After being lightly scolded by Gu An, the Blood Prison Saint abandoned his plan to frighten the White Spirit Mouse. He wasn't upset by Gu An's intervention; in fact, he knew that Gu An's care for the White Spirit Mouse naturally extended to him as well.
Gu An continued strolling through the outer sect city, enjoying the leisurely atmosphere until dusk. As they prepared to leave, the Blood Prison Saint deliberately transformed into his bull demon form, serving as Gu An's mount as they departed.
Despite Gu An's assurance that there was no need for such displays, the Blood Prison Saint insisted. He wasn't foolish—he understood that if he took Gu An's words at face value and truly stopped, Gu An could easily find another mount by the next day.
Gu An was pleased with the Blood Prison Saint's attitude. He could guess what the Blood Prison Saint was thinking.
Indeed, with Gu An's current abilities, finding a suitable mount would be no challenge at all. In fact, he wouldn't even have to look for one—upon hearing that Gu An lacked a mount, others would eagerly offer their finest beasts in tribute.
Gu An didn't force the Blood Prison Saint into servitude, but since the Blood Prison Saint sought to follow him, he didn't refuse. Following Gu An, after all, would never result in wasted effort.
As the breeze swept across his face, Gu An, seated atop the bull demon's back, pulled out the Heavenly Dao Discourse and resumed reading.
Although this copy was a reproduction, the words carried a certain profound Daoist intent.
The presence of such Daoist intent suggested that the creator might have been a Dao Fruit Realm cultivator.
Beyond the heavens lay countless great worlds. Gu An had sensed the presence of Dao Repository Free Immortals before, though their auras were well-hidden and fleeting. As for the Profound Origin Free Immortal Realm, he had yet to encounter one.
The Heavenly Dao Discourse was no random occurrence. Through deduction, Gu An determined that the original copies of this book had simultaneously descended across the various regions of the Heavenly Spirit World in the same year. This suggested that some powerful being had its sights set on this great world.
Currently, there were over ten Free Immortals within the Heavenly Spirit World, quietly vying for supremacy. Though they clashed, their battles occurred in the void beyond the heavens, leaving the world's balance undisturbed.
If another Dao Repository Free Immortal were to emerge, Gu An wouldn't be concerned. Such a presence posed no threat to him.
In fact, he was already preparing for his next breakthrough.
The Blood Prison Saint wasn't flying particularly fast, and by the time they arrived at the Third Medicine Valley, the moon had risen high into the night sky.
Once they landed, Gu An didn't immediately head upstairs. Instead, he made his way toward a quiet courtyard in the distance.
The Third Medicine Valley's disciples now numbered over five thousand, with more choosing to remain in the valley rather than venture out. This growth had prompted An Xin to establish new standards for those wishing to stay. Nowadays, earning the right to remain in the valley was a greater achievement than completing one's training and leaving.
Of course, the new rules applied only to the disciples who joined after they were established. Older disciples could still choose to remain, and Gu An continued to treat them as he always had.
Along the way, Gu An exchanged greetings with the disciples who saluted him.
When he reached the quiet courtyard, he could sense that Zhu Xi was cultivating inside.
Gu An took a moment to observe the courtyard before stepping up to the door and raising his hand to knock.
The sound of his knock echoed briefly. Moments later, Zhu Xi opened the door. Upon seeing Gu An, she immediately bowed deeply in respect.
"May I come in to chat with you?" Gu An asked with a gentle smile.
Zhu Xi quickly stepped aside and invited him in.
She had known Gu An for over a century and deeply respected him. She had no fear that he might harm her.
In her eyes, if Gu An were truly deceitful, he couldn't have maintained such a facade for this long. Even a great cultivator would struggle to interact with others daily while maintaining an equal and unassuming demeanor.
Besides, from Gu An's perspective, there was no need for pretense. With his current power, he could subjugate the entire world without resistance—who could stop him?
Compared to those who wielded power recklessly, Zhu Xi admired Gu An's restraint and his ability to transcend worldly desires.
As Gu An stepped into the room, he noticed that Zhu Xi's quarters were clean and minimalist. There were no unnecessary decorations, and a faint, refreshing fragrance lingered in the air, soothing the mind.
Gu An walked to the table and sat down. Zhu Xi closed the door behind him and began pouring tea.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zhu Xi sat across from Gu An and asked, "Master, is there something you need?"
As a disciple of the Third Medicine Valley, Zhu Xi was obligated to address Gu An as Master.
Gu An smiled. "Did you recently acquire a book?"
Zhu Xi looked puzzled. "What book?"
"Heavenly Dao Discourse."
Her expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. Without hesitation, she took out a reproduced copy of Heavenly Dao Discourse and asked, "Is it this book, Master? Do you want it?"
Gu An had previously deduced that one of the original copies of Heavenly Dao Discourse was in Zhu Xi's possession. A few months earlier, during an outing to break through her cultivation bottleneck, Zhu Xi had stumbled upon it by chance.
But how could such a coincidence be purely accidental?
Gu An didn't take the Heavenly Dao Discourse from her hands. Instead, he said calmly, "Zhu Xi, I've always known what kind of person you are. Back when you were still at Falling Moon Divine Lake, I already noticed you. You had a penchant for stealing spirit herbs."
Zhu Xi's eyes widened in shock. She instinctively took a step back.
Gu An fixed his gaze on her and said, "You've always been wary of others, which is why I never exposed you. I accepted you as my disciple for two reasons: one, because of your extraordinary talent, and two, because you've never committed great evil. You're still redeemable. I can give you endless spirit herbs, but in return, I need your trust. As for why I took an interest in you so early on, it's because your physique is unique. Haven't you always wanted to know the origin of your bloodline?"
Hearing this, Zhu Xi's panic subsided significantly. She cautiously returned to the table and said, "Master, I haven't stolen any spirit herbs since coming to the Third Medicine Valley."
She was telling the truth. The Third Medicine Valley's treatment of its disciples was excellent, and rumors about her being personally invited by An Xin to join had spread. Many influential families believed she might become Gu An's direct disciple and had begun trying to win her over.
Gu An nodded. "I know. That's why I've never brought it up. Today, I've come to discuss Heavenly Dao Discourse. This book is no ordinary text—it could bring disaster to both you and the Third Medicine Valley."
Hearing this, Zhu Xi immediately handed over the Heavenly Dao Discourse.
The genuine Heavenly Dao Discourse was bound in a blood-red cover, as if dyed in blood. Its appearance alone exuded an unsettling aura.
Gu An traced his fingers through the air, and the book flew from Zhu Xi's hands, landing on the table near him.
Zhu Xi was secretly impressed by the technique.
Although her cultivation level was no longer low and she had hidden her true strength, she felt utterly powerless in front of Gu An. His ability left her no room to react.
"This book likely originated from beyond the heavens," Gu An explained. "It was crafted by someone who has surpassed the Ninth Heaven of the Immortal Dao. The book merges with your karmic ties and fortune each time you use it. The more you rely on it, the harder it will be to part with. Eventually, you'll be controlled by it. To remain unaffected, you'd need to surpass the Free Immortal Realm and even the creator of this book."
"Surpass the Ninth Heaven of the Immortal Dao?" Zhu Xi's face turned pale with fear. She hesitated before asking in a trembling voice, "Master, what should I do?"
Gu An smiled gently. "Do you like this book?"
"I like it… no, I like its power," Zhu Xi admitted honestly. She had initially mistaken it for a supreme treasure of the Immortal Dao, which was why she had kept it hidden.
Gu An chuckled. "I can let you keep it, but don't use it. I will teach you how to control its power. If any entities behind this book try to contact you, you must inform me immediately."
Without hesitation, Zhu Xi agreed. She had no reason to side with the forces behind Heavenly Dao Discourse.