Within the Third Medicine Valley.
Gu An stood alongside An Xin in a tranquil garden, discussing the next phase of planting within the valley. An Xin listened intently, nodding at each instruction.
Suddenly, the voice of the Immortal of Death resonated across the heavens.
He had declared the intent to obliterate a realm every single day!
Before An Xin could process the gravity of the words, an overwhelming sword intent descended, causing her complexion to turn pale.
The bustling energy of the medicine valley abruptly stilled.
An Xin felt as if a mountain had settled upon her shoulders, suffocating her under its weight. Her breath grew shallow, and her face turned even whiter.
Then, a hand landed gently on her shoulder, snapping her from her panic. She hadn't even turned to see who it was before the pressure on her body disappeared as if it had never existed.
Glancing back, she saw it was her master's hand. Relief surged through her, and she exhaled deeply.
"Master, does this mean they've chosen our continent to destroy first?" she asked timidly, her usual carefree demeanor replaced by visible fear.
Though An Xin was typically unburdened by worries, the specter of death left her visibly shaken.
The Immortal of Death's declaration, combined with the sudden descent of sword intent, made it abundantly clear—the first continent targeted was their own.
Gu An took a deep breath, pretending to remain calm. "I'm not sure. Let's head back inside for now. Since we are within the Tai Xuan Sect, this calamity is beyond our control. Life and death, we leave to fate."
An Xin wanted to say more but was led away by Gu An before she could continue.
As they left, a voice resounded across the valley:
"Amitabha!"
The chant of Divine Sovereign Shen Xin Zi spread across the medicine valley, relieving the suffocating pressure on everyone. The disciples exhaled deeply, their fear momentarily abated, and began running toward the cluster of pavilions.
A thunderous rumble followed.
The ground quaked as the Tai Xuan Sect activated its protective formation. Golden light surged from all directions, forming a radiant barrier that enveloped the sect.
When Gu An and An Xin reached the main pavilion, Ji Xiaoya had already emerged from her room. Her gaze was fixed toward the distant horizon, and a red Dao rune on her forehead flickered with faint flames.
Seeing this, Gu An quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her view. "Were you frightened just now?" he asked with genuine concern.
Having her line of sight obscured caused Ji Xiaoya's Dao rune to revert to normal, and her composed expression returned. She shook her head lightly. "Not at all. It seems the Immortal of Death's wrath is directed at the continent itself, likely due to the Sword Master of the Dao's intervention years ago."
Gu An offered a reassuring smile. "Don't dwell on it too much. Their actions suggest the Sword Master of the Dao still watches over us. Keep an eye on the medicine valley for me; I need to visit Xuan Valley."
Without waiting for her response, Gu An turned and quickly headed toward the teleportation platform.
Ji Xiaoya watched his retreating figure, words forming in her throat but never escaping her lips. This scene felt eerily familiar, as if she'd witnessed it before in another time or place.
Upon arriving at Xuan Valley, Gu An found Lu Jiujia already busy organizing the disciples and directing them to find shelter. He nodded in approval at her efforts.
Taking advantage of the commotion, he slipped away into the woods, feigning an inspection of the medicinal herbs.
"What are you doing, risking your life to tend to your plants at a time like this? You must be insane."
The sharp voice of Jiang Qiong cut through the air, and Gu An turned to see her approaching with a sour expression.
She glared at him with a mix of exasperation and mockery. "Well, this is just perfect. Now I can't even run. We're stuck here waiting to die together."
The oppressive sword intent was drawing closer, and she knew even if she fled toward the Nine Nether Path now, it would be too late.
Kneeling in the grass, Gu An clenched his fist and punched the ground in frustration. He scooped up a handful of fallen leaves, his face etched with indignation, before standing abruptly.
Jiang Qiong, noticing his expression, smirked. "What's wrong? Afraid now?"
Gu An flung the leaves from his hand in a show of irritation before turning to meet her gaze. "I'm not afraid. I'm just disgusted by their utter disdain for all living beings."
Jiang Qiong's smirk faded into silence. After a moment, she offered, "Come with me to Eight Views Heavenly Cave."
Gu An nodded without hesitation and followed her toward the mountains.
Neither noticed that the leaves Gu An had scattered moments ago began to tremble and lift back into the air. Each leaf vibrated with subtle energy.
Only after they disappeared into the entrance of the Eight Views Heavenly Cave did the leaves vanish into the woods.
Before the Soul Suppression Tower, over ten thousand disciples of the Great Cold Demon Sect floated in the air, their eyes all focused on Qingxin True Person, who stood gripping his sword.
"What exquisite sword intent. Senior Brother Qingxin's Profound Sword Dao has reached its peak."
"Indeed, it's remarkable. I feel like he could sweep through the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm with ease."
"I heard that Bai Hong True Person was defeated by Senior Brother Qingxin a thousand years ago."
"The founder of the Profound Sword Dao, the Profound Ancestor, long ascended to the Sacred Domain. In ten thousand years, no one has practiced this Dao to the extent Senior Uncle Qingxin has."
"This sword strike is a rare spectacle. We mustn't miss it."
The disciples murmured among themselves, their tones light and casual. Even with the knowledge of Bai Hong True Person's death, there was no fear among them. Their confidence stemmed from their overwhelming numbers and the presence of four Unrestrained Primordial Immortals to back them up.
Qingxin True Person lifted his sword upright before him, the blade perfectly aligned with his gaze.
Then, suddenly, he opened his eyes, revealing a shocking shade of blue within his pupils.
The moment his eyes opened, his sword intent erupted, silencing all chatter.
All eyes fixed on Qingxin True Person. His expression sharpened, and with a decisive motion, he swung his sword forward.
The sword light erupted like a blazing torrent, cutting across the heavens and seas. Even the rolling thunderclouds above were illuminated by its brilliance.
As Qingxin True Person swung his sword, the terrifying sword intent condensed into a devastating strike, shooting forward with unstoppable momentum. His pupils suddenly contracted.
In his eyes, numerous green light points reflected and rapidly grew larger.
From the perspective of the onlookers, Qingxin True Person's sword created a massive arc of sword energy, stretching tens of thousands of miles like a crescent moon sweeping toward the horizon.
But in an instant, beams of green light shot forth from the sky, moving at an even greater speed than his strike, so fast that no one had time to react.
Boom!
The terrifying sword energy shattered instantly. Qingxin True Person's eyes widened as one of the green beams arrived in front of him in a blink of an eye.
Time seemed to freeze. Within the green light, he could see… a single leaf!
The leaf carried an immense sword energy, annihilating his physical body and soul in an instant.
It wasn't just one leaf. Over a dozen leaves followed, each targeting and obliterating a high-ranking cultivator of the Great Cold Demon Sect. The Soul Suppression Tower trembled violently under the onslaught.
The four Unrestrained Primordial Immortals, led by the Immortal of Death, appeared out of nowhere. They hastily deployed a vast protective barrier to shield the remaining disciples.
Silence.
The heavens and earth fell into an oppressive stillness. All the disciples of the Great Cold Demon Sect trembled, their faces pale with fear. The mocking and relaxed expressions they held moments ago had vanished entirely.
The Immortal of Death turned his gaze toward the Soul Suppression Tower. Embedded into the structure were numerous leaves, their presence drawing his gaze and causing his pupils to constrict.
Leaves… just leaves.
The attack had been too fast. Before they even had time to register what had happened, over a dozen disciples—each one a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal—were dead.
Even the red-robed woman, who had previously urged the Immortal of Death to accelerate their plans, was speechless. Though she was a Unrestrained Primordial Immortal, she felt an undeniable sense of dread in her heart.
The enemy's strike had been so swift, so precise, and it occurred right under their noses. Their disciples had been slaughtered without warning or mercy.
It was as if a resounding slap had been delivered to their faces, leaving their cheeks burning with shame and humiliation.
Gu An followed Jiang Qiong into the Eight Views Heavenly Cave. As they walked, Gu An's vision displayed a series of lifespan notifications.
This strike had earned him 430,000 years of lifespan!
Though he hadn't used his full strength, it had been enough to leave the Immortal of Death and his group shaken to their core. If they managed to summon an even stronger force, it would only hasten their downfall. If not, even if they abandoned their plans to slaughter this human realm, Gu An would never let them go unpunished.
The century-long deadline set by the Immortal of Death had now become his own death warrant.
"Hm?" Jiang Qiong let out a puzzled sound, sensing the oppressive sword intent suddenly dissipate.
Gu An glanced at her and asked, "Does this mean we've escaped disaster?"
Jiang Qiong replied without looking back, "Hard to say."
The two continued until they reached the base of a giant vine-covered tree. Jiang Qiong began setting up a formation, prompting Gu An to ask what she was doing.
"The smaller the range of a formation, the stronger its protective power. I want to see if this can help us survive. It's worth a try. If it doesn't work, we'll die anyway. Worrying won't matter then," she said nonchalantly, eliciting a helpless laugh from Gu An.
Meanwhile, the entire continent remained gripped by tension.
Even though the sword intent had vanished, the beings of the continent could not immediately relax. Many began fleeing en masse, and Gu An could feel the numerous auras departing from Tai Xuan Sect. Entire families and clans were migrating in droves.
Within the Third Medicine Valley.
Ji Hantian landed swiftly, heading straight to Ji Xiaoya's quarters. The two engaged in a heated discussion inside.
"I'm not leaving," Ji Xiaoya said firmly, her face expressionless.
Ji Hantian grew visibly angry at her defiance, but as he looked at her, a peculiar thought struck him. Her demeanor reminded him of another descendant with the same name.
Though their appearances were different, her current expression bore an uncanny resemblance to that other Ji Xiaoya.
His anger dissipated somewhat, replaced by a heavy sigh. "Whether or not the Immortal of Death has chosen this continent, the dangers ahead will only grow worse. The Ji family must have successors. Why insist on staying here?"
Ji Xiaoya met his gaze and replied, "Someone has to stay behind. I can give up my spot for someone else. Besides, if we flee, where would we go?"
Ji Hantian's chest tightened with frustration. Years ago, he had failed to make another Ji Xiaoya stay. Now, he faced the same defiance in trying to convince this one to leave.
Why did all his descendants insist on opposing him? Everything he did was for their benefit.
"Time is running out. Go and persuade the other family members," Ji Xiaoya urged.
Ji Hantian glared at her before storming out.
Since Ji Xiaoya wasn't part of his direct bloodline, he had no authority to force her to leave. He could only try to persuade her.
After Ji Hantian left, Ji Xiaoya stood in thought for a moment before stepping out of her quarters.
She walked to the courtyard and looked toward the sky. Above the Medicine Valley, numerous cultivators flew by, their destinations unclear—whether they were fleeing or preparing for battle.
"Great Cold Demon Sect…" Ji Xiaoya murmured. The Dao rune on her forehead began to emit faint flickers of flame once more.
Time passed as all beings across the continent remained gripped by fear and unease.
For hours, the atmosphere was suffocating.
Eventually, the tension began to ease.
Elder Lu Lao approached Divine Sovereign Shen Xin Zi and asked cautiously, "Senior, does this mean we weren't chosen?"
The disciples nearby also turned their eyes to Shen Xin Zi, whose mysterious origins and revered status within the sect inspired both awe and confidence.
Shen Xin Zi furrowed his brows and gazed toward the horizon. After a moment, he replied, "It seems we were indeed spared…"
His words brought visible relief to all the disciples, their faces lighting up with joy.