Chapter 586: The Strongest in the World
Chapter 586: The Strongest in the World
Su Zhenren really didn't want to look at Xiao Lan's figure, so she turned her gaze towards the river ahead, her brows furrowing slightly.
She sensed a faint demonic aura, and despite her cultivation level, she couldn't see through it completely, indicating that the other party's cultivation was likely higher than hers.
Xiao Lan had been pestering Gu An for a while before reluctantly coming to Su Zhenren's side. She curiously asked, "Master, since just now, you've been frowning. What are you looking at?"
Su Zhenren turned to look at her, wanting to say, 'You finally remembered your master?'
"There's probably a powerful demon hiding in the river ahead, and I'm considering whether to change our direction," Su Zhenren replied softly.
Xiao Lan's eyes lit up at this. "What kind of demon is it? Compared to the heavenly river dragon we encountered before, who is stronger?"
"This demon is probably stronger than me," Su Zhenren shook her head, not minding showing weakness in front of her disciple.
Xiao Lan instinctively looked at Gu An and then turned back to Su Zhenren, frowning. "Then let's change course."
Su Zhenren felt both relieved and helpless.
She was relieved that Xiao Lan wasn't being reckless, but helpless because this girl considered Gu An's opinions in everything.
Gu An's gaze fell on the distant demon in the river. Downstream, there was a vast lake like an ocean, where a demon and a powerful cultivator were battling for a precious relic from the Battle Court.
The cultivator was skilled in concealing his aura, preventing the battle from causing a huge disturbance.
The demon also tried to hide its demonic energy, but it still leaked out significantly.
Watching their battle, Gu An began to ponder.
What kind of Dao artifact should he refine for Xiao Lan?
...
As autumn approached, the third medicine valley gradually turned a withered yellow.
Under an ancient tree, Long Teng was meditating, his robe slightly billowing as powerful energy swirled around him, resembling dragon spirits.
Long Qing approached him with a person, who was none other than Li Xuandao, the emperor of the Great Cang Imperial Dynasty.
Li Xuandao wore a golden robe and a dragon crown, exuding an undeniable imperial aura that drew the attention of the medicine valley disciples along the way.
Ever since his rebirth, Li Xuandao had fully displayed his power, reigning for twenty thousand years. He had become a revered figure in the hearts of the Great Cang Imperial Dynasty's citizens.
He and Long Qing were the two most influential figures on the Great Cang Continent, and many feared a potential rift between them that could lead to turmoil. However, their close relationship ensured a harmonious coexistence between the Great Mysterious Sect and the Great Cang Imperial Dynasty, allowing them to resolve any conflicts through negotiation.
When Li Xuandao saw Long Teng, his eyes lit up.
He had a bold speculation in mind. The mysterious force from beyond the world had sought out Long Qing, and the appearance of the Dragon Battle Law Image further confirmed his guess.
From the moment he laid eyes on Long Teng, he was reminded of Gu An.
Long Teng's features were even more spirited than Gu An's, and their facial features were strikingly similar.
As they approached Long Teng, he opened his eyes and stared, captivated by Li Xuandao's presence.
What a domineering man!
This was Long Teng's first impression of Li Xuandao.
"Teng'er, this is the emperor of the Great Cang Imperial Dynasty. He is an old friend of my master. Hurry and pay your respects," Long Qing said.
Upon hearing this, Long Teng immediately stood up and bowed to Li Xuandao.
Li Xuandao smiled and said, "Seeing you reminds me of the first time I met Yang Jian."
Yang Jian!
Long Teng had heard of this name. Yang Jian was a legend in the Great Mysterious Sect and Long Teng's father's senior brother. He had made remarkable contributions to the Great Cang Imperial Dynasty and was currently its strongest cultivator.
Before the master's appearance, Yang Jian was the person Long Teng admired the most.
On the Great Cang Continent, anyone over six years old had heard of Yang Jian's story, which popularized the Journey to the West, making it an eternal classic. It was even officially recognized by the dynasty, despite some controversial content within.
"Follow me, and I won't mistreat you," Li Xuandao said with great enthusiasm. "I'll make you the next Yang Jian, or even surpass him."
After hearing this, Long Teng didn't reply immediately. Instead, he looked at Long Qing.
Long Qing nodded. "I don't want the Long Clan to be too closely tied to the Great Mysterious Sect. It's a good choice for you to follow His Majesty and establish your own achievements. Once you've secured your position, the Long Clan can move out."
Long Teng was already aware of the Long Clan's fate, so he didn't question it. He bowed to Li Xuandao, indicating his acceptance. This pleased Li Xuandao, who pulled him to sit and chat about the past.
When Li Xuandao mentioned the master, Long Teng became interested.
Currently, the person he was most curious about and longed to meet was Master Gu An. He wanted to know what kind of person the master truly was.
Li Xuandao began his tale from the first time he met Gu An, and when Long Teng heard that his Master had once played the role of a menial disciple, he became even more intrigued.
As Long Teng learned that his Master was the author of renowned works like Investiture of the Gods, Journey to the West, and Taixuan Immortal Venerate, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise. No wonder these books were mandatory reading for new disciples and were even studied as historical records.
Now he believed it.
Perhaps these were indeed the tribulations his Master had experienced.
Long Qing observed Long Teng's expression, a smile appearing on his face.
Although he intended to sever ties between the Long Clan and Taixuan Sect, he didn't want his descendants to grow distant from the clan's ancestors.
Without the ancestors, there would be no Long Clan, and this was something that couldn't be forgotten.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Li Xuandao leaned forward, supporting himself on his knees, and said with a smile, "I plan to send you to the Dao Court for cultivation. After you return from your cultivation journey, I will bestow upon you the title of Generalissimo. The upcoming era will be unprecedented, and I aim to conquer all the kingdoms under heaven to establish a unified empire. I need you for this long and arduous task, and you will experience countless battles."
Long Teng's eyes lit up at these words, and even his breathing quickened with excitement.
"Is the Dao Court very powerful?" Long Teng asked curiously.
"It is considered a top-tier Dao Court in the current world. Of course, if your Master were still in Taixuan Sect, the Dao Court wouldn't even be worthy of polishing his shoes. I have already made all the arrangements. After you arrive, you only need to focus on cultivation. I will have someone accompany you and handle everything for you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Long Teng exclaimed, his admiration for Li Xuandao growing.
This was the first time Long Qing truly felt Li Xuandao's charismatic personality. No wonder Senior Brother Yang Jian had willingly served him for so many years.
Serving the imperial authority was fine; even if the Long Clan became stronger, there would still be someone above them to keep them in check.
Long Qing observed Li Xuandao and Long Teng, thinking to himself.
He began to anticipate Long Teng's performance in the years to come.
...
Eighty years had passed since Xiao Lan left Xiao Manor, and Su Zhenren finally prepared to return to the Dao Court. Before leaving, Xiao Lan wanted to visit Xiao Manor once more, and Su Zhenren agreed.
This time, Su Zhenren didn't travel by foot but directly used his magic, taking Xiao Lan and Gu An with him. In half an hour, they arrived at Xiao Manor.
After staying for two days, the trio prepared to leave. Before departing, Xiao Lan left behind many cultivation resources, enough to propel Xiao Manor to new heights. Among these resources were some from Su Zhenren herself.
Su Zhenren understood Xiao Lan's thoughts; it was only natural for those close to a cultivator to benefit from their success.
She also hoped that Xiao Lan could cultivate without any worries.
The three of them rode the clouds towards the Dao Court.
As they approached the Dao Court, Su Zhenren turned to look at Xiao Lan, wanting to say something. But seeing Xiao Lan holding Gu An's arm tightly, she ultimately swallowed her words.
Forget it!
After all, this young lady hadn't neglected her cultivation.
Once her feelings for Gu An faded, everything would improve.
Gu An was also filled with curiosity about the Dao Court, as many of his old acquaintances had joined it.
During the previous heavenly tribulation, the Dao Court had displayed the might and responsibility of the top sect under the heavens. After that battle, its reputation soared, and more and more sects believed that the Dao Court was worthy of being the leader of all sects and deserved their trust.
The Dao Court was also generous; they didn't demand submission from other sects but only sought alliances. For each allied sect, they provided cultivation opportunities, allowing their disciples to cultivate and improve their skills. As more and more disciples from other sects returned after cultivation, the Dao Court's reputation continued to grow.
Xiao Lan also looked forward to the Dao Court, and she asked Gu An to stay in her cave mansion. According to Su Zhenren, with her talent, she would receive excellent treatment in the Dao Court, and the spiritual energy in her cave mansion would be extremely dense.
Faced with her request, Gu An agreed, causing Su Zhenren to shake her head but say no more.
Before long, the majestic sight of the Dao Court appeared before the trio.
The Dao Court occupied an entire continent, and above it, layer upon layer of clouds formed a sea, upon which cultivation grounds and cities were built. The higher one's cultivation, the higher they lived. Even before stepping onto the continent, one could sense its immense aura, far surpassing that of the ancient Immortal Court and Holy Court.
Gu An could sense the auras of the Holy Court's saints and other high-ranking members. The Dao Court's rapid expansion was partly due to the efforts of the Holy Court and the Immortal Court's former members.
To be precise, the Dao Court was formed by the unification of the various dominant powers of the Vast Universe before its reshaping. The complex intermingling of factions within the Dao Court was also the reason why it chose alliances over forcibly absorbing other sects, as its essence was an alliance of sects.
(End of Chapter)
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