Chapter 239: This Time, I Will Win!

Ever since his master had rewritten his fate, Yang Jian held unwavering belief that Gu An was the greatest cultivator in existence. Whether it was the Sword Master of Dao, Dao Monarchs, or even the Seven Stars Spirit Realm and Star Sea Sect, none of them could compare to his master.

He dreamed of seeing his master's name shake the world. As Gu An's disciple, it would bring him immense pride.

Gu An's expression turned stern as he looked at Yang Jian. "Do you cultivate immortality to show off, or to pursue eternal life? If it's just to show off, you can go to the mortal world right now—you'd easily become an unrivaled martial master."

Yang Jian, startled by his master's tone, quickly explained, "Of course, I cultivate for eternal life… Master, I was wrong. I just heard the other disciples talking about the Heavenly Rankings Tournament, so I couldn't help but ask."

Gu An didn't let him off so easily. This was a perfect opportunity to temper Yang Jian's character. He said gravely, "You must understand that with your current physique, the heavens will not tolerate you. If people find out, you'll invite disaster upon yourself. The world is vast, and there will always be someone stronger. Even Loose Immortals have limits. A true cultivator treasures what they already possess instead of blindly chasing fame."

"Do not draw attention to yourself. Do not underestimate the common people of this world."

Yang Jian's face flushed with guilt, his head hanging low.

Lately, he had indeed developed a sense of pride. Watching the other disciples struggle to cultivate while he had already reached the Foundation Establishment realm made him feel superior.

Gu An continued, his tone calm but firm, "I do not expect you to repay me. However, I do not wish to see you become arrogant or reckless. Understand that there is a will in the heavens, and those who stray from the path will face retribution. Do not let your heart be swayed by vanity or greed. Do you understand?"

Yang Jian's eyes turned red. He wasn't moved by the lecture itself but by his master's words—that Gu An never expected repayment. The selflessness touched Yang Jian deeply.

He knew himself better than anyone. Though he had been reborn and gained incredible strength, his heart still harbored selfish desires and dark corners. These flaws made him feel unworthy of his master's care.

Compared to Gu An, who lived humbly among mortals despite his strength, Yang Jian felt ashamed. His master, a true immortal, never abused his power or acted arrogantly.

"I will…" Yang Jian started, but before he could finish, Gu An interrupted him.

"Let's go. It's time to head back."

Gu An turned and walked away. Yang Jian quickly followed behind him.

…

At the end of summer, Gu An rode the Blood Prison Saint back from Tianya Valley. The Blood Prison Saint grumbled the entire way, cursing the three monkey demons and begging Gu An to restore some of his strength—at least to the Core Formation level.

"No rush," Gu An said casually, flipping through a book in his hands. "This is a chance to temper your character. Your temper is too short, and your words too sharp. If you don't learn to control yourself, you'll eventually invite disaster."

The Blood Prison Saint slumped in defeat, his spirit deflating.

He knew his faults, but once a quarrel started, he couldn't help himself. If he didn't beat someone senseless, his anger wouldn't subside.

Gu An continued reading. The book had been passed to him by Luo Hun, who had acquired it from Li Xuandao.

According to Luo Hun, this book rivaled The Adventures of Green Hero!

And it truly lived up to the claim. The scholars of the Three Dynasties' Territories were many, and some works surpassed even Xuan Tianyi's writings.

Unlike travelogues, this book detailed the romantic intrigues and courtly affairs of the imperial capital.

Suddenly, a system message appeared before Gu An:

[Zhou Yu has developed hostility toward you and harbors killing intent. Would you like to use lifespan investigation?]

Zhou Yu?

Gu An frowned. The Elder's Hall in Tai Xuan Sect?

Why would Zhou Yu suddenly harbor killing intent toward him? Could it be related to Wu Jue?

The Zhou Family had already left Tai Xuan Sect, causing a significant stir. Many disciples viewed the Zhou Family as traitors, especially since they had defected to Cang Tian Sect.

In the present day, Cang Tian Sect remained Tai Xuan Sect's greatest rival. For Tai Xuan Sect to dominate the cultivation world, it would have to surpass Cang Tian Sect.

Gu An's divine sense spread across the continent, locking onto Wu Jue's aura. It didn't take long to locate him.

Wu Jue was at the border of the Tai Cang Dynasty, deep in a remote mountain forest within a dilapidated temple. He wasn't alone—several cultivators surrounded him, clearly in confrontation.

Wu Jue stood tense, fists clenched inside his sleeves, his brows furrowed deeply.

Opposite him, Zhou Yu stood in a black robe, radiating a commanding aura. Several members of the Zhou Family glared at Wu Jue with displeasure.

"Wu Jue, do you know how many resources the Zhou Family invested in you? Without the Zhou Family, you wouldn't be where you are today. Do you intend to bite the hand that fed you?" a female cultivator said sharply.

The others echoed her words, their tone dripping with menace.

Wu Jue gritted his teeth and said firmly, "Tai Xuan Sect has shown me kindness as well. If I join the Zhou Family now, wouldn't that make me ungrateful to them?"

Zhou Yu's voice was cold as he said, "Wu Jue, though the world seems peaceful now, more and more oversea cultivators are arriving. A great calamity is coming for the cultivation world. As your teacher, I must warn you—Tai Xuan Sect relies on the Sword Master of Dao, yet no one knows his true identity. If the Sword Master of Dao disappears one day, Tai Xuan Sect will crumble instantly."

Wu Jue's face hardened. "That's impossible. Why would Tai Xuan Sect be the only sect to fall? Is Cang Tian Sect truly invincible? Besides, Tai Xuan Sect has other great cultivators. I believe it's stronger than Cang Tian Sect!"

The words cut deep, as they amounted to Wu Jue severing ties with Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu's expression darkened. "Think carefully, Wu Jue. If you betray the Zhou Family, you will become our enemy. Out of respect for our bond as master and disciple, I'll let you go today. But the next time we meet, I will kill you to uphold the Zhou Family's honor. Not just you—anyone connected to you will suffer the same fate. That includes your only friend in Tai Xuan Sect, Gu An."

"Not just Gu An. Your friends in the sect's main city will be killed as well."

Zhou Yu's patience was wearing thin. He knew Wu Jue's potential was extraordinary, rivaling even An Hao. To lose him now was unacceptable.

Cang Tian Sect had no genius who could match An Hao!

Moreover, Wu Jue had no family background and was all alone. If he were to marry into the Zhou Family, his extraordinary talent could continue their bloodline.

Wu Jue's expression darkened as he struggled to maintain his composure. He took a deep breath and asked coldly, "When did you start investigating me?"

The moment Zhou Yu mentioned Gu An earlier, Wu Jue felt uneasy.

It was shocking to him that there were Zhou Family spies within Tai Xuan Sect!

Zhou Yu replied calmly, "From the day you took me as your master, I've been aware of all your connections. It's not too late to return now. In the future, you can even bring those you care about into Cang Tian Sect."

This time, Zhou Yu deliberately avoided mentioning Gu An.

He knew Gu An was Pan An and had close ties with Lü Baitian.

The thought that Gu An could influence Wu Jue infuriated him. If Lü Baitian managed to pull both An Hao and Wu Jue to his side, Zhou Yu couldn't bear it.

What gave Lü Baitian the right to possess two peerless geniuses like An Hao and Wu Jue?

Wu Jue was caught in deep conflict.

If Zhou Yu and the Zhou Family were only targeting him, he would have fought back without hesitation. But when Gu An was dragged into it, he couldn't help but hesitate.

Wu Jue knew his own talents and believed in his ability to become an unparalleled powerhouse one day. However, he was still young and needed time to grow. The Zhou Family was like a colossal mountain—impossible for him to shake alone.

If the Zhou Family had spies inside Tai Xuan Sect, how could he ensure Gu An's safety? He couldn't be by Gu An's side all the time. What if one day a Zhou Family agent struck at Gu An?

He didn't dare imagine such a scenario.

"Damn it…"

Wu Jue clenched his fists tightly, his glare toward Zhou Yu burning with fury.

Zhou Yu sighed deeply and began, "My disciple, you must understand that I—"

Boom!

A sudden thunderclap split the sky, and before anyone could react, a lightning bolt struck Zhou Yu directly. The force of the impact blasted everyone backward.

Wu Jue slammed against the temple wall and quickly steadied himself. When he looked again, his eyes widened in disbelief.

Zhou Yu had vanished completely. The spot where he had been standing was scorched black, still emitting faint smoke.

The other Zhou Family cultivators were equally shocked, their faces pale and filled with confusion.

"Master?"

One of the disciples called out, but there was no response.

"This isn't good! There's a powerful Tai Xuan Sect cultivator nearby!" a female cultivator shouted in alarm. She immediately disappeared, and the other Zhou Family members quickly followed suit, abandoning Wu Jue.

Wu Jue remained frozen for a moment before choosing to leave as well.

On the way out, he couldn't stop wondering: Was Zhou Yu dead or alive?

Who had unleashed that lightning strike?

It couldn't have been a coincidence—natural lightning just happened to strike Zhou Yu?

Elsewhere.

Gu An was still riding atop the Blood Prison Saint, looking unconcerned. Killing Zhou Yu had only granted him ninety-two years of lifespan, which he found utterly unimpressive.

"I hope the Zhou Family knows better than to provoke me. Otherwise, I won't hold back…"

Gu An thought to himself. Though he preferred to cultivate quietly in the shadows, he wouldn't tolerate being targeted by the Zhou Family.

Fortunately, in the days that followed, no other Zhou Family members harbored hostility toward Gu An.

No one could believe that Gu An, a cultivator who had just reached the Core Formation Realm, could possibly kill Zhou Yu, a Body Fusion Realm ninth-layer powerhouse.

They assumed the person who struck down Zhou Yu had to be a Profound Heart Realm or even a Mahayana Realm expert, and that it was a deliberate warning from Tai Xuan Sect.

In a grand, brightly lit hall, thousands of cultivators were gathered. The hall was immense, with pathways over a hundred feet wide. Along the sides stood rows of Transmission Array Platforms, where cultivators continually appeared through teleportation.

An Hao stood in the middle of the hall, looking around curiously. The endless flow of people and the grandeur of the scene filled him with awe.

"I heard that this year's entrance assessment includes Li Ya from Mysterious Divine City."

"Mysterious Divine City? You mean that Immortal Dao Treasure?"

"Yes! That Li Ya is truly fortunate. Who knows how powerful he's become with that treasure?"

"I just hope he's not allowed to use the treasure during the assessment. Otherwise, how are we supposed to compete with him?"

"If he doesn't use the treasure, he's just a small cultivator from a backwater continent—completely insignificant."

Hearing the chatter around him, An Hao couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The influence of an Immortal Dao Treasure was immense. It was enough to spread Li Ya's name throughout the Star Sea Sect, inciting hostility among the incoming disciples.

Just as An Hao was lost in thought, a familiar voice rang out.

"An Hao, long time no see. This time, I will win!"

An Hao turned his head and saw two figures approaching. One of them still carried traces of demonic aura.

It was Li Ya and Zhang Buku!

Li Ya looked confident and determined, his eyes blazing as he stared at An Hao. Beside him, Zhang Buku wore an expression of pure curiosity, his gaze darting around the hall.