Chapter 292: Do You Want to Join the Great Cold Demon Sect?
Chapter 292: Do You Want to Join the Great Cold Demon Sect?
Gu An spent an hour at Hu Xiaojian’s mansion. After Hu Xiaojian left, he was elated, his face beaming with joy.
The senior had entrusted him with so many tasks; there was no way he would abandon the Immortal Island so easily. Why would he deceive me? I’m just a lowly cultivator at the Soul Formation stage. If the senior didn’t want to take me along, a single glare would be enough to silence me.
On the other side, Gu An returned to the TaiXuan Gate. As he walked into the Third Medicine Valley, he pondered which itinerant immortal he should find to assist him.
Itinerant immortals weren’t easy to control. The Nine-Fingered Divine Lord was out of the question; Gu An feared exposure, as the Nine-Fingered Divine Lord had visited the Immortal Island before. Neither the Divine Heart Child nor the Five Elements Thief were trustworthy.
Gu An wasn’t in a rush. If all else failed, he could use the Jade Shaker to summon an itinerant immortal from the Human Peak to assist him on Immortal Island. After all, he was now the peak master of Human Peak, which was no weaker than the Great Cold Demon Sect. In terms of resources and depth, Human Peak was even stronger than the Great Cold Demon Sect.
The Great Cold Demon Sect had to perform dirty work for the Holy Court to survive, while Human Peak could take on roles within the Holy Court. Over the long ages, Human Peak had sent countless immortals to the Holy Court. Gu An believed that Human Peak wouldn’t fear the Great Cold Demon Sect.
Of course, Human Peak wouldn’t oppose the Great Cold Demon Sect unless there was enough benefit to risk offending the Great Cold Demon Sect and its backing Holy King.
Gu An mused over this, realizing that no matter how high one’s cultivation realm, one couldn’t escape the web of relationships and emotions.
Unless one was powerful enough to ignore the entire immortal path, only then could one act without restraint.
The causes and effects of the world were too intricate, intertwining with the existence of all beings. No matter how weak an existence, following its cause and effect, one would always find an immensely powerful entity.
Scanning the Medicine Valley, Gu An didn’t see the Nine-Fingered Divine Lord or the Five Elements Thief, but the Divine Heart Child was still in the valley, delving into "Journey to the West."
Gu An couldn’t understand why the Divine Heart Child was so fond of "Journey to the West." It seemed the fellow was growing increasingly distant from the Buddhist Gate, and he no longer mentioned the Buddhist Gate in his daily conversations.
Gu An didn’t bother the Divine Heart Child, instead heading to his own pavilion.
Compared to worrying about worldly affairs, he was more concerned about what book to read next.
The more things of the past and present, the stranger they seemed in books.
Lately, Gu An enjoyed reading history.
...
Five years later.
At 210 years old, Gu An was practicing in the Mystic Valley, glancing at his attribute panel. He was less than 600,000 years away from a 20 million-year lifespan.
Compared to others’ understanding of their cultivation, Gu An felt a greater sense of achievement looking at his lifespan.
This isn’t just a lifespan; this is clearly his cultivation!
After his morning practice, Lu Jiujia found Gu An and asked about the cultivation of the Primordial Reincarnation Art.
Since breaking through the cultivation limit, his maximum lifespan had extended to 410 years, and Gu An had thus taught him a more advanced version of the Primordial Reincarnation Art. Despite his diligent practice over the years, he still had many doubts about the art.
Gu An listened and patiently instructed him, a few words making Lu Jiujia suddenly enlightened and deeply moved.
Through the Primordial Reincarnation Art, he deduced that his senior brother was no simple figure. It was evident that his senior brother was also cultivating this art, and the resources he received far exceeded his own.
After Gu An finished speaking, he turned and left. Lu Jiujia didn’t follow but stood there, savoring his words.
Gu An walked into the forest and then entered the Eight Scenery Grotto.
At this point, the Eight Scenery Grotto was no longer a hidden secret; Lu Jiujia knew about the secret grotto beneath the Mystic Valley. He usually paid extra attention to disciples entering the forest, fearing someone might covet his senior brother’s grotto.
The Mystic Valley never lacked skilled workers!
Gu An arrived at the Eight Scenery Grotto, first harvesting mature medicinal herbs, then having the zombie insects sow seeds.
The myriad insect mystic art left by Jiang Qiong had made some progress, though the zombie insects couldn’t steal the lifespans of medicinal herbs, sowing seeds required less consideration.
He lay down by the ancient vine, which quickly wrapped its vines around his shoulders, beginning to massage them.
The ancient vine had intelligence but rarely spoke, and Gu An didn’t force it, enjoying the tranquil life within the Eight Scenery Grotto.
Accustomed to life in the Medicine Valley, occasional solitude in the Eight Scenery Grotto was also pleasant.
He planned to stay overnight, as someone would visit tonight.
Adjusting to a comfortable position, he took out the history book he bought from Immortal Island, flipping through it. This book recorded the rise and fall of a major force.
Time quickly passed.
Until late at night, footsteps echoed in the grotto. Gu An didn’t rise, not even glancing over.
Soon, a figure appeared before him, accompanied by a faint fragrance.
The visitor stood with her hands on her hips, wearing a delicate purple robe with numerous jade beads hanging from her sash. Her long hair was casually tied back with two wooden hairpins, her ear hidden by black hair, her face of stunning beauty wearing a faint smile, her bright eyes twinkling with a mischievous gleam.
Gu An looked up at her, appraising her, and smiled, "Years have passed, yet you seem younger. What kind of magic have you been practicing?"
The person before him was none other than Jiang Qiong, who had created the Eight Scenery Grotto.
Jiang Qiong's Flower Gathering Sect had already become one of the leading sects in the cultivation world, even collaborating with the mighty TaiXuan Gate. Of course, the Flower Gathering Sect's overall strength was still far from matching the TaiXuan Gate.
"What do you mean, my great-grandmaster is young at heart."
Jiang.Qiong shot a glare at Gu An and then took off her shoes, stepping barefoot on the grass.
She stretched and sighed, "This place is still the most comfortable. I haven't been back in years, but it still feels like home."
Gu An stood up and smiled, "I still have that coffin you used to like. Want to lie in it?"
"Feeling like a fight?"
Jiang.Qiong raised her hand, about to slap Gu An, who quickly dodged.
She huffed and then asked, "Brat, are you scared recently?"
Gu An was surprised, "Why do you think so?"
"The Great Cold Demon Sect's Immortal Yang declared he would destroy the world. How can you not be scared? You’re the most afraid of death."
"True, I am scared, but what good does being scared do? When the sky falls, you and the others will be there to block it."
Gu An spread his hands, making Jiang.Qiong chuckle. This kid was still as carefree as ever.
Jiang.Qiong stepped forward and whispered, "Do you want to join the Great Cold Demon Sect?"
Gu An's expression turned strange upon hearing this.
He usually didn’t keep his eyes on Jiang.Qiong, only occasionally checking on her with his spiritual senses. If she was safe, he quickly withdrew his senses.
He hadn’t expected Jiang.Qiong to have connections with the Great Cold Demon Sect.
How did she manage it?
Gu An started to probe Jiang.Qiong's past, asking, "Do you know someone from the Great Cold Demon Sect?"
A flood of causal images rushed into Gu An’s eyes, revealing Jiang.Qiong's past.
It turned out that the continent where the White Blossom Sect originated was under the jurisdiction of the Great Cold Demon Sect. This was also why the Seven Star Spirit Realm didn’t dare use the Nether Path to reach the other side.
In that continent, the Great Cold Demon Sect was the sky, and the White Blossom Sect was just a minor sect, incomparable to the Great Cold Demon Sect.
According to what the White Blossom Demon Mother told Jiang.Qiong, the White Blossom Sect had degenerated due to the influence of the Great Cold Demon Sect. Long ago, that continent didn’t belong to the Great Cold Demon Sect.
After the unification of the world, the Flower Gathering Sect shared the Nether Path with other sects, allowing the White Blossom Demon Mother to return to her homeland. Jiang.Qiong also relied on her connections with the Great Cold Demon Sect.
The White Blossom Demon Mother knew a high-ranking cultivator from the Great Cold Demon Sect, who was actually only at the Great Ascension realm, likely a low-ranking member in the Great Cold Demon Sect.
"Although Sword Venerated Fudao protected the continent not long ago, how could he alone stand against the Great Cold Demon Sect? He didn’t ask me to do anything, so I came back to take you to the Great Cold Demon Sect. Isn’t it better to plant herbs there?" Jiang.Qiong said earnestly.
Gu An was both moved and amused.
Why did she always want to be a reed in the wind?
Gu An shook his head, "Forget it. The Great Cold Demon Sect is too powerful. I wouldn’t be comfortable there, and I might be made into a pill as soon as I join. It’s a demonic sect, after all."
Jiang.Qiong glared at him, "With me around, who could bully you?"
"Is your cultivation that high?"
"Probably not high in the Great Cold Demon Sect, but protecting you will be more than enough. When the time comes, just stay under my protection."
"Do I have to wait on you and please you?"
"Exactly. How about it? My feet are a bit sore now, come give me a massage."
"Ha, shameless!"
Gu An wouldn’t agree, preferring to die with dignity than be humiliated.
He looked down with disdain, seeing how Jiang.Qiong’s feet were already covered in dirt and grass after just taking off her shoes.
Jiang.Qiong, seeing Gu An’s stubborn look, wanted to tease him further but decided to get to the point first.
She said seriously, "Gu An, this time is different. The Great Cold Demon Sect has sent many cultivators, and their strength is far beyond the Seven Star Spirit Realm and the Star Sea Sect. I heard the Star Sea Sect is even planning to retreat. Not to mention the Star Sea Sect, do you know about the Nether Path? Almost every sect on this continent wants to escape through the Nether Path, including the TaiXuan Gate where you are!"
Gu An was silent.
Jiang.Qiong continued, "Actually, joining the Great Cold Demon Sect might not be bad. You might even encounter a great opportunity. While your innate talent is set, many in this world have turned their fates through opportunities. Don’t you want to pursue immortality?"
Gu An looked at her, "Thank you for your concern, but I really don’t want to go. There are too many people and things I can’t bear to part with here. As for the opportunity you mentioned, when has any opportunity come without danger? Just going down the Eight Scenic Caverns nearly got me into trouble."
Jiang.Qiong was instantly annoyed, "Why is this kid so stubborn?"
Gu An followed, "Moreover, I don’t think this calamity is insurmountable. I trust Sword Venerated Fudao and believe that evil cannot overcome the righteous. There are surely many great powers in this world who can resist the Great Cold Demon Sect."
"I often read books, and they all say, ‘Man acts, and Heaven watches.’ The Great Cold Demon Sect treats the world like ants; such a sect, no matter how strong, will eventually face retribution. Joining them is not the right path."
As he spoke, he raised his book, his expression firm.
(End of Chapter)
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