Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses

"Master, where on earth did you go? How could you disappear for a year without a word?"

An Xin glared at Gu An, complaining, yet her eyes were filled with delight.

Gu An gave her a look and said, "It's just one year. In our sect, when Great Cultivators go into seclusion or leave, isn't it for decades or even centuries? Look at you—without me around, can't you manage Medicine Valley anymore?"

He had been in a World-Excluding Cave Heaven, absorbed in Enlightenment, sitting for a year, worrying not only An Xin but also the Profound Mysterious Zhenren of the North Sea Mountain Ridge.

The folks in End of the World Valley, on the other hand, didn't show much reaction, after all, that Medicine Valley belonged to Li Xuandao, and Gu An was just overseeing it.

Third Medicine Valley and Profound Valley were also not in disarray; most disciples believed that nothing would happen to their master after being away for only a year—who in this world could hurt their master?

The reason for An Xin's panic wasn't fear that something had happened to Gu An, she was just afraid that Gu An might leave the Celestial Spirit Great World.

She had heard that beyond the sky lay an even vaster world where many Great Cultivators never returned, pursuing their own Great Dao.

For someone with cultivation like her master's, staying in Celestial Spirit Great World was only good for tempering the heart; it offered no other benefits to him.

Having followed her master for so long, An Xin certainly didn't want to be abandoned.

"People are only scared... It's because you didn't even mention it!" An Xin said with a hint of melancholy.

Gu An, who held affection for his disciple as if she were his own daughter, didn't continue to tease her but assured her, "Don't worry. If master really were to leave, I would tell you, and if you wish to follow, I would take you with me."

Upon hearing this, An Xin's face lit up with joy. She clung to Gu An's arm, pulling him toward the valley, and at the same time, she recounted the events that had taken place in Third Medicine Valley during the year.

With so many people in Medicine Valley, conflicts and amusing incidents happened every day; An Xin spoke of nothing significant, and Gu An listened carefully.

After listening, the only thing that really mattered to Gu An was that Profound Celestial Intent had returned and had brought a bunch of books he liked.

When talking about this, An Xin looked at Gu An with scrutiny.

If not for the fact that Gu An could hear her thoughts, he might have suspected she had used Divine Sense to peek.

Along the way, every disciple and Cultivator who saw Gu An greeted him excitedly and paid their respects, causing quite a stir before Gu An finally returned to his loft.

He sat at his desk, took out the black-covered book he had been holding, and placed it on the desk.

The cover showed black scale armor patterns which felt textured, mysterious, and bizarre, quite unsettling to behold.

Because it was a cause-and-effect treasure, Gu An had purposely fashioned an imposing appearance for it.

Different from the Immortal Path Ultimate Treasure, the Fate Pen, this treasure was shaped by the Dao Intent of the Heaven-Encompassing Free Immortal. Its tier was higher, and having just taken shape, it could still grow. It needed Gu An to continuously nourish it with the Way of Cause and Effect.

Now, what Gu An needed to do was to inscribe it with a name.

"What name should I give it?"

Gu An fell into deep thought, his right hand rested on the desk, fingers lightly tapping the surface.

It wasn't until the sunlight outside gradually reddened that he finally came up with an idea.

He picked up the Fate Pen and began to write on the black book.

Infinite.

Sword.

Book.

When the final stroke was drawn, the four characters burst into golden light and began to sear the cover, then sank in, forming golden letters.

Infinite Sword Book!

Gu An thought of his Primordial Infinite Body and the power of infinity, and he intended the book to embody limitless potential, omnipotence - the reason it included the word 'sword' was that he did not want to forsake his Sword Dao. He wanted to combine his Sword Dao with the power of cause and effect to create a Sword Dao of cause and effect capable of slashing through universes.

The Infinite Sword Book began to tremble, then floated in the air, absorbing the power of cause and effect from heaven and earth. In an instant, all the cause and effect within the Tai Cang Continent shone within it.

Its range extended farther and wider until the entire Celestial Spirit Great World was reflected within it.

Every being who had reached the realm of a Free Immortal felt a sudden palpitation, but when they opened their eyes, they saw nothing out of the ordinary, nor could they discern any cause and effect.

Inside a hall shrouded in clouds and mist, the Saint Minister sat cross-legged on the steps, below which there was a pond, its surface a shimmering blue, fantastically beautiful, with faint starlight twinkling within.

The Saint Minister opened his eyes, frowning. He started calculating with his fingers but could figure nothing out.

"The end of the era, the rules recede, it truly becomes all the more dangerous…"

The Saint Minister muttered to himself, feeling immense pressure just thinking about the situation now.

Recently, many mysterious forces had appeared outside of heaven, attacking the Silent Extinction Domain, within heaven as well there were quite a few indeterminate Free Immortals, and then there was the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable who could easily annihilate the entire Celestial Spirit Great World.

As a Saint Minister of the Holy Court, he greatly disliked this feeling of being unable to control the situation, it left him feeling powerless and even unable to see hope.

Could it be that the fate of Holy Court was running out, just like the dominators of the worlds in the vast stretches of time that had passed away?

The Saint Minister sank into confusion. In a daze, he saw a figure approaching from the far end of the great hall.

"Your Majesty…"

The Saint Minister spoke to himself, as if in a dream.

...

When the Free Immortals of the world felt panic, the common people did not notice anything unusual, the Holy Court and Immortal Dynasty still fought as always, but compared to several hundred years ago, Mortal Spirits were seldom affected, so there were still many places of peace in the world.

The next day at dawn. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

Gu An descended the stairs, joining his disciples for a rare session of drill practice, having been gone for a year, he would be busy harvesting medicinal herbs for the next few days.

Half an hour later, Gu An rode away on the Blood Prison Great Saint, preparing to head for the End of the World Valley. Just as he left the Supreme Sect, a figure appeared before them, it was Jue Luo Sword Monarch.

Jue Luo Sword Monarch inhaled deeply as he looked at Gu An, saying, "Senior, there is something I must tell you, did you feel anything unusual yesterday?"

Gu An feigned confusion and asked, "I did not, what is it you want to talk to me about?"

"Years ago, a Sword Intent appeared briefly within the Silent Extinction Domain, I was just surprised at the time, but over the years, I've discussed this Sword Intent with my sect-mates, and we've learned something very frightening," said Jue Luo Sword Monarch with a solemn expression.

Communicating through Sword Intent?

Was it to avoid being traced?

Great Hong Sword Heaven had something up its sleeve.

Gu An pondered while pressing for more information, "What is it exactly?"

The Blood Prison Great Saint, who had taken on the form of a bull, also showed a curious expression. He knew Jue Luo Sword Monarch's cultivation level was profound, so he never provoked him.

Jue Luo Sword Monarch hesitated for a moment before saying, "This matter involves the secrets of Great Hong Sword Heaven. The Primordial Ancestor who created the Great Hong Sword Heaven is hailed as the Sword God by the Great Hong Realm. He is also the only True Disciple of the Sword Dao Saint Ancestor, the only being who has ever defeated the Sword Dao Saint Ancestor. After the Sword Dao Saint Ancestor's fall, his temperament changed drastically. To enhance the Sword Dao, he started to take extreme measures, madly devouring Sword Intent and Sword Dao, rapidly growing stronger and even at one point became a public enemy of the universe, provoking several Great Worlds to join forces against him."

"He has disappeared for many years, his life and death unknown. The Sword Intent that flashed past years ago was very complex, it made me feel disorderly, terrifying, and agitated. Only his Sword Intent could match, and yesterday, I and my sect-mates, the Free Immortals, all felt a quiver in our hearts, suspecting that the Sword God might have reappeared in the world."

"He might even be targeting you."

With that, Jue Luo Sword Monarch looked at Gu An with a tense expression.

This kid feared neither heaven nor earth, it was the first time Gu An had seen him so wary of someone, even more so than of the Battle Court.

Gu An asked, "Compared to the Divine Emperor of the Silent Extinction Domain, how does the Sword God of your Great Hong Sword Heaven measure up?"

Jue Luo Sword Monarch had mentioned the Sword Intent, which Gu An had also felt. It was very fierce and disappeared quickly, likely having entered into the River of Sword Dao.

The River of Sword Dao is a manifestation of the rules, residing on another plane, independent of the universe.

He had not expected that the master of that Sword Intent was the Sword God, Yang Ping'an.

If what Jue Luo Sword Monarch said was true, then it was indeed a possibility because Gu An had also sensed that the Sword Intent was very complex, even carrying a hint of Demonic Possession.

Jue Luo Sword Monarch shook his head, saying, "How could I know such comparisons, it's beyond my level."

Gu An laughed, saying, "Alright, I am aware now, you may step aside."

Hearing this, Jue Luo Sword Monarch hurriedly made way.

The Blood Prison Great Saint lifted his hooves, marching forward.

Jue Luo Sword Monarch watched as Gu An's figure receded into the distance, seeing his nonchalant demeanor, he became even more convinced that Gu An was the Sword Dao Saint Ancestor.

"The legend says the Sword God defeated the Sword Dao Saint Ancestor, but how can the Saint Ancestor not take the Sword God seriously? Could the stories be fabricated?"

Jue Luo Sword Monarch secretly contemplated, feeling it was very likely.

After all, it was the Sword God who founded the Great Hong Sword Heaven, not the Sword Dao Saint Ancestor. The successive Sword Masters of Great Hong Sword Heaven naturally wished for it to be the strongest, so they would intentionally exalt their founding teacher.

The thought that the Sword God and the Sword Dao Saint Ancestor might duel again dispelled Jue Luo Sword Monarch's nervousness, replaced instead by excitement.