A voice came from behind, interrupting Jue Luo Sword Master's train of thought.
"This Daoist friend seems unfamiliar. Is there something you need my help with?"
The speaker was none other than Gu An.
Jue Luo Sword Master turned halfway, casting a glance at Gu An.
As his eyes landed on Gu An, a peculiar feeling arose within him.
Logically, a mortal like this shouldn't have caught his attention. Yet, as soon as Gu An spoke, Jue Luo Sword Master instinctively turned to face him, inexplicably drawn in.
This reaction was one he'd only experienced in the presence of those stronger than himself.
While observing Gu An, Jue Luo Sword Master discerned faint karmic ties between Gu An and An Hao. Though tenuous, the connection was undeniable.
Breaking the silence, Jue Luo Sword Master asked, "Are you the master of this medicine valley?"
Gu An smiled calmly. "I am Gu An. May I have your name, fellow Daoist?"
Jue Luo Sword Master replied, "I am Jue Luo Sword Master from the Grand Sword of the Great Hong."
"The Grand Sword of the Great Hong? I've never heard of it, but it sounds magnificent. It must be a sacred land, far from the Tai Cang Continent, I presume?" Gu An feigned surprise, his tone casual yet intrigued.
Jue Luo Sword Master, uninterested in games, got straight to the point. "Are you a disciple of the Sword Master of the Dao? Call your master out to meet me."
As he spoke, he unleashed a sliver of sword intent, instantly enveloping the entire Third Medicine Valley.
Ji Xiaoyu suddenly appeared in front of Gu An, her vigilant eyes fixed on Jue Luo Sword Master. The Dao patterns on her forehead ignited into blazing flames.
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor followed closely, frowning at Jue Luo Sword Master.
An Hao, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, and Shen Xin Zi quickly arrived as well. Even the great cultivators who had been leisurely playing chess below the Dao platform hurried to the scene.
Gu An could sense Jue Luo Sword Master's intent within his sword aura—it was cutting off the Third Medicine Valley from the outside world. Clearly, he intended to establish a battlefield here.
An Hao fixed his gaze on Jue Luo Sword Master, his voice low. "Senior, what are you trying to do?"
An Xin came running, her curious eyes filled with anticipation as she studied Jue Luo Sword Master.
Jue Luo Sword Master ignored An Hao, his gaze falling on Ji Xiaoyu instead. His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke, "The Yin-Yang Four Emperors… It has been a long time. Samsara Dao Emperor, I didn't expect you to undergo a reincarnation tribulation here."
Ji Xiaoyu remained composed, her voice calm. "Jue Luo Sword Master, as far as I know, the Grand Sword of the Great Hong has no intention of invading the Heavenly Spirit World. Are you acting independently?"
Jue Luo Sword Master chuckled. "Among the Yin-Yang Four Emperors, the only one I've ever feared is the Six Paths Dust Emperor. Has his tribulation concluded yet?"
Yin-Yang Four Emperors!
Samsara Dao Emperor!
Six Paths Dust Emperor!
The surrounding cultivators were silently stunned. These names alone carried an imposing weight, stirring curiosity and awe.
"You may seek him out yourself. He has indeed mentioned you," Ji Xiaoyu replied icily.
Jue Luo Sword Master shook his head with a faint laugh, disregarding the stares of those around him. "Enough talk. I've come to challenge the Sword Master of the Dao. Call him out."
At the mention of the Sword Master of the Dao, the tension among those present heightened.
To dare challenge the Sword Master of the Dao was no trivial matter!
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor couldn't help but interject, "Is the Grand Sword of the Great Hong targeting the Sword Master of the Dao specifically?"
He had witnessed the battle outside the heavens before. The strength of the Grand Sword of the Great Hong had shocked him—it had fought both the Immortal Dynasty and the Sacred Court simultaneously. Even more alarming, Jue Luo Sword Master hadn't participated in that battle.
How many Free Immortal Realm experts did the Grand Sword of the Great Hong possess?
Jue Luo Sword Master didn't bother to respond to the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor. Though only separated by one major realm, he looked down on him entirely.
The scene grew silent, and the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor's expression darkened.
Gu An cleared his throat softly and said, "So, it turns out you want to challenge me?"
All eyes turned toward him.
Jue Luo Sword Master's gaze shifted, locking firmly onto Gu An. "You're the Sword Master of the Dao?" he asked, his tone laced with disbelief.
Now it made sense! No wonder his earlier reaction had been so unusual.
But to Jue Luo Sword Master's eyes, Gu An looked no stronger than a Nascent Soul cultivator, showing no sign of the Immortal Dao realm.
An Hao, hearing Gu An's words, hesitated to speak, doubt flickering in his mind.
Could it be that his master was secretly watching over this place, enabling Gu An to act so boldly? He couldn't detect any hidden cultivation from Gu An, so he doubted the man had the strength to back his words.
More and more disciples gathered to observe from a distance, murmuring among themselves but not daring to approach.
Gu An stepped around Ji Xiaoya, walking directly toward Jue Luo Sword Master.
Ji Xiaoya reached out, gripping his wrist in an attempt to dissuade him, but Gu An simply smiled at her and gently slipped free of her grasp.
"Yes, I am. How do you wish to challenge me?" Gu An asked, a faint smile playing on his lips as he faced Jue Luo Sword Master.
It was a question laden with implication. If Jue Luo Sword Master's answer didn't satisfy him, his life might very well end here.
After all, Grand Sword of the Great Hong was the lineage of Yang Ping'an. By the hierarchy of seniority, Jue Luo Sword Master was Gu An's grand-disciple. As a master ancestor, how could Gu An kill a fellow sect member upon first meeting?
Jue Luo Sword Master raised his right hand, and in his palm, a trace of sword intent formed. It was like a sliver of lightning—not blinding or vast, but potent enough to make everyone's heart tremble with dread.
The power contained within that thread of sword intent was so terrifying that it sent chills down the spines of those watching.
Ji Xiaoya, the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, and others felt paralyzed, as though even the slightest movement would spell death.
An Hao clenched his fists tightly within his sleeves, preparing to step in.
From a distance, Long Qing stood on tiptoes, trying to get a better look. Though he couldn't feel Jue Luo Sword Master's sword intent, the gathering crowd piqued his curiosity.
"I naturally wish to compete in swordsmanship to see whose sword dao reigns supreme. Show me your Sacred Heart Sword Dao," Jue Luo Sword Master declared coldly.
The mention of the Sacred Heart Sword Dao caused Ji Xiaoya and the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor's expressions to shift dramatically. Both turned to Gu An, their eyes wide with shock.
The Sacred Heart Sword Dao was renowned, the supreme legacy of Grand Sword of the Great Hong. Anyone who inherited the Sacred Heart Sword Dao could dominate the three thousand realms, standing unrivaled across worlds.
Could Gu An truly be the inheritor of the Sacred Heart Sword Dao?
If so, no wonder the Sword Master of the Dao remained elusive. He was, after all, a great cultivator from Grand Sword of the Great Hong.
It was impossible for anyone to quietly ascend to the Free Immortal Realm without stirring the heavens. The tribulation alone from Divine Thought True Immortal to Free Immortal would alarm the universe—how could it be concealed?
Hearing Jue Luo Sword Master's demand, Gu An smiled faintly.
To Jue Luo Sword Master, however, that smile felt like pure provocation.
And then, in an instant—
Gu An vanished, appearing directly in front of Jue Luo Sword Master. The sudden gust of wind ruffled Jue Luo Sword Master's robes, and his eyes widened in astonishment.
"Challenge the Sacred Heart Sword Dao?"
Gu An lifted his chin slightly, his indifferent gaze bearing down on Jue Luo Sword Master as though he were staring at a mere ant.
Raising his left hand, Gu An grabbed Jue Luo Sword Master's wrist.
Throughout the entire process, Jue Luo Sword Master didn't evade—not because he couldn't react, but because he was utterly overpowered.
Jue Luo Sword Master's pupils dilated as a storm of disbelief raged in his heart.
Gu An locked eyes with him and said, enunciating each word, "Whether I've mastered the Sacred Heart Sword Dao or not, do you even have the right to question it?
"Are you even worthy to challenge the Sacred Heart Sword Dao?"
Each word struck Jue Luo Sword Master like a hammer, leaving his body trembling and his forehead drenched in cold sweat.
The others could feel the immense pressure emanating from Gu An. What shocked them most was how the once-arrogant Jue Luo Sword Master had suddenly fallen silent, as if his voice had been stolen.
An Hao was particularly stunned, unable to remain composed.
He knew all too well how powerful Jue Luo Sword Master was. With just a breath, the man could obliterate a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Though Gu An's aura wasn't overtly oppressive, something had clearly occurred to make Jue Luo Sword Master unable—or unwilling—to retaliate.
Or perhaps, Jue Luo Sword Master simply couldn't fight back at all.