile, Gu An arrived at the Submerged Spirit Palace, where he observed the Deep Sea Dragon Koi finally escape danger, retreating into an underwater cave to hide. Confirming its safety, the creature immediately fainted from exhaustion.
"Looks like you've dodged this calamity. Let me make the last part of your journey easier," Gu An murmured to himself. He raised his hand and flicked his fingers. A stream of mystical power passed through the ocean, entering the body of the Deep Sea Dragon Koi in a way no ordinary being could comprehend. It healed its injuries and replenished its spiritual energy.
Afterward, Gu An began harvesting medicinal herbs.
Once his task was complete, he didn't leave. Instead, he stayed in the Submerged Spirit Palace, quietly reading.
The Submerged Spirit Palace housed an extensive collection of books, all of which were Gu An's personal treasures. Whenever he sought solitude, this was where he would retreat.