The Heaven-Hating Ancestor had hidden in his underground cave mansion for over a thousand years, remaining unnoticed by the cultivators on the island. However, the sudden sensation of a hand on his shoulder startled him, despite his cultivation at the Loose Immortal level.
Instinctively, he attempted to turn his head, but before he could react, an overwhelming and terrifying force surged into his body. It shattered his meridians and bones and imprisoned his very soul.
Standing behind him was Gu An, who had activated his Nine Extremes Yin-Yang Body.
With one hand pressing down on the Heaven-Hating Ancestor's shoulder, Gu An looked down at him. Though the difference between the Loose Immortal Realm and the Wandering Immortal Realm might seem small, it was vast in reality. Moreover, Gu An was at the ninth level of the Wandering Immortal Realm, while the Heaven-Hating Ancestor was only at the second level of the Loose Immortal Realm.
"Pfft—"
The Heaven-Hating Ancestor spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes quickly losing their brilliance.
Gu An activated the Soul Capture Technique, delving into the depths of the Heaven-Hating Ancestor's memories.
The process was painstaking due to the overwhelming volume of memories, but Gu An selectively sought information related to the Heaven-Hating Divine Sword.
After a long while, he withdrew his divine sense and summoned the Taiqing True Fire, incinerating the Heaven-Hating Ancestor to ashes.
[You successfully absorbed 1,280 years of lifespan from the Heaven-Hating Ancestor (Loose Immortal, Second Layer).]
As the Heaven-Hating Ancestor's body turned to ash, Gu An finally felt a weight lift from his heart. Being marked with enmity by a Loose Immortal had been an unbearable pressure. Eliminating such a potential threat was the only way for him to find peace of mind.
Afterward, Gu An surveyed the cave mansion. The space was spacious, equipped with various facilities, and even contained a spirit pool filled with diverse aquatic plants. Based on the Heaven-Hating Ancestor's memories, he had no particular connection to the island. He had snuck in due to being pursued by a sect from the sea, the Starsea Sect, a powerful faction occupying the surrounding ocean.
During the memory search, Gu An had been cautious, avoiding delving into connections that might involve other Wandering Immortals or higher. Cultivators of the immortal path could sense karmic threads, which grew more sensitive with their level. He couldn't risk exposing himself through careless actions.
As for the island itself, its strongest cultivator was merely at the Nirvana Realm, unworthy of concern.
When the Heaven-Hating Ancestor had been reduced to nothing but ash, Gu An began to inventory the spoils. The Heaven-Hating Ancestor's storage bag was highly sophisticated, protected by over fifty layers of restrictions. Its interior spanned more than ten miles in diameter, containing vast quantities of spirit stones, pills, artifacts, cultivation manuals, and rare treasures.
"This alone could establish an entire sect," Gu An thought, examining the treasures with a touch of admiration.
He sat on a stone stool, retrieving a manual from the storage bag. Its title was Heaven-Hating Path.
The Heaven-Hating Divine Sword was but a branch of the Heaven-Hating Path, developed by the Heaven-Hating Ancestor because he had once been a sword cultivator.
The manual explained that the Heaven-Hating Path was a legacy the Heaven-Hating Ancestor had discovered at the age of a thousand in an ancient underwater palace. The palace was said to have belonged to a powerful sect from ancient times that had sunk beneath the ocean when the seas swallowed the world.
Using the Heaven-Hating Divine Sword as a foundation, the Heaven-Hating Ancestor had reached his current level. He propagated the technique to sword cultivators, who unknowingly amplified his Heaven-Hating Path. The Heaven-Hating Divine Sword's formidable power came from borrowing the Heaven-Hating Ancestor's strength, while simultaneously draining the user's lifespan and fortune. This ensured rapid growth in cultivation but also led to an early demise.
The famed creator of the Heaven-Hating Divine Sword from the Great Yu Dynasty's Sword Sect had been a disciple of the Heaven-Hating Ancestor, not its true inventor.
Flipping through the manual, Gu An found himself impressed by the Heaven-Hating Path's potency but repelled by its inherent malevolence. Cultivating this path came with severe drawbacks, including inevitable backlash. For example, the Heaven-Hating Ancestor couldn't endure sunlight. Despite being in the Loose Immortal Realm, he could only act under the cover of darkness, as exposure to sunlight would induce inner demons.
Gu An tossed the manual back into the storage bag and resumed sorting through the other items.
As the year drew to a close, the Great Demon Catastrophe entered an even graver phase. Tai Xuan Sect began dispatching outer disciples to patrol nearby regions.
One day, a ferocious demon cat stormed into Xuan Valley, targeting the labor disciples. Fortunately, Chu Jingfeng swiftly dealt with the threat, slaying the beast.
When Gu An returned from the Third Medicine Valley and saw the demon cat's corpse, he sensed a faint yet sinister karmic force lingering within it. This force bore a resemblance to the aura of the Heaven-Hating Path, possibly explaining why demons were turning into monsters.
Surrounded by disciples voicing their concerns, Gu An listened as they fretted over potential attacks on Xuan Valley during the Great Demon Catastrophe.
Rising to his feet, Gu An reassured them, "Do not fear. With Tai Xuan Sect's protection, no harm will come to Xuan Valley."
The disciples, however, remained skeptical. Today it was a demon cat; what might tomorrow bring? Chu Jingfeng, despite his skill, lacked cultivation, relying solely on swordsmanship to fend off monsters. If Gu An were absent, even a second-tier demon beast could easily annihilate them all.
Acknowledging their concerns, Gu An decided to issue a bounty in the outer sect's city, offering rewards to Foundation Establishment disciples willing to guard the valley. His decision delighted the disciples, who began to chatter excitedly.
As Gu An observed their enthusiastic discussions, he couldn't help but recall when Cheng Xuandan had hired Chu Jingfeng in a similar manner.
Turning his gaze northward, Gu An felt the Demon Ancestor's aura solidifying. The aura's absence of further growth signified that the Demon Ancestor had fully revived and could descend southward at any moment.
Beyond the Demon Ancestor's presence, Gu An detected another peculiar energy. Unlike the aura of an individual, it resembled the force radiating from an entire expanse of land—a vast, eerie, and immeasurable power.
The Fierce Demon mentioned in the Black Yan Demon King's memories was indeed a terrifying legend, though the Black Yan Demon King had only heard of it and never seen it in person.
According to lore, obtaining the true blood of the Fierce Demon could allow a demon to revert to its ancestral form. The Six-Headed Jiao Luo had supposedly gained a drop of the Fierce Demon's true blood in the past.
Gu An speculated that the Fierce Demon might be another creation nurtured by the Seven Stars Spirit Realm. He stood in place, lost in thought, before turning and heading back to his pavilion.
Far in the north, a scene of utter desolation unfolded.
Demonic energy filled the air, dark clouds blanketed the sky, and intermittent flashes of lightning illuminated the heavens like a coiling dragon. The uneven terrain was sparse in vegetation, with skeletal remains far outnumbering the few scattered trees. The vast expanse of bones stretched endlessly, creating a haunting landscape reminiscent of a hellish purgatory.
The farther one ventured north, the denser the bones became. Eventually, colossal skeletal remains the size of mountains appeared, likely remnants of ancient primordial beasts.
Amid this field of bones lay a massive sacrificial altar. Spanning over twenty miles in diameter, it was constructed from ancient blue stones inscribed with densely packed runes. Surrounding the altar were countless piles of bones, forming a vast white ring when viewed from above.
At the center of the altar, eight black chains resembling runic patterns intertwined, converging at the middle. There, a solitary figure sat—a presence emanating an overwhelming and ominous aura.
The Demon Ancestor!
Unlike the towering form of the Six-Headed Jiao Luo, the Demon Ancestor appeared humanoid, clad in a tattered Daoist robe. His disheveled white hair hung loosely, and his sharp, sword-like nails were as black as obsidian. Most terrifying of all were the additional pair of eyes on his forehead, all four pitch-black with dark red pupils.
The Demon Ancestor idly toyed with a stone sword. The weapon was short, its blade as wide as his arm, and appeared utterly unremarkable.
Suddenly, he broke the silence. "I'm hungry," he said, his voice reverberating across the land like rolling thunder, accompanied by the distant echoes of tiger roars and dragon cries.
From the horizon, a black-winged bird demon flew over. Hovering nervously at the altar's edge, he spoke with trepidation, "Demon Ancestor, all the demons within a radius of a million miles have been consumed by you. Even His Majesty has departed southward to join the battle. There's no food left for you here…"
The bird demon's gaze was filled with terror as he looked at the Demon Ancestor, his voice trembling despite his efforts to maintain composure.
The Demon Ancestor glanced at him with cold indifference. "Who said there's nothing left to eat?"
The casual response sent the bird demon into a panic. Without hesitation, he turned and fled, vanishing into the horizon in the blink of an eye.
The Demon Ancestor's gaze sharpened, and the space before him rippled. In an instant, the fleeing bird demon reappeared at the altar. The Demon Ancestor grabbed the demon's head and smashed it against the altar.
Blood splattered across the blue stones as the Demon Ancestor's face twisted into a cruel grin. Opening his mouth, he bit down directly on the bird demon's body.
"Ahhh—!"
The bird demon's anguished screams echoed through the air.
The Demon Ancestor deliberately refrained from killing his prey outright, savoring the experience of consuming it alive. His grotesque feast continued for some time until he finally sat amidst a pool of blood, surrounded by scattered black feathers. Licking the blood from his fingers, he gazed into the distance.
"It's time to prepare for the southward march," he muttered.
As the new year arrived, the usual festivities of the Spring Festival were muted. Celebrations were subdued, and gatherings quickly dispersed.
Late at night, atop Tianhuang Mountain, in Nian Chu Cave Residence, Gu An spent the evening with Tian Yao'er, marking the holiday together.
While Gu An tended to a roast lamb, Tian Yao'er displayed her mastery of the Infinite Free Step, flitting about gracefully. Occasionally, she would use her innate divine ability to transform into various female demons.
Unable to hold back a laugh, Gu An teased her, "Why do you keep transforming into different female demons?"
"I want to see if my master has any preferences," she replied with a playful giggle.
Gu An shook his head and remarked, "None of them look as good as you. Stop bothering with those transformations."
He meant every word. Tian Yao'er's beauty was stunning and far surpassed that of the demon forms she mimicked, which often retained their monstrous traits.
Hearing this, Tian Yao'er's face lit up with joy. She leaped toward Gu An, clinging to his arm and refusing to let go.
After a while of affectionate banter, she looked up and asked, "Master, could you capture a few more demons to keep me company?"
"What kind of demons are you asking for?" Gu An inquired.
"Female demons, preferably young ones—easier to manage," Tian Yao'er replied with a mischievous grin.
After some thought, Gu An nodded. "I'll consider it if I come across any. I don't like capturing creatures indiscriminately," he said, his focus returning to the lamb he was roasting.
Tian Yao'er nodded eagerly, smiling. "Master has such a kind heart. Any demon you choose would be truly blessed."
"Kind heart? Be careful with your words; they don't fit the situation," Gu An chided.
"Regardless, you're the best person I've ever met!" she insisted.
"And how many people have you met in your life?" he countered.
"That's not the point! You're still the best! Meeting you has been the greatest blessing of my life," Tian Yao'er declared with conviction.
As she spoke, her gaze drifted to the mask on Gu An's face. She longed to remove it but hesitated, fearing his reaction.
Gu An handed her the roasted lamb leg and stood up. "All right, take your time enjoying this. I need to leave."
Tian Yao'er froze in surprise. "So soon? Where are you going?" she asked.
Gu An vanished into thin air, leaving behind only his parting words: "To find another lonely demon in need."
Tian Yao'er's cheerful expression faltered, replaced by a sense of loss.