At the end of the year, Gu An arrived at the outer city of the sect and discovered that all the disciples were discussing the tale of Sword Master of Dao slaying the Six-Headed Jiao Luo. Some stalls were even selling figurines of the Six-Headed Jiao Luo and various paintings depicting its death.
As Gu An looked at those images, he inexplicably thought of Shen Zhen.
Shen Zhen was still in seclusion. If she hadn't been, she would likely have been thrilled by this event.
He hadn't seen her for years, and to his surprise, he found himself missing her.
It wasn't her person he missed, but rather her creative ability.
He didn't want her to stop writing, as long as her next work didn't feature him as the subject.
Gu An strolled around the city, listening to the disciples praise Sword Master of Dao. A sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart, and the lingering worries that had been nagging him were gradually dispelled.
The demons in the northern border had been swept away, and no other Great Demon Kings of the same caliber as the Six-Headed Jiao Luo had appeared. It seemed like things were moving in a positive direction.
However, Gu An knew that the Great Demon Catastrophe was still approaching. It wasn't just the northern border of the Great Jiang Dynasty; demons were continuously invading human territory from the east to the west, particularly in regions near the demon lands. Though the scale wasn't large, the various sects found it difficult to stop all of them completely.
Thankfully, the number of demons infiltrating the borders wasn't too great, and they hadn't shaken the foundation of the Eight Dynasties. For now, Gu An could continue to bide his time.
After wandering for a while, Gu An headed to the Scripture Pavilion to return a book.
What happened next made him feel both amused and exasperated.
The Grand Elder, Feng Shang, suggested that Gu An include Sword Master of Dao in Shattering the Void to further glorify his image. This was a directive from the sect.
Feigning reluctance, Gu An eventually agreed when Feng Shang mentioned that the sect had prepared a hundred sixth-level spirit herb seeds for him. He had no choice but to comply.
...
As the Spring Festival arrived, neither Ye Lan nor Zhen Qin returned. Gu An spent the festival with the disciples, feeling that something was missing compared to previous years.
This gave him a sudden sense of unease.
In the future, if all his old friends passed away, would the Spring Festival no longer bring him joy, but rather sorrow?
By the time midnight rolled around and he returned to Nian Chu Cave Residence, these feelings began to fade.
No matter what, Tian Yao'er could at least accompany him for another 18,000 years. If she could undergo Nirvana within that time, they would have even longer together.
Still, he needed to learn to manage his emotions. Only by seeing through the affairs of the world could he achieve enlightenment.
At the stone table, Gu An and Tian Yao'er were roasting a leg of lamb, laughing and chatting. Tian Yao'er always had endless things to say to him, and the festive atmosphere was palpable.
"By the way, master, recently I've been hearing a strange sound. It seems to be coming from outside. Could it be a demon discovering our cave residence?" Tian Yao'er suddenly asked, her mouth full of grease and her face covered in sauce. Seeing her frowning like this made Gu An want to laugh.
Gu An replied, "Don't worry, no demon will break in. I've met the owner of that sound; it's just temporarily residing on Tianhuang Mountain."
Upon hearing this, Tian Yao'er immediately relaxed.
"By the way, master, where have you been going after leaving the cave? Have you returned to live among the humans?" Tian Yao'er asked.
"Hmm, I have other cave residences that require tending."
"Ah? Master, you didn't take in other demons, did you?"
"I did take in a few, but none as capable as you."
"Are any of them female demons?"
"Of course not. Those demons have low aptitudes and haven't even taken human form yet."
"That's good. Master, do you have a Dao companion?"
Tian Yao'er seemed to have opened a floodgate, bombarding him with question after question.
Gu An raised an eyebrow behind his mask and asked, "Where did you hear about Dao companions?"
Tian Yao'er took a bite of the lamb and mumbled, "From the books you left behind. Do you have a Dao companion, master?"
Gu An answered, "Of course not."
Tian Yao'er looked pleased, but Gu An's next words caused her face to fall: "But there are a few women who might become my Dao companion. I'm rather troubled about who to choose."
Tian Yao'er put down the lamb leg, wiped the grease off her face, and seriously asked, "Master, do you think I'm suitable?"
Gu An glanced at her and said gruffly, "What? You want to rise to a higher position?"
"No... I just think, based on the Dao companion standards in those books, I could be a good fit. Besides, I would never betray you like the Dao companions in those stories. I'll live and die with you!"
Live and die with me? I don't want that.
I intend to live forever!
Gu An, who was determined to live longer than the heavens and the earth, would never be moved by such words.
He replied, somewhat irritated, "Focus on your cultivation, little demon. Stop having these wild thoughts. Whether you're human or demon, cultivation should always come first. Relationships? That's only a secondary pursuit."
"Alright then, what qualities do you want in a Dao companion?"
"I was just teasing you earlier. I'm not looking for a Dao companion. Having one would only mean burying her someday, and that would be too painful."
"That does seem like it would be sad."
"I let you read those books so you could experience the diversity of life. Stop thinking about relationships."
"Mmm, I won't think about relationships, but if you ever change your mind, I'm always available!"
Seeing Tian Yao'er's earnest expression, Gu An's gaze involuntarily drifted downward, but he quickly retracted it after just a glance.
He changed the subject, discussing cultivation matters.
Tian Yao'er pouted, though disappointed, she listened attentively. After all, she only saw Gu An twice a month and cherished the time they spent together.
...
After the Spring Festival, Sword Master of Dao's name had spread across the entire world. The Tai Xuan Sect wasn't idle either, issuing a large number of demon-slaying missions. More and more disciples descended the mountain to rescue the common people.
In Xuan Valley, inside the pavilion, Gu An was weaving a new robe for himself. Since he didn't need to sit in meditation or gather energy regularly, he had plenty of time to pursue his hobbies, and tailoring had once been one of his interests.
He was making a new robe because he planned to descend the mountain to slay demons and exorcise monsters.
First, he wanted to protect the people. Second, he wanted to take the opportunity to accumulate more lifespan, striving to reach ten million years as soon as possible.
He also wanted to experience the kind of life Ye Lan and Zhen Qin lived.
Once the robe was finished, Gu An stored it in his storage bag and then picked up the Azure Swan Sword before stepping out of the pavilion.
He briefly informed Lu Jiujia of his departure and left Xuan Valley.
Lu Jiujia wasn't curious about his destination. After all, it was common for Gu An to leave the valley now and then. To the disciples, their master was simply a very busy man.
...
Beneath the blue skies and white clouds, Gu An stood atop a cliff. He wore a deep purple robe, cinched at the waist with a belt, and an embroidered dark red phoenix adorned his robe. At his waist hung the Azure Swan Sword.
He took out an opera mask and placed it over his face, then donned a straw hat.
After adjusting his appearance, he used his divine sense to observe himself.
He had an excellent figure and an imposing aura!
He looked just like a wandering swordsman from the martial world!
With a leap, Gu An disappeared into the forest below.
A hundred miles away, a battle was taking place in the wilderness. Several armored wagons had come to a stop, and a dozen guards were fighting off attacks from all directions by demonic beasts. Behind the wagons, a carriage stood with frightened horses neighing in panic. Inside the carriage, a mother and her child clung to each other in fear.
These guards were not cultivators, merely martial artists, and were no match for the demonic beasts.
Just as they were on the verge of despair, a sudden gust of wind swept through.
A figure shot out from the nearby forest, moving as swiftly as a hare, his sword flashing like the wind. With each swing, a demon fell. In less than three breaths, all nine demonic beasts lay dead.
The guards turned around, barely able to catch a glimpse of the stranger's back, which bore an embroidered dark red phoenix. Before they could utter a word, the figure had already disappeared.
"Incredible!"
"That person must be a cultivator, right?"
"Of course! How could a mere martial artist have such skills?"
"That was amazing. I couldn't even see how he attacked."
"Same here. I wonder which sect he belongs to. I once tried to join Gu Hao Sect when I was younger, but unfortunately, I didn't have spiritual roots, so I was rejected."
In the forest, Gu An overheard their conversation, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth beneath the mask.
Rescuing people like this felt pretty good. It wasn't necessarily any less satisfying than slaying the Six-Headed Jiao Luo.
Thus began Gu An's journey of hunting demons. He specifically targeted those demons that preyed on ordinary people, ensuring that each of his strikes saved lives.
They say saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. He wondered if such merit counted in this world.
Regardless, Gu An's conscience felt clear. Slaying a demon, saving a life—good and evil balanced. He hoped it meant no karmic retribution would cling to him.
...
Late at night.
A group of cultivators sat meditating in the forest, fires scattered around them. Five or six sat by each campfire.
Ye Lan and Zhen Qin were among them. Ye Lan was meditating, while Zhen Qin discussed the demons they had recently encountered and the current events of the cultivation world with the disciples beside her.
"I wonder what the Six-Headed Jiao Luo really looked like. I heard that five Profound Heart Realm cultivators were eaten alive by him," Zhen Qin whispered, her face a mixture of curiosity and fear.
When she mentioned the Six-Headed Jiao Luo, the other disciples became excited, quickly turning the conversation to Sword Master of Dao.
After slaying the Six-Headed Jiao Luo, Sword Master of Dao's reputation in the cultivation world had soared to its peak. Everyone was curious about just how powerful he truly was.
It seemed that no matter how strong the enemy, Sword Master of Dao could always slay them with ease.
As the conversation continued, they started discussing some of the significant events happening in the cultivation world.
"Not long ago, Su Han of the Heaven-Hating Divine Sword swallowed the spiritual energy of twenty Nascent Soul cultivators. They say he's about to break through to the Divine Transformation Realm. What kind of demonic art is he cultivating?" one male disciple said worriedly.
Since they spent most of their time outside, hunting demons, they were concerned about running into Su Han.
Hearing them talk about Su Han, Zhen Qin's mood suddenly darkened.
"What's wrong? You want to know what kind of cultivation art Su Han is practicing? Well, you're in luck. Tonight, you'll get to find out."
A cold voice suddenly echoed through the forest, startling the disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall. They all jumped to their feet, and Ye Lan did the same, drawing her White Spirit Sword, ready for battle.
"Prepare for combat!"
Ye Lan ordered in a low voice, and the disciples quickly gathered, drawing their magical tools and standing together.
As they looked around, the forest under the dark night was eerily silent, with fog swirling in the depths, obscuring any figures.
Suddenly, Ye Lan turned in a specific direction, her eyebrows furrowing. The others followed suit, only to see shadows emerging from the darkness, carrying a coffin on their shoulders!