The moment Ji Xiaoya gripped the handle of the Heaven-Sundering Axe, a profound heaviness enveloped her, striking her very soul and filling her with a deep sense of awe.
This sensation was no coincidence; it was Gu An's imbued spiritual power at work.
Realizing that lifting the axe was beyond her capability, Ji Xiaoya swiftly activated the innate Dao rune within her.
This rune was the result of her training in the Seven Stars Spirit Realm. Previously, she could only tap into a fraction of its power, but now she could fully channel its strength on her own.
As the innate Dao rune's energy coursed through her body, her aura transformed dramatically.
Zuo Yijian glanced at her in surprise, and the surrounding cultivators were similarly drawn to the sudden surge of energy, their eyes fixed on her.
Gu An, standing nearby, took a cautious step back to avoid attracting undue attention.
Even with the power of the innate Dao rune, Ji Xiaoya would not be able to lift the Heaven-Sundering Axe.
Until the Seven Stars Spirit Realm was destroyed, the axe was immovable.
After a while, Ji Xiaoya released her grip. Though she had failed, she had maintained a calm demeanor throughout, showing no visible strain—even with the immense power of the innate Dao rune. Her composure made it seem as though she had barely exerted herself.
Her failure didn't surprise anyone, but her earlier surge of energy intrigued many.
She turned to Gu An and said softly, "As expected, I failed. Would you like to give it a try?"
Gu An shook his head. "If even you couldn't do it, there's no point in me embarrassing myself."
"Perhaps this inheritance isn't about cultivation level but rather a specific trait," Ji Xiaoya speculated.
Gu An sighed internally. Once again, she was spot on.
To avoid suspicion, Gu An reluctantly stepped forward to try. He gripped the axe with both hands, pulling at it several times until his face turned red.
Zuo Yijian chuckled. "Nephew Gu, don't lose heart. As long as the Heaven-Sundering Axe remains here, you'll have more opportunities in the future. Keep cultivating."
Gu An bowed respectfully before retreating.
Zuo Yijian, unfazed, picked up his Investiture of the Gods and resumed reading.
After leaving the Heaven Mending Platform, Ji Xiaoya and Gu An parted ways. Instead of returning to the valley, Gu An wandered through the city to clear his mind.
Although the world remained in chaos, the outer city seemed untouched. Its lively atmosphere persisted, bolstered by the Sword Master of the Dao's protection.
An hour later, Gu An departed the city, once again donning his guise as the "Green Hero" to roam the land, acting as a guardian of justice.
Winter passed into spring, and another summer arrived.
The death of the Demon Master had not shifted the tides of the calamity. The Demon continued their relentless assault, with waves of Great Demon Kings attacking, while the Demon Emperor and Demon Ancestor remained hidden.
Gu An's days grew increasingly busy. Between gathering herbs and slaying demons, his efforts were tireless, though they bore fruit in the form of rapidly increasing lifespan.
One day, after cleansing a small town of demons, Gu An stopped by a mountain stream to wash the blood from his sword.
Suddenly, he sensed something and turned his gaze to the distance.
At the edge of the Northern Sea Mountain Range, a fierce battle was underway.
Su Han, wielding his Bone Sword, was locked in combat with Wu Jue. The two clashed above the forest, their movements swift and powerful. In the distance, members of the Nine Nether Thirteen Li fought fiercely against Zhou family cultivators.
Su Han's swordsmanship was swift and relentless, his killing intent palpable, and his expression tense.
Though his opponent was only at the first level of the Nascent Soul Realm, Su Han found himself unable to gain the upper hand.
Currently at the Divine Transformation Realm, Su Han wielded the Heaven-Hating Divine Sword and practiced the Inverse Life Divine Art. His confidence in confronting other Divine Transformation cultivators was unshakable.
But this time was different.
He couldn't believe that he was struggling against a lower-level opponent.
Wu Jue's punches and kicks were ferocious, each blow carrying the force of a blazing sun, unstoppable and overwhelming. Even Su Han dared not confront them head-on.
Unlike Su Han's frustration, Wu Jue seemed exhilarated, letting out booming shouts as he fought.
In the distance, Zhou Yu, a cultivator at the ninth level of the Body Fusion Realm, watched the battle with satisfaction.
Renowned for their mastery of body cultivation, the Zhou family wielded their physical forms as weapons. Zhou Yu held a massive blade in one hand, his black robe billowing around him. Each of his strikes was vast and sweeping, embodying the power to split mountains and rivers.
"Focus your mind, refine your spirit, and wield your body as a weapon. A weapon is an extension of one's will!"
Zhou Yu's voice echoed like rolling thunder across the battlefield.
Hearing this, Wu Jue closed his eyes briefly. His punches slowed, but the oppressive force he exuded grew even more intense.
Su Han dodged the barrage of strikes, landing in front of a tree. With a swift motion, he unleashed a flurry of black sword energy, which surged forward like a storm, sweeping up countless leaves in its path as it hurtled toward Wu Jue.
Wu Jue, suspended in midair, raised his right leg. A whirlwind of powerful kicks materialized, clashing against the sword energy in a chaotic storm of force.
Boom!
The resulting shockwave blasted outward, forcing Wu Jue to retreat. He flipped in the air and landed steadily on the edge of a cliff.
Su Han, his sword raised defensively, remained rooted in place, though his eyes widened in shock.
"Remnant Wind Kick? Who taught you that?" Su Han demanded.
Wu Jue opened his eyes and replied calmly, "It's not the Remnant Wind Kick. This is the Gale Phantom Kick, taught to me by my brother."
"Who is your brother?" Su Han pressed, his tone wary.
Wu Jue, recalling Su Han's association with the Tai Xuan Sect, confidently spoke, "My brother is Gu An. Does that name ring any bells?"
Su Han's expression shifted slightly. The sword in his hand lowered unconsciously.
Observing his reaction, Wu Jue realized there might indeed be a connection between Su Han and Gu An. His tone grew colder as he declared, "Regardless of your history with Gu An, don't you dare harbor any ill intentions toward him. If you do, I will personally ensure you regret it!"
Instead of anger, Su Han felt a twinge of nostalgia. The memories of his time at the Xuan Valley and the Third Medicine Valley resurfaced—times he held closest to his heart. Even though Gu An had once urged him to abandon his cultivation and seek a peaceful life, Su Han bore no resentment. He understood that his former mentor's advice came from a place of genuine concern, even if Su Han's unrelenting thirst for vengeance made him reject it.
Lifting his head slightly, Su Han shouted into the distance, "Ghost Mother, we're leaving. Let's search for other Gold Ranking prodigies!"
From the shadows, a voice as chilling as winter's frost answered, "Understood."
A figure began withdrawing—the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu's sudden arrival had disrupted their plans, making further combat pointless.
Recognizing the futility, the Nine Nether Thirteen Li retreated in unison.
Zhou Yu raised his hand, signaling the other Zhou family cultivators not to pursue.
From atop the cliffs, Wu Jue watched as Su Han's silhouette faded into the distance. His voice, loud and unyielding, rang out: "What is your relationship with Gu An?"
Su Han neither turned back nor responded, his figure gradually disappearing beyond the horizon.
At another vantage point, Gu An retracted his divine sense. He could sense the increasing hostility within the Ghost Mother's aura, a signal that she might soon act against Su Han. Over the past two years, Su Han's cultivation had skyrocketed, but his unstable aura suggested that inner demons were taking hold. He teetered dangerously close to deviation.
Not only had Su Han begun targeting those who had once pursued him, but he also now hunted Gold Ranking geniuses who bore him no personal grievances. His descent into the demonic path was complete.
Gu An shook his head, suppressing further thoughts on the matter. After rinsing the blood from his sword in the flowing river, he resumed his journey.
The world was in chaos. While some sought salvation, others sought destruction. Gu An resolved to walk his path of righteousness, collecting lifespan without violating his principles.
Within a shadowy underground palace, the flickering firelight painted dancing patterns on the stone walls.
Massive stone pillars lined both sides of the hall. A small crimson-scaled snake slithered quickly across the floor, coming to rest at the base of a grand staircase. Raising its serpentine body upright, it gazed upon the imposing figure reclining on a stone throne at the top of the stairs.
"Your Majesty, the King of the Nether River has breached the borders of the Tian Wei Dynasty. It won't be long before even the Great Jiang Dynasty collapses!" the crimson snake hissed, its voice carrying a strangely seductive feminine tone.
The figure atop the throne was none other than the Demon Emperor. Draped in an expansive purple robe with a luxurious mantle of beast pelts across his shoulders, he exuded raw power. A necklace of skulls hung from his neck, their hollow sockets casting eerie shadows across his chest. His human-like face bore streaks of fiery red fur along his cheeks, his sharp eyes glinting with the cunning of a predator. Two jagged horns jutted out from his thick mane of black hair, accentuating his terrifying presence.
Lying casually in the massive stone chair, the Demon Emperor resembled an immovable mountain, his sheer size radiating an aura of overwhelming strength.
Without moving a muscle, the Demon Emperor's piercing gaze settled on the red-scaled snake. His voice, low and deliberate, rumbled through the hall, "Has the Demon Ancestor emerged from seclusion?"
"Not yet, Your Majesty," the snake replied. "However, his appetite grows insatiable. He's even begun devouring the Demon who stand guard over him…"
The Demon Emperor narrowed his eyes, sinking into deep thought.
Sensing the silence, the snake pressed on cautiously, "Your Majesty, I believe we don't need the Demon Ancestor's power to crush the three human dynasties. As long as you eliminate the Sword Master of the Dao, neither Xuantian Ancestor, Dao Monarch, nor Longevity Daoist will pose any real threat. Moreover, the Demon Ancestor's existence is… unsettling. I fear he may bring calamity upon us."
The Demon Emperor's gaze grew sharper. "Calamity?"
The snake shivered under his scrutiny but managed to continue, "Yes, calamity. I suspect the Demon Ancestor poses as great a danger to us as to the humans."
With an air of finality, the Demon Emperor dismissed the notion. "Whether he is a disaster or not, we will see when he emerges. For now, focus on our goals."
The snake, sensing an opportunity, dared to suggest, "Do you intend to let him fight the humans first?"
The Demon Emperor didn't answer directly, instead asking, "Have you uncovered who is aiding the Great Demon Kings in breaking through their cultivation limits?"
"Not yet, Your Majesty. The Great Demon Kings refuse to speak. You know how secretive they are, each harboring their own agendas. However, I have uncovered something else…"
"What is it?"
"A demon sealed for fifty thousand years is on the verge of breaking free."
At this, the Demon Emperor sat upright, his immense body leaning forward as his piercing eyes locked onto the snake. "Are you certain?"
"The signs are undeniable. The underground chambers are seeping with demonic energy. While we've yet to pinpoint the seal's exact location, the likelihood is high," the snake affirmed.
A cold smirk spread across the Demon Emperor's face. "The Demon Ancestor awakening, a demon breaking its seal—these are no coincidences. Everything is converging. Were it not for the Sword Master of the Dao killing the Demon Master prematurely, we might have unraveled this mystery sooner. Alas, the Demon Master was but a pawn, abandoned even in death by those he served."
The snake fell silent, reluctant to engage further on the topic.
"Travel to the Tai Xuan Sect," the Demon Emperor commanded suddenly. "Deliver a message to the Sword Master of the Dao."
The snake froze, its body stiffening in terror. "Your Majesty, I—"
"Hm?"
The Demon Emperor's low growl silenced any protest. Rising to his feet, he loomed over the snake, his aura of pure malice pressing down like an iron weight.
The snake bowed its head low, coiling submissively in surrender.
At dusk, Gu An stepped out of the teleportation array, returning to the Third Medicine Valley. His usually calm demeanor was clouded with unease. What he had seen and heard during the day had left him questioning the depths of human depravity.
The chaos brought on by the Demon calamity paled in comparison to the cruelty of humans turning on one another.
Walking towards his loft, Gu An noticed a figure waiting inside, seated patiently in the dim light of the room.