Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, two hundred years had gone by.
Gu An had enlightened a hundred demon beasts, leaving White Spirit Mouse in charge of teaching them. An Xin introduced White Spirit Mouse to Yi Qingshan and the others, allowing it to establish close ties with Qiankun Sect. Under Yi Qingshan's guidance, Qiankun Sect frequently sent gifts to White Spirit Mouse and its subordinates, strengthening their relationship further.
Two hundred years later, Qiankun Sect had solidified its power, rising as a top-tier sect on Nine Spirits Continent, with the potential to sweep across the land.
With nine Mahayana Realm experts, Qiankun Sect was invincible in this region. As long as no overseas forces intervened, it was only a matter of time before they unified the continent.
Meanwhile, the struggle between Heaven and Earth never ceased. The world's spiritual energy continuously gathered at the world's center, drawing strong cultivators with it. This led to a decline in cultivation fervor at the outer regions.
Nine Spirits Continent and the surrounding territories faced such a situation—nearly no Immortal Dao experts would venture into this land. Instead, it became a refuge where lower-realm cultivators sought to live out their remaining years in peace.
On this day.
Within Wushi Dao Field, beside a tranquil lake in the mountains, Gu An sat fishing.
Standing nearby, Blood Prison Saint curiously observed the lake's surface. Unable to hold back, he asked, "Master, is there something special about these fish?"
In his eyes, his master was the strongest existence. He didn't believe Gu An would engage in meaningless activities. Even seemingly leisurely pastimes held deeper significance.
For example, his master enjoyed reading and writing—Shen Zhen once mimicked him and later achieved enlightenment from it.
Another example was the board games of Go and Chess that Gu An had created, which helped cultivators deepen their understanding of the Dao.
Even planting flowers and trees carried hidden insights, teaching one patience and mindfulness.
Blood Prison Saint had once been a restless and arrogant individual. But after thousands of years by Gu An's side, his temperament had been honed and tempered.
This lake was something Gu An had just created. Yesterday, he had visited Qianling Palace to pick spiritual herbs and had brought back many small fish, releasing them into the lake.
Hearing the question, Gu An replied calmly, "Nothing special, they're just ordinary fish."
Ordinary fish?
Blood Prison Saint was even more confused. He carefully observed the lake, convinced that there was some deeper mystery hidden within. He just couldn't perceive it yet.
Little did he know, Gu An was simply enjoying fishing.
His fishing hook was formed purely from mana, ensuring that any fish that bit the hook would be caught without harm. He was only interested in the process of fishing itself.
After leaving Tai Xuan Sect, despite having a vast Dao field, Gu An often found himself with idle time.
Although he didn't cultivate through absorbing Qi, he never wasted his free time. Instead, he found enlightenment through seemingly mundane activities, observing the flow of nature to better understand the Great Dao.
For Gu An, as long as he was observing something that had naturally formed, he could comprehend the Dao. Even though he had reached the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit Realm, he never considered himself invincible. He continued to chase the mysteries of the Dao.
With lifespan transformation, he was spared the need for Qi absorption and intensive cultivation. This only made him cherish the time he had for enlightenment even more.
Seated on a stone by the lake, Gu An quietly fished while Blood Prison Saint stood beside him. The two remained still, gazing at the water's surface. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow upon them. With the mountains and lake as their backdrop, the scene was one of peaceful beauty.
Time passed.
Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky, landing beside Gu An—it was Chen Chuan.
Now over a thousand years old, Chen Chuan had long since reached the Nirvana Realm. However, the path from Nirvana to the Loose Immortal Realm was incredibly arduous, far beyond comparison to lower realms. This was why the Nirvana cultivators by Gu An's side had yet to break through to Loose Immortal.
Not everyone possessed the same talent as An Hao. His fortune was unparalleled, making him a truly one-of-a-kind existence.
Chen Chuan's eyes sparkled with excitement as he spoke, "Master, I can sense a sword!"
Before Gu An could respond, Blood Prison Saint asked curiously, "What sword?"
Since arriving at Wushi Dao Field, Blood Prison Saint had never felt the presence of any dangerous aura. He hadn't sensed a powerful sword either, but he knew that Chen Chuan's fate was extraordinary. So, naturally, he was intrigued.
Chen Chuan frowned slightly, contemplating his experience before answering, "I can't explain it clearly. But I feel as though a sword has descended upon this world. It continuously emits sword cries, as if waiting for me to find it."
Hearing this, Blood Prison Saint's curiosity grew even stronger.
Gu An had relocated from Tai Xuan Sect to this place, yet he did not bring Long Qing or any other close disciples. The only one he took along was Chen Chuan. Blood Prison Saint always believed that Chen Chuan possessed talent that could rival An Hao and Yang Jian.
In truth, Chen Chuan had indeed displayed extraordinary insight into the Sword Dao. However, Blood Prison Saint still found it lacking.
"There truly is such a sword, one that has descended from beyond the heavens," Gu An said, his gaze fixed on the lake's surface. "It is the strongest sword in existence. Whoever obtains it will be qualified to contend for supremacy. Not just you—every sword cultivator in this world will sense it."
Hearing this, Chen Chuan frowned.
Blood Prison Saint widened his eyes and asked, "This is obviously a scheme. Are forces from beyond the heavens planning to invade again?"
Reflecting on past cataclysms, nearly every major disaster had been caused by external forces. No matter how fiercely the Immortal Court and Sacred Court battled, they had never pushed the world to complete destruction.
"This is the work of Grand Sword of the Great Hong, the force behind Jue Luo Sword Master." Gu An answered calmly.
Hearing this name, Blood Prison Saint and Chen Chuan exchanged glances.
"Tsk tsk, could it be that guy lost to Sun Immortal Emperor and refuses to accept it?" Blood Prison Saint said with a gloating smirk.
He had never liked Jue Luo Sword Master, whose arrogance and claims of being "unrivaled beneath the heavens" were utterly irritating.
Chen Chuan, however, remained silent. He once again tried to sense the sword.
For some reason, he felt a profound connection to it. But his master's words left him uncertain.
If all sword cultivators perceived the same calling, then pursuing the sword was definitely a trap.
But…
Was his perception truly the same as everyone else's?
Suddenly, Gu An's fishing rod jerked. He waited for a few seconds before pulling back sharply, reeling in a large yellow fish. Without hesitation, he unhooked it and released it back into the lake.
This action made Chen Chuan pause.
Taking a deep breath, he walked over to a grassy spot and sat down.
He unsheathed his sword and laid it across his lap, quietly meditating.
Blood Prison Saint gave him a strange look.
Gu An said nothing, but a faint smile appeared on his lips.
In his eyes, that so-called strongest divine sword was nothing special. Chen Chuan didn't need to fight for it—if he stayed by Gu An's side and continued training, he would eventually surpass that sword.
But still…
"Senior Brother Li, you wouldn't be expecting me to make a move again, would you?"
Gu An turned his gaze toward the sky, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Meanwhile…
Across the world, above a vast ocean.
A lone figure in black robes, Li Ya, stood atop a massive black eagle, soaring through the sea of clouds.
A spirit perched on his shoulder, clutching a few strands of his hair as it trembled.
"Are we really going to try and seize it? That sword's aura is terrifying—it will definitely attract some incredibly powerful figures. And don't forget, my master has already left the Heavenly Spirit World." The spirit muttered nervously.
It had deliberately mentioned Gu An's departure in hopes of discouraging Li Ya from taking unnecessary risks.
For the past thousand years, it had worked. Li Ya had refrained from reckless actions.
But today, he was at it again.
Li Ya's gaze was icy and sharp as he responded, "If I don't fight for it, how can I grow stronger? Do you expect me to just sit in meditation and cultivate?"
His heart burned with determination.
Because he could feel it.
That sword was calling him.
It had chosen him as its master!
The spirit sighed, exasperated. "Do you really think that if things turn bad, I'll be able to escape?"
Li Ya glanced at it and said, "Then leave now. I have to go, no matter what. This might be my only chance to catch up to An Hao."
The spirit rolled its eyes, grumbling, "You always bring up An Hao. It's been so many years since anyone has heard from him—he might already be dead. Stop constantly imagining your opponent's strength and forcing yourself into danger."
"Impossible."
Li Ya shook his head. "There's no way he's dead. His cultivation must be terrifying by now. If I fought him today, I doubt I could even withstand a single strike."
No matter how far he traveled or how many powerful figures he met, Li Ya had always believed that An Hao was the true number one genius of the world.
He saw it as fate's blessing that he had encountered An Hao.
As long as An Hao existed, he would never become complacent with his achievements.
He would always believe he wasn't strong enough.
And so, he would never stop pushing himself forward.
The spirit scratched its head, feeling that Li Ya had already gone insane.
It was pointless to argue.
But deep down, it wasn't truly afraid.
After all, it had been too long.
Maybe…
Maybe it was finally time to see its master again.