"Is that so? Then I'll wait for you to help me," Jiang Qiong said with a bright smile, her eyes fixed on Gu An.
Gu An glanced at her sideways and asked, "Wait a moment—your real purpose this time, it's not aimed at the Ji family again, is it?"
Jiang Qiong let out a soft hum. "With people coming and going like this, aren't you afraid the Ji family might overhear?"
Indeed, the street was crowded, but there were plenty of people who spoke even more boldly than Gu An, so he didn't feel the slightest concern.
"Who in the Tai Xuan Sect would dare to make things difficult for me?" Gu An said with a deliberately arrogant tone. Then, as if flipping a switch, he put on a warm smile and greeted someone approaching from the front.
Watching Gu An's smooth and versatile manner, Jiang Qiong couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
Once the acquaintance had left, Jiang Qiong teased, "You know, I've heard that Sect Leader Lü is considering grooming you as the next Sect Leader. At first, I thought he was joking, but now it seems you really have a shot."
Gu An shook his head. "Forget it. He hasn't brought it up in years."
Ever since cultivators from overseas began integrating into the sect, Lü Baitian rarely mentioned the position of Sect Leader anymore. It wasn't that he was reluctant to hand over the mantle but rather that he found himself increasingly constrained. The authority of the Sect Leader was being diluted, and handing the position to Gu An would only bring him endless trouble.
"Who told you to slack off and not cultivate properly?" Jiang Qiong huffed, clearly exasperated.
She had noticed Gu An's extraordinary talent more than six hundred years ago. But no matter how much she tried to persuade him, this man remained engrossed in his herb garden, spent his days idly flipping through books, and showed no interest in diligently cultivating.
"You don't understand. What I'm doing is a form of cultivation too. Someday, you'll realize that relying solely on qi absorption is the most foolish method."
"Oh? Then I'll be watching closely."
"Don't pretend you didn't hear me when the time comes."
"You really do understand women, don't you?"
"I can't help it. Many of my connections were forged through this face of mine. Naturally, after dealing with so many women, I've learned a thing or two."
"Sometimes I wish I could seal you in a coffin for eternity."
The two bantered as they strolled through the bustling streets.
Jiang Qiong's thoughts soon drifted elsewhere.
While her stated purpose was to request the release of her sect's disciples, that wasn't her main reason for being here.
She had come to seek out the Sword Master of the Dao.
…
As night fell, in the woods outside the Tai Xuan Sect, Jiang Qiong stood beneath a tree, her brows furrowed. A cool breeze tugged at her robes, but she didn't feel the chill.
Her heart was restless.
Centuries ago, the Sword Master of the Dao had granted her control over the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother. With that power, she had founded the Gathering Flower Sect, rising from a state of destitution to become a powerful figure in the cultivation world. Without the Sword Master of the Dao, she wouldn't be where she was today. How could she not feel uneasy when meeting him?
Her greatest concern was the unknown price for his assistance.
Having been raised within a demonic sect, Jiang Qiong didn't believe in perfect altruism. The Sword Master of the Dao might have a reputation for justice, but he surely had another side to him.
She had envisioned countless scenarios and prepared responses for each.
A sudden crunch of leaves snapping underfoot interrupted her thoughts. Startled, she turned her head and saw a shadowy figure emerge from the darkness.
The signature technique of the Thousand Autumn Pavilion— Demon Shadow Divine Art!
Jiang Qiong immediately stepped forward and bowed to the Sword Master of the Dao.
"What is it?" The Sword Master of the Dao's raspy voice cut through the still night.
Jiang Qiong recognized that voice. It was the same one she had heard when Qiu Xi Immortal Lord attacked.
Taking a deep breath, she quickly explained her reason for seeking him out.
The Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother had been captured!
One of its accompanying disciples had been possessed by a fragment of a soul and unknowingly returned to the Gathering Flower Sect. When the soul finally revealed itself to Jiang Qiong, it made its intentions clear—it came from the Spirit-Confining Demon Palace and demanded that the Gathering Flower Sect submit to its will.
Before she could even respond, it set forth its demands: the sect must deliver ten thousand cultivators under a thousand years old to the Spirit-Confining Demon Palace every year.
To demonstrate its power, the soul injured several of the sect's high-ranking members before leaving arrogantly.
Left with no other option, Jiang Qiong had come to seek the Sword Master of the Dao's help.
"The Gathering Flower Sect is a righteous sect. How can we serve the demonic path by committing such atrocities?" Jiang Qiong declared firmly, her expression serious.
Seeing her earnest demeanor, Gu An couldn't help but find it amusing.
What an act.
Turning his back to her, he left her with a single sentence as he disappeared into the darkness. "I understand. They won't trouble you again. As for the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother, it will return on its own."
Hearing those words, Jiang Qiong let out a sigh of relief. Watching his retreating figure, she clenched her teeth and called out, "Senior, why did you choose me?"
Asking that question felt like lifting a weight from her chest.
Some matters had to be confronted head-on.
After witnessing the Sword Master of the Dao's overwhelming display of power against Qiu Xi Immortal Lord, she knew she could never surpass him in this lifetime. There was no point in hesitating any longer.
Gu An didn't stop walking. His voice drifted back to her on the wind:
"I helped you because someone close to me asked me to. As for who that person is, don't worry. Don't you already call him the only one you care for in this world?"
The words fell, and Gu An vanished into thin air.
He knew Jiang Qiong was always anxious about the matter, so he used this opportunity to ease her worries.
Jiang Qiong's eyes widened in surprise, and she stood rooted to the spot, stunned.
After a long pause, a smile broke across her face as she softly murmured, "You really do have connections in Tai Xuan Sect."
She didn't blame Gu An for deliberately keeping this matter hidden. After all, her life had taken a drastic turn because of him. Everything she had now was owed to him; how could she hold any grievance?
Her heart was filled more with joy than anything else.
With the guidance of the Sword Master of the Dao, Gu An's future would undoubtedly surpass her own.
Thinking back to Gu An's earlier words—"Absorbing qi for cultivation is the most foolish method"—she began to wonder if it was true. Perhaps the Sword Master of the Dao had taught him an even higher-level cultivation method.
Looking up, Jiang Qiong saw the moonlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves. The silver glow was breathtakingly beautiful, much like her current mood.
Meanwhile, Gu An returned to the pavilion in the Third Medicine Valley. Switching with his clone, he seamlessly resumed his original position, unnoticed by Ji Xiaoyu downstairs, let alone the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor.
Gu An picked up the Pen of Destiny on the table.
Before Jiang Qiong had arrived, he had already deduced the details of the Spirit-Confining Demon Palace. It was a purely demonic sect led by a reincarnated Heavenly Demon who had awakened their past-life memories. Their decision to infiltrate Tai Cang Continent was part of a broader scheme to investigate the Sword Master of the Dao in preparation for a future invasion of the Heavenly Spirit World by demonic forces.
The members of the Spirit-Confining Demon Palace were all heinous criminals.
Killing them would be a meritorious deed for all beings!
With that, Gu An began to write the words "Spirit-Confining Demon Palace" in mid-air. Using the Longevity True Incantation, he sealed their fate with the stroke of his pen.
All those tied to the palace's fortune would be reduced to ash!
The palace's leader, a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal, commanded a faction similar in strength to the Star Sea Sect but with far fewer members.
By the time Gu An set the Pen of Destiny back on the table, a cascade of notifications appeared before his eyes:
[You have successfully taken 709 years of lifespan from Yin Jie Zhenren (Loose Immortal Realm, Seventh Layer)]
[You have successfully taken 2,171 years of lifespan from Lin Gexuan (Wandering Immortal Realm, Second Layer)]
[You have successfully taken 624 years of lifespan from Yang Fu (Nirvana Realm, Eighth Layer)]
…
Gu An stared at the notifications, his face impassive.
The Spirit-Confining Demon Palace, which had driven Jiang Qiong to despair, was nothing more than ash on his desk.
Yet as the notifications continued to roll in, Gu An felt a peculiar force subtly approach him—a mysterious form of fortune that felt intimate and familiar, almost inviting. Instinctively, he wanted to accept it but held himself back.
This was a reward from the Heavenly Dao itself. Destroying great evils earned one this intangible fortune.
More accurately, it wasn't fortune but something akin to it—merit.
Gu An suddenly understood.
The concept of merit, long a whispered legend among mortals, was no myth. Indeed, the heavens were always watching.
Compared to the Great Cold Demon Sect, the Spirit-Confining Demon Palace's sins were far greater. While the former could rely on the Sacred Court's fortune to cleanse much of its karma, the latter acted without restraint, indulging in unbridled evil. Their karmic burden was unparalleled.
The vast merit accumulated by eradicating the Spirit-Confining Demon Palace was immense. Should Gu An choose to accept it, it would immediately flood into him.
However, Gu An decided against it, opting to keep his distance from the Heavenly Dao.
Eventually, the notifications ceased.
In a single stroke, Gu An had gained nearly 700 million years of lifespan!
Killing to extend one's life truly was the most efficient way.
For a fleeting moment, Gu An was tempted to exterminate all the demonic factions in the world. But then he recalled Long Zhan's fate and restrained himself.
No matter how he justified it, he was still acting out of self-interest. The larger the scale of his actions, the greater the potential consequences. It was not something he could afford to take lightly.
Gu An summoned his attribute panel and saw that his lifespan now totaled over 2.9 billion years, finally easing his Dao Heart.
A bit more, and he would be ready to break through!
Though he was free from the worries of time, he needed to ensure his cultivation continued progressing steadily, lest an insurmountable foe appear.
Morning turned into noon the next day.
Ji Xiaoyu arrived at Gu An's pavilion.
"The disciples of the Gathering Flower Sect have been released," Ji Xiaoyu said, her sharp gaze fixed on him.
Gu An set down the book he was reading and looked up with a smile. "Thank you."
"What's your relationship with the Gathering Flower Sect's leader?"
Hearing her question, Gu An didn't hide anything and briefly explained how he and Jiang Qiong came to know each other.
"She gave me significant guidance during my early cultivation days. Without her teachings, I wouldn't be where I am today," Gu An said earnestly.
"And beyond that?" Ji Xiaoyu pressed.
Gu An looked puzzled. "Beyond that? What else are you asking about?"
Ji Xiaoyu hesitated as if about to say something, but then her expression shifted. She finally replied, "Never mind. My fate is already sealed—I cannot attain eternal life. Seeing so many women by your side treating you well, I can leave this life at peace."
"Don't say such things. You are still you. The soul remains unchanged. Don't worry," Gu An said, attempting to comfort her.
Ji Xiaoyu shook her head. "You wouldn't understand this feeling."
With that, she turned and left.
Gu An watched her departing figure, and his thoughts drifted to her past life as the third young lady of a prominent family.
For some reason, a sense of regret stirred in his heart.
Perhaps it was his experiences from youth, but he harbored a complex mix of gratitude and affection for the third young lady.
Perhaps Ji Xiaoyu was right—this life and her previous one were as different as two people.
Thinking back, he realized he had never properly said goodbye to the third young lady.
She likely never thought of him in her final moments.
Gu An shook his head, berating himself for being sentimental. Picking up the book Adventures of the Green Hero, he began to immerse himself in its stories.
The carefree writing of Xuan Tianyi resonated with him, helping him shed unnecessary worries time and time again.
The deceased were gone, and it was better to cherish those still alive. Life had to go on!
With this thought, Gu An quickly became absorbed in the plot of an isolated island tale.