Chapter 212: The Peculiar Aura

After brushing past the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, Gu An quickly left Xunxian Island.

Although the Nine-Finger Divine Lord posed no immediate threat, his seventeen-thousand-year lifespan was enough to make Gu An wary of unnecessary entanglements. Gu An didn't need to forge connections with powerful figures; he simply wanted to avoid trouble.

Upon returning to Tai Xuan Sect, he frequently visited the World's First Cultivation Tournament to observe the matches, finding them rather entertaining.

The Tai Xuan Sect had prepared unique treasures for the tournament based on various cultivation levels, with materials reportedly sourced from overseas by Xuan Tianyi. The heaviest treasure was a Mahayana-level artifact, heavier than a mountain.

To accommodate its weight, the Tai Xuan Sect specifically opened up a new arena and reinforced it with layers of restrictions to prevent the ground from collapsing.

Due to the lack of combat-based duels, this tournament was shorter than previous ones. In less than half a month, Qiao Dai claimed the top position, earning the title of Heavenly Mountain Great Sage bestowed by the Tai Xuan Sect.

Following his victory, Qiao Dai surprised everyone by announcing his decision to join the Tai Xuan Sect as an elder. This unexpected development left Gu An intrigued.

What is the Seven Stars Spirit Realm up to?

Why send the Tai Xuan Sect a Mahayana-level cultivator for free?

Or is this a ploy to embed a spy?

Gu An didn't bother asking Lü Baitian. Even if Qiao Dai harbored ill intentions, Gu An wasn't concerned.

He had only needed one move to kill Shenhun True Lord. Killing Qiao Dai would be no different.

However, as autumn approached, Ji Hantian brought Qiao Dai to visit Gu An. By coincidence, Gu An was home and invited them inside for tea.

Qiao Dai sat at the table, his eyes scanning the room. "You're Pan An?" he asked.

Gu An, holding a teapot, approached the table and replied, "That's me. May I ask what brings you here, senior?"

The Ji Family had aligned themselves with the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, and now Ji Hantian had brought Qiao Dai to see him. Gu An couldn't help but overthink the situation.

"Sit down, let's talk," Ji Hantian said with a warm smile as he took the initiative to pour tea for all three of them.

Gu An sat down, his gaze landing squarely on Qiao Dai.

Qiao Dai studied Gu An with sharp eyes that carried a palpable weight of authority. "What's your impression of the Seven Stars Spirit Realm?" he asked.

Gu An paused briefly before answering, "The Seven Stars Spirit Realm is hailed as a sacred land, so I hold it in the highest regard. Why do you ask?"

Qiao Dai leaned in slightly. "The Bodhi Patriarch in your Journey to the West hails from the Setting Moon and Three Stars Cave. Was that meant to honor the Seven Stars Spirit Realm?"

The Bodhi Patriarch, Sun Wukong's master in Journey to the West, had become a frequent topic of conversation following the book's explosive popularity. Some even firmly believed that the Setting Moon and Three Stars Cave and Spirit Tower Heart Mountain truly existed.

Gu An nodded.

With the Ji Family aligned with the Seven Stars Spirit Realm and Qiao Dai himself hailing from there, Gu An naturally catered his response to their sensibilities.

If they still doubted him after this, he could always let the Sword Master of Dao deal with it.

Seeing Gu An's nod, Qiao Dai didn't appear pleased. Instead, he frowned. "The Seven Stars Spirit Realm isn't as glorious as you might think," he said.

Gu An raised an eyebrow, taken aback. What does that mean? Could Qiao Dai harbor some grudge against the Seven Stars Spirit Realm?

Ji Hantian interjected, "The recent Great Demon Catastrophe was linked to the Seven Stars Spirit Realm. We're here because we're concerned you might hold the Seven Stars Spirit Realm in excessive esteem. There are some truths we need to share with you."

Without waiting for Gu An to respond, Ji Hantian launched into an account of the origins of the Demon Ancestor and Fierce Demon, leaving Gu An wide-eyed in feigned disbelief.

Gu An had, of course, long been aware of these facts, but he played along, simultaneously pondering their motivations.

When Ji Hantian finished, Qiao Dai added, "The Seven Stars Spirit Realm's actions disgust me. Since I embarked on the path of cultivation, I've aspired to be an immortal savior of the people. That's why I chose to join the Seven Stars Spirit Realm. But a friend of mine uncovered its sins. He was from the Lin Family, whose patriarch was slain by the Sword Master of Dao during an assault on the Tai Xuan Sect. Later, during the campaign against Fierce Demon, the Lin Family suffered heavy losses."

"Their rivals within the Seven Stars Spirit Realm seized the opportunity to exterminate them. Before fleeing, my friend left me a letter detailing the atrocities committed by the Lin Family on behalf of the Six Stars Cave leadership. It took me years to fully digest these revelations."

Hearing how the Lin Family had been abandoned by the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, Gu An sighed inwardly.

Frankly, the Lin Family deserved their fate. It was a case of one predator devouring another.

Feigning a troubled expression, Gu An said, "I'm just a small Foundation Establishment cultivator. Why tell me all this? I can't help you. Don't expect me to use Pan An's name to expose the truth about the sacred land—I'm not looking for trouble."

Ji Hantian smiled. "Don't worry. We're not reckless. The Seven Stars Spirit Realm wields immense power. Even if all the cultivators of the Three Dynasties united, they couldn't shake its foundations. All we ask is that you refrain from praising the Seven Stars Spirit Realm in your future writings."

Qiao Dai nodded. "Exactly. Your influence is immense. I used to dismiss it until I read your Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West. I have to admit, your work is extraordinary. But my personal favorite is Tai Xuan Immortal Lord. Stories of underdog triumphs are far more captivating."

So that's what this is about...

Gu An couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. It was pure coincidence. In truth, his writing subtly criticized the Seven Stars Spirit Realm by likening it to the Western Buddhist Sect.

Feigning contemplation, he eventually nodded in reluctant agreement.

Seeing Gu An's apparent hesitation, neither Ji Hantian nor Qiao Dai pressed the matter. They understood that digesting such truths was no easy feat. They themselves had struggled to come to terms with these revelations.

After all, exposing the darker side of the Seven Stars Spirit Realm meant confronting its colossal power directly—a daunting prospect for anyone.

It was, without a doubt, the most formidable force on the continent. No exceptions.

Gu An couldn't help but ask, "If the Seven Stars Spirit Realm intended to enslave all beings, why bother with all these roundabout schemes? Even combined, the Three Dynasties aren't their match, right?"

Qiao Dai replied, "Not everyone in the Seven Stars Spirit Realm is evil. On the seas, the Seven Stars Spirit Realm is considered a bastion of righteousness. Our continent is merely one of its regions, governed by the Six Star Cave and Seven Star Cave. Over tens of thousands of years, the higher-ups in the Six Star Cave have sought extreme methods to break through the destiny, deceiving both superiors and subordinates, leading to the current state."

"In the unseen workings of the world, there are karmic forces and incense offerings. If the beings of this continent grow to loathe the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, other Star Caves would surely notice. Similarly, if the beings of this continent were wiped out, neighboring forces would take note. Paper can't cover fire indefinitely. Moreover, the vast majority of cultivators within the Seven Stars Spirit Realm are unaware of these actions, believing themselves righteous disciples."

As expected, the true culprits of evil were the rot within the righteous sect. However, the rot within the Seven Stars Spirit Realm was far beyond what the beings of this continent could resist.

Feigning a sudden realization, Gu An nodded and asked a few more questions, even mentioning the Ephemeral Blossom Sect.

The Ephemeral Blossom Sect's ability to traverse the Nine Nether Path stemmed from the connection between its leader, Jing Tuxian, and a high elder of the Six Star Cave. Their mutual benefits were hard to estimate. On the surface, it seemed the elder allowed the sect's crimes, but in reality, the elder sought to devour the essence of the Ephemeral Blossom Mother Tree.

Once the cultivators of the Three Dynasties had been sacrificed to the Mother Tree, the elder would strike, reaping both benefits and glory.

The Ephemeral Blossom Sect's homeland was also a subordinate continent of the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, so distant that its cultivators could only reach this land via the Nine Nether Path. Crossing the seas was impossible without Mahayana-level cultivation; otherwise, death was certain.

The three chatted for half an hour longer before Ji Hantian reminded Gu An not to spread these revelations.

"With Tai Xuan Sect's current strength, confronting the Seven Stars Spirit Realm is out of the question. For now, patience is key!"

Gu An rose to see them off. As he watched Ji Hantian's retreating figure, he couldn't help but wonder about the Ji Family's stance toward the Seven Stars Spirit Realm.

Currently, the Ji Family had dwindled to a mere handful of members within Tai Xuan Sect, mostly under Ji Hantian's leadership.

Speaking of which, when the Fierce Demon broke free, Ji Xiaoyu had given Gu An a jade token for safekeeping. The token held records of the Seven Stars Spirit Realm's misdeeds. Yet, after all these years, Ji Xiaoyu had never returned to retrieve it.

Casting out his divine sense, Gu An saw Ji Xiaoyu heading toward the Tian Wei Dynasty, moving eastward toward the ocean.

What's this about? Running away from a marriage?

The visit from Ji Hantian and Qiao Dai didn't disrupt Gu An's life. In the days that followed, his trips to the outer sect city became more frequent.

Winter arrived, blanketing the land in heavy snow.

At the gates of the Law Enforcement Hall in the outer sect city, Gu An and Ye Lan stood before a stone statue.

After receiving a batch of pills from Gu An, Ye Lan sighed. "This is too much, Senior Brother. Don't you cultivate? You're always refining pills for me."

Brushing snow off her shoulders, Gu An chuckled. "Don't worry. What I gave you is only a small portion. I've taken most of the pills myself. To me, nothing is more important than myself."

Ye Lan rolled her eyes, but her heart swelled with warmth.

She wasn't naive; she knew Gu An had likely given her everything to support her breakthrough in the Innate Reincarnation Technique.

Yet, she couldn't help but feel puzzled. She still felt perfectly healthy and should have at least two hundred more years to live. Why was her Senior Brother so insistent that she sprint toward a breakthrough in the next twenty years?

Did he think she'd only live to be around 120 or 130?

She didn't press the matter, choosing to trust him.

The two began talking about Zhen Qin, their conversation stretching on.

After a while, Gu An bid farewell to Ye Lan and turned to leave.

Watching his figure disappear into the swirling snow, Ye Lan felt an inexplicable sense of loss.

It was strange. She felt as though her Senior Brother was drifting further away from her.

Leaving the Law Enforcement Hall, Gu An wandered the streets.

Despite the heavy snow, some streets remained bustling.

As he entered a busy market, a young disciple sidled up to him, whispering, "A long-lost Tai Xuan secret manual—interested? It even has illustrations!"

Gu An rolled his eyes and stepped around the youth to continue on his way.

The young disciple persisted for a dozen steps before finally giving up. "Self-righteous fraud! Pah!" he muttered under his breath at Gu An's retreating figure.

As Gu An walked, he eventually found himself near the Library Pavilion. There, under an ancient tree by the pavilion's courtyard wall, he saw someone engrossed in a book.

It was a copy of Journey to the West.

Curious, Gu An approached the reader. "Brother, why read out here? There are seats inside," he remarked.

The reader had the cultivation level of Foundation Establishment, nothing remarkable.

His appearance was also unremarkable.

But there was something odd about his aura, prompting Gu An to cast a lifespan investigation.

[You Yingying (Foundation Establishment, Stage 8): 124/400/5000]

Huh?

A maximum lifespan of 5,000 years? How could her cultivation level be this low?

Moreover, the name suggested a woman, yet this didn't look like someone disguising themselves as a man.

The reader, You Yingying, looked up at Gu An. "It's too noisy inside. Out here, it's quieter, and I can feel the natural harmony of heaven and earth."

After speaking, she glanced at Gu An, hesitating before asking, "Are you Gu An?"