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

Your Highness?

Gu An, Long Qing, Chen Chuan, and the others looked at Zhu Xi with puzzled expressions. Just how significant was this woman’s background?

Especially Chen Chuan, who, despite having been in the Third Medicine Valley for decades, didn’t have an in-depth understanding of the valley because he was devoted to the Sword Dao, spending almost all his time cultivating.

In his eyes, Third Medicine Valley was a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers lay.

He Qingsong, who always spoke of “all living beings” to appear detached and extraordinary, was calling Zhu Xi “Your Highness.”

Just who was Zhu Xi?

Suddenly, Chen Chuan felt he had been too rash and perhaps should pay more attention to his surroundings.

Zhu Xi, with her back to He Qingsong, bowed her head, tightly gripping The Theory of Heaven; it was clear she was struggling psychologically.

After hesitating for a while, Zhu Xi still left holding The Theory of Heaven, leaving the onlookers even more confused.

He Qingsong watched her departing figure and didn’t speak further to hold her back. Instead, he furrowed his brows and fell into deep thought.

“Disperse now, disperse!”

An Xin spoke up, waving his hands at the disciples gathered around from all directions. Seeing this, the disciples could only scatter with confusion and curiosity still in their minds.

Long Qing approached He Qingsong and curiously asked, “What is Zhu Xi’s background? Tell me about it.”

Although He Qingsong’s origins were unclear, he never feared danger within the Third Medicine Valley.

He Qingsong glanced at Long Qing and said, “She has many backgrounds, and you should have heard of her title in one lifetime; she is known as the Shengtian.”

After saying that, He Qingsong turned and left.

Shengtian?

Long Qing was stunned, as were Gu An, Chen Chuan, and others, including some disciples who hadn’t walked far—they were shocked too.

The name of Shengtian was known by all; who didn’t know it belonged to the strongest being in the Holy Court, the mightiest in the Celestial Spirit Great World.

Whether Shengtian or Supporting Dao Sword Venerable was stronger was hard to judge for all living beings. After the disappearance of Shengtian, Supporting Dao Sword Venerable emerged, and the two never confronted each other.

Of course, those of higher realms all knew that Supporting Dao Sword Venerable far surpassed Shengtian in cultivation level. Regardless, Shengtian made an indescribable impression on the beings of the Celestial Spirit Great World.

Many lifeforms equated Shengtian with Cangtian.

Blood Prison Great Saint looked up and couldn’t help asking, “Master, is Zhu Xi Shengtian?”

Gu An sat on his back and said nonchalantly, “Who knows? In any case, it’s irrelevant to you and me.”

The one and only Primordial Swallowing Yuan Body!

No wonder Shengtian was so powerful that she suppressed the entire Great Heaven and Earth, deterring the Celestial Demon Race.

Gu An silently thought it was interesting. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

He could see that He Qingsong didn’t want him to interfere with the evolution of heaven and earth. He Qingsong must be controlled by some will, specifically coming to test him, but he hadn’t expected to encounter Zhu Xi.

Gu An himself also didn’t want to frequently interfere with the transformation of heaven and earth. His previous intervention was only because the Silent Destruction God Emperor had targeted him and Long Qing.

No matter how the battle continued, he wouldn’t care. He just needed to protect himself and those around him.

“To extinguish ninety-nine percent of all living beings…”

Gu An looked up at the vault of heaven, his thoughts drifting.

Ninety-nine percent seemed like a lot, but in the grand scheme of the entire Celestial Spirit Great World, after ninety-nine percent were extinguished, the remaining beings would still be vast. From another perspective, the Heavenly Dao still left mercy and a sliver of hope, with the current strife providing a chance for beings to fight for a new lease on life.

Compared to the transformation of heaven and earth, Gu An was now more looking forward to his own Dao Practice.

Being Heaven-Encompassing Free Immortal wasn’t enough!

He needed to keep increasing his strength, to surpass the true form of the Silent Destruction God Emperor, surpass the Celestial Spirit God, surpass the Immortal Gods and the cosmic order hidden in the mist.

…

The news about Zhu Xi being Shengtian didn’t spread. The Supreme Sect acted swiftly, but Zhu Xi’s life changed because of it. Every time she left her house, she encountered many people crowding around her. Even Great Cultivators from the Holy Court took residence in the Third Medicine Valley.

Gu An stood in front of the window, looking out at the bustling Medicine Valley, and remarked, “There are more and more people.”

Shen Zhen, who was preparing to paint, turned his head to look at him and asked, “Is the crowd good or bad for you?”

“I used to think it was good, but recently, not so much.”

Gu An replied, his gaze deep, pondering something unknown.

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhen appeared contemplative; the brush she had been hesitating to lay down finally made its mark.

After observing the scenery of Medicine Valley for a while, Gu An turned around and walked to the desk to look at Shen Zhen’s painting.

It was a landscape painting depicting mountains with waterfalls, buildings next to the waterfall, and a medicine garden below, where someone was sowing seeds. Not far away, a cow and a fat rat were chasing each other.

“Are you painting me?” Gu An asked curiously.

Shen Zhen replied, “Hmm, I don’t know why, but such a scene suddenly appeared in my mind, becoming increasingly clear. This could be where you’ll live in the future.”

Gu An didn’t respond, his gaze rested on the cliff above the waterfall. He saw a figure in white, seemingly a woman, looking down at the medicine garden from atop the cliff.

He couldn’t help but wonder, who was this woman?

He didn’t ask, nor did he try to calculate it.

When Shen Zhen finished the painting, she suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, how come I’ve painted a woman, who is this?”

Gu An rolled his eyes and said, “You painted it, and you’re asking me?”

Shen Zhen picked up the painting, remarking, “I always feel like this painting is from the far, far future.”

Gu An teased, “What? You can predict the future now?”

“Don’t say that, it’s actually possible. Many of the images are things I haven’t experienced, and they don’t match the present or the past. Maybe I have begun to achieve enlightenment after you taught me, but what I’ve achieved is not the Way of Cause and Effect,” Shen Zhen said seriously.

Gu An smiled but did not argue.

Shen Zhen indeed had already begun to step into the initial understanding of the Great Dao. What she contemplated was not the Way of Cause and Effect, but the Way of Fate.

Having stepped into Enlightenment, Shen Zhen had surpassed all living beings. Many experts of the Immortal Dao spent their entire lives unable to achieve Enlightenment, including the Divine Thought True Immortal.

Shen Zhen continued to share her dreams, revealing her insights into the Way of Fate. Gu An listened intently, understanding that even though his cultivation level was higher, he might still find inspiration in her insights.

…

Outside the Supreme Sect, on a mountaintop, a man in a black robe stood with his sword in his arms, his white hair fluttering in the wind. Beside him stood a dozen cultivators, each exuding an extraordinary aura and holding various magical treasures.

“My lord, the Supreme Sect is just ahead. Is the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable really not going to intervene in this opportunity?” a masked woman asked the man in the black robe, nervously.

They had lived for many years, having experienced the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable’s struggles against the Profound Desolate Demon God and the Silent Destruction God Emperor and held a deep reverence for him from the bottom of their hearts.

An elder spoke up, “The Supporting Dao Sword Venerable has released the Theory of Heaven as a statement of intent. We just need to ensure that we don’t harm the innocent.”

The rest echoed his sentiments, their words filled with a longing for the Theory of Heaven.

The man in the black robe’s face was indifferent; he spoke calmly, “Once we arrive at the Supreme Sect, we must first visit someone. He should be aware of the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable’s stance.”

As the words fell, a rainbow light swept across the celestial vault above him, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

The masked woman frowned and asked, “Was that the Nine Extremes Saint God?”

The man in the black robe replied, “Indeed it was. I didn’t expect such an arrogant man to also pursue the Theory of Heaven. It seems he now knows his Celestial Mandate.”

He leapt up, turning into a wisp of black mist, soaring towards the horizon, with the others quickly following suit.

Meanwhile.

In the Third Medicine Valley, within a forest,

Zhu Xi stood face to face with Jue Luo Sword Monarch, who looked with interest at the Theory of Heaven in her hand, “Shengtian, do you really wish to yield this opportunity to me? The Sword Venerable has entrusted it to you, perhaps he sees potential in you.”

Zhu Xi shook her head, “I am not the Shengtian you speak of; all I know is that I can’t keep it safe now. Since the Sword Venerable does not wish to deal with the repercussions, I shall give it to you. You are strong enough, perhaps you can claim the True Immortal Inheritance.”

Hearing this, Jue Luo Sword Monarch sneered derisively, and with a wave of his right hand, the Theory of Heaven was drawn into his possession through the air.

“Shengtian, why are you so cowardly in this life? Is it because you haven’t awakened your memory? But that shouldn’t be the reason, no matter how many times one reincarnates, one’s nature doesn’t change,” Jue Luo Sword Monarch taunted.

Zhu Xi didn’t answer, but instead, she exhaled deeply.

Seeing her so meek, Jue Luo Sword Monarch found it dull. He followed with a leap, turning into a beam of sword light and vanishing.

“I am Jue Luo Sword Monarch, holding the Theory of Heaven. Those who seek Immortal Fate shall challenge me!”

Jue Luo Sword Monarch’s domineering voice echoed between heaven and earth. At the same time, a vast Sword Intent erupted from afar.

Zhu Xi turned her head to look, but Jue Luo Sword Monarch’s figure was nowhere to be seen. She thought to herself, “Luckily there are still fools. No, I must leave the Supreme Sect!”

She glanced in the direction of Gu An’s pavilion hesitating for a moment before offering a salute to Gu An from across the distance.

“Master, forgive me. I’m not only saving myself but also don’t want to cause you any trouble.”

With that, Zhu Xi didn’t look back as she ran towards the valley exit.