As Gu An approached, Ye Qingxue still didn't dare step forward. Instead, the surrounding disciples all greeted him with respectful bows.
By now, the Third Medicine Valley had grown vast, with countless disciples cultivating within. Since spell cultivation required space—and even Qi Absorption cultivation couldn't be performed too closely together—there were always people visible around the valley's entrance, which served as the main gateway to the Third Medicine Valley.
The closer Gu An got, the more nervous Ye Qingxue became. The only sounds she could hear were her own breathing and the pounding of her heart.
She held great authority within the branch sect and was considered a rare genius, yet despite her experience and composure, she found herself struggling to maintain her composure at this moment.
She didn't understand why she was so nervous and could only feel frustrated and self-critical.
"Since you've come, why are you just standing there? Do you expect me to personally escort you in? You sure have a greater presence than even the Sect Master."
Gu An's lighthearted chuckle reached her ears, startling her. She instinctively lifted her head, only to meet Gu An's gaze directly.
She hurriedly bowed, her voice trembling slightly, "I greet you, Martial Uncle. I…"
"Come on, let's go. I happen to have time today." Gu An smiled.
Before Ye Lan passed away, the only thing she worried about was Ye Qingxue. After all, Ye Qingxue was raised by her own hands, and even their shared surname was proof of their close bond.
"Go? Go where?" Ye Qingxue asked nervously. Her heart, however, couldn't hide its excitement. She hadn't expected Gu An to still remember her and to still treat her with the same warmth as before.
She had thought that after her master's passing, Gu An would never smile at her again.
"To deal with your trouble."
Gu An replied casually, stepping outside the valley.
Ye Qingxue froze for a moment, then quickly followed him.
As she walked beside Gu An, she couldn't help but ask, "But… I haven't even told you what my trouble is. How do you already know?"
Gu An glanced at her and chuckled, "You're a cultivator too. Do you really think that someone at my level wouldn't be able to foresee such things?"
Ye Qingxue's eyes widened in shock.
Meanwhile, Gu An flew toward the sect's main city with her. His speed was neither fast nor slow, and along the way, he casually asked about her recent years.
His calm demeanor quickly helped ease her nerves.
Once her defenses lowered, Ye Qingxue finally explained her predicament.
Her own disciple was a supreme genius, whose talent had caught the attention of a powerful cultivator. However, when that cultivator failed to recruit him, they simply captured him instead.
She had originally planned to ask Zhen Qin for help, but Zhen Qin had gone out for hundreds of years to train, making her impossible to find.
After exhausting all other options, she had decided to seek out Gu An.
Gu An could tell she was telling the truth, but at the same time, he couldn't help but sigh at the terrifying reality of fate.
Just a few hundred years ago, no family within Tai Xuan Sect would have dared to scheme against anyone connected to him in the slightest.
Yet now, these powerful cultivation families had become convinced that he feared the Heavenly Dao and wouldn't take action anymore.
Of course, they still acted with caution, refraining from harming Ye Qingxue directly.
That way, if the Sword Master of the Dao ever intervened, they could always claim ignorance of the connection.
The family responsible for this incident was the Qin family, one of the most powerful clans in Tai Xuan Sect.
The Sect Master of the branch sect was also from the Qin family, and they possessed a forbidden technique—one that required them to capture ninety-nine geniuses blessed with great fortune and transfer all their luck and talent to a single individual.
This created the strongest cultivator of the Qin family, one meant to compete for the Heavenly Mandate itself.
The founding ancestor of the Qin family was a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal, whose cultivation level remained unclear. However, it was widely known that the Qin family had a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal within their ranks.
Back when the Qin family had successfully allowed a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal to enter Tai Xuan Sect, it had caused a huge commotion, greatly boosting the family's prestige.
Of course, their forbidden technique was a closely guarded secret.
They would never dare to conduct such activities inside Tai Xuan Sect itself.
Thus, Ye Qingxue's disciple had already been transferred to a remote island overseas.
As Ye Qingxue finished explaining, she turned to Gu An with a pleading expression.
To Ye Qingxue, the Qin family was an immovable colossus. She had leveraged every possible connection, even reporting the matter to the Law Enforcement Hall, yet all her efforts vanished without a trace. She had even received warnings, but for some reason, the Qin family had not taken direct action against her.
Gu An moved forward on the wind, his gaze fixed ahead. The gentle breeze rustled his robes as he suddenly asked, "Qingxue, do you think the Tai Xuan Sect has changed? Do you think the world has changed?"
Ye Qingxue was puzzled. She didn't understand why Gu An was asking this out of nowhere. After a moment of thought, she responded, "Change is inevitable. Isn't everything in the world constantly changing? Darkness exists everywhere. My disciple's situation is just an unfortunate exception—it doesn't change my loyalty to Tai Xuan Sect."
Gu An glanced at her, smiling faintly.
Thinking that Gu An was pleased with her answer, Ye Qingxue smiled as well.
With Martial Uncle Gu An stepping in, her disciple was sure to be saved.
The pressure that had weighed on her for days vanished instantly. She even began to think about how she could repay Gu An's kindness.
After half an hour, the two arrived at the Elders' Hall in the sect's main city.
This was the true center of power in Tai Xuan Sect, even more authoritative than the Sect Master's residence.
At the hall's grand entrance, two towering qilin stone statues, each ten zhang tall, stood imposing and lifelike, exuding an overwhelming sense of might.
Seeing the three large characters on the plaque above the entrance, Ye Qingxue felt her nerves return.
She had only been here once before, hundreds of years ago, when she had accompanied Ye Lan to handle some matters. The great figures inside had left an unforgettable impression on her with their sheer dominance and presence.
The disciples guarding the entrance saw Gu An approaching directly and instinctively stepped forward to question him.
However, before they could say anything, a voice echoed in their ears, causing their faces to change dramatically.
With a thud, they immediately dropped to their knees.
Not only them—every other disciple guarding the entrance followed suit, looking toward Gu An with trembling excitement.
Ye Qingxue, witnessing their sudden kneeling, immediately realized the truth—they had recognized Martial Uncle Gu An's identity.
Gu An walked straight into the hall, and along the way, every disciple and cultivator who caught sight of him fell to their knees. Some recognized him instantly, while others only did so after being whispered reminders—many were simply stunned into submission.
Even Ye Qingxue noticed something unusual.
It was as if someone in the shadows was watching everyone who laid eyes on Gu An.
This made her think of one of the most mysterious divisions within Tai Xuan Sect.
The Supreme Council.
Just then, a voice called out, "Gu An, what brings you here?"
It was Gu Zong, who walked over with a broad smile.
He was one of the few elders who had an excellent relationship with Gu An. The two had known each other for over nineteen hundred years, back when Gu An's identity as the Sword Master of the Dao was still unknown.
Gu An smiled, saying, "Arrange a meeting. I need to see all the elders."
Gu Zong's heart skipped a beat.
Gu An had never made such a request before.
His first thought was that something big had happened.
And not just big—something catastrophic.
He didn't dare ask too many questions and immediately went to make the arrangements.
Ye Qingxue, seeing Gu An's overwhelming presence, watched his back in awe.
She hadn't even realized that her gaze now mirrored the very look she once despised—the same look her master had when watching Gu An back then.
One by one, the elders appeared out of thin air.
Upon manifesting, they immediately bowed to Gu An.
When Gu An did not acknowledge them, they instantly grew tense.
Everyone knew that Gu An was usually warm and respectful, with a well-earned reputation for fairness.
But when Gu An did not show respect, that meant a storm was coming.
Many of the elders felt the urge to flee, but none dared to offend Gu An.
They were all anxious, their minds racing.
What exactly had happened?
Was the sect under attack?
Or had some ignorant fool provoked the Sword Master of the Dao?
Their gazes unconsciously shifted to Ye Qingxue.
If Gu An had brought her here, there had to be a reason.