Hearing Gu An's words, Jiang Qiong fell into silence.
A hint of confusion welled up in her heart. Throughout her life, she had been making choices—fleeing from the Thousand Autumn Pavilion to the Tai Xuan Sect, then escaping through the Nine Nether Path. Later, she founded the Gathering Flower Sect, only to now contemplate joining the Grand Cold Demon Sect?
Had all her choices been wrong?
It seemed that no matter when she returned, Gu An always remained unchanged.
Noticing her mood, Gu An hesitated. He worried that he might have said too much. After all, Jiang Qiong didn't have the same confidence he did. How could he impose his perspective on her?
"My nature makes me ill-suited for venturing into the wider world. You're much stronger than I am. You can explore, but remember—never fully trust anyone, especially a demon sect," Gu An said sincerely.
His words startled Jiang Qiong, pulling her out of her reverie.
What was she even thinking?
If she hadn't escaped back then, she would have perished!
Compared to Gu An, her cultivation had grown rapidly. Though her path had been arduous and fraught with challenges, her cultivation level stood as a testament to her efforts.
She had already reached the seventh level of the Divine Transformation Realm!
Thinking of this, Jiang Qiong smiled and gave Gu An a playful glare. "You reject me every time. One day, I might just stop caring about you. If trouble comes your way and you think of me, it'll be too late."
Gu An's expression turned serious. "As long as you live well, it doesn't matter if you forget me. In this fleeting life, even meeting and knowing each other is a fate cultivated over a hundred lifetimes."
Jiang Qiong's heart warmed at his words. This brat really knew how to talk. If his cultivation were higher, how many proud daughters of heaven would fall for his charm?
Of course, she felt Gu An genuinely meant what he said and wasn't just trying to please her.
After knowing him for so many years, not once had Gu An asked her for anything.
Looking at Gu An, Jiang Qiong wanted to tease him, but the words caught in her throat.
Because this time, things were different.
She felt Gu An underestimated the power of the Grand Cold Demon Sect. Perhaps he didn't realize the full extent of the catastrophe they faced. A few years ago, the Sword Master of the Dao had stopped the overwhelming calamity of heavenly fire, sparing the continent. But few knew of the devastating scene across the oceans—countless lives lost in agony.
And the person behind it was just one cultivator from the Grand Cold Demon Sect. Now, a massive force of their cultivators was on its way. Even thinking about it filled Jiang Qiong with despair. She saw no chance of victory.
How could anyone stand against a behemoth like the Grand Cold Demon Sect?
As she gazed at Gu An's gentle smile, a pang of sorrow struck her heart.
Silly boy, not everything in the books is true.
It's true that evil rarely prevails in history, but once evil triumphs, it can redefine itself as justice.
After returning, Jiang Qiong didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stayed in the Eight Views Heavenly Cave. Gu An visited her every other day, and each time, she tried various ways to persuade him—using tales of the Grand Cold Demon Sect's might or even teaching him spells.
Though Gu An declined her offers, he refrained from outright revealing his thoughts, leaving them at an impasse.
Half a month passed.
The weather remained stiflingly hot.
Gu An descended from his loft. Just as he reached the base of the stairs, Ji Xiaoya blocked his path.
"Who's that woman?" Ji Xiaoya asked, her expression calm. Yet, Gu An detected a sharp glint in her gaze.
"What woman?" Gu An asked, genuinely puzzled.
"There's a new aura on you—a woman's," Ji Xiaoya stated flatly.
"Well, so what?" Gu An replied indifferently. He knew all too well that over-explaining could raise suspicions. The more casual he acted, the less important it seemed.
In truth, nothing had happened between him and Jiang Qiong. But he couldn't exactly offer her name—especially since she was considering joining the Grand Cold Demon Sect.
Gu An chose not to dissuade Jiang Qiong from joining the sect because he couldn't predict its true power. If the Grand Cold Demon Sect turned out to be overwhelmingly strong, even he might need to flee.
Ji Xiaoya scrutinized him. "Have you noticed that the atmosphere in this mortal world has changed?"
Gu An looked around and said, "What's changed? The sweepers are still sweeping, the chess players are still playing, and look—there's even a rat herding a cow."
Following his gaze, Ji Xiaoya couldn't help but laugh and shake her head.
"Forget it. You're right. Life is fleeting; it's best to cherish the present," Ji Xiaoya said softly before turning back to her room to continue cultivating.
Gu An didn't stop her. He turned his attention back to the Medicine Valley.
His vision encompassed much more than Ji Xiaoya's.
Since Bai Hong True Person's heavenly fire, a wave of mass exodus had swept across the oceans. This wave of migration was now spreading to the continent. Countless noble families were either heading out to sea or making their way to the Nine Nether Path.
Many rumors were circulating about the Grand Cold Demon Sect's imminent invasion. Gu An saw that these rumors were spread by pawns recruited by the sect, deliberately sowing fear and panic throughout the mortal realm.
At the Great Rift of the Broken Sea, thousands of Grand Cold Demon Sect cultivators had already gathered near the Soul Suppression Tower. Their weakest members were at the Nirvana Realm, and more than a hundred were in the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm. Besides the Immortal of Death, there were three additional Unrestrained Primordial Immortals.
Four Unrestrained Primordial Immortals in total!
This power was unquestionably overwhelming for the mortal realm—utterly unstoppable.
What's more concerning was that the Grand Cold Demon Sect was still sending reinforcements!
Gu An chose not to act recklessly, as he was uncertain about the sect's full strength. However, he wasn't simply waiting idly. Using his divine sense, he scoured the vast lands of Heavenly Spirit World to locate a safe place far from the mortal realm. If things truly became unbearable, he was prepared to take the people he cared about and leave to start anew.
Of course, this was his last resort.
Everything now hinged on whether the Grand Cold Demon Sect would deploy any Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal cultivators. So far, the highest cultivation level among the Unrestrained Primordial Immortals was only at the fifth stage.
Unless a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal appeared, Gu An, at the ninth stage of the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm, had no reason to panic.
After observing for a while, Gu An turned and left.
One hour later.
Gu An, riding atop the Blood Prison Saint, arrived at Tianya Valley. Yang Jian and Li Lingtian followed closely behind. Li Lingtian looked visibly annoyed, clearly unwilling to come to Tianya Valley.
Li Xuandao was already waiting in the valley.
Gu An led the two into the courtyard where Li Xuandao stood.
Currently, Li Lingtian had reached the eighth stage of the Core Formation Realm, earning a satisfied nod from Li Xuandao, who praised him for not neglecting his cultivation.
"Let me make it clear—I have no intention of returning. Since you're still full of ambition, Father, there's no need for me to go back and be the crown prince!" Li Lingtian declared.
Li Xuandao chuckled and shook his head, but his smile seemed genuine to Gu An.
It was clear that Li Xuandao harbored ambitions of eternal rulership. To him, a crown prince was naturally someone to be wary of. The only reason he appointed Li Lingtian as crown prince was to appease the Empress Yang and her family.
Li Lingtian's words made Gu An see him in a new light.
This boy showed a kind of foolish yet profound wisdom.
Li Xuandao grew serious and said, "I'm not asking you to return to the palace. Instead, you're to return to your mother's family and accompany them as they set sail. This is not up for negotiation—your mother has issued a direct order."
Li Lingtian was stunned. His first instinct was to ask why, but he quickly understood.
The courtyard fell into an uneasy silence.
Li Xuandao turned to Gu An and asked, "Since the Tai Xuan Sect has yet to formulate a clear strategy, would you consider leaving with Lingtian?"
Gu An recalled what Lü Baitian had told him—the Elder's Hall had debated numerous times whether to evacuate, but concerns about offending the Sword Master of the Dao held them back. After all, the Sword Master of the Dao had taken significant risks to protect them, and for the Tai Xuan Sect to flee now would appear ungrateful.
The Sword Master of the Dao's intervention wasn't for personal gain but to protect mortals like them.
Lü Baitian had also sought Gu An's opinion, asking whether they should retreat.
This time, Gu An withheld his views.
He wanted the Tai Xuan Sect to make its own decision.
If the Tai Xuan Sect chose to retreat, he wouldn't follow them. Instead, he would find a place to hide on his own, severing ties with the sect from that point on.
Gu An felt no obligation toward the Tai Xuan Sect. If anything, the sect owed him far more than he owed them.
"I'll stay and see what plans the Tai Xuan Sect makes. I can't leave the sect yet," Gu An replied.
Hearing this, Li Lingtian quickly said, "Father, I can also—"
"Silence!" Li Xuandao snapped, his voice cold and commanding.
For a moment, Li Lingtian felt a chill of fear as his father's sharp gaze bore into him.
Even Yang Jian and the Blood Prison Saint, who were observing quietly, exchanged startled glances.
Why did the emperor suddenly seem so formidable?
"This time is different from before. If you flee with the Tai Xuan Sect, you may never see your mother again. You must return to her family!" Li Xuandao said, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
Despite his composed exterior, his mood had been heavy. For years, he had worked tirelessly to establish his empire, only to see it threatened by a catastrophe he could not counter. The frustration was unbearable.
But the Tai Cang Dynasty was no match for the Grand Cold Demon Sect in terms of power. Resistance was futile.
Gu An turned to Li Xuandao and asked, "Uncle, what about you?"
Li Lingtian also looked at his father, his gaze filled with anger.
Li Xuandao stared at the tea cup before him and said softly, "You all can escape, but I cannot. Even if I must die, I'll die alongside my people."
The Tai Cang Dynasty's citizens were too numerous to evacuate entirely. If Li Xuandao left, the dynasty would descend into chaos.
Li Lingtian was taken aback. His view of his father began to change.
Yang Jian, too, felt a newfound respect for the emperor who had gifted him a divine weapon.
Even the Blood Prison Saint, lying sprawled on the ground, stood up in surprise at Li Xuandao's resolve.
Gu An asked again, "Uncle, have you forgotten your original goal?"
Li Xuandao replied, "Without my people, what's the point of a throne? An emperor who can't protect his kingdom is a failure. Rebuilding a dynasty afterward would be meaningless."
His words filled the courtyard with awe.
Luo Hun knelt down and declared, "Your servant swears to follow His Majesty to the death without regret!"
Li Xuandao simply waved his hand dismissively, saying no more.
His words were sincere, but that didn't mean he had resigned himself to his fate.
He was gambling.
He was betting that the Sword Master of the Dao could overthrow the Grand Cold Demon Sect.
Li Xuandao would never forget the awe he felt during past disasters when the Sword Master of the Dao intervened.
He would never forget that day when the skies were ablaze with fire, pressing down on all living beings. Amid the despair, countless green lights ascended, and hope was rekindled.
He believed the Sword Master of the Dao was different from others—so different that it transcended cultivation levels. Though there were many powerful cultivators in the world, he firmly believed the Sword Master of the Dao was unique.
In the Sword Master of the Dao, he sensed an unshakable aura:
"With me, nothing is impossible!"
If the Sword Master of the Dao remained benevolent, the world would know peace.