Saint Who Lay Low

Mysterious Clear Tree?

Gu An hadn't expected Lu Lingjun to discover the mysteries of the Mysterious Clear Tree so quickly. It wasn't something forbidden—in fact, this gave him an idea.

In the future, he could use the Mysterious Clear Tree to encourage disciples to work harder!

Gu An pondered for a moment before saying, "Alright, but you can only go at night, and you must leave by dawn. The Mysterious Clear Tree belongs to the sect, and many powerful cultivators have their eyes on it. Do you understand?"

Hearing this, Lu Lingjun quickly bowed in gratitude to Gu An.

Watching this Body Fusion Realm Ninth Layer cultivator behave so respectfully in front of him, Gu An couldn't help but feel a sense of irony.

Wasn't he in the same position?

Those with immense power still needed to tread cautiously because they weren't satisfied with where they stood and believed they could climb higher.

After exchanging a few more words, Lu Lingjun took her leave.

As she descended the stairs, she was left puzzled.

What kind of book is The Adventures of Green Hero that even the Nine Turns Golden Body Technique can't compare?

Although Gu An had moved quickly, Lu Lingjun had managed to glimpse the book's title.

She decided to investigate the book in the Outer Sect City later on.

Having arrived in the Heavenly Spirit World, everything fascinated Lu Lingjun, though it also filled her with caution. That was why she had started as a lowly servant disciple—to familiarize herself with this world before steadily rising in rank.

Her goal was to become an elder of Tai Xuan Sect, and the Third Medicine Valley was merely a stepping stone.

As she walked, she couldn't help but wonder about the cultivation level of Tai Xuan Sect's sect master.

He must be stronger than me, right?

...

In the deep of night, the Northern Sea Mountains were swept by strong winds mixed with snowflakes.

Gu An sat cross-legged under a tree, slowly opening his eyes, which flashed with a sharp glint.

He had just spent 100,000 years of lifespan to upgrade the Ji Family's divine ability, Heavenly Dao Qi, twice. It had ascended from Heavenly Dao Qi to Heavenly Tyrant Body, and then to Primordial Qi.

Once the Primordial Qi was fully mastered, it would form an invisible, colorless shield that could defend against all kinds of evil and could be used offensively or defensively.

Gu An began refining the Primordial Qi. With the memories inherited from his cultivation techniques, he needed only a single cycle to fully grasp its power.

Half an hour later, the Primordial Qi was successfully refined. He could now form a protective layer on his skin, allowing others to touch him but preventing them from causing harm.

Gu An still had 430,000 years of lifespan remaining and pondered whether to continue upgrading the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword.

The sword technique was already incredibly powerful, and further upgrades seemed unnecessary.

His instincts told him that upgrading the Wood Spirit Sword Technique might yield greater results than continuing to enhance the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword, as his cultivation leaned toward wood attributes, and he had yet to master the full Five Elements Arts.

However, having two sword techniques seemed redundant. Perhaps it would be wiser to focus on perfecting one instead of splitting his efforts.

Ultimately, he decided that refining his other spells and divine abilities should take priority for now.

After much thought, Gu An resolved to upgrade the Divine Finger of Spirit Gathering that Lü Baitian had taught him.

This technique had a unique property—it could not only gather the practitioner's spiritual energy but also draw on the surrounding spiritual energy, effectively allowing one to harness the power of the world itself.

Gu An had a bold idea.

Could the version of me in the simulations use the world's energy to dispel heavenly tribulations with just one finger?

The thought alone filled him with excitement.

Hopefully, my simulated self will be smart enough to figure it out!

Without further hesitation, Gu An poured another 100,000 years of lifespan into upgrading the Divine Finger of Spirit Gathering.

The technique ascended to Heavenly Finger, and then to Path-Crushing Divine Light.

A flood of memories surged into Gu An's mind, immersing him in the knowledge.

The finger technique had evolved beyond just the fingers—now, the entire body could be used to channel its power!

The spiritual energy in the Northern Sea Mountains continued to sink, causing various creatures to whisper among themselves. By now, they were accustomed to the phenomenon and were no longer afraid, only curious about what was causing it.

Another half-hour passed.

Gu An opened his eyes and marveled at the sheer force of the Path-Crushing Divine Light.

What a domineering spell!

This technique specialized in breaking through all kinds of formations, barriers, and defensive spells, and it could directly obliterate an enemy, erasing them from existence.

He had made the right choice in upgrading this one!

Gu An smiled as he stood up. He dismissed the Lifespan Barrier around him and then began walking deeper into the forest. With some time left before dawn, he decided to enjoy the scenery of the Northern Sea and pay Li Ya a visit.

Li Ya was still at the edge of the Northern Sea, diligently practicing the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword.

When Gu An had first taught him the sword technique, he had also imbued the Northern Sea Heavy Sword with a sliver of sword intent to guide Li Ya in his training.

With the guidance of sword intent, Li Ya progressed rapidly, far exceeding what he could have achieved through his own efforts.

The trees in the Northern Sea Mountains were enormous, making anyone walking through feel as if they had been shrunk in size. The forest was filled with strange creatures—some as adorable as the White Spirit Mouse, while others were grotesque beyond description.

As Gu An enjoyed the scenery, miles away by the Northern Sea, Li Ya stood shirtless on the shore, gripping the Northern Sea Heavy Sword, practicing under the bright moon.

The lake shimmered with light, reflecting the full moon hanging overhead, while snowflakes drifted like falling stars.

Sweat glistened on Li Ya's muscles as they tensed with every swing of his sword, radiating pure strength.

"Not to mention your sword technique, your physical body has fully fused with the Dragon Elephant Divine Energy. Your physical power now rivals that of a Fourth Tier demon beast," the voice of his ancestor echoed, filled with praise.

Li Ya grinned and continued practicing, saying nothing in response.

He was already imagining the day he would defeat Lü Xian, Zhou Tongyou, and Ji Xiaoya, a day when all the tribes would marvel at his strength and the Li Family would once again stand at the pinnacle of the world.

"An impressive sword technique, truly a prodigy of the younger generation." A voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Li Ya turned his head to see a man dressed as a scholar, walking along the beach.

The man wore white robes, carried a bookcase on his back, and held a folding fan. Under the moonlight, he gave off a ghostly aura.

Li Ya frowned. "What do you want?"

Having spent years in the Northern Sea Mountains, he had encountered both monsters and spirits. By now, nothing could scare him.

The scholar smiled, "I come from the Ephemeral Blossom Sect. You can call me Jing Hongke. I see that your sword technique is remarkable, and your physical strength far exceeds that of others at your level. You have great potential. How about joining the Ephemeral Blossom Sect?"

Ephemeral Blossom Sect!

Li Ya frowned. Over the past two years, the Ephemeral Blossom Sect had been locked in a fierce battle with various demonic sects in the Northern Sea Mountains, and he had encountered them before.

He rejected the offer without hesitation, "I am a disciple of Tai Xuan Sect. Thanks, but no thanks."

Li Ya still took pride in being part of Tai Xuan Sect. In his eyes, the mysterious Ephemeral Blossom Sect could never compare to a righteous sect like Tai Xuan.

"Many Tai Xuan Sect cultivators have already joined the Ephemeral Blossom Sect, even some elders. Sooner or later, Tai Xuan will be replaced. Joining us early is the wise choice." Jing Hongke smiled softly.

Li Ya's face darkened. He raised his sword and pointed it at Jing Hongke. "So, you're saying I don't have a choice?"

Seeing the sword raised, Jing Hongke laughed, "Oh, young one, are you so arrogant just because you have a great elder's soul inside you?"

As the words left his mouth, Jing Hongke launched himself at Li Ya.

Li Ya's expression changed, and he quickly raised his sword to defend.

...

Gu An strolled through the forest for several hours. Just before dawn, he used the Infinite Free Step to move swiftly to the shore where Li Ya had been practicing.

From a distance, Gu An could see Li Ya sitting slumped on a rock, his head buried in his arms. The Northern Sea Heavy Sword lay abandoned on the beach, repeatedly washed over by the crashing waves.

Something was wrong!

Gu An focused, sensing that the soul inhabiting Li Ya had disappeared.

He immediately approached.

As Gu An neared, Li Ya heard his footsteps.

Li Ya slowly raised his head. When he saw Gu An's figure surrounded by dark energy, his face turned pale. He scrambled to his feet and rushed to kneel before Gu An.

"Ancestor! Please save my elder! He's been taken by Jing Hongke of the Ephemeral Blossom Sect!" Li Ya pleaded, his voice choked with emotion, on the verge of tears.

He wanted to cry because, in his heart, Gu An was his family's ancestor, and in front of his ancestor, all of his emotions came flooding out.

With a deep, ancient voice, Gu An asked, "What happened?"

At the same time, he spread his divine sense, searching for the trace of the soul that had once resided within Li Ya.

He had never met Jing Hongke, so he couldn't track him directly. Instead, he searched for the soul's unique energy signature.

Li Ya began recounting the events.

After being defeated by Jing Hongke, Li Ya had been humiliated. In the end, Jing Hongke took away the soul inside him, declaring that if Li Ya wanted to save it, he would have to join the Ephemeral Blossom Sect.

Li Ya had spent years training, believing he had grown stronger, but in front of Jing Hongke, he had been utterly powerless. His confidence had been shattered.

Gu An couldn't detect the soul's energy. Jing Hongke must have hidden it well, but Gu An remained calm. With enough effort, he would eventually find Jing Hongke.

"Why were you practicing your sword here in such an exposed location without setting up any defensive formations?" Gu An suddenly asked.

Li Ya was excellent in many ways, but he had a bad habit of being reckless.

Relying on the soul inside him, he acted carelessly and frequently got hurt as a result.

This was the perfect opportunity to temper him!

"I…"

Li Ya tried to answer but was overcome with shame. He couldn't offer any defense.

The real reason he had chosen that spot was to lure monsters and spirits to attack him, hoping to improve through constant battle.

Of course, the elder's soul inside him had given him the confidence to take such risks.

"You've escaped death many times, but have you ever thought about how much of a burden this is to him?" Gu An asked.

Li Ya remembered how his elder would often scold him for being reckless, and his guilt deepened. He wished he could disappear into the ground.

Seeing Li Ya's remorseful expression, Gu An softened. He didn't want to be too harsh.

"You should join the Ephemeral Blossom Sect," Gu An suddenly said.

Li Ya looked up in shock, staring at the ancestor he believed in with disbelief.

"Ephemeral Blossom Sect is a threat to all living beings. You will infiltrate the sect, and at the end of every month, find a mountaintop and release your aura. I will find you, and when the sect gathers, I will strike." Gu An's voice was cold and indifferent.

Li Ya quickly protested, "But isn't that too dangerous? The entire demonic path can't stand up to the Ephemeral Blossom Sect! They say the sect has beings stronger than the Void Crossing Realm, and more than one!"

Gu An looked at him and asked, "Is Void Crossing Realm really that strong?"

Li Ya was stunned into silence.