Looking at Tai Xuan Sect in the distance, where boundless fortune and destiny surged, Ye Cang's eyes revealed a hint of nostalgia. He murmured, "I've finally returned. Compared to before, it truly looks more like a sacred land now."
From within the cyan-colored ancient pagoda, a deep and aged voice echoed, "I, too, am quite interested in Tai Xuan Sect. What kind of sect could attract the protection of Sword Master of the Dao?"
Ancestor Qingtian!
Ye Cang responded, "But Sword Master of the Dao has already left Tai Xuan Sect. Perhaps even he grew tired of it."
He had once gone to Heaven Mending Platform and felt the vast sword intent left behind by Sword Master of the Dao. Long ago, he had admired him deeply.
"One must always leave some room for retreat. Do not go too far," Ancestor Qingtian advised with a heavy tone.
Ye Cang did not answer. His expression only grew more complicated.
He recalled the scene before he left Tai Xuan Sect—how he had stood in The Third Medicine Valley, arguing with his master, swearing that he had not harmed his fellow disciples. Even though his senior sister had testified for him, his master still did not believe him. To quell the sect's anger, his master had ordered him to leave. Yet, after he had left, his only younger sister was killed.
She had been his only family. He had once stood before his parents' tombstone and sworn to protect her.
When he discovered the truth, it felt as though the sky had collapsed. He had gone back to his master to demand justice, only to be dismissed with empty words. This grudge remained unavenged.
He resented his master for failing to stand up for him. He hated Tai Xuan Sect, which, despite its name as a sacred land, was truly a place where clans ruled—a place where one could not survive without powerful backing.
This time, he had come to demand justice!
Once he had settled this matter, he would leave forever, venturing into the wider world, never to return in this lifetime.
Of course, he had one more reason for coming back.
He wanted to see his senior sister one last time.
At the thought of his senior sister, the coldness in his eyes softened slightly.
"How audacious! Ye Cang, as a disciple of Tai Xuan Sect, do you truly intend to betray the sect?"
A voice filled with majestic authority boomed like thunder, carrying the weight of heaven's might.
Ye Cang did not respond. Instead, he quickened his pace. His aura erupted, and vast spiritual power surged behind him, condensing into an illusory world—towering mountains, a radiant sun and moon, and rivers flowing endlessly. The overwhelming breath of heaven and earth emanated from this manifestation of the Dao.
Ahead, the sea of clouds was pierced open as a group of Tai Xuan Sect cultivators wielding magical treasures surged forth. They swiftly surrounded Ye Cang, preparing for battle.
—
Boom!
The outer city trembled as Tai Xuan Sect's grand protective array activated. On the streets, the crowd hurried their pace, visibly affected by Ye Cang's arrival. Even in this ancient sacred land, his presence stirred unrest.
Gu An turned and walked toward Heaven Mending Platform. He could already foresee that Ye Cang would not bring utter destruction to Tai Xuan Sect.
Once Ye Cang confronted Long Qing, the master-disciple bond would be severed, and Ye Cang would finally cut away his past karma and embark on his own path.
The Primordial Hunyuan Body was not ordinary—it was a level above the Primordial Swallowing Origin Body possessed by Zhu Xi. Of course, constitution alone was not everything—a cultivator's potential depended greatly on their comprehension of the Dao.
The master-disciple feud between Ye Cang and Long Qing intrigued Gu An, but he had no intention of taking sides.
His thoughts drifted to Ji Xiaoyu. She, too, had once cut ties with her family. This world was like that—things never went as one wished.
Ji Xiaoyu had long since returned to the Yin-Yang Immortal Domain. That realm was not a Great Heaven, so it had not been merged into the Heavenly Spirit World and still drifted in the cosmic void.
Gu An would occasionally check on Ji Xiaoyu, and she was currently attempting to break into the Dao Fruit Realm. Even though she had learned about the Great Thousand World's reconstruction, she had no intention of returning to see Gu An.
Gu An could hear her heart's voice—she wanted to reach the same level as him before seeing him again.
He respected her ambition.
For mortals, ten thousand years was an eternity. But for Ji Xiaoyu, it was but a moment—especially when spent in seclusion. She did not feel as though she had been separated from Gu An for long.
Thinking of Ji Xiaoyu, Gu An's thoughts turned to Ye Lan.
She had entered reincarnation so long ago, yet she had not returned to the Heavenly Spirit World.
Gu An decided that, moving forward, he would devote time to searching for her.
With the Extinguishing Dao Fate Seal in his possession, and his cultivation at the Supreme Purity Golden Immortal Realm, finding Ye Lan should not be a difficult task.
Gu An pondered as he walked through the ancient streets.
Eventually, he arrived in front of Heaven Mending Platform.
The platform itself remained unchanged, and many figures stood upon it. Zuo Yijian was still guarding the Heaven-Sundering Axe, sitting cross-legged in midair, meditating, exuding an immortal aura.
The pressure of an immortal treasure loomed over the outer city, yet Zuo Yijian never opened his eyes. He possessed an unshakable composure, as if even if the heavens collapsed, he would remain unfazed.
Looking at Zuo Yijian, Gu An felt a sense of satisfaction.
Zuo Yijian was perhaps the most devoted person to him, even more so than Xuanmiao Zhenren from Mountain God Temple. For over twenty thousand years, unless his family faced a crisis, Zuo Yijian had remained at Heaven Mending Platform, protecting the honor of Sword Master of the Dao.
Gu An had not neglected him. From time to time, he had guided him in comprehending the Sword Dao using his Dao intent.
Now, Zuo Yijian had reached the Loose Immortal Realm, and his attainment in the Sword Dao was not far behind Chen Chuan.
Once the inheritance of the Heaven-Sundering Axe was passed on, Gu An planned to give Zuo Yijian the chance to follow him.
Gu An already had a mount, disciples, and a beast companion, but he had yet to take on a sword attendant.
Just then, a figure appeared out of thin air before the Heaven-Sundering Axe.
The disciples lined up before the axe, initially about to scold the newcomer for cutting in line—until they saw who it was.
Their faces paled in shock, and they immediately bowed in greeting.
The newcomer was none other than Long Qing, the Sect Master of Tai Xuan Sect!
Long Qing ignored the disciples around him. His eyes remained fixed on the Heaven-Sundering Axe, and he stood there in silence.
Zuo Yijian continued to sit cross-legged in the air, his expression unmoved. He cast a fleeting glance at Long Qing before closing his eyes once again.
Having once been touched on the shoulder and bestowed with sword intent by Sword Master of the Dao, Zuo Yijian held an extremely high status within Tai Xuan Sect. Even in front of Long Qing, he could assume the air of a senior, and Long Qing indeed respected him.
Boom—
The distant thunderclaps grew louder. The oppressive aura of an immortal treasure was rapidly approaching.
Zhu Xing suddenly appeared beside Long Qing, his voice grave. "There's someone behind him with a cultivation level beyond mine. Tai Xuan Sect won't be able to stop him."
He was the strongest cultivator in Tai Xuan Sect. Below him, the gap in cultivation was vast.
Yet, despite his words, Long Qing's expression remained unchanged.
Zhu Xing wanted to say more but suddenly turned his head sharply. The protective formation of the outer city shattered, and a streak of rainbow light shot down from the sky with unstoppable force. Shocked, Zhu Xing immediately raised his palm, using his own spiritual power to shield Long Qing and the surrounding disciples.
As the radiance dissipated, waves of spiritual energy burst outward. Ye Cang's figure emerged, standing atop the platform, cracks spreading beneath his feet as fragments of stone flew in all directions.
Zuo Yijian opened his eyes and looked at the cracks beneath Ye Cang's feet, his sword-like brows furrowing.
Standing tall, clad in black robes billowing wildly in the wind, Ye Cang ignored Zhu Xing. Instead, his gaze locked onto Long Qing's back, and he spoke.
"Master, it's been a long time."
Long Qing slowly turned around. Facing his former disciple, his expression remained calm, devoid of any emotion.
Their eyes met.
At this moment, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them.
"What do you want?" Long Qing finally spoke.
Ye Cang responded coldly, "I want justice. I want you, my master, to publicly condemn the Cui family and bring them to account for my sister's death."
Long Qing remained silent, simply watching him.
Ye Cang tilted his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with a cold light. He sneered. "So, after nine thousand years, the Cui family's standing in Tai Xuan Sect has only grown stronger. Master, you can't bear to move against them, can you?"
Long Qing's gaze remained steady. "The one who murdered your sister was already executed long ago. Must you insist that the entire Cui family be buried with her? Do you know how many people belong to the Cui family? Do you understand what Tai Xuan Sect would lose without them?"
Ye Cang stepped forward. The cyan-colored ancient pagoda in his hand erupted with dazzling light, and a violent gust of wind swept up from the ground, causing his black robes to ripple violently, amplifying his overwhelming presence.
"Yes, he died," Ye Cang's voice was frigid. "But my sister was a disciple of Tai Xuan Sect, and she died without a sound. Is that truly justice? That man was merely a pawn—who was the real mastermind? Master, do you truly not know?"
His voice was sharp and unforgiving, and as the cyan-colored ancient pagoda exuded its might, Heaven Mending Platform trembled.
Zhu Xing could no longer remain silent. He roared in anger, "Enough! That Cui family disciple left Tai Xuan Sect long ago! Must the sect exhaust its resources and manpower just to hunt him down? The world is vast—do you know how much Tai Xuan Sect would have to sacrifice to satisfy your demand for vengeance?"
The Cui family had ensured that the true mastermind escaped, allowing the murderer to be punished in his place. In the end, Tai Xuan Sect had no way to act against them. The Cui family was one of the three most powerful clans within the sect, contributing greatly to its growth.
Conflicts like these were all too common for Zhu Xing. The most he could do was ensure the killer paid the price, but he couldn't uproot an entire family for the sake of one disciple's grievance. The sect's prosperity required careful balance.
With his furious outburst, the pressure of a Profound Immortal Realm expert surged toward Ye Cang, forcing him backward.
At that moment, a phantom leaped from the cyan-colored ancient pagoda—an elderly Daoist with flowing white hair.
Ancestor Qingtian hovered in the air, staring down at Zhu Xing, his voice calm yet carrying indescribable weight.
"Fellow Daoist, you are not of this Great Thousand World, so why cling so stubbornly to mortal rules? If you truly wish to act in Tai Xuan Sect's interest, tell me—do you believe protecting a clan that oppresses the weak, while making an enemy of me and a Primordial Hunyuan Body, is worth it?"
Hearing these words, Zhu Xing's expression darkened. His voice grew cold. "I should be asking you the same thing. With your level of cultivation, do you truly think his unyielding nature will not lead him to great calamity?"
Ancestor Qingtian's face remained emotionless. "This is his only request in this life. As his teacher, I must stand by him. In the mortal world, a master is like a father. In the Great Thousand World, teachers must protect their disciples. I do not care what he may become in the future—I only care about standing by him now."
Hearing these words, Long Qing's expression finally changed.
Zuo Yijian studied Ancestor Qingtian carefully. He could sense the overwhelming strength of the old man but remained unconcerned.
Sword Master of the Dao had been gone for many years, yet Zuo Yijian always felt that he was still watching over Tai Xuan Sect.
As long as the sword intent on Heaven Mending Platform remained, Tai Xuan Sect would not fall.
Ye Cang listened to Ancestor Qingtian's words, feeling a deep sense of gratitude, though his face remained expressionless. He turned to Long Qing, and his eyes were filled with disappointment.
Once, he had respected this master so much that he saw him as a father.
Now, Ancestor Qingtian's dominance placed immense pressure on Zhu Xing, leaving him with no choice but to turn to Long Qing.
"Say something." Zhu Xing's voice was low, his tone heavy. "If it comes to a fight, I will lay down my life to aid you. This old man is only a remnant soul—he won't last long."
Long Qing met Ye Cang's gaze and saw only disappointment in his eyes.
For the first time, doubt crept into his heart.
Had he truly been wrong?
To him, Tai Xuan Sect was the foundation left behind by his master and Lü Baitian. It was his responsibility to protect it. In his mind, the sect was more important than any disciple—even a disciple as talented as Ye Cang.
Ancestor Qingtian looked at Long Qing and spoke slowly.
"Destroying the Cui family is effortless for me. But what my disciple seeks is your answer. Sect Master Long, are you willing to drag Tai Xuan Sect into this storm just to cover up the sins of the past?"