Saint Who Lay Low

Inside the Imperial Study, Li Xuandao listened quietly to Ye Yan's report.

Ye Yan replied, "I'm not sure. When I left back then, Master Gu An hadn't formed connections with any prominent cultivators."

Even as he spoke, doubts lingered in his heart.

Over the years, he had come to see Xuan Valley as a place of extraordinary fortune. Decades ago, Su Han, a senior brother of his, had stirred the entire Tai Cang Dynasty's cultivation world.

To this day, Ye Yan couldn't help but feel amazed whenever he thought of Su Han.

He remembered the time when he, along with Zhen Qin and Su Han, followed Gu An to train in the Third Medicine Valley. Back then, who could have foreseen the heights each of them would achieve?

Though Su Han's fate was unknown, the chaos he created had already proved his strength. None of them were still the obscure, nameless cultivators they once were.

Li Xuandao didn't respond immediately. Instead, he fell into a deep contemplation, his thoughts swirling.

The room fell silent, each man preoccupied with their speculations about Gu An's potential connections.

After a long pause, Li Xuandao finally broke the silence. "You may go now. The negotiations with the Great Jiang Dynasty are nearing conclusion. Begin preparations for the expedition to the seas. This matter concerns the Tai Cang Dynasty's millennia-long plans and must not be taken lightly."

"Yes!" Ye Yan bowed and departed.

Li Xuandao turned to gaze out the window, his eyes distant.

"I must ascend to the Profound Heart Realm soon; otherwise, many plans cannot proceed," Li Xuandao mused to himself.

Though Li Lingtian's potential was impressive, Li Xuandao's focus remained on his own ambitions.

To date, only Lü Xian was aware of the true extent of Li Xuandao's cultivation. Even Lü Xian, however, was unaware of his current level.

Li Xuandao's ambitions were vast. He aimed to become an immortal emperor, ruling eternally. To achieve this, he needed absolute strength to protect himself and his empire.

Li Lingtian's recent defeat, while disheartening, could prove beneficial. It might motivate him to train harder, preventing him from creating problems for the imperial throne in the future.

At this thought, Li Xuandao smiled.

"Yang Jian, well done. I look forward to seeing your future."

Under the clear blue sky.

Amid the mountains, Li Ya sat cross-legged on the surface of a lake, his upper body bare. Mist coiled around him, and his hair floated in the air. A powerful aura emanated from him, making the lake's surface ripple like glinting sword light.

A figure leapt over the towering peaks, descending swiftly to land on the lake. Ripples spread out beneath him, though his feet didn't touch the water's surface.

It was none other than Zhang Buku!

Zhang Buku, dressed in robes of animal hide with his long hair flowing down his back, exuded a wild and untamed aura.

Standing with his hands on his hips, he grinned. "Brother Li, An Hao has made another stir lately. Do you want to hear about it?"

Without opening his eyes, Li Ya replied, "Go on, what has he done now?"

The two had both joined the Star Sea Sect. Though Li Ya, as the master of Mysterious Divine City, was well-known within the sect, his growth couldn't compare to that of An Hao.

An Hao, the Tai Xuan Sect's unparalleled prodigy, continued to dazzle even in the Star Sea Sect. His brilliance overshadowed all others.

"He's mastered the Fiery Sun Treasure Body. It's said to be an ancient physique capable of dominating the mortal realm. Though the Star Sea Sect has the method for cultivating it, no one had succeeded in millennia. He's the first," Zhang Buku said with a sigh.

Since consuming a demonic beast's core, Zhang Buku's aptitude had improved dramatically, making him a true talent. Still, he was no match for An Hao.

Whenever he met An Hao, Zhang Buku felt an inexplicable dislike. It wasn't jealousy; he simply found An Hao irritating, as though he had seen him somewhere before and taken an instant aversion to him.

Li Ya opened his eyes, his brows furrowed.

He had always regarded An Hao as his benchmark, but the more he pursued him, the more unreachable An Hao seemed.

An Hao was like the protagonist of this world, reducing everyone else to supporting roles.

The Fiery Sun Treasure Body—a physique that transformed its bearer into a radiant sun, rendering them invincible.

Zhang Buku continued, "Today, the sect is organizing an expedition to explore the Great Rift of the Broken Sea. I've signed up. Are you coming?"

Li Ya shook his head. "I need to focus on my cultivation. I won't be going. Of course, if you really want me to come, I'll accompany you."

"Hmph, I'd rather not have you tagging along. You bring bad luck," Zhang Buku snorted. "I just wanted to let you know, so you don't go looking for me."

Li Ya glared at him. "Get lost. You're the unlucky one!"

The two began their usual bickering. But when Zhang Buku brought up Gu An, Li Ya conceded.

Satisfied, Zhang Buku left.

Watching his departing figure, Li Ya muttered to himself, vowing to teach Zhang Buku a lesson when he returned.

Another year, another Spring Festival.

At the Third Medicine Valley, disciples bustled about, hanging lanterns and decorations. Li Lingtian joined in, sticking close to Yang Jian. Whenever Yang Jian worked, Li Lingtian felt compelled to follow.

Inside the pavilion.

Gu An was discussing a peculiar book with Shen Zhen. Both voiced their opinions fervently, neither willing to concede a point.

Suddenly, Gu An's expression shifted, his brows furrowing slightly.

Noticing this, Shen Zhen waved a hand in front of him and asked, "What's the matter? Angry now?"

Gu An shook his head and replied, "No, I just thought of something and got distracted."

"Thinking about something? You're disrespecting me!" Shen Zhen glared at him in mock anger.

She stood abruptly, snatched the book from the table, and stored it in her pouch before storming off.

Gu An didn't stop her; he had no patience to humor her whims.

He sat back in the chair Shen Zhen had been occupying, sinking into thought as he connected with the Mysterious Divine Spirit.

"Are you certain?" he asked inwardly.

The ethereal voice of the Mysterious Divine Spirit answered, "I'm certain. That's his aura. I've never seen him before, but the energy in the city unmistakably belongs to him. The previous master of Mysterious Divine City is within that great rift!"

The rift it referred to was the massive chasm stretching across the ocean, an anomaly so extraordinary it had sparked apocalyptic rumors of world-ending tides.

The Mysterious Divine Spirit had just sensed the aura of Mysterious Divine City's former master emanating from within the rift.

Gu An wanted to know more about the previous master's cultivation level, but the Mysterious Divine Spirit admitted it was unsure.

According to the Mysterious Divine Spirit, it had only come into being after Mysterious Divine City left that master's possession. Like all immortal treasures, its spirit could only serve one master. Once that master perished, the spirit would also vanish.

At this moment, Li Ya remained at the Star Sea Sect, far from the oceanic rift, yet the Mysterious Divine Spirit could still detect the lingering presence of its former master's aura.

Gu An turned his attention to the rift, where he noticed numerous cultivators fleeing in terror, as though something monstrous was chasing them.

As he extended his spiritual awareness toward the rift, a powerful energy emanated from it, deterring him from probing further.

For such an aura to exist, there was likely an Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Realm expert hidden within the depths of the rift.

Gu An withdrew his spiritual awareness, deciding not to delve further.

The world was vast, with countless powerful factions and masters. As long as they posed no threat to him, he had no interest in meddling. After all, the rift was incredibly far from the continent, separated by two massive landmasses and countless islands.

After conversing with the Mysterious Divine Spirit a while longer, Gu An confirmed that the previous master of Mysterious Divine City could no longer reclaim it. Only then did he feel reassured.

Rising from his seat, he descended the stairs, glancing at the bustling disciples in the valley below. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"This world is plagued by endless calamities," he thought. "But if they can be delayed by a few decades, it would allow an entire generation to live peacefully."

With that thought, Gu An walked toward the busiest part of the valley.

Under an ancient tree, dozens of disciples had gathered in animated discussion. At the center of the crowd, two individuals were engrossed in a game of Go. One of them was the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, while the other was an elder disciple known as Old Lu.

Old Lu was one of the most senior disciples in the valley, having spent over a century there. Starting as a youth and now an old man, he had remained due to his mediocre cultivation aptitude, choosing to stay in the valley without any thoughts of leaving.

At that moment, Old Lu was frowning deeply, his right hand trembling as he hesitated to place his next stone.

The Nine-Finger Divine Lord, on the other hand, appeared calm, though inwardly he sighed in relief.

"This old man is too skilled at this game. I almost lost!" he thought.

Since playing his first game of Go in the Third Medicine Valley, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord had become enamored with it. To him, the game's infinite possibilities mirrored the profundities of the Dao. Thus, he visited the valley periodically to play.

Go had been invented by Gu An, but it had yet to be widely introduced. For now, it remained a pastime unique to the valley.

Gu An had created the game out of boredom, without any intention of popularizing it. Even in his previous life, he had only been an amateur Go enthusiast.

As Gu An squeezed through the crowd, he saw Old Lu sweating profusely and couldn't help but tease, "Old Lu, why don't I take over for you?"

"How shameless! A rogue cultivator bullying the disciples of my Medicine Valley? Outrageous!"

Old Lu looked up and, seeing that it was Gu An, quickly stood and yielded his seat. The other disciples grew excited.

To them, Gu An was the undisputed master of Go, being its creator.

Sitting down, Gu An smiled at the Nine-Finger Divine Lord. "What do you think? Does this board still hold any hope?"

The Nine-Finger Divine Lord's smile froze.

The art of playing Go was a test of foresight. The Divine Lord could instantly simulate countless outcomes, choosing the most optimal move from the very first stone.

Knowing the rules of Go, he had no trouble defeating ordinary mortals. Yet, precisely because of its endless permutations, he found the game's profundity captivating.

For the Divine Lord, winning wasn't the goal. It was the process of discovering the game's intricacies that brought him closer to understanding the Dao.

But Gu An had managed to disrupt his plans.

Under the Divine Lord's scrutinizing gaze, Gu An calmly placed a stone on the board, immediately turning the game around.

The Divine Lord's brows furrowed as he made his next move, only for Gu An to counter swiftly.

Unlike most players, who moved cautiously and deliberatively, the two of them played at lightning speed.

The match became a test of mental agility, as each tried to outmaneuver the other.

The surrounding disciples watched in silent awe, holding their breath.

Even Li Lingtian, curious, had joined the crowd. Seeing the intensity of their game, he felt a newfound interest in Go.

Stone after stone was placed, the clicking sounds forming a rhythm that resonated with an air of sharp precision.

Suddenly, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord paused, his hand hovering over the board before retracting. With a wry smile, he set down his stone.

"I admit defeat," he declared.

A cheer erupted from the crowd. Old Lu wiped the sweat from his brow, grinning in relief.

The Nine-Finger Divine Lord stared at Gu An, as though trying to see through him.

This young man seemed unremarkable in terms of cultivation and physique. So how had he managed to best him?