The white-robed man strolled leisurely until he arrived in front of the Heaven-Sundering Axe.
Zuo Yijian, noticing his extraordinary bearing, couldn't help but size him up curiously.
The white-robed man smiled and asked, "I am Lu Xianyi. May I try the Heaven-Sundering Axe?"
The beings on this continent were far too weak. Naturally, it was impossible for them to inherit the legacy of the Sword Master of the Dao.
If he could wield it, it would undoubtedly be a great fortune for him.
Regardless of his own status, as a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal, Lu Xianyi considered the Grand Cold Demon Sect an unshakable colossus. For the Sword Master of the Dao to annihilate such a sect so effortlessly, Lu Xianyi speculated that the Sword Master's strength might rival that of a Sacred King.
"Please, but you can only attempt to lift it once per day," Zuo Yijian replied, neither obsequious nor arrogant. Over the years, he had encountered countless powerful cultivators, and his sense of pride had grown proportionately. In his eyes, the Sword Master of the Dao's reputation far outweighed even the prosperity of the Tai Xuan Sect.
Lu Xianyi nodded and focused his gaze on the Heaven-Sundering Axe.
Meanwhile, Gu An stood amidst the crowd, his eyes fixed on Lu Xianyi. He quietly activated the Lifespan Investigation technique.
[Lu Xianyi (Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, Ninth Layer): 67,980/500,000/890,000]
Eight hundred and ninety thousand years of maximum lifespan!
Gu An mused silently. He wondered how far Lu Xianyi could progress within his lifetime.
He suspected that at a certain cultivation level, there would be another transformation of maximum lifespan. However, since Gu An's breakthroughs hadn't increased his own lifespan, he wasn't entirely sure which realm triggered such a transformation.
Moreover, every major realm seemed to involve a complete rebirth.
Under Gu An's watchful eyes, Lu Xianyi grasped the handle of the Heaven-Sundering Axe. The moment he touched it, his expression changed slightly.
More and more gazes turned toward him. Anyone who looked at Lu Xianyi could tell he wasn't an ordinary figure.
Lu Xianyi began to exert force. For a moment, the Heaven Mending Platform trembled slightly, but the Heaven-Sundering Axe remained completely immobile.
Zuo Yijian's expression shifted. For Lu Xianyi to cause the Heaven Mending Platform to tremble indicated an incredibly profound cultivation level. That he couldn't lift the Heaven-Sundering Axe was entirely expected—after all, in Zuo Yijian's heart, the Sword Master of the Dao was invincible.
Wait a moment!
This man's voice sounded eerily similar to the one that had just delivered the Sacred Court's decree!
No—it wasn't just similar—it was identical. The only difference was that the tone was softer, and the oppressive aura was restrained.
Realizing this, Zuo Yijian's gaze toward Lu Xianyi filled with hostility.
This scoundrel dares to try to poach the Sword Master of the Dao? Unforgivable!
Lu Xianyi's actions had captured the attention of everyone on the Heaven Mending Platform. However, he didn't try for long. After a few moments, he let go of the axe.
He exhaled a long breath and took a step back, his face breaking into a smile. "The Sword Master of the Dao lives up to his reputation. I am in awe."
With that, he raised his hand and bowed respectfully to the Heaven-Sundering Axe before turning and leaving.
As he walked away, the cultivators instinctively cleared a path, unwilling to offend him. Based on the commotion earlier, they all knew he wasn't someone they could afford to provoke.
Gu An, still standing among the crowd, watched Lu Xianyi closely.
Before long, Lu Xianyi disappeared from the platform, leaving behind a throng of cultivators abuzz with speculation.
Gu An, meanwhile, descended the platform. Since he was already there, he decided to wander around. Otherwise, the Qie Wuxing and the Nine-Finger Divine Lord might become suspicious as to why he had come just to watch Lu Xianyi.
Of course, the real reason was that Gu An didn't want to continue playing chess.
These individuals played slower and slower each time, and Gu An was well aware of their underhanded intentions.
Even now, the Qie Wuxing was claiming the last chess match had ended in a draw. Though no one believed him, his persistence left others reluctant to argue further—his cultivation still commanded respect.
Gu An strolled to the Pill Hall. Almost everyone there recognized him, except for the newest disciples. The Medicine Valley's income was among the highest in the Tai Xuan Sect, and Gu An himself was still officially a Core Formation Realm cultivator.
Even after reaching the Divine Thought True Immortal Realm, Gu An enjoyed chatting with others.
As for the Sacred Court's recruitment attempt, he chose to ignore it.
Going to the Sacred Court might invite unnecessary trouble, and he preferred to avoid complications. What if, in the process, he ended up making enemies of the Sacred Court?
Although Gu An had destroyed the Ephemeral Blossom Sect, Seven Stars Spirit Realm, and the Grand Cold Demon Sect, at heart, he was a kind and peace-loving person.
Yes, it was better to avoid creating unnecessary conflicts.
By the time twilight descended, Gu An finally returned to the Medicine Valley, only to find that the Qie Wuxing had long since disappeared.
In the days that followed, Gu An noticed that Lu Xianyi showed no signs of leaving the Tai Xuan Sect. Gu An silently prayed that Lu Xianyi wouldn't step foot into the Medicine Valley.
The Third Medicine Valley was already home to enough eccentric characters. It couldn't accommodate any more.
Summer turned to autumn.
In the Third Medicine Valley, under the shade of an ancient tree, Gu An sat leisurely with the Seven Stars Mirror in hand, fanning himself.
Across from him, Lu Xianyi wore a grim expression, unable to place his chess piece.
The Qie Wuxing and the Nine-Finger Divine Lord sat to the side, their faces lit with genuine smiles.
For someone under seventy thousand years old to reach the ninth layer of the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, Lu Xianyi was undoubtedly a peerless genius of his era. Even the Qie Wuxing, who was at the same cultivation level, felt a sense of danger from him. On the day Lu Xianyi learned to play chess, he had managed to defeat the Qie Wuxing in their first game.
The Qie Wuxing, having lost his position as the second-best chess player in the world, had harbored ill feelings toward Lu Xianyi for a long time.
Today, he finally saw Lu Xianyi embarrassed!
Lu Xianyi suddenly raised his gaze toward Gu An, his tone heavy as he asked, "Impossible! Just who are you?"
Chess was indeed profound, but Lu Xianyi believed Gu An's ability to win lay in predicting his next move. And what did that imply? It meant Gu An's capacity for deduction far exceeded his own!
While his talent and comprehension might not be considered top-tier in the Sacred Court, Lu Xianyi firmly believed he was a genius.
He refused to accept that Gu An's comprehension surpassed his own.
There could only be one explanation—this man was hiding his true cultivation level!
Hearing this, Gu An grinned smugly. "Do you believe me if I tell you that I'm the Sword Master of the Dao?"
This fellow couldn't even recognize the celestial treasures in Gu An's hands and on his head, yet he wanted to see through Gu An's cultivation level?
Upon hearing Gu An's words, Lu Xianyi abruptly stood up, bowing deeply toward him with clasped fists.
The Qie Wuxing, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, and the surrounding spectators were momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.
Lu Xianyi looked up, confused. What was so funny?
Were these people not afraid of offending the Sword Master of the Dao?
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord couldn't help but chuckle. "Young man, you might want to do some digging. This kid is barely over two hundred years old. How could he possibly be the Sword Master of the Dao? The Sword Master of the Dao rose to fame over a century ago."
Hearing this, Lu Xianyi turned to Gu An with incredulity.
He naturally couldn't believe Gu An was the Sword Master of the Dao. What could anyone accomplish in just two hundred years?
Even someone with talent like his own could, at most, reach the Profound Heart Realm within that time.
And what was a Profound Heart Realm cultivator worth?
Nothing but an ant!
It wasn't even about Gu An being two hundred years old. Even if someone claimed the Sword Master of the Dao was ten thousand years old, Lu Xianyi wouldn't believe it.
The Sword Master of the Dao had to be a being who surpassed even the realm of the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal!
"You…" Lu Xianyi glared at Gu An, clearly infuriated.
Gu An, however, stood up calmly and said, "Someone's looking for me. You all carry on."
With that, he slipped away.
Lu Xianyi stared at Gu An's departing figure, unable to let go of the absurdity of the situation.
Luckily, he hadn't developed any enmity toward Gu An. Otherwise, he would likely have met his end tonight.
The Qie Wuxing immediately took Gu An's seat, declaring, "Let's go! I've figured out your moves!"
Lu Xianyi took a deep breath and sat down once more.
He knew Gu An was the Medicine Valley's master, meaning he couldn't escape. He refused to believe he couldn't outmatch a mere mortal in chess!
Gu An hadn't been making an excuse—someone really was looking for him.
He walked to his pavilion and waited below it.
After a short while, a figure flew into the valley. It was none other than Xuan Tianyi.
"Big brother! Long time no see!" Gu An exclaimed in delight.
Xuan Tianyi was as high-spirited as ever. He patted Gu An's shoulder, scrutinizing him with a smile. "You've learned to dress up. You've got a bit of my charisma now. But your cultivation hasn't improved—it's embarrassing!"
Hearing this, Lu Xianyi, who was playing chess nearby, immediately dismissed his suspicions.
Someone who could call a minor Mahayana Realm cultivator "big brother"—what kind of high-ranking individual could that person possibly be?
It seemed this young man's ability to invent chess was simply a unique talent.
Gu An led Xuan Tianyi upstairs to chat.
Inside the room, Xuan Tianyi recounted his experiences over the years, including battles with supernatural wraiths and other fascinating adventures.
Gu An listened attentively, occasionally reacting with astonishment, which clearly pleased Xuan Tianyi.
He loved chatting with his little brother—it was exhilarating!
When Xuan Tianyi mentioned Li Ya and An Hao, especially An Hao, his tone was full of admiration.
He had witnessed firsthand what it meant to be a peerless genius. Compared to An Hao, his own talent seemed mediocre.
Most notably, he had learned that An Hao's master was none other than the Sword Master of the Dao.
"What? His master is… No wonder, no wonder!" Gu An exclaimed in amazement.
There were restrictions in the room, preventing any eavesdropping from disciples outside. As for the Qie Wuxing and the others, even if they overheard, it wouldn't matter. If they dared to scheme against An Hao, Gu An wouldn't hesitate to sever their so-called camaraderie.
"After the Grand Cold Demon Sect retreated, the seas have been in chaos. Many forces fled, leaving behind unclaimed territories and resources. Even the Star Sea Sect is fighting over them," Xuan Tianyi remarked with a sigh.
Although years had passed, the mention of that event still filled him with excitement.
The Sword Master of the Dao had truly brought glory to the Tai Xuan Sect!
Even though Xuan Tianyi now resided in the Star Sea Sect, his heart always belonged to the Tai Xuan Sect.
The two continued their lively conversation.
Meanwhile, after finally defeating the Qie Wuxing in chess, Lu Xianyi stood and left, ignoring the latter's plea for another round.
He wandered through the valley, his gaze landing on Shen Xin Zi.
"Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect, huh…" Lu Xianyi seemed lost in thought for a moment before quickly averting his gaze. He had no intention of approaching Shen Xin Zi.
He continued observing everyone in the valley.
This Medicine Valley was bizarre. Its residents were either frighteningly weak or concealed immortals—there was no middle ground.
Suddenly, his eyes locked onto someone again.
This time, his gaze froze.
Following his line of sight, one could see Yang Jian, who was weeding.
Due to the vast disparity in their cultivation levels, Yang Jian, with his back turned to Lu Xianyi, didn't sense anything unusual.
Until a voice came from behind him:
"What is your name?"
Startled, Yang Jian stood up instinctively and turned around.
He had seen Lu Xianyi from afar before and knew this individual wasn't someone ordinary.
"I am Yang Jian. May I know what the senior requires?" Yang Jian replied with a polite bow, his demeanor both respectful and composed.
"Yang Jian?" Lu Xianyi murmured thoughtfully. He recalled hearing this name before.
Two Tai Xuan Sect disciples had mentioned it in passing, arguing over whether Erlang Shen Yang Jian was stronger than the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Their debate had escalated into a heated quarrel.