Night had fallen.
An Xin had temporarily settled Li Xuanyu and Tang Cai in a monastery. Inside the courtyard, a bonfire flickered, casting swaying shadows upon the walls.
Tang Cai had been staring at An Xin the whole time, her gaze filled with hostility. Meanwhile, An Xin was carefully studying the Pen of Destiny in her hands.
She had used this brush more than once, and she deeply enjoyed the immense power it contained. Unfortunately, every time she used it, her master would take it back. That was why she cherished the moments she had with it, trying to uncover why this brush was so formidable.
As for Tang Cai's hostile gaze, she had already noticed it. She could easily guess what Tang Cai was thinking, but she deliberately chose not to explain.
Because it was amusing!
Tang Cai regarded Li Ya as a treasure, but to An Xin, he was just average. He was nothing compared to her master.
Her master always used Li Ya as an example when teaching her, telling stories about how he was beaten up, using him as a negative example. How could she possibly like him?
Thinking of this, An Xin couldn't help but smirk.
Seeing An Xin smiling, Tang Cai grew even more irritated, but she couldn't lash out. After all, An Xin had saved their lives.
Li Xuanyu, who had been meditating to heal, kept contemplating the name "An Xin."
Finally, she remembered. She opened her eyes and looked at An Xin, asking, "Are you Gu An's disciple?"
The moment Gu An's name was mentioned, a once-blurred face in her memory gradually became clear.
It had been over nine thousand years since she left Tai Cang Continent. She had never returned. The reason she met Li Ya was purely by chance, on an isolated island. Back then, Li Ya had never mentioned that Gu An was the Sword Master of the Dao.
Li Xuanyu had never associated Gu An with the legendary Sword Master of the Dao. When she first knew him, he was merely a medicine boy, struggling for a few spirit stones. She had even helped him find a way to manage a cave dwelling.
Later, she did notice that Gu An wasn't ordinary, that he hid many secrets. But she had never imagined that he was actually the Sword Master of the Dao.
An Xin turned to her, smiling beautifully. "Yes, Senior Li, my master has mentioned you before. He said that when he was young, you helped him a lot."
Hearing this, Li Xuanyu was certain she hadn't misheard. A smile appeared on her face as she sighed. "I didn't really help him much, just lent a small hand. How has he been recently?"
An Xin replied, "He's doing well, you don't need to worry."
"Is he also on this continent?"
"No, no one knows where he is."
An Xin shook her head. She wasn't being secretive—Gu An had indeed wanted to keep his whereabouts hidden, not wanting any trouble. She couldn't just reveal anything and risk causing trouble for him.
She was curious, though, about how Li Xuanyu remembered Gu An. So she started sharing stories that her master had told her.
As Li Xuanyu listened, she was drawn into old memories.
Tang Cai, too, was captivated by An Xin's tales, momentarily forgetting her jealousy.
When she learned that Gu An was Li Ya's junior brother, she became even more interested. She was curious about everything related to Li Ya, but before she could learn more, she had already been separated from him.
The stories An Xin told were all from Gu An himself. They were simple, but in the tranquility of the night, they brought warmth and a faint sense of happiness.
In Li Xuanyu's mind, Gu An's image gradually became clearer. Memories long buried resurfaced. She remembered how cautious and reserved he used to be in front of her, and a smile crept onto her face.
Nine thousand years had passed. So many old friends had been buried in the earth, yet Gu An was still alive. That truly made her happy.
And the fact that Gu An had trained such a disciple… surprised her.
A thousand years is like a fleeting moment in the mortal world, but nine thousand years had brought unimaginable change.
As An Xin finished speaking, Tang Cai curiously asked, "What is Gu An's current cultivation level?"
An Xin glanced at her with a playful smile. "How would I know? Do you see this brush? This is my master's treasure."
As she spoke, An Xin lifted the Pen of Destiny in her hand.
Li Xuanyu and Tang Cai both looked at the brush in An Xin's hand, unable to forget the scene where she had swept away the horde of demons with a single stroke. Those black crows weren't ordinary creatures—if they managed to touch even a Loose Immortal, they would drain them of all their blood and essence.
Just as An Xin was proudly showing off the Pen of Destiny, far away in Wushi Dao Field, Gu An was reading a book while listening to their conversation.
"Senior Sister Li, it has been many years."
Gu An reclined in his chair, holding a book in his hands, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
Li Xuanyu and Tang Cai arriving in the Nine Spirits Continent was not a coincidence—it was his doing. By manipulating celestial phenomena, he had subtly guided them here. Along the way, their repeated escapes from death had also been due to his secret assistance.
Back then, Li Xuanyu had indeed helped him. If he could repay an old favor with just a small effort, there was no reason to hesitate.
Helping Li Xuanyu was also for Li Ya's sake.
Li Ya's elder sister and his future wife were both in danger. How could Gu An just stand by and do nothing?
The reason he had brought the two women to the Nine Spirits Continent was because catastrophe was looming outside. Only in the Nine Spirits Continent would they be completely safe.
Gu An closed his book and shut his eyes, murmuring, "The stage belongs to whoever steps up, and the world's heroes rise and fall in turns. But how many truly understand how deep these waters run?"
"Heavenly Spirit God, I look forward to crossing swords with you."
His voice echoed softly in the chamber. He was speaking to himself.
…
Amidst the vast mountains, Li Xuanyu and Tang Cai stood on a hillside, gazing silently at the breathtaking landscape before them.
Their eyes followed the scene ahead—a massive ravine tore through the land, stretching to the horizon. Towering mountain ranges had been split apart, as if a colossal dragon had crushed through, leaving behind a landscape of devastation.
From the sky, An Xin descended gracefully, idly twirling the Pen of Destiny in her fingers as she chuckled, "So this is all a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal amounts to?"
It had been several months since Li Xuanyu and Tang Cai arrived in the Nine Spirits Continent. Today, the mastermind behind their pursuit had finally arrived. After a brief confrontation, An Xin had found the opponent's arrogance intolerable and simply erased them.
Tang Cai opened her mouth, but no words came out. The mighty figure she had once feared, the one she thought was an unbeatable force, had been obliterated just like that?
Li Xuanyu stared at the Pen of Destiny, her expression complicated.
Gu An's cultivation… was it already beyond the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm?
She couldn't comprehend it.
She considered herself to have experienced numerous fortuitous encounters, and in her understanding, only Li Ya's cultivation speed exceeded hers. In fact, she had always believed that she was not inferior to anyone.
But today's events had shattered her perception.
She had thought that among her generation, it was impossible for anyone to possess such power. Forget slaying a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal—even killing a Wandering Immortal was already unimaginable.
An Xin looked at them, smiling. "Stay in the Nine Spirits Continent. It will change your lives. As for me, I won't be accompanying you any longer."
She turned to leave but stopped after taking just a few steps.
"One last reminder—stay. This will be the greatest opportunity of your lives. If you insist on leaving, you will regret it for the rest of your days."
With that, she soared into the sky, transforming into a streak of light as she vanished beyond the horizon.
Tang Cai couldn't help but look at Li Xuanyu and ask, "What should we do? Should we listen to her?"
Li Xuanyu watched the direction in which An Xin had disappeared, then asked, "Do you want to possess power like hers? To one day stand shoulder to shoulder with Li Ya, instead of always trailing behind him?"
Tang Cai was stunned into silence.