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Chapter 59: The Great Demon Calamity
Chapter 59: The Great Demon Calamity
What an inappropriate title for a book!
Gu An hesitated to open the book, wondering if The Jade Green Hero's Journey was written by Shen Zhen. If it was, then his perception of the author would be shattered! But that didn't seem right either. Shen Zhen was from the Daotian Sect in the Great Yu Dynasty; how could she have published a book within the Tai Xuan Sect?
After reasoning it out, Gu An calmed down and began to browse through The Ebony Hero's Journey.
Shen Zhen lowered her head, her eyes downcast, a faint blush visible on her ears beneath her long hair.
After reading the first page, Gu An heaved a sigh of relief.
She wasn't the author of The Jade Green Hero's Journey. The difference in writing style was evident, but it was also clear that she was trying to emulate that work.
He continued reading patiently.
Each story in The Jade Green Hero's Journey began with a description of the local landscape and scenery, followed by interactions between people, and The Ebony Hero's Journey followed a similar structure.
However, it was apparent that Shen Zhen lacked the life experience of the author of The Jade Green Hero's Journey. The depiction of landscapes in her book fell short, and to Gu An, it lacked the vivid imagery of its counterpart.
The room fell silent.
Later, Shen Zhen got up and walked over to the bookshelf beside her.
Half a shichen (a unit of time equivalent to two hours) passed before Gu An closed The Ebony Hero's Journey. Shen Zhen returned, holding a book in her hands. She turned and asked, "Well?"
Gu An asked, "Do you like The Jade Green Hero's Journey?"
Standing in front of the bookshelf, Shen Zhen nodded slightly and said, "Aside from cultivation manuals, the first book I ever read was The Jade Green Hero's Journey. But my favorite is still your The Grand Master of Tai Xuan."
Not bad. It's quite vulgar, but it's realistic.
Gu An smiled and said, "To be honest, I also really like The Jade Green Hero's Journey. It was that book that inspired me to start writing."
Shen Zhen immediately walked over, her emotions clearly more excited than before, her eyes sparkling. She began to discuss The Jade Green Hero's Journey with Gu An.
While her The Ebony Hero's Journey did include romantic elements between men and women, they weren't as explicit as in The Jade Green Hero's Journey and fell within the acceptable range for mainstream literature.
Through their shared interest in The Jade Green Hero's Journey, the two of them quickly grew closer.
They chatted about The Jade Green Hero's Journey, then moved on to The Investiture of the Gods, and eventually, to The Grand Master of Tai Xuan.
After a while, Gu An asked, unable to contain his curiosity, "Have you ever met the author of The Jade Green Hero's Journey?"
Shen Zhen shook her head slightly and said, "Although I really like his The Jade Green Hero's Journey, I feel like he's not a serious person, so I don't want to meet him. You, on the other hand, are different. From The Investiture of the Gods to The Grand Master of Tai Xuan, your writing style is vastly different, and it has piqued my curiosity about you."
Upon hearing this, Gu An felt a twinge of disappointment.
Who exactly is the Jade Green Hero? That was the biggest mystery he wanted to unravel within the Tai Xuan Sect.
"After finishing The Grand Master of Tai Xuan, will you continue writing something similar to The Investiture of the Gods about the struggle for dominance among the various sects?" Shen Zhen asked, looking at Gu An.
Gu An gave an ambiguous reply, "Probably. So, Miss Shen, what about you? Are you planning to stay in the Tai Xuan Sect?"
Shen Zhen laughed and said, "Has the Tai Xuan Sect been pressuring you? Actually, we just need a nominal affiliation. The Daotian Sect also needs to join forces with the Tai Xuan Sect to deter other sects within the Great Yu Dynasty and to face the Great Demon Calamity together."
Gu An raised his eyebrows and asked, "What is the Great Demon Calamity?"
"On this continent, there are nine neighboring dynasties, including the Great Qing and the Great Yu. These nine dynasties banished powerful demons, causing the regions outside their borders to become places of chaos and demon rampage. Now, the demons beyond these nine dynasties have become a threat. Even though various cultivation sects frequently send their disciples to exterminate them, the outside world is vast, and there are always exceptionally talented demons who manage to grow strong. Within a hundred years, the nine dynasties will face a Great Demon Calamity of unprecedented proportions, and some dynasties will surely perish."
As Shen Zhen spoke of this, her expression turned solemn.
Upon hearing this, Gu An felt overwhelmed by the impending pressure.
He could already envision a future where the land was in ruins, where the Tai Xuan Sect was unable to hold the frontlines, and where miscellaneous disciples were forcibly conscripted into battle.
This can't happen!
Within a hundred years, I must extend my lifespan to a million years and unlock the next function to rapidly increase my cultivation! Gu An thought to himself, and then asked, "Since that's the case, why don't you focus on cultivating instead of writing books?"
Although Shen Zhen's talent couldn't compare to Ji Xiaoyu, Zhou Tongyou, or Li Ya, it wasn't bad, and with the backing of the Daotian Sect, she could definitely improve her cultivation if she put her mind to it.
In response, Shen Zhen laughed lightly and said, "Everyone has their own destiny. Cultivation isn't my path. I prefer reading and writing. Who's to say that one can't achieve immortality through books? As far as I know, throughout history, there doesn't seem to be any record of Qi-absorbing cultivators living to this day."
Gu An couldn't help but view her with newfound respect. She was certainly bold in her thoughts.
The two of them chatted for a while longer before Shen Zhen prepared to leave. Gu An saw her off, standing up to accompany her.
When they reached the floor below, she summoned a flying sword and stepped onto it. Before flying off into the horizon, she left him with a parting message: "Mister Gu, I'll set up my cave abode nearby. Let's exchange insights when we have the chance."
Gu An watched her departing figure, a smile spreading across his face.
He wasn't happy that Shen Zhen would be living nearby; he was delighted that the seven-tiered spirit tree now had a secure future.
...
The Tai Xuan Sect acted quickly. Just three days after Shen Zhen's departure, the sapling of the seven-tiered spirit tree arrived, delivered personally by Elder Gu.
After Elder Gu left, Gu An carried the seven-tiered spirit tree sapling to the central area of the park.
Although it was called a sapling, the tree was already one zhang (a unit of length equivalent to 10 feet) tall. Gu An planted it in the grass where the four sections of the park connected, with Uncle Tian and Ye Yan standing behind him.
After planting it, Gu An looked at the tree, his face radiant with a brilliant smile.
[Xuan Qing Tree (Tier 7): 48/8999/65000]
Six thousand, five hundred years—the absolute limit of a mortal's lifespan!
Old Man Tian chuckled and said, "The Xuan Qing Tree is no ordinary plant. Though it may not bear fruit, one can cultivate beneath it, calming the mind and invigorating the spirit."
Upon hearing this, Gu An's smile broadened as he replied, "Old Man Tian, from now on, you must keep a close eye on the Xuan Qing Tree. Don't let anything happen to it."
"Rest assured, it's already taken root, and its vitality is stronger than this old bag of bones," Old Man Tian reassured him.
Hearing Old Man Tian's words, Gu An shook his head and laughed. This old man had a sense of humor.
Subsequently, Gu An turned and left.
Old Man Tian and Ye Yan remained chatting in front of the tree, not following his footsteps.
Gu An made his way to the edge of the Medicine Valley, close to the mountain wall. In this grassy area, a tree had been planted, but it showed no signs of growth yet.
It was the six-tiered spirit tree, the Human-Faced Tree, given to him by Ye Lan.
The roots of this tree had been buried for several years, remaining in a state of suspended animation, its age effectively zero.
Gu An had tried to help it recover by infusing it with his own wood-attribute spiritual energy, but it was like a bottomless pit, absorbing his energy without any apparent benefit.
He squatted in front of the Human-Faced Tree's roots, which protruded slightly from the soil.
After observing it for a while, Gu An suddenly sensed a faint stream of spiritual energy flowing towards the Human-Faced Tree from deep within the earth. Following the trail, he discovered that it originated from the Xuan Qing Tree.
Could the Xuan Qing Tree help revive the Human-Faced Tree? Gu An felt both delighted and apprehensive at the same time. He feared that the Human-Faced Tree might drain the Xuan Qing Tree dry, especially since this tree came from the Qianqiu Pavilion, and its name sounded rather ominous.
If the Human-Faced Tree turned out to be an evil entity, Gu An would have no choice but to uproot it to prevent it from destroying the Third Medicine Valley.
Gu An also felt it necessary to keep a close eye on it to ensure it didn't grow surreptitiously.
Ye Yan had already reached the eighth layer of the Qi Refining Realm. His cultivation progress relied mainly on pills, and although he practiced with his spear daily, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the process, it didn't significantly contribute to his cultivation improvement.
Once Ye Yan left, Gu An planned to recruit some people.
...
Just after the scorching summer, at the age of forty-three, Gu An arrived at the outer sect's city. He first went to submit his manuscript and then strolled through the streets.
He noticed that the outer sect's city wasn't as bustling as before. While there were still many disciples walking back and forth on the streets, most of them had serious expressions and spoke in hushed tones.
Gu An looked up and saw four disciples from the Demon-Exterminating Hall descend from the sky, landing in front of a distant pavilion. They surrounded a disciple who had just exited the building and began to question him.
The disciple was clearly annoyed, and an argument soon broke out, followed by a fight. When one of the Demon-Exterminating Hall disciples displayed their token, the other disciple cowered and meekly allowed himself to be taken away.
Are they still catching demon path spies after all these years? Gu An furrowed his brows, feeling perplexed but with no intention to intervene. As long as they didn't come knocking on his door, he was content.
He made his way towards the Beast Hall, planning to get a few demonic beasts for the Third Medicine Valley so that Old Man Tian wouldn't feel lonely.
Old Man Tian was diligent in his work and had earned Gu An's favor. At this point, Gu An considered him as a personal disciple tasked with miscellaneous chores.
Half a shichen later, Gu An exited the Beast Hall with three additional bags tied to his waist—beast-taming bags containing live creatures, each capable of holding only one beast.
As he stepped out, he coincidentally ran into Lu Jiujia.
This time, Lu Jiujia was alone. He was walking towards the Beast Hall with a gloomy expression, but when he spotted Gu An, his face immediately lit up, and he quickened his steps.
"Senior Brother, are you here to buy demonic beasts?" Lu Jiujia asked enthusiastically, his face paler than before, his brows exuding a murderous aura, and his entire being emanating a sinister aura.
Gu An nodded and asked with concern, "Your complexion doesn't seem too good. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine; I've just been a bit tired from cultivating lately," Lu Jiujia replied, shaking his head.
Gu An noticed the trace of demonic energy hidden within Lu Jiujia's body. It was well concealed, and one would hardly notice it without a careful inspection.
Has this guy started walking the path of a demon cultivator? Lu Jiujia didn't want to elaborate, and Gu An naturally didn't press the matter further.
After some small talk, Lu Jiujia offered a reminder before taking his leave: "Senior Brother, try to stay inside the valley at night. Recently, a powerful demonic cultivator from the Heaven-Defying Sect infiltrated the outer sect."
With that, he turned and left.
Gu An watched his departing figure but didn't think much of it. He continued on his way towards the Third Medicine Valley.
Upon arriving, he released the three Spirit Dogs he had purchased, all of which possessed the bloodline of second-tier demonic beasts and were quite expensive.
"I plan to stay in Xuan Valley for a while, so you take care of them," Gu An instructed Old Man Tian.
Old Man Tian nodded, and Gu An turned towards the teleportation formation.
He couldn't shake the feeling that Old Man Tian's gaze as he stood on the teleportation formation held a hint of worry.
Before he could ponder further, the formation activated, transporting him to Xuan Valley.
As soon as he arrived in Xuan Valley, Gu An sensed a familiar aura.
Li Ya!
He stepped down from the formation and looked into the distance, where he saw Li Ya instructing disciples in sword practice, including Xiao Chuan.
After giving a brief instruction, Li Ya turned and walked towards Gu An.
When they met, Gu An asked curiously, "How did you end up here?"
The first layer of the Golden Core Realm!
At the age of forty-five, he had reached the Golden Core Realm, only five years later than Jiang Qiong!
Li Ya smiled faintly and explained, "I came to protect you. I heard that a Demon Lord from the Heaven-Defying Sect infiltrated the outer sect, and I didn't feel at ease leaving you here. I plan to stay until this matter is resolved before returning to the inner sect."
Thanks to 'Shadow Warrior' for the knock of 1000 starting coins and 'Seeking Great Freedom' for the reward of 500 starting coins~~
(End of Chapter)
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