When the Mysterious Divine City appeared, its radiant golden light illuminated the darkened world. Li Ya stood at its center, staring in awe at his surroundings.
He could feel the immense power of the Mysterious Divine City, far greater than when he had wielded it before. The strength he sensed now was on an entirely different level, confirming the truth of the voice he had heard earlier.
Reflecting on it, Li Ya realized he had never truly controlled the Mysterious Divine City's power. Everything he had done was mediated through the Celestial Spirit, following its guidance.
High above the clouds, the Supernatural Realm Lord observed the expanding Mysterious Divine City, his gaze flickering with an unreadable expression.
Zhang Buku, on the other hand, felt a surge of hope. If Sword Master of Dao really arrived, Li Ya might yet be saved.
In Zhang Buku's heart, Sword Master of Dao was an invincible figure. This belief was deeply ingrained in all who hailed from the Tai Cang Continent.
A figure materialized beside Li Ya. When he turned to look, his pupils contracted sharply.
It was the familiar shadow of a demon.
The dark purple demonic aura did not seem malevolent to Li Ya. Instead, it felt strangely comforting.
Gu An tilted his head slightly, glancing at Li Ya.
Li Ya hurriedly bowed deeply and greeted him. "Ancestor…"
A thousand words caught in his throat, unable to be spoken.
Rumble—
Thunderclouds rapidly gathered, covering the blood-red sky. Countless bolts of lightning coiled like dragons and serpents, their dazzling brilliance filling the heavens and earth. The overwhelming spectacle cast a suffocating pressure across the land.
The clouds condensed into a massive face that occupied half the sky, dwarfing everything beneath it.
Zhang Buku looked up at the colossal visage, his eyes wide with shock. He could feel an oppressive might that far surpassed anything he had encountered before.
Even the Supernatural Realm Lord wore a grave expression.
His strength, comparable to an Unrestrained Primordial Immortal, paled in comparison to this entity. Furthermore, unlike a true Unrestrained Primordial Immortal, he lacked the freedom that defined their title.
This massive face was the real deal—a being of the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal level!
An existence far beyond the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal realm!
The Supernatural Realm Lord cast a glance at Gu An within the Mysterious Divine City. A glimmer of hope sparked in his heart as he thought, Sword Master of Dao, how will you respond?
The demon sect that had once besieged the continent during the Great Cold Demon Calamity was powerful, but not a single one of its members had ever wielded such an aura.
"Sword Master of Dao, why do you reject the Sacred Court's blessing?"
The ancient voice echoed again, sharp and imposing.
Gu An raised his head slightly, his voice reverberating through the heavens. "Why must one accept it? Does refusing the Sacred Court's favor make one a demon?"
If the Sacred Court truly thought this way, Gu An couldn't help but grow more wary of their so-called Destiny Fruit position.
Could this Destiny Fruit position be a form of bondage?
"Not at all," the voice rumbled like thunder, its tone reverberating endlessly. "But to refuse the Sacred Court suggests you have secrets to hide, Sword Master of Dao. What are you so afraid of?"
Gu An's patience wore thin.
"You have three breaths to leave," he declared coldly. His voice carried a lethal edge, suffusing the realm with killing intent. "If you don't, don't blame me for showing no mercy to the Sacred Court."
The massive face in the sky visibly shifted but did not respond.
The three breaths passed agonizingly slowly.
Zhang Buku and Li Ya held their breath, while even the Supernatural Realm Lord watched intently, awaiting the mysterious entity's decision.
For the Supernatural Realm Lord, this moment was pivotal. If Sword Master of Dao could disregard such a formidable presence, it validated his choice to align with him.
Although he could easily kill Li Ya, the Supernatural Realm Lord had refrained, a tacit gesture of respect toward Sword Master of Dao.
After the three breaths elapsed.
Gu An raised his right hand, his palm aimed at the sky.
"Sword Master—"
Before the word could be completed, the massive face vanished, dissipating as if it had never been.
Gu An lowered his hand, and the world fell silent.
Li Ya's eyes widened as he saw the thunderclouds part, revealing a gaping void where the mysterious face had once loomed.
Instinctively, his gaze shifted to Gu An. In Gu An's palm was an old man shrouded in a misty aura. The elder's expression was one of pure terror as he struggled futilely to escape.
Even his cries were inaudible to Li Ya.
Without a word, Gu An vanished from the spot.
The Celestial Spirit reappeared on Li Ya's shoulder, patting its chest with its tiny hands in a gesture of lingering fear.
Both Zhang Buku and the Supernatural Realm Lord were left stunned. They had anticipated an earth-shattering battle and had even braced themselves for the collapse of the heavens and earth. Yet, the Sacred Court's enigmatic powerhouse had been subdued so effortlessly?
What was Sword Master of Dao's true cultivation level?
Fear crept into the heart of the Supernatural Realm Lord as a horrifying thought surfaced.
Could Sword Master of Dao truly be a Heavenly Demon? From the very beginning, had he stood in opposition to the Sacred Court?
By the crashing waves, Gu An sat upon a reef. He had activated a lifespan barrier around him. In his right hand sat the elderly figure—the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal who had once presided over the Broken Sea Region's main city.
Gu An was employing the Grand Immortal Soul Imprisonment Art, delving into the elder's memories.
This elder's name was Luo Xuzi, a reincarnation of a Heavenly Demon and a fourth-ranked Heavenly Position within the Sacred Court, serving as a close confidant to the Great Ming Sacred King.
Many of Luo Xuzi's memories were shielded by a mysterious spell. If anyone attempted to infiltrate them, these memories would automatically fragment and dissipate. Unsurprisingly, the protected memories all pertained to the Great Ming Sacred King.
But such measures were nothing more than child's play before Gu An's divine sense. With ease, he dismantled the defenses and uncovered Luo Xuzi's dealings with the Great Ming Sacred King.
The establishment of the Broken Sea Region had indeed been orchestrated by the Great Ming Sacred King. Within this region lay his sworn enemy, the Sacred King Zhu Shi. Initially, the Great Ming Sacred King's intent was to annihilate Zhu Shi completely, condemning him to eternal cycles of reincarnation. However, many of the Great Ming Sacred King's subordinates seized this opportunity to further their own agendas, leading the Broken Sea Region into catastrophic chaos.
After Gu An's intervention, the Great Ming Sacred King regarded him as an enemy. Currently, the Great Ming Sacred King suspected Gu An of being a reincarnation of a Heavenly Demon, which was why he had dispatched Luo Xuzi.
From Luo Xuzi's memories, Gu An confirmed that the Great Ming Sacred King was not a Heavenly Demon himself. However, the Sacred King was aggressively seeking the reincarnations of Heavenly Demons for purposes unknown to anyone else.
It became evident that the Sacred Court as a whole was not targeting the Sword Master of Dao; rather, this was the singular ambition of the Great Ming Sacred King.
The Sacred Court, vast and intricate in its influence, housed numerous factions. Though the Broken Sea Region seemed immense, within the grand scheme of the Heavenly Spirit World, it was nothing more than a speck. It hardly warranted the attention of those occupying even the lower ranks of the Sacred Court's hierarchy, let alone the greater ranks.
The formal third-tier ranks, known as the Sacred Kings, were numerous within the Sacred Court. Above them stood the second-tier Sacred Ministers and the exalted first-tier Sacred Gods.
Upon extracting Luo Xuzi's soul, Gu An casually crushed it, extinguishing his existence entirely.
Gu An was not concerned about the Great Ming Sacred King attempting further schemes. In fact, he welcomed the challenge, curious to see what the Sacred King's next move would be. After all, when faced with an opponent as enigmatic and powerful as Gu An, sending agents into the fray only to lose them without a trace was bound to unsettle even the most formidable of enemies.
A notification appeared before Gu An's eyes: he had just absorbed over 20,000 years of lifespan from Luo Xuzi.
"Truly reckless," Gu An mused with a smirk. "These great figures always insist on acting in person."
Of course, even if Luo Xuzi had hidden himself, it wouldn't have mattered. For someone like Gu An, no amount of concealment could keep him from finding his target.
This brought to mind the Thousand Faces Divine Lord, who had escaped from Gu An's grasp in the Seven Stars Spirit Realm all those years ago. Gu An could easily locate him now, yet he chose not to pursue him. The Thousand Faces Divine Lord had behaved himself ever since. Gu An respected those who knew their place.
Among all his adversaries, only the Thousand Faces Divine Lord had managed to slip through his fingers. In truth, Gu An found himself curious to see how far the Thousand Faces Divine Lord might rise.
With that thought, Gu An rose from his seat on the reef and vanished.
In the shadowy main hall of the Broken Sea Region's central city, the Domain Master Qingsongzi stood atop the steps, hands clasped behind his back. His brows were deeply furrowed.
"Why is it so quiet all of a sudden?" he muttered to himself. "Could even Senior Luo Xuzi have fallen to the Sword Master of Dao? If so, there should still be some kind of commotion…"
Draped in his signature green robe, Qingsongzi exuded a steady and commanding aura. Though his appearance suggested a man in his forties, the oppressive energy of a ruler emanated from him.
As a cultivator at the seventh layer of the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Realm, Qingsongzi held the Sacred Court's endorsement as the Domain Master of the Broken Sea Region. Never before had he felt such unease.
The gaping chasm of the Broken Sea Rift lay directly beneath him. If there had been a battle, he would have sensed it immediately.
But now, Qingsongzi dared not extend his divine sense into the rift, fearing he might provoke unwanted consequences.
Even if Luo Xuzi had failed, surely the Sword Master of Dao wouldn't dare openly defy the Sacred Court. All Qingsongzi needed to do was feign ignorance and maintain the status quo.
At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed through the hall. A figure approached with rapid strides, leaving afterimages in his wake.
Lu Xianyi halted at the base of the steps, bowing respectfully toward Qingsongzi. "You summoned me, Senior? What do you require of me?"
Turning to face him, Qingsongzi's expression softened, and a smile broke across his face. "Your father and I are fellow disciples. There's no need for such formalities. From now on, call me Shibo."
"Shibo," Lu Xianyi said obediently, though his mind raced. Clearly, Qingsongzi needed something from him, or he wouldn't bother with such pleasantries.
Having spent years observing the Sacred Court's machinations, Lu Xianyi was no stranger to Qingsongzi's patron, the Great Ming Sacred King.
Could it be that the Broken Sea Region had suffered a setback at the hands of the Sword Master of Dao?
If so, Lu Xianyi found the situation amusing. He had long noted the Sacred Court's operatives infiltrating the Tai Cang Continent and even the Tai Xuan Sect, all to investigate the Sword Master of Dao. This made the Great Ming Sacred King's desperation evident.
The Great Cold Demon Sect had once been a powerful tool for the Great Ming Sacred King. It was through the sect that he had carried out countless covert operations for the Sacred Court, solidifying his growing influence. Despite recent missteps, his position remained unshaken.
The recent catastrophe in the Broken Sea Region, for instance, was viewed by the Sacred Court as a minor error on the Great Ming Sacred King's part—nothing more. Many even speculated that it was part of a calculated move against the Sacred King Zhu Shi, choosing to turn a blind eye.
After all, the choice between a reigning Sacred King and a reincarnating one was obvious.
Looking at Lu Xianyi, Qingsongzi asked with a smile, "The Sword Master of Dao refuses to accept the Sacred Court's Destiny Fruit position. You've been in the Tai Xuan Sect for many years. What do you think should be done? Should we let him be, or investigate him further?"
Lu Xianyi thought for a moment before replying, "Shibo, do you think the Sword Master of Dao is formidable?"
"Of course," Qingsongzi answered without hesitation. "Far beyond my capabilities."
"Then why provoke him? Wouldn't it be better to simply manage the Broken Sea Region and leave him alone?" Lu Xianyi suggested.
Qingsongzi frowned.
With a meaningful look, Lu Xianyi continued, "The Sword Master of Dao appeared in the place where the Sacred King Zhu Shi was reincarnated. The connection between them is worth pondering. Why would someone like him conceal his identity? Shibo, my father once told me something: in the Sacred Court, no matter how high your cultivation, living is like walking on thin ice. Survival is the only thing that matters."