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Chapter 116: The Nine Kingdoms' Calamity, Reaping Lifespans
Chapter 116: The Nine Kingdoms' Calamity, Reaping Lifespans
Half a month had passed since the invasion of Jin Lingzun.
Since that fateful day, Tai Xuan Gate remained on high alert, recalling many disciples, with disciples flying over Xuan Valley and the Third Medicine Valley daily.
In a pavilion within Xuan Valley, Gu An was listening to Ye Lan narrate tales of the cultivation world, including the Road of Nine Shadows.
"Legend has it that there is a road that leads directly to the underworld, known as the Road of Nine Netherworlds. The Flower Shade Sect has opened the entrance to this road, located in the Dustless Wasteland of the Great Zhao Dynasty. Now, Flower Shade Sect cultivators are rushing towards the wasteland, and no one knows if the sect is planning to retreat or has other intentions. The Tai Xuan Gate has already dispatched a group of disciples to investigate."
As she mentioned the Road of Nine Shadows, a glimmer of hope flashed in Ye Lan's eyes.
Gu An couldn't help but ask, "You seem quite eager to travel the Road of Nine Shadows?"
Ye Lan replied, "It is said that the Road of Nine Abyssals can span boundless seas and lead to another vast world, where celestial fate awaits. To say that one has no longing for it would be a lie. The Flower Shade Sect has attracted many cultivators to join their ranks because of this road. However, with my talent, I believe the risks outweigh the benefits."
Changing the subject, she began to talk about Fu Daozhun.
According to the information she had obtained from the Law Enforcement Hall, Fu Daozhun had demonstrated abilities that surpassed all in the sect. It was said that if not for his intervention, Tai Xuan Gate might have faced utter destruction.
As she spoke, she also observed Gu An's reactions closely.
Gu An listened with great interest, as if Fu Daozhun had nothing to do with him.
After half an hour, Ye Lan stood up to leave. She had to return to the Law Enforcement Hall to receive her assigned task.
After seeing her off, Gu An ventured into the mountains and made his way to Yang Ni's garden.
Yang Ni had gone to the outer gate again today, still investigating Fu Daozhun's identity. Gu An didn't want to tell her that Su Shan was already dead, so he let her continue her search.
In a year's time, if Su Shan didn't come looking for her, Yang Ni would hopefully realize that she was finally free.
Gu An looked at the Flower Shade flowers on the ground and examined them carefully.
He could sense that the flowers were generating a unique spiritual energy, but he couldn't yet discern whether it was beneficial or harmful.
Every cultivator who joined the Flower Shade Sect was given a batch of Flower Shade seeds, and cultivating these flowers was considered a way to build merit within the sect.
Even the leader of the Flower Shade Sect, Zhong Liang, didn't know the true purpose of these flowers.
The Flower Shade Sect members left in the Nine Kingdoms were mere puppets of the main sect, unaware of their true intentions, yet they waited eagerly.
Gu An plucked a Flower Shade flower and entered the Eight Scenes Cave Heaven, making his way to the Cangteng Tree.
He placed the flower at the base of the tree, letting the tree sense it.
"Take it away... Take it away..."
The tree's feminine voice rang out, weak and anxious.
Gu An asked in surprise, "You're a seventh-rank spirit tree, yet you're afraid of a sixth-rank flower?"
"Its aura... It's unpleasant... I don't like it..." The Cangteng Tree replied in a halting voice.
Hearing this, Gu An reached out and stored the flower in his storage bag.
He sat down and summoned the storage bracelet from a distance, beginning to inventory Jin Lingzun's legacy.
The Eight Scenes Cave Heaven held numerous storage bags and storage rings, all of which Gu An had acquired from his slain enemies. This was his private domain, suitable for storing things that shouldn't be seen.
However, after searching through everything, he couldn't find any information related to the Flower Shade flowers, and he had no choice but to give up.
But he did find a dan recipe, which he carefully examined.
Having already mastered the art of Taiqing Dan, his pill concocting skills had reached the level of a grandmaster. As long as he had a recipe, he could easily refine pills.
Flipping through the recipe, he paused halfway.
"Flower Shade Evil Dan?"
...
Winter eventually arrived, and snowflakes drifted down, erasing the colors of the human realm.
In the Tianya Valley.
Gu An had just finished harvesting a batch of herbs, successfully reaping lifespans close to ten thousand years, improving his mood.
The Tianya Valley had a special array that prevented snow from entering, which saved a lot of trouble.
Gu An instructed Sun to move all the herbs into the storage building, while he walked towards the courtyard where Luo Hun and Yi Liuyun resided. The two were drinking and chatting about the Road of Nine Shadows.
"The Road of Nine Shadows has attracted the attention of cultivators from the Nine Kingdoms. It is said that each kingdom and sect has sent people to investigate, but the entrance to the Road of Nine Shadows is surrounded by Flower Shade Sect cultivators, and all who have ventured there have returned empty-handed." Luo Hun frowned as he spoke.
Yi Liuyun glanced at the approaching Gu An and then said to Luo Hun, "This is also a good thing. At least the Great Cang Kingdom doesn't have to bear the pressure of the Flower Shade Sect alone."
Luo Hun nodded, "The forces backing the Flower Shade Sect will surely cross over through the Road of Nine Abysses, and that will bring calamity to the Nine Kingdoms. Moreover, my people have sent news that Flower Shades are appearing all over the Nine Kingdoms. Once the flowers mature, they will attract demons and evil spirits. We still don't know the true intentions of the Flower Shade Sect."
Gu An sat down beside them and listened to their discussion about the cultivation world.
He asked curiously, "Are there any evil legends associated with the Flower Shade flowers?"
Previously, he had thought that the Flower Shade Sect was merely vying for power and profit with Tai Xuan Gate, but now he realized that their ambitions were even greater.
Without knowing the true strength of the Flower Shade Sect's main sect, Gu An dared not venture onto the Road of Nine Shadows.
Yi Liuyun furrowed his brows, "I have heard of a legend that says the Flower Shade is the flower of the underworld, symbolizing death and reincarnation. When Flower Shades appear in the mortal realm, it signifies that a great catastrophe is imminent, bringing death to countless creatures."
"The Nine Kingdoms have already issued orders to eradicate the Flower Shades," Luo Hun said. "Regardless of the Flower Shade Sect's intentions, the widespread appearance of these flowers must be stopped."
Hearing this, Gu An felt relieved.
When faced with difficulties, it was better to share the burden, and he certainly didn't want to worry alone.
Everyone in the world was clearing away the ephemeral flowers, and he had to join in on the action.
From then on, he would go out at night to clear the flowers, earning lifespan and saving lives, all without any harm.
Luo Hun and Yi Liuyun continued to chat about the Ephemeral Flower Sect, while Gu An listened from the side, learning about numerous names through their conversation.
The Nine Abyss' reappearance in the mortal realm had stirred up the cultivation world of the Nine Kingdoms, causing many great cultivators who had been sequestered away to emerge from their seclusion.
The Ephemeral Flower Sect had become a scourge to the Nine Kingdoms.
Even a thousand-year-old monster vowed to annihilate the sect.
This turned out to be a good thing, as the Ephemeral Flower Sect became a target for everyone. Those who had been recruited would likely waver and take the opportunity to break free from the sect.
It was already evening when Gu An returned to Xuan Valley.
He swept the area with his spiritual sense, his expression turning strange.
Yang Ni had burned all the Ephemeral Flowers she had planted, leaving only ashes in the garden.
Could it be that Yang Ni has seen the light? Gu An didn't go to ask her but instead returned to his room.
Late at night, Gu An began to sweep the Great Cang Kingdom with his spiritual sense, searching for the Ephemeral Flowers.
This sweep startled even him.
How did so many Ephemeral Flowers suddenly appear? They weren't there last month!
Gu An immediately disappeared from the room and set out to eradicate the flowers.
After taking just two steps, he arrived in a forest tens of thousands of miles away, near a village where the flowers were mostly concentrated close to the towns.
He plucked an Ephemeral Flower, only to gain a single year of lifespan.
These flowers grew extremely fast, which was clearly unnatural, and it seemed that some force had drained their potential, leaving them with little lifespan remaining.
A year is still a year, and many years can add up!
Gu An began to sweep away the Ephemeral Flowers.
...
At the break of dawn, Gu An went downstairs, feeling refreshed and energized.
The night before, he had reaped over forty thousand years of lifespan in one go, revealing just how widespread the Ephemeral Flowers were.
He practiced martial arts with his disciples, and Yang Ni joined them, although she looked listless and clearly had something on her mind.
After the practice session, Yang Ni approached Gu An and told him that she was preparing to leave.
"Where are you going?" Gu An asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
Yang Ni replied, "I have some things to take care of."
Gu An reminded her, "The Ephemeral Flower Sect is causing trouble lately, and the Nine Kingdoms are preparing to join forces to destroy them. You must stay far away from this matter."
Yang Ni nodded and said, "Don't worry, I have no connection to the Ephemeral Flower Sect."
As she spoke these words, she stared intently at Gu An.
Some things were left unsaid, but both of them understood each other's unspoken meanings.
After a stick of incense had burned, Yang Ni packed her things and left.
Gu An stood by the window, watching the direction she had left in, feeling that this parting would mean they wouldn't see each other again for many years.
At the same time.
In the distant Dustless Wasteland, ghostly energy permeated the air, forming black clouds that covered the sky, and crows flew through the air.
Li Ya, carrying the Beihai Heavy Sword, stood on a cliff, looking down at the countless people below, forming a vast sea of humanity, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
He never expected the Ephemeral Flower Sect to have secretly recruited so many followers.
"That Nine Profound Road is very sinister. It contains an immense amount of ghostly and demonic energy," the old ancestor's voice sounded in Li Ya's ear.
Li Ya looked towards the distant figure of Jinghong Ke, who sat on a rock, holding a scroll, deep in thought.
"It doesn't matter. When the ancestor arrives, we can wipe them all out in one fell swoop!" Li Ya thought to himself.
He now had absolute confidence in that mysterious shadow, believing him to be an invincible existence in this world.
"It's not that simple. No matter how powerful he is, his spiritual energy will eventually be exhausted. It's almost impossible for him to want to lift the calamity of the Nine Kingdoms by himself. If he were truly that powerful, he wouldn't have cultivated the Demon Shadow Divine Art of the Qianqiu Pavilion to hide his identity," the old ancestor sighed.
Li Ya listened, feeling displeased. Ever since they encountered the Ephemeral Flower Sect, the old ancestor had become timid and no longer exuded the carefree and profound image he once had, shattering Li Ya's fantasy.
However, remembering the warning of the Li family's ancestor, Li Ya did not refute the old ancestor's words.
Just at that moment.
The ground began to tremble, startling Li Ya, who immediately took to the air. However, Jinghong Ke remained seated on the rock, unmoved.
Li Ya looked towards the entrance of the Nine Abyss Road, and he saw the altar below the black fissure beginning to shatter, with a branch breaking through the ground, followed by the trunk of a tree.
The surrounding members of the Ephemeral Flower Sect retreated, and as everyone watched in astonishment, a colossal tree rose from the ground—it was the Ephemeral Flower Tree.
This Ephemeral Flower Tree was even more massive than the one Gu An had destroyed, towering over five hundred zhang high, with its top disappearing into the black clouds.
The immense Ephemeral Flower Tree standing behind the black crack made the scene even more terrifying.
"Hmph, so they really did plant an Ephemeral Flower Tree!"
A cold hum reverberated throughout the heavens and the earth, causing everyone's hearts to chill.
Jiang Qiong turned her head and saw a dazzling sword light slicing through the sky from the horizon, piercing through the sea of clouds and unstoppable as it slashed towards the Ephemeral Flower Tree.
A figure appeared out of thin air in front of the Ephemeral Flower Tree. It was the masked black-clothed woman, and she held a golden cudgel in her hand. With a push forward, a burst of formidable spiritual power erupted, forcibly blocking the sword light several li away, causing the space around the sword light to distort.
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(End of Chapter)
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