Chapter 210: Journey to the West Shakes the World
Gu An and Xuan Tianyi chatted for nearly two hours. Before Xuan Tianyi left, Gu An handed him a partial draft of Journey to the West.
Over the years, Gu An had long finished writing Journey to the West, but he had delayed its release, using the time to refine his writing style. By now, he had rewritten the story countless times.
The reason for giving Xuan Tianyi only half the story was simple: Gu An wanted to leave some suspense.
After Xuan Tianyi departed, Gu An descended the stairs and mounted the Blood Prison Saint, heading toward Xuan Valley.
On arrival, Ye Lan was waiting for him in the pavilion. Dismounting leisurely, Gu An made his way upstairs.
Once they met, some polite exchanges were inevitable.
For the past year, Ye Lan had been very busy, only finding time to visit him briefly during the Spring Festival.
"Senior Brother, this year marks your hundredth birthday. Shouldn't we celebrate it in style?" Ye Lan asked with a smile.
Gu An shook his head. "What's the point of a grand celebration for a cultivator? It's unnecessary, and I dislike the hassle."
Ye Lan nodded, dropping the subject. She had brought it up only casually since turning a hundred was a significant milestone.
The two continued to chat. Ye Lan hadn't come with any particular agenda; she simply missed him.
Their conversation ranged from matters of Tai Xuan Sect to happenings in the cultivation world and even mundane topics. Most of the time, Ye Lan was the one talking while Gu An chimed in occasionally.
After a while, Gu An asked about her progress with the Innate Reincarnation Technique.
Ye Lan assured him that she practiced it daily. While her cultivation base hadn't improved, she could feel the technique's foundations steadily building.
Gu An brought out a collection of top-grade elixirs he had prepared for her, instructing her to take them diligently. "In another twenty years, you'll need to unseal the Innate Reincarnation Technique. Let's see how much your lifespan can increase by then."
Ye Lan accepted his gifts and guidance with a smile, looking genuinely happy.
Seeing her expression, Gu An felt a chill run down his spine.
"Junior Sister, don't get any ideas. I will always be your Senior Brother," Gu An said solemnly.
Ye Lan laughed but nodded. She stood, walked over to him, and placed her hands on his shoulders.
Gu An sighed. Only his Junior Sister could get away with such familiarity.
"Sit down. No need to get handsy," he grumbled.
"Oh, come on, Senior Brother. I'm not going to do anything inappropriate. It's just like last time."
"Don't bring up last time!"
"What's the big deal? I just touched your shoulder. I swear I won't overstep."
"Stop with these outrageous remarks. Sit down. I need to discuss something with you."
"Fine, fine. But I'm staying here next to you."
Three days later, Gu An rode the Blood Prison Saint into the outer sect's city, heading straight for the Scripture Pavilion.
There, he was personally greeted by Feng Shang, the pavilion's elder. The two sat down together, and Feng Shang asked with a smile, "You finished Shattering the Void. Any plans for your next work?"
Though Shattering the Void hadn't achieved the critical acclaim of Investiture of the Gods, it had been highly profitable, benefitting not only Feng Shang but also the entire city.
The outer sect's city had become the most prosperous of the eight such cities. It boasted both the might of Sword Master of Dao in martial arts and the literary brilliance of Pan An.
Every time Feng Shang read Investiture of the Gods, he couldn't help but suspect that Gu An was Sword Master of Dao himself.
But when he considered that Gu An was under a hundred years old, the idea seemed absurd. Perhaps Pan An merely had some connection to Sword Master of Dao. Maybe that was why Gu An refused to write about him, fearing it might expose the link.
From his storage bag, Gu An retrieved five books—the first half of Journey to the West.
Feng Shang picked up the top book, reading the title aloud. "Journey to the West?"
The name seemed ordinary.
He felt a twinge of disappointment but reassured himself that Pan An's reputation alone would guarantee decent sales.
Curious, he began reading.
Within moments, his expression changed. Sitting up straighter, he continued reading intently.
As time passed, his hands began to tremble.
When he reached the part where Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in Heaven, he couldn't help but slap his thigh in excitement.
Gu An shook his head with a laugh. Rising to his feet, he said, "The manuscript is yours. I'll leave the rest to you."
Having worked with the Scripture Pavilion for so long, Gu An had no worries about being cheated.
Hearing this, Feng Shang quickly stood and exclaimed, "Journey to the West is bound to be a hit! It's a masterpiece, even better than Investiture of the Gods!"
The storytelling was more vivid, and the plot was captivating. Watching Sun Wukong's birth, his rise as the Monkey King, and his journey across the seas in search of immortality was deeply resonant for cultivators.
When Sun Wukong ascended to Heaven and was humiliated by being made the Stable Master, Feng Shang couldn't wait to see his rebellion.
And when Sun Wukong dared to challenge Heaven itself, the story became utterly enthralling.
Feng Shang couldn't contain his admiration for Gu An. How could someone conceive such a masterpiece? The techniques, treasures, and powers described in Journey to the West felt so vivid, almost as if they were real.
After all, tales of underwater dragon palaces, heavenly immortals, and enlightened sages across the seas were not unheard of in the cultivation world.
Gu An merely smiled at him before turning to leave.
Feng Shang watched as Gu An stepped out of the grand doors, sunlight casting a radiant glow over him. For a fleeting moment, Feng Shang felt as though he was gazing upon a true celestial being.
Gu An found the Blood Prison Saint waiting and mounted it to leave the Scripture Pavilion.
As he rode through the bustling streets, he encountered familiar faces, greeting them with a warm smile.
Since the Ji Family left Tai Xuan Sect and the Zhou Family pledged loyalty to the Cang Tian Sect, the withdrawal of these two great clans caused barely a ripple. If such events had occurred decades ago, they might have critically weakened the sect, but now they were barely noticed. In fact, Tai Xuan Sect had grown stronger than ever.
Gu An overheard the names of other clans being discussed among the passing cultivators.
This was the nature of Tai Xuan Sect—when one power fell away, another would rise to fill the void.
A sign of flourishing vitality!
Still, Gu An couldn't help but wonder: when would Tai Xuan Sect reach the heights of the Seven Stars Spirit Realm or the Starsea Sect?
And by then, how many of the people he knew would still be by his side?
As the Blood Prison Saint's slow gait jolted him gently, Gu An's thoughts drifted to scenes of a thousand, even ten thousand years into the future.
In the blink of an eye, another year had passed.
This year, the Tai Xuan Sect's World's First Cultivation Tournament was about to commence, yet the most talked-about topic wasn't the tournament—it was a book.
Journey to the West!
The release of Pan An's Journey to the West sent shockwaves through the cultivation world.
Initially, many dismissed it as another light-hearted piece akin to Tai Xuan Immortal Lord or Shattering the Void. No one anticipated a work on par with Investiture of the Gods.
The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, had become the most celebrated name across the three major dynasties' cultivation realms.
Once again, Pan An ascended to the literary throne.
This one book dispelled all doubts about his creative potential, with some even claiming that Journey to the West surpassed Investiture of the Gods.
Seizing the moment, Lü Baitian declared that the winner of the World's First Cultivation Tournament would be granted the honorary title of The Great Sage.
This announcement only heightened the anticipation for the tournament, drawing widespread attention.
Because of Journey to the West, Pan An's reputation within Tai Xuan Sect briefly eclipsed even that of Sword Master of Dao.
Pan An's works sparked a new literary craze in the cultivation world, inspiring countless tales. While many of these stories were well-written, most cultivators still regarded Pan An's as the finest.
Gu An attributed this loyalty to the novelty of his early works and the lasting impression they made. That said, there were undeniably other talented writers among cultivators.
One day, Gu An once again rode the Blood Prison Saint into the outer sect's city. He had a hunch there would be excitement today.
The city was abuzz with activity. Cultivators filled the streets, and the atmosphere felt almost like a festival. Gu An even noticed some exotic clothing and forms among the passersby, including shape-shifted demons.
Tai Xuan Sect had recently begun accepting demon clans as disciples, a policy that proved remarkably successful. Each year, tens of thousands of shape-shifted demons sought to join the sect.
The success of Journey to the West only amplified this trend, endearing Tai Xuan Sect to demonkind.
Arriving near the Heaven Mending Platform, the Blood Prison Saint halted as the murmur of conversations reached Gu An's ears.
"Did you read Journey to the West? I managed to snag a copy from the Scripture Pavilion yesterday!"
"Can I borrow it? The copy I read wasn't authentic—no Pan An signature."
"Have you heard about the influx of challengers attempting to lift the Heaven-Sundering Axe? They say lifting it guarantees victory in the World's First Cultivation Tournament."
"That's ridiculous! Even the tournament champion wouldn't be able to lift the Heaven-Sundering Axe!"
The crowd was abuzz with discussions about Journey to the West, Sword Master of Dao, and the upcoming tournament.
Gu An began counting silently in his mind.
A few moments later, he thought, Here it comes.
A domineering aura suddenly enveloped the Heaven Mending Platform, and a booming voice echoed across the city:
"I am Qiao Dai, the strongest cultivator in Lingxia! Make way, all of you—I've come to challenge the Heaven-Sundering Axe!"
A thunderous shockwave rippled through the city. Every gaze turned toward the figure hovering in the sky above the platform—a man clad in imperial yellow robes, crowned with gold, and girded with a belt adorned with a python emblem. A dragon-like aura coiled around him.
Gu An activated his Lifespan Investigation skill.
[Qiao Dai (Mahayana Realm, Ninth Layer): 898/8900/8900]
An extreme lifespan of 8,900 years!
Among cultivators below the Nirvana Realm, only An Hao and the Blood Prison Saint surpassed him. Even Xuan Tianyi paled in comparison.
Gu An could sense the overwhelming vitality within Qiao Dai—power that far exceeded the limits of the Mahayana Realm.
Of course, exceeding one's realm was one thing, but breaking into the Nirvana Realm was another.
Even the strongest Mahayana cultivator could not match the weakest Nirvana cultivator. The Nirvana Realm represented the boundary between mortality and immortality.
As Qiao Dai descended toward the Heaven-Sundering Axe, the crowd around it hastily backed away.
The platform's guardian, Zuo Yijian, stood nearby, scrutinizing Qiao Dai with a wary expression.
Each of Qiao Dai's steps resounded with the roar of a dragon, causing Zuo Yijian to tense in alarm.
Approaching the axe, Qiao Dai turned his gaze toward Zuo Yijian and sneered. "Step aside before you get hurt."
"You—"
Zuo Yijian clenched his fists in anger, crushing the copy of Journey to the West he had been holding.
Suddenly, a Body Fusion Realm elder appeared and spoke firmly. "Do as he says. Everyone, step back."
Reluctantly, Zuo Yijian retreated, followed by the cultivators meditating around the Righteous Dao inscription. Even Di Xie quietly withdrew.
Among the crowd was Ji Hantian, whose gaze turned sharp as he recognized Qiao Dai.
Ji Hantian had encountered Qiao Dai years ago in the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, where Qiao Dai had already gained fame as one of its brightest talents.
Though most of the Ji Clan had allied with the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, Ji Hantian personally held animosity toward it. This only deepened his disdain for Qiao Dai.
Unable to suppress his anger, Ji Hantian called out, "Without immortal cultivation, you're unworthy of this challenge!"