The Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc hovered loftily above, like the embodiment of the ultimate Dao, suspended high over all beings.
Qiu Xi Immortal Lord's true body was absorbed into the Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc. He was utterly consumed by despair and helplessness, unable to mount any resistance.
When he disappeared into the disc, the thunderous roar that reverberated across the heavens and earth persisted. The entire Broken Sea Domain trembled as though the apocalypse had arrived.
Moments later, a prompt appeared before Gu An:
[You successfully killed Qiu Xi Immortal Lord (Seventh Level of the Dao Void Profound Immortal Realm), gaining 340,876 years of lifespan.]
"Not bad, that saves me half a month's effort," Gu An mused inwardly. Still, his face remained an expression of shock, maintaining his aura of solemnity. Acting required full dedication!
The Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc did not dissipate immediately but continued to hang in the sky, demanding reverence from all living beings.
Due to the overwhelming size of the disc, its intricate patterns were clearly visible even to the mortals below. These depictions seemed to narrate ancient myths, filling the onlookers with profound awe.
Time passed.
The winds across the heavens gradually subsided. Around the Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc, an overwhelming gray mist began to gather, creating a breathtaking spectacle. As the mist enveloped the disc, darkness descended across the land.
Finally, the masses awakened from their stupor, their suppressed emotions bursting forth into excitement.
The oppressive aura of Qiu Xi Immortal Lord had vanished entirely—did that not mean the Sword Master of the Dao had slain him?
Incredible!
Qiu Xi Immortal Lord had descended with unparalleled majesty, akin to the wrath of heaven itself, forcing all beings to tremble in fear.
Even as the Sword Master intervened, the masses had anticipated a fierce, earth-shattering battle. Yet the outcome was a one-sided suppression.
Domineering!
Invincible!
Although none had glimpsed the Sword Master's visage, the impression left by this battle was seared into the hearts of all.
The heavens slowly brightened as the dark clouds began to disperse. The colossal Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc had vanished without a trace, as if it had never been there at all.
Within the Third Medicine Valley, a wave of excitement surged among the disciples.
Gu An quickly approached Ji Xiaoya, an eager expression on his face as he asked, "With your ability, can you discern the cultivation level of the Sword Master of the Dao?"
Ji Xiaoya turned her gaze toward him but chose not to answer.
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor, however, took a deep breath and said, "His level is beyond what you should speculate on, boy. Stay a mortal, and do not entangle yourself in matters of grand karma!"
With that, he vanished into thin air.
Gu An feigned shock but inwardly felt a wave of satisfaction.
Yes! This is the feeling!
Even if you look down on me now, I'll be waiting above the celestial path. But whether you'll manage to ascend there, that remains uncertain!
Gu An turned toward Ji Xiaoya and asked, "Was he rattled by the Sword Master of the Dao?"
Ji Xiaoya nodded and replied, "The Sword Master is indeed powerful. I never thought there would be such a mighty cultivator hidden within the Heavenly Spirirt World. I'm even beginning to suspect…"
"Suspect what?"
"Nothing. I'm going back to my chambers to cultivate," Ji Xiaoya replied, turning to leave. Watching her retreating figure, Gu An tilted his head slightly.
Why does it feel like she's shaken too?
Gu An chuckled inwardly, then stood where he was, waiting. He had sensed Shen Zhen's aura approaching. This would be the perfect opportunity to hear Shen Zhen's inevitable boasting about the Sword Master of the Dao.
After one incense stick's worth of time, the Tai Xuan Sect was still abuzz. On the Heaven Mending Platform, disciples could be seen kneeling and worshiping the Heaven-Sundering Axe in droves.
Inside a pavilion.
Gu An wore a peculiar expression as he watched Shen Zhen sketch the Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc on a sheet of paper.
There was something subtle in the air—a faint sense that someone was probing his Dao, and that someone was Shen Zhen.
In other words, her artwork held profound mysteries.
This realization prompted another question: if he could sense Shen Zhen's probing, then could the ancient entities she had previously painted also have noticed her attempts?
He recalled a prior instance when one of her paintings had inexplicably been destroyed. Could that have been a warning?
"How about it? Isn't it amazing?" Shen Zhen asked proudly, her expression radiating confidence as she noticed Gu An's silence.
Gu An raised his gaze and asked, "Aren't you afraid of displeasing the Sword Master of the Dao?"
Shen Zhen waved dismissively. "How could that be? The Sword Master guards the Tai Xuan Sect. I'm a disciple of this sect now, so he's practically my grandmaster. How could he mind? Don't forget the existence of the Heaven Mending Platform. No one in this world has a broader heart than the Sword Master."
Well said! I like that perspective!
Gu An joined her in extolling the Sword Master of the Dao, which only fueled Shen Zhen's enthusiasm. Her admiration for the Sword Master had long been deep-rooted, and today's battle had rekindled the dormant fire of her devotion.
And it wasn't just them. Across the Broken Sea Domain—its oceans, continents, and islands—anywhere with sentient beings, discussions about the Sword Master of the Dao dominated every conversation.
Compared to the Sacred Court's Sacred Sword, they much preferred the title Sword Master of the Dao.
Moreover, the title of "Sacred Court's Sacred Sword" was something the Sacred Court unilaterally declared. No one had ever heard of the Sword Master of the Dao acknowledging such a title.
The commotion within the Broken Sea Domain was immense. Even though Gu An had restrained his actions, the uproar caused by Qiu Xi Immortal Lord had already spread. Various sects began dispatching envoys to investigate.
The influence of this battle was far-reaching, echoing across the years to come. Qiu Xi Immortal Lord was no ordinary figure; he was the highest-ranking immortal from the Immortal Dynasty to fall in recent memory!
When the news reached the Sacred Court, the Sacred Minister was overjoyed.
"Ha ha ha! Do you see? This is why I agreed to let him decline the fortune position. The moment I met him, I sensed his extraordinariness. Now, it seems likely he is a Free Immortal!" The Sacred Minister stood on the high platform, his laughter bold and hearty.
In the hall stood the Sacred Deities, Sacred Kings, and other Third-Grade Heavenly Rank cultivators, all wearing expressions of shock.
Qiu Xi Immortal Lord was practically an immortal relic, his strength unquestionable—yet he had been so effortlessly slain.
"How can you conclude he's a Free Immortal? A Divine Thought True Immortal could also kill Qiu Xi Immortal Lord," one queried.
"Heh. The point is that you cannot calculate or perceive how he managed it," another retorted.
"Yangxian Emperor is likely to explode with rage. I heard the Immortal Dynasty previously tried to recruit the Sword Master of the Dao."
"A Free Immortal? Who is this person truly? If he is a Free Immortal, his reputation will undoubtedly resonate throughout the ages."
"Could he be from beyond the heavens? However, there's no need for us to investigate further. Pressing the matter might push him toward the Immortal Dynasty. From his actions, it's clear he has compassion for all beings. A person like this poses no threat as long as we maintain friendly relations."
The Sacred Court's high-ranking officials continued their discussions, unanimously praising the Sword Master of the Dao. Their admiration only served to deepen the Sacred Minister's wide grin.
Previously, his efforts to draw the Sword Master to the Sacred Court had been met with internal dissent. Additionally, the Sacred Court had been suppressed by the Immortal Dynasty for years, leaving the Sacred Minister with a sense of pent-up frustration.
"I must visit him again," the Sacred Minister thought, his eyes gleaming.
Meanwhile, the Immortal Dynasty received the news just as swiftly. The death of a Seventh-Level Dao Void Profound Immortal shook their core. Qiu Xi Immortal Lord held a revered status within the dynasty, and his death enraged the immortal beings. The Sword Master of the Dao instantly became their most loathed enemy.
Even An Hao faced suppression due to the incident, though his life remained unthreatened. Until the Sword Master of the Dao was dealt with, An Hao was placed under house arrest and forbidden to leave the Immortal Dynasty.
The deterrence of slaying a Dao Void Profound Immortal was so great that the Immortal Dynasty did not immediately retaliate. Instead, they fell into an eerie silence.
When Gu An brought An Xin to Mortal Peak, the other peaks were abuzz with discussions about the battle.
The name of the Sword Master of the Dao once again reverberated throughout the world, earning admiration from countless beings. Despite being known as the Sacred Court's Sacred Sword, he had not claimed a fortune position or aligned himself with the Sacred Court or the Immortal Dynasty, yet still demonstrated such overwhelming strength. What unparalleled courage!
Time flew by.
Three years passed in the blink of an eye, and the end of the year arrived.
Gu An strolled through the Xuan Valley, watching the disciples clearing snow.
His gaze landed on a mountaintop nearby, where An Shengtian was training under Jiang Shi. All the disciples could sense Jiang Shi's favoritism toward An Shengtian.
Lu Jiujia approached, smiling. "That boy reminds me of my younger self. Jiang Shi spares no effort in teaching him, holding nothing back."
In Lu Jiujia's eyes, Jiang Shi's dedication was commendable. After all, An Shengtian was a descendant of An Hao. Regardless of An Shengtian's achievements, this formed a favorable bond with An Hao.
Gu An nodded. "Summon the two of them to my pavilion later."
With that, he turned and headed for his residence.
Shortly after, Gu An arrived at his pavilion. He rubbed his hands together and pulled a book from his sleeve.
A radiant smile spread across his face as he muttered, "Xuan Tianyi, Xuan Tianyi, can't you write faster? You're getting slower with each volume."
It had been over a decade since the latest volume of The Adventures of the Green Hero was published. Over the years, Gu An had been eagerly awaiting each installment.
Of course, he could deduce the next developments in The Adventures of the Green Hero by analyzing Xuan Tianyi's fate, but he refrained. Life needed its little surprises; otherwise, time would pass too quickly.
Settling into his chair, he began flipping through the book.
An incense stick's worth of time later, Jiang Shi brought An Shengtian into the pavilion.
At twenty, An Shengtian bore a striking resemblance to An Hao. His facial features were nearly identical, which might have been why Si Yan'er had relented in taking him on as a disciple. Many other descendants of the An family had sought her mentorship, only to be turned away.
The two bowed respectfully to Gu An.
An Shengtian glanced curiously at Gu An. Since joining the valley, this was the first time Gu An had summoned him.
Though An Shengtian didn't think much of the Nascent Soul Realm, Jiang Shi always insisted that Gu An was extraordinary, piquing his curiosity.
Jiang Shi looked at Gu An with unconcealed admiration in his eyes.
Every time he recalled the grand scene from three years prior, his blood surged with excitement.
What loose immortal?
Master must be the Sword Master of the Dao!
None in the Tai Xuan Sect knew the hidden identity of the Sword Master of the Dao. With Gu An suppressing his cultivation, the coincidence was too perfect!
"Shengtian, have you felt any discomfort recently?" Gu An asked gently, his tone warm and reassuring.
An Shengtian's name had amused Gu An when he first heard it.
This kid wanted to surpass An Hao? How absurd!
Setting aside talent, Gu An would never allow his prized disciple to be overshadowed by future generations.
No matter how many geniuses or powerful cultivators he encountered, An Hao remained his most cherished disciple. Even compared to the exceptional talents of Lu Han or Long Zhan, An Hao held his own.
Judging by the timeline, An Hao's ascension to the Nirvana Realm was drawing near.
After obtaining the Heavenly Dao legacy from the Sacred Court, An Hao's cultivation had advanced like an unstoppable flood.
"I haven't felt any discomfort. Master, have you noticed something wrong?" An Shengtian asked nervously. The An family's curse still lingered in his mind as an ever-present shadow.
He feared the sudden arrival of death.