In the long years of cultivation at Wushi Dao Field, Lu Xian, Chen Chuan, and the others often fantasized about traveling the world, making names for themselves just like Li Ya.
They were deeply grateful to Gu An, believing that someone like him should not be forgotten by the world. If Gu An himself did not wish to stand in the spotlight, then as his disciples, they had the duty to spread his name.
Everyone looked at Gu An with eager eyes, waiting for him to decide on the name of their sect.
Gu An pondered for a moment and then spoke, "Let's name it after the Dao Field. It shall be called Wushi—without sect, without gate, without religion, and without doctrine. Wushi means 'without a beginning,' an eternal existence. I will pursue the realm of eternal immortality, and I hope that you all will uphold my will—to transcend the shackles of the Three Thousand Dao and attain the true Free Immortal Realm."
As soon as these words fell, everyone was filled with excitement, one after another praising the name.
"Wushi is perfect! From now on, when we introduce ourselves, we can say, 'I am Lu Xian of Wushi!' That sounds truly domineering!"
"Hahaha, I agree! If we add something like 'Sect' or 'Temple,' it would actually sound too ordinary."
"Perhaps, in the future, Wushi will become the most mysterious place in the Great Thousand World—a place countless people yearn for but cannot reach."
"This is great! Now that our faction has a name, I feel even more motivated. From now on, I will fight for Wushi!"
Listening to the disciples' discussions, Gu An chuckled and shook his head. He didn't say anything more and simply turned to leave.
A total of ten thousand years had passed. By now, the disciples had thoroughly familiarized themselves with their Dao Artifacts, understanding how to use them properly. They also knew Gu An's stance on them—they were not to be used recklessly.
Once Gu An left, everyone became even more uninhibited.
Chen Chuan, brimming with excitement, asked, "Between my Reincarnation Severing Dao Sword and Li Ya's Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword, which one do you all think is stronger?"
An Xin shot him a glare. "Stop asking these kinds of questions. You should show respect to Li Ya."
Lu Xian scoffed, "Isn't it obvious that it's stronger? Respect can be kept in our hearts. Who knows? Maybe one day he'll need us to save him. Personally, I believe Dao Artifacts are more powerful than Immortal Dao Supreme Treasures. If you all truly comprehend the Dao contained within your artifacts, you should be able to feel the vastness of their Dao Will. Our Wushi Dao Artifacts are undoubtedly the strongest treasures."
Hearing this, An Xin couldn't help but glance at her Six Paths Mirror, a smile appearing on her face.
Seeing that she wasn't being strict, the others also smiled, enthusiastically discussing the power of their Dao Artifacts.
Even though An Xin was of the same generation as them, over time, she had developed considerable authority. Everyone knew that Gu An favored her the most—even Shen Zhen would not act too willful around her.
At the back of the group stood Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother, her heart burning with longing.
Although she had not received a Dao Artifact, she believed this was only natural—after all, she was not Gu An's disciple and had entered Wushi Dao Field as a prisoner.
The fact that Gu An had summoned her here was a sign—a silent message.
She wanted a Dao Artifact too!
"Perhaps I shouldn't just follow orders mindlessly. I need to take the initiative and prove my worth. Master enjoys gathering spiritual herbs—perhaps I should find a way to increase their yield?"
Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother looked at the gathered disciples, her mind racing with ideas.
The Great Thousand World had already undergone ten thousand years of restructuring. The mortal world had taken on a new face, with the Sacred Court completely dissolved. Now, countless sects and factions vied for dominance, yet none had shown the ambition to unite the world—for the world itself had become far vaster than before.
Although there were countless factions, the current era had gained a widely accepted name—
The Primordial Era.
With the Great Thousand World reshaped, the heavens and earth fused anew, and all beings entered a period of rejuvenation. This moment in time was known as Primordial, the beginning of all things.
Any sect or faction that had endured from the previous epoch into the Primordial Era had undoubtedly ascended to the pinnacle of power.
The Tai Xuan Sect was one such example.
Now, the Tai Xuan Sect dominated seven seas and three continents, its influence surpassing even the Seven Stars Spirit Realm and the Star Sea Sect in their prime.
In the Third Medicine Valley, even after ten thousand years, its status remained unshaken—because the sect master resided there.
Deep within the valley, among a grove of bamboo, Long Qing sat cross-legged, clad in a loose white robe, his hair untamed and flowing. Compared to ten thousand years ago, he had shed his youthful appearance, now exuding an air of profound depth and stability—like a seasoned Daoist master.
A figure suddenly appeared before him—it was Zhu Xing, from the War Court.
"This Great Thousand World doesn't seem rebuilt—it feels more like a rebirth. Over the years, numerous Supreme Treasures of Heaven and Earth have emerged. I even went to compete for them, but to my surprise, I encountered Profound Origin Free Immortal barring my path. Even those old monsters who had long secluded themselves in the depths of the universe have begun returning."
Zhu Xing sighed, his encounter with Profound Origin Free Immortal making him fully realize—this world had truly become a Great Thousand World. Just like in the other Grand Worlds he had ventured into, trouble would always find him.
Long Qing did not open his eyes. His voice was calm. "What, have you lost confidence in conquering the world and replacing the War Court?"
Zhu Xing chuckled. "As if! That Supreme Treasure is already in my hands. I've been using it to refine a medicinal bath for body refinement. In at most a hundred years, Teng'er will successfully cultivate the Primordial Physique. The legends of Primordial aren't baseless—every Great Thousand World has gone through such an era."
The Teng'er he spoke of was Long Qing's son, Long Teng.
Long Teng had already become Zhu Xing's disciple, and Zhu Xing was extremely invested in his cultivation, to the point where their master-disciple relationship had become even closer than Long Qing's own father-son bond with him.
However, upon hearing these words, Long Qing did not appear pleased.
Ever since Long Jun had appeared, Zhu Xing had clearly regarded Long Qing as a dead man walking, shifting his full attention to grooming Long Qing's son instead.
Noticing Long Qing's low spirits, Zhu Xing assumed it was due to the burden of his fate, so he offered some words of consolation. "Long Jun has been gone for thousands of years now. The War Court and Annihilation God Emperor have yet to reappear. Perhaps… your fate has already changed."
Even now, thinking back to the great war of ten thousand years ago, Zhu Xing still felt chills run down his spine.
A Heavenly Spirit God of such immense power had been so easily slain. Though Zhu Xing had not seen Gu An's true form, deep down, he suspected that it was none other than Sword Master of the Dao.
And it wasn't just him. Many Free Immortals and Dao Fruit Realm cultivators across the world shared the same speculation. This was one of the reasons why Tai Xuan Sect had risen so quickly.
Now, Tai Xuan Sect boasted multiple Divine Thought True Immortals. Under Zhu Xing's influence, the sect had undergone a complete reshuffle. Except for the elders who had past karma with Gu An, the rest of the Elder Council had been replaced.
With Long Qing remaining in seclusion, Zhu Xing now held the greatest authority in Tai Xuan Sect.
Most of the current Tai Xuan Sect disciples had been born during the Primordial Era, so to them, Zhu Xing was not an outsider. From the moment they entered the sect, he had been its strongest figure, and to this day, all disciples held deep reverence for him.
As for Sword Master of the Dao, he had long since become a distant legend. However, with the Heaven Mending Platform still standing, no one dared to doubt the truth of that legend.
Upon hearing that his fate may have changed, Long Qing finally opened his eyes. He looked at Zhu Xing and asked, "If the Great Thousand World reaches its peak, can it stand against The War Court?"
Zhu Xing pondered for a moment before responding, "The War Court controls multiple Great Thousand Worlds and has long surpassed the level of any single Great Thousand World. However, the potential of a Great Thousand World is limitless. Some are so powerful that even The War Court dares not set foot within them."
"Do such Great Thousand Worlds truly exist?"
Long Qing raised an eyebrow. Having regained the memories of his past life, he fully understood the terrifying might of The War Court. However, in his previous life, he had been born in this universe, and he knew little about the other Great Thousand Worlds.
"That's beyond question. Hongmeng, Nine Extremes, Tai Shi, Tai Qing, and Tai Wei—these five Great Thousand Worlds are ones that even The War Court does not dare to challenge. Though I have never been there myself, I know that even the Lord of The War Court fears them.
"Beyond the Great Thousand Worlds, there are also other dimensions. These places may not function under the same worldly rules, but they have still given birth to supreme powers."
Zhu Xing paused, then spoke in a solemn tone. "The War Court is strong, but it is far from being the strongest. As long as you hold on to hope, your potential will eventually surpass theirs. I have always believed that the Long Clan is the true core of The War Court. Sooner or later, the Long Clan will surpass The War Court and reclaim its rightful power."
Hearing these words, Long Qing's eyes flashed with a deep light.
At that moment, a woman suddenly appeared beside them.
"Father, Ye Cang has returned. He says he's here to reclaim justice for his father. He holds an Immortal Dao Supreme Treasure and has already fought his way into the First Sea Territory. At this rate, he could reach Tai Cang Continent by the end of the day."
The woman was Long Qing's daughter, Long Ya. As she spoke of Ye Cang, her expression was complicated.
Upon hearing the news, Long Qing sighed. "So, he has finally grown… Nine thousand years ago, I sensed that his fate was extraordinary."
Zhu Xing, however, scoffed in disdain. "What does fate matter? He has no right to trample on the dignity of Tai Xuan Sect. He can discuss grievances and karma in private, but if he dares to challenge the sect openly, let him come. I will personally teach him a lesson—let him understand that even if he possesses unparalleled talent, nine thousand years of cultivation is far from enough to shake Tai Xuan Sect."
Long Qing hesitated for a moment before saying, "Do not take his life. He was once my disciple, and there are misunderstandings between us. I would like to speak with him face to face."
Zhu Xing let out a cold snort, then disappeared with a flick of his sleeve.
As soon as he left, Long Ya let out a sigh of relief. She walked up to Long Qing and whispered, "Father, I heard that Ye Cang has successfully cultivated the Primordial Hunyuan Physique. His power is so overwhelming that it shakes the heavens and stirs the spirits. Even the Saintess of Guangyuan Sacred Sect admires him.
"He is no longer just powerful in cultivation—he also commands a formidable force behind him."
Long Qing glanced at her and asked, "So? Do you have any suggestions?"
Long Ya rolled her eyes. "What kind of suggestions could I have? I'm just reminding you. I may have wronged him emotionally, but the real reason he left Tai Xuan Sect was you. You care too much about the sect, and because of that, you let your own disciples suffer."
With that, she stomped her foot and left.
Long Qing wasn't angry. He simply tilted his head slightly, gazing at the sky above the bamboo forest, murmuring to himself,
"Master… if you were in my place, how would you choose?"
In the past ten thousand years, he had taken countless disciples, yet as the sect master, he always prioritized Tai Xuan Sect as a whole. He had hoped that his personal disciples would show more tolerance, believing that they had already received far more resources than the rest of the sect.
The return of Ye Cang did not make Long Qing fearful.
Rather, it made him miss his master.