"But if you wish to inherit my Dao lineage, you must bear my karma as well. In exchange, you will gain unparalleled power, but your life will never know peace."
The old man stared at Li Ya, his voice firm and measured, his gaze piercingly cold.
Li Ya shuddered under his stare, hesitating to respond. Instead, he recalled his life thus far.
He had endured hardships, yet he felt that his current achievements were not solely his own.
In the first half of his life, his father, the emperor, protected him. Later, Gu An, under a different identity, shielded him and taught him swordsmanship.
When would he ever repay their kindness?
Li Ya was caught in a dilemma.
He feared messing up, feared once again needing Gu An to save him.
His gaze turned to the Divine Spirit Sprite on his shoulder.
But this time, the sprite remained silent, merely watching him intently, as if telling him—
This time, you must decide for yourself.
Li Ya believed that the old man would not deceive him. After all, there was no need—their cultivation gap was immense.
If the old man truly wished to force him into something, he would have no power to resist.
As Li Ya hesitated, the old man turned and walked away.
Li Ya immediately dropped to his knees, bowing toward the old man's retreating figure, and called out in a loud, resolute voice:
"Master above, please accept your disciple's bow!"
The old man halted.
After a moment, he slowly turned around, his expression unreadable, as he gazed at Li Ya.
"Remember," he said, "my Dao title is Sword Annihilation. Many call me the Sword Annihilation Patriarch."
With that, Sword Annihilation Patriarch resumed walking.
Li Ya quickly rose to his feet and followed closely behind.
His heart pounded with excitement.
There were countless questions he wished to ask, but he held them back.
There would be time.
After witnessing Sword Annihilation Patriarch's power, he was convinced—
This legendary figure was one of the few in the world who could rival Gu An.
Of course, this was merely his feeling.
For when Sword Annihilation Patriarch seized the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword, he had done so effortlessly, without even using his full strength.
Such calm dominance reminded him of Gu An, when he had assumed the identity of Sword Master of the Dao.
Yet, Li Ya remained unaware—
Gu An was listening to his thoughts.
"Comparing a Dao Repository Free Immortal to me?"
Within Wushi Dao Field, where he was casually plucking medicinal herbs, Gu An chuckled.
However, he knew—Sword Annihilation Patriarch was no ordinary figure.
This was likely only one of his incarnations.
Gu An had encountered his true form before.
Back when Gu An ascended to the Profound Origin Free Immortal Realm, a skeletal head had appeared, devouring Free Immortals—leaving an unforgettable impression on him.
The aura of that skeletal head and Sword Annihilation Patriarch were identical.
From karma alone, it was evident that they shared the same origin.
For his incarnation to already possess the cultivation of a Dao Repository Free Immortal, one could only imagine how terrifyingly powerful the true form of Sword Annihilation Patriarch was.
Since Gu An had shattered War Court, the Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven had seemingly avoided any further external calamities.
But in reality, more and more Dao Fruit Realm entities had infiltrated it.
They were merely acting more discreetly, likely wary of Gu An.
"Every choice has its consequences."
In his many lifetimes, Gu An had also accumulated unfavorable karma.
Yet, in this life, he had always chosen to do good.
And he was content with that.
This purpose had not faded, nor would it ever.
Feeling at ease, Gu An turned his attention back to the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother, who was standing beside him, waiting for guidance.
Though she had lost her freedom, she was not resentful.
For in serving Gu An, she had discovered greater hope.
She even felt that this life was far better than her previous one, far more meaningful.
The pursuit of immortality—
That was far more fulfilling than being a mere Vice Sect Master.
Thus, every word Gu An spoke—
The Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother carefully memorized and deeply contemplated.
Gu An knew what Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother was thinking, but he never pointed it out. He simply let her overthink things—who knew, maybe she'd actually figure something out.
An hour later, Gu An finished harvesting herbs and had Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother sow new seeds. Then, he walked toward his pavilion, intending to take a nap.
Even a Golden Immortal could sleep.
Gu An enjoyed dreaming from time to time—enlightenment within dreams had its own unique flavor.
The white clouds in the sky drifted lazily.
Yet in the blink of an eye, they seemed to move swiftly.
Time flowed the same way.
For a mortal, a thousand years felt like an eternity.
For a cultivator, it passed in a fleeting moment.
Tai Cang Dynasty, Cangzhou Imperial City.
At high noon, during the early summer, the imperial study hall was shrouded in an oppressive silence.
Seated at his desk, Li Xuandao held a memorial in his hands, his face expressionless.
For over four thousand years, he had ruled as emperor.
His prolonged and unyielding reign had elevated his status in the minds of the common people—they no longer saw him as a mere ruler, but as a living deity.
To them, he was an immortal.
Few in the mortal realm knew of Sword Master of the Dao or the great cultivators of the immortal world.
To the people of the empire, Li Xuandao was divine.
At that moment, two officials knelt before him, heads lowered, bodies tense.
One of them, an elderly minister, had sweat dripping from his forehead.
A long silence followed.
Finally, Li Xuandao lifted his gaze, looking at the kneeling officials.
"What does the Crown Prince say?" he asked.
"What is his stance on the Yang Family's actions?"
The older official hesitated before responding:
"His Highness gave us no direct response..."
"However, according to one of my informants—"
The official's voice grew lower.
"His Highness once said..."
He took a deep breath.
"That the Crown Prince's position is dull and meaningless. And that he wonders—"
Li Xuandao's expression darkened.
"—what it would feel like to sit upon the throne."
At those words, the elderly official bowed even lower, pressing his forehead against the ground.
Li Xuandao's eyes flashed coldly.
He closed the memorial in his hands, placing it down slowly.
"Leave."
He closed his eyes as he spoke.
The two ministers immediately bowed and retreated, leaving the study hall in haste.
They did not slow their steps until they had exited the imperial palace gates.
Only then did they exhale deeply.
The middle-aged minister turned to his senior.
"Do you truly believe His Highness intends to—"
He hesitated, scanning their surroundings before leaving his sentence unfinished.
The elder sighed.
"There were signs of this hundreds of years ago."
"Ever since the Crown Prince returned from his cultivation in the Sacred Land, his personality has changed."
"He has already stepped into the immortal path."
"I'm afraid..."
"The empire will soon face unprecedented turmoil."
He looked weary.
"The Yang Family has gathered a formidable force around him..."
His family had served the Li Dynasty for ten generations.
He himself had once been personally appointed as the top scholar by Li Xuandao.
To him, Li Xuandao was like the heavens themselves.
Yet now—
A Crown Prince who had reached immortal cultivation.
A great aristocratic family backing him.
No matter how he looked at it—
The throne would change hands.
The middle-aged minister remained silent.
Together, they walked down the same path—their footsteps quick, as if fleeing from fate itself.
Inside the Imperial Study.
Li Xuandao slowly opened his eyes, his gaze piercing through the study.
Then, suddenly—
He spoke:
"Gu An..."
"Sword Master of the Dao..."
"You should be able to hear me, shouldn't you?"
The room fell silent.
Outside, not a single person responded.
Li Xuandao took a deep breath.
Then, he stood up, stepped around his desk, and with a sudden motion—
He knelt.
"Gu An," he said firmly.
"If any bond of friendship still remains between us—"
"Help me."
His voice was steady.
Then—he began to bow.
But just before his forehead touched the ground—
A hand caught him.
Stopping him from bowing.
Li Xuandao's pupils contracted sharply.
His body shuddered.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze—
And standing before him was—
Gu An.