Chapter 154: Gathering of Ascenders
On the mountainside, a gentle breeze swept through, stirring Gu An's robe as he stood staring at the statue before him. His divine sense had already penetrated the statue, capturing the remnant soul within.
The remnant soul bore the same appearance as the statue, an elderly figure with a hunched posture, seemingly in a deep slumber. The earlier voice Gu An had heard was triggered by a type of restriction, one that would activate whenever any living being entered this cave dwelling.
Moreover, during his previous investigation, Gu An had discovered that this pocket dimension contained other teleportation formations. In total, there were eight teleportation formations, including the one they used, each leading to different locations. This piqued his curiosity about the cave dwelling's origins.
A cave belonging to a Mahayana Realm cultivator!
Gu An raised his hand and extracted the remnant soul from the statue, forming a ball of light in his palm.
[Daoist Su Xing (Mahayana Realm Third Stage): 0/0/0]
All zeros?
Did this mean Daoist Su Xing was completely dead?
Immediately, Gu An extended his divine sense into Daoist Su Xing's remnant soul, employing the Soul Capture Technique to search through its memories.
Boom!
In the distance, a tremendous sound rang out—clearly the result of An Hao and Si Yan'er's battle. They were currently entangled with a group of wooden puppets.
Gu An didn't turn to look, instead focusing intently on his soul search.
An hour passed.
The remnant soul in Gu An's hand dissipated into smoke.
Daoist Su Xing had long since perished. He had left behind his remnant soul in hopes of finding a way to revive or possess another body, but over the years, even his secret technique couldn't withstand the erosion of time. As ages passed, his soul energy was depleted, leaving only a shell of his former self with partial memories.
Daoist Su Xing came from the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, a sacred land of this continent.
From his memories, Gu An learned a terrifying truth.
The Demon Ancestor came from the Seven Stars Spirit Realm!
Daoist Su Xing, along with several of his sect members, was ordered to bring the Demon Ancestor out and let him roam free, allowing the Demon Ancestor to create the demon race. For reasons unknown, Daoist Su Xing eventually left the Seven Stars Spirit Realm and fled south across the seas. However, he was ambushed by other Seven Stars Spirit Realm cultivators, sustaining severe injuries. He ultimately sought refuge in Tian Wei and established this cave dwelling, where he remained until his death.
Gu An did not see the true form of the Demon Ancestor in Daoist Su Xing's memories. The Demon Ancestor was sealed inside a wooden box, which Daoist Su Xing and his companions were highly cautious of. After placing the box down, they quickly left, remotely breaking the seal before fleeing.
However, the overwhelming demonic energy that burst from the box at the moment of unsealing left a lasting impression on Daoist Su Xing.
Aside from this memory, the rest consisted of mundane scenes of Daoist Su Xing raising spirit beasts in his cave dwelling.
The fact that the Demon Ancestor was connected to the Seven Stars Spirit Realm greatly differed from the legend Tian Yao'er had heard.
Gu An speculated on many possibilities, but he didn't feel compelled to investigate the matter further.
After all, Daoist Su Xing had been a Mahayana Realm cultivator, which meant the Seven Stars Spirit Realm likely harbored Immortals.
At his current level, Gu An could not afford to appear on their radar.
His greatest advantage right now was that he had no enemies or unresolved grudges. He could quietly focus on growing stronger.
With this in mind, Gu An turned around, intending to gather the medicinal herbs from the area. He also planned to transport some of the precious treasures from the cave before leaving.
...
By late afternoon, Gu An returned to the Third Medicine Valley.
The day's harvest had netted him over three hundred thousand years of lifespan. He could still continue gathering from the cave in the future, as it was a vast ecosystem in itself. Gu An had left most of the vegetation intact, allowing for sustainable gathering in the long term.
Such a rich source of longevity was not something he would recklessly deplete for immediate gain.
Only plants containing spiritual energy or power could offer him lifespan, and such plants were considered rare treasures. Though the cave was large, the majority of the flora was mundane. The abundant spiritual energy in the cave was due to the restrictive formations that prevented it from leaking out.
An Hao and Si Yan'er remained in the cave, currently befriending the spirit beasts inside. For now, they were safe.
Daoist Su Xing had left behind numerous techniques and divine abilities within the cave, which would keep An Hao and Si Yan'er busy exploring for years.
As Gu An returned to his pavilion, Lu Lingjun came to visit.
After closing the door, Lu Lingjun sat at the table and said, "You should stop wandering around all day. Today, I sensed a powerful divine sense coming from the outer gate city. When I tried to track it, the presence withdrew immediately. I couldn't trace its location."
"You're saying there might be danger within the Tai Xuan Sect?" Gu An asked, frowning.
Lu Lingjun nodded. "The presence was likely a demon. I've dealt with demons before, so I could tell from the way their divine sense felt."
A demon that could evade Lu Lingjun's detection had to be in the Profound Heart Realm!
A Profound Heart Realm demon?
Gu An resolved to investigate the Tai Xuan Sect later that night, at least to ensure that his Third Medicine Valley wouldn't be threatened.
"With you here, no matter if it's a demon or human, they wouldn't dare touch the Third Medicine Valley. In the future, we'll rely on you to protect the valley. Don't worry, I'll personally cultivate the herbs you want," Gu An said with a smile, his words filled with admiration, making Lu Lingjun feel quite pleased.
Lu Lingjun snorted softly, "As long as it's not the Mountain God himself, no one can harm the Third Medicine Valley."
Having ascended to the Profound Heart Realm, her confidence returned to the level she had in the lower world when she had once dominated all beneath her. She felt as though her path to immortality had only just begun!
After some more conversation, Lu Lingjun finally revealed the true reason for her visit. Warning Gu An about the demon had merely been a pretext. Her real purpose was to ask Gu An to write a book, featuring her as the protagonist—much like Tai Xuan Immortal Lord.
"You're already a Profound Heart Realm cultivator. If you wanted, you could easily make your name known throughout the world. Why would you need me to write about you?" Gu An hesitated, surprised at her request.
He hadn't expected Lu Lingjun to have such an interest.
Lu Lingjun raised an eyebrow and said, "Tell me what you want, and we'll discuss it."
"Hey, no need for that kind of talk!" Gu An coughed awkwardly.
"Back when we returned from the Tai Chen Dynasty, I sensed the presence of an eighth-grade spiritual tree within one of the sects. If you write the book for me, I'll steal that tree for you afterward."
"You may be daring enough to steal it, but I wouldn't dare accept it."
"I'll use a secret technique to seal the tree. After the heat dies down, you can plant it elsewhere."
"I don't even have a place to plant something like that..."
"Don't pretend. You must have some secrets. Otherwise, why do you keep sneaking out so often?"
"Ahem, no slander, okay? Writing the book is something we can negotiate, but don't go smearing my name, understood?"
Hearing Gu An's words, Lu Lingjun chuckled. "Fine, fine, I won't slander you. Of course, you're entirely above board and dedicated to the Tai Xuan Sect."
"Good, that's more like it. Now, tell me your story. I need inspiration." Gu An nodded in satisfaction and replied.
He had some time on his hands, so why not write another book? It would also give him a chance to showcase his impeccable calligraphy!
Lu Lingjun's thoughts turned to her past, and she began recounting her life story.
By the time she finished, the night had already passed.
As dawn broke, Lu Lingjun finally left Gu An's pavilion.
Tang Yu, who had risen early to practice his cultivation, saw this and his eyes widened in shock. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending he hadn't seen anything.
News had already spread within the valley that Lu Lingjun had become a sect elder. Disciples treated her with both fear and respect, keeping their distance.
"Master really is incredible. Even the sect's elders are within his reach. I guess a good-looking face can truly overcome any difference in cultivation." Tang Yu mused to himself.
As Lu Lingjun returned to her pavilion, Gu An could overhear her speaking with White Spirit Demon Emperor.
Her pavilion was protected by high-level formations, but such barriers had no effect on Gu An. Since their pavilions were adjacent, he could easily listen in.
"Do you really think his book can help us connect with the other Ascenders?"
"I can't say for certain. But why not try? Pan An's name is already spreading across the Nine Dynasties. We may as well give it a shot.
"We can't exactly go around declaring that we're Ascenders, can we?"
"True, but your idea is good. If we can gather other Ascenders, forming a group would certainly help in your future fight for the sect leader's position."
Hearing this, Gu An put down his pen, lost in thought.
...
Later that day, in the outer gate city.
At the Heaven Mending Platform, a man dressed in white stood before the towering inscription, studying the sword intent within the carved character, a look of awe on his face.
"Just from this sword intent alone, it's clear that Sword Master of Dao must be unparalleled within the Profound Heart Realm. I wonder if he has already surpassed that stage," the man mused, his heart stirred.
He crouched down and reached out to touch the inscription.
"Hey! Careful not to touch it! The sword intent could injure your hand!" A voice called out nearby.
The speaker was Zuo Lin.
Since Sword Master of Dao had borrowed his father's sword to defeat their enemies, Zuo Lin's father, Zuo Yijian, had not returned to the Heaven Mending Platform, choosing instead to seclude himself and contemplate the sword's power. Even Zuo Lin, his son, was forbidden from disturbing him.
Without any other way to study the sword intent of Sword Master of Dao, Zuo Lin continued to spend his days sitting at the Heaven Mending Platform, attempting to comprehend the sword techniques left behind.
The man in white glanced at Zuo Lin and smiled. "Brother, how long have you been meditating here?"
Zuo Lin replied, "Ever since this character was inscribed, I've been here. You're new here, aren't you?"
He sized up the white-clad man, his expression cautious. The platform had seen many experts come and go, so it was hard not to be suspicious of new faces.
The man in white laughed. "Indeed, I'm new. I just arrived at Tai Xuan Sect as an outer sect guest elder from the Chen Tang Dynasty. The reason I joined Tai Xuan Sect is to pursue Sword Master of Dao's swordsmanship."
Upon hearing this, Zuo Lin beckoned the man over with a welcoming gesture. "Come, sit here with me."
The white-clad man wasted no time, quickly sitting down beside Zuo Lin.
Zuo Lin was just about to speak when he noticed someone approaching in the distance. His eyes lit up, and he immediately called out, "Gu An! Come here!"
In the crowd, Gu An was casually strolling through, looking as though he had nothing better to do. Hearing Zuo Lin's call, he hesitated for a moment before heading over.
The man in white turned his head to look at Gu An, but when he saw that Gu An was merely a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he quickly dismissed him and returned his focus to the platform.
As Gu An approached, he used his lifespan investigation ability.
[Di Xie (Profound Heart Realm Third Stage): 2450/8000/19000]
A demon with a lifespan of over two thousand years!
Gu An had come to the outer gate city specifically for Di Xie.
The demon who had startled Lu Lingjun earlier was none other than Di Xie!
Di Xie had cultivated a special technique that allowed him to mask all traces of demonic energy. However, his technique was no match for Gu An's divine sense as a Nirvana Realm cultivator.
Watching Gu An approach, Zuo Lin turned to Di Xie and said, "Don't be fooled by his cultivation. I have a sharp eye for these things. The moment I saw you, I knew you weren't an ordinary cultivator."
Hearing this, Di Xie felt a sudden tension in his heart.