Saint Who Lay Low

The voice of the Daoist-robed man echoed across the sea of clouds, his gaze fixed on the Azure Swan Sword.

He couldn't discern the true nature of the sword, as his spiritual sense couldn't penetrate the sword aura surrounding it, leaving him deeply unsettled.

The swordsmanship of the person controlling this sword was undoubtedly the strongest he had ever encountered!

Yet, there was no response.

It was as if the entire world consisted only of him and the sword—no one else seemed to be present.

Still, he could sense a trace of divine will within the sword, indicating that it was indeed being controlled by someone. This realization heightened his alertness, putting him on edge.

Suddenly, the Azure Swan Sword burst forth with an overwhelming sword intent. In an instant, rolling thunderclouds surged from all directions, darkening the sky.

The terrifying sword intent locked onto the Daoist-robed man, causing him to tense up.

Countless bolts of lightning interwove within the thunderclouds above, crackling like a group of dragons. The sword aura emanating from the Azure Swan Sword surged wildly, blazing like an inferno.

The Daoist-robed man immediately swung his whisk, releasing waves of spiritual energy that condensed into a massive mountain of golden light around him. On the mountain's surface, statues of deities appeared, silently crying out in defense.

A torrential downpour suddenly fell, and fierce winds howled through the clouds.

Amidst the flashing lightning, the Azure Swan Sword, enveloped in sword aura, seemed like a demonic sword from legend, placing immense pressure on the Daoist-robed man.

The sword shot upward, its tip aimed directly at him.

The man responded instantly, striking with his palm. The golden mountain surrounding him erupted with dazzling light, and all the divine statues moved in unison, releasing torrents of spiritual energy toward the Azure Swan Sword like a river of stars spanning the heavens.

The Azure Swan Sword moved!

Boom!

The sword struck with a single, devastating blow!

As the sword moved, wind and thunder howled, and the heavens trembled!

The brilliant sword light pierced the sky, as if it were the fastest light and the fiercest thunder in the world, shattering everything in its path.

The golden river of stars was instantly dispersed, and the golden mountain surrounding the Daoist-robed man was shattered in a blink. Startled, he tried to evade, but the Azure Swan Sword was already upon him, relentlessly pursuing.

He thrust his palm forward, causing the space before him to freeze. An invisible barrier formed, halting the Azure Swan Sword in its tracks. The surrounding air rippled as the barrier took on a tangible form.

Suddenly!

The man's expression shifted, and he silently cursed.

Crack—

The sound of shattering glass echoed. The man instinctively retreated as time seemed to slow down. In his eyes, the tip of the Azure Swan Sword inched closer, its sword aura blooming like a brilliant flower, magnificent and dazzling.

Boom!

A powerful gust of wind slammed into the Daoist-robed man, blowing off his crown, letting his black hair stream wildly in the air. His robes flapped violently, and the clouds behind him were scattered as the thunderclouds above were torn apart, letting sunlight stream through as if the heavens had been split wide open.

The Daoist-robed man stared wide-eyed at the sword hanging inches from his face, unable to remain calm.

This sword could have injured him, yet it had stopped just when he could no longer defend himself.

In his stunned gaze, he watched as the Azure Swan Sword slowly descended.

He seemed to understand something and chose not to dodge or counter.

The Azure Swan Sword gently tapped his chest three times, then turned and sped away, moving faster than he had ever seen it travel before.

This time, the man didn't give chase. He knew there was no point—he was no match for the sword's wielder.

His face gradually darkened, and though sunlight now bathed him, he found it glaringly uncomfortable.

…

Inside his study, Gu An continued writing, casually raising his hand to catch the returning Azure Swan Sword as it flew in through the window.

He let the sword hover around the room for a few moments before discreetly stowing it away when none of his disciples were watching.

After the earlier confrontation, Gu An found himself brimming with newfound confidence in his swordsmanship.

Killing the Void Crossing realm Chu Xian had earned him 93 years of lifespan, and the Daoist-robed man he had encountered afterward was also at the Body Fusion stage. Judging by his aura, the man was newly ascended to the realm, likely around the same level as Gu An—probably not exceeding the second stage. But even so, he had not been a match for Gu An's Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword technique.

Gu An had always assumed his combat abilities were relatively weak for someone of his cultivation stage. In hindsight, he realized he had been underestimating himself.

Though he lacked much real-world battle experience, his mastery of spells and techniques was solid and painstakingly earned through years of diligent cultivation. Unlike others who may have focused solely on refining their spiritual energy, Gu An had spent thousands of years mastering his techniques.

Of course, it's always safer to fight against lower-level cultivators—there's less risk that way!

Gu An sheathed the Azure Swan Sword and placed it back on his desk. Glancing toward the outer sect city, he noticed that several high-ranking Tai Xuan Sect elders were already making their way to the city.

With tens of thousands of outer disciples still alive, Chu Xian's crimes would be impossible to conceal. Ye Lan and the others were likely safe now.

Surely, Tai Xuan Sect wouldn't dare to practice that demonic technique again for some time.

The two words Gu An had engraved on the Heaven Mending Platform had become a focal point for the gathered cultivators. The elders marveled at his sword intent, while the outer sect disciples cursed Chu Xian, demanding that the sect's higher-ups thoroughly investigate the matter.

Since Chu Xian had sealed off the outer sect city with an array, the miscellaneous disciples in Xuan Valley hadn't heard the commotion. However, the turbulent clouds overhead had drawn their attention, with many gazing curiously at the sky.

Half an hour later, cultivators began flying over Xuan Valley, sparking discussions among the valley's disciples.

Gu An remained inside his study, pretending to be oblivious to the entire ordeal.

Today, it seemed, Tai Xuan Sect would not know peace.

…

The next morning, Ye Lan, Su Han, and Zhen Qin returned.

Gu An received them in the pavilion, and Wu Xin and Xiao Chun, eager to join in, were also invited inside.

Zhen Qin, brimming with excitement, recounted the events of the previous day. Her dramatic storytelling had Wu Xin and Xiao Chun on the edge of their seats.

Ye Lan, unusually silent, refrained from her usual habit of staring at Gu An, and Gu An could guess the reason. He pretended not to notice her unusual behavior.

Once Zhen Qin and Su Han finished speaking, Wu Xin sneered, "I've always known that Tai Xuan Sect wasn't as righteous as people claim, but I never imagined they'd stoop so low. Sacrificing tens of thousands of their own disciples? Even Thousand Autumn Pavilion hasn't done something this insane!"

Xiao Chun, equally angry, clenched his fists. "Senior Brother, maybe we should leave the sect. We could just go somewhere else and plant herbs!"

Gu An shot him a disapproving look. "Nonsense! Keep such thoughts to yourself. No matter what, at least this situation was stopped in time. There are still righteous people within Tai Xuan Sect."

He had no intention of abandoning his hard-earned foundation, especially not Eight Views Heavenly Cave.

"Elders from the sect's main city have already arrived to investigate, and they've promised justice for the outer disciples," Ye Lan added. "The events of yesterday were too widespread to hide. It will surely reach the rest of the cultivation world soon."

Su Han suddenly remembered something and spoke up, "Master, Uncle Lu Jiujia was gravely injured. Even if he survives, I fear…"

Gu An had seen Lu Jiujia's pitiful state the day before. His cultivation had been drained completely. Even if he survived, he would be crippled, and resuming his cultivation would be nearly impossible.

Perhaps Wu Xin's Dao Yan Technique could help him.

"If he's willing, tell him he can come to Xuan Valley. We can grow flowers and herbs together, living a peaceful life," Gu An said with a sigh.

The mood in the room grew somber as they considered Lu Jiujia's fate.

"Alright, all of you should go now. I need to have a private conversation with Ye Lan," Gu An said, waving them off.

The others quickly bowed and left.

Zhen Qin, being cheeky, gave Gu An a playful wink as she closed the door, leaving him shaking his head in amusement.

The room fell into silence.

Gu An could feel the unease in Ye Lan's aura. He smiled and asked, "Did it scare you, Junior Sister? Why not stay in Xuan Valley and rest for a few days?"

Ye Lan took a deep breath, then turned to look at him. "I wasn't frightened, Senior Brother, but I've realized something. You were right all along. The path of cultivation should focus on improving oneself. If we were to hide away in the mountains, only to encounter an evil like we did yesterday without the strength to fight back, it would be the most tragic fate for us."

Hearing her speak like this, Gu An grew concerned that she might be pushing herself too hard.

"Junior Sister, don't overthink it. Working hard in cultivation is important, but encountering something like that is rare," Gu An said gently.

Ye Lan nodded, her resolve clear. "I don't know who the great cultivator was that intervened yesterday, but I'll learn from them. When I become as strong as they are, I'll stand by your side."

She smiled playfully and raised her eyebrows at him.

Seeing her back to her usual self, Gu An also smiled.

They then discussed the aftermath of the Demon Suppressing Hall. Most of its disciples had been crippled, and the sect's main city was launching a full investigation. According to Ye Lan, the incident might even implicate the elder council of the main city.

In Tai Xuan Sect, no one wielded absolute power. Everyone had enemies. Chu Xian's rivals would no doubt seize this opportunity to take action.

Gu An was hopeful for a change in the sect. If things remained as corrupt as they were, there might come a day when he would have to force Tai Xuan Sect to change—once he was strong enough.

…

Two days later.

In the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An was inspecting his herbs when he sensed two powerful presences approaching. His brows furrowed slightly, but he didn't turn around.

A moment later, Gu Zong descended with another man—the Daoist-robed cultivator who had faced off against the Azure Swan Sword.

"Gu An, come here," Gu Zong called out from a distance.

Gu An turned and walked over, casting a quick Lifespan Investigation on the Daoist-robed man.

Spiritual sense couldn't be used for this technique; it required direct line of sight.

[Ji Hantian (Body Fusion Stage, First Layer): 780/3300/3500]

So, it really was the Body Fusion stage! And his surname is Ji?

Gu An had seen a high-ranking cultivator named Ji in the sect not long ago, but he hadn't expected there to be another Ji in the Body Fusion stage as well.

The Ji family's power was truly terrifying.

Gu An approached Gu Zong and greeted him with a bow.

Gu Zong smiled. "Gu An, this is the Deputy Sect Master, and he's a member of the Ji family."

Gu An immediately bowed to Ji Hantian.

Ji Hantian nodded in return and smiled. "There's no need to be so formal. After all, you're part of the Ji family as well. Let's head inside and talk."

Gu An led them to his study.

Once inside, with the door closed, Gu Zong cast a protective spell to ward off eavesdroppers.

Suddenly, Ji Hantian slapped the table and roared, "Outrageous! This is simply lawlessness! Pan An, you must write this down and expose Tai Xuan Sect's crimes to the entire world!"