Saint Who Lay Low

"You..."

Zong Ying's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice trembling. He couldn't comprehend what he was experiencing.

He had exerted all his strength, yet he still couldn't break free from Gu An's grip. It wasn't just a matter of being unable to escape—he couldn't even muster the strength to unleash his power. Normally, the force of a Body Fusion cultivator would have caused this entire valley to collapse in an instant.

But now, his physical strength and spiritual energy couldn't extend beyond his body. A force beyond his imagination was suppressing him, leaving him feeling more helpless than he ever had before.

He was, after all, a Body Fusion cultivator!

In the Nine Dynasties, he roamed freely!

Zong Ying's heart filled with despair as he realized his fate was sealed. But he didn't want to die!

"Please, spare me!" Zong Ying gritted his teeth and pleaded, completely disregarding any dignity a Body Fusion cultivator might have.

Gu An had already sealed off the surrounding space with his spiritual power, making sure their conversation couldn't be heard from the outside.

He had a rough idea of Zong Ying's identity, which is why he hadn't killed him outright. Instead, he asked, "Give me one reason not to kill you."

Even now, Zong Ying hadn't developed any enmity toward Gu An, likely because he was scared out of his wits.

"I am known as the Phantom Thief... I came to steal the Mysterious Clear Tree, not for myself, but for the common people... Senior, you're a high-ranking member of the Tai Xuan Sect, you must understand the disparity in resources in the cultivation world. The Tai Xuan Sect controls too many resources, while spiritual energy in the common world is scarce. Without a prominent family background, people can't break through in their cultivation. If this continues, only families of noble lineage will remain in the world of cultivation..."

Zong Ying spoke quickly, and by the end of his words, his eyes were even tinged with red.

Gu An felt impressed. What a convincing performance.

Zong Ying's reasoning made sense to Gu An. It was indeed righteous to defend the common people. But why would he come to steal from me?

"You've seen my strength, so I have no choice but to kill you to prevent any leaks," Gu An said, his expression blank.

Upon hearing this, Zong Ying was almost scared out of his mind. His eyes darted around as he desperately thought of something, and then an idea struck him.

"I know of a curse! It can bind me to you completely, preventing me from betraying you. If I disobey, I'll be struck by misfortune and die instantly!" Zong Ying exclaimed, hope rekindling in his heart.

I can trick him!

His fear was gradually replaced by excitement.

[Zong Ying has developed hostility toward you and now hates you to the core. Would you like to perform a lifespan investigation?]

I was just about to let you go, and now you're harboring enmity toward me?

Interesting.

Gu An became intrigued and asked, "What kind of curse?"

Zong Ying hurriedly explained, "It's called the Heavenly Oath Curse. Once both parties complete the ritual, I'll swear an oath to you, and the curse will bind us."

"Very well, let's go somewhere quiet to perform the ritual," Gu An said, dragging Zong Ying toward the distant Transmission Array Platform.

Despite being completely immobilized by Gu An's spiritual power, Zong Ying's heart began to relax, believing that Gu An had fallen for his trick.

As they walked, he pondered Gu An's true identity.

Who is this person?

To suppress a Body Fusion cultivator with such ease, could he be at the Profound Heart Realm?

Could he be a retired Grand Elder of the Tai Xuan Sect?

The more Zong Ying thought about it, the more alarmed he became. He knew he must report this to the Ephemeral Blossom Sect as soon as possible.

The two of them transported to Xuan Valley and then exited the valley. Along the way, curious disciples glanced at them, but seeing the two talking and smiling, they quickly lost interest.

Once they were a few dozen miles from the valley, Gu An ensured no one had followed them before stopping.

They stood deep in the forest, where Zong Ying was still fully suppressed by Gu An's power.

"Senior, should we begin?" Zong Ying asked, forcing a smile despite the pressure he was under.

Gu An nodded, a smile forming on his face as well.

As soon as Gu An smiled, Zong Ying's expression shifted, sensing imminent danger. But before he could react, a powerful spiritual force surged into his mind.

Soul Capture Technique!

...

In a dimly lit hall, Zong Ying knelt before a mysterious figure on the steps. The figure was shrouded in black mist, their true form obscured.

"Your concealment technique is the best among us. You will probe the strength of the Tai Xuan Sect," the figure said in a cold, emotionless male voice.

Zong Ying hesitated and asked, "Lü Baitian has retaken the position of Sect Master in the Tai Xuan Sect, and his cultivation has reached the ninth layer of the Body Fusion Realm. Are we really going to confront him head-on?"

The mysterious figure replied, "This is an order from the main branch. Before the demon catastrophe arrives, we must seize the Tai Cang Dynasty. Tai Cang's location by the sea is crucial to our sect's future plans."

Zong Ying's eyes lit up. "An order from the main branch? Does that mean the main branch can finally assist us?"

"Yes. The failure two hundred years ago greatly displeased the main branch. Although we've infiltrated the Tai Cang Dynasty, compared to the other branches, we've disgraced the Ephemeral Blossom Sect. Your task is to investigate the strength of the Tai Xuan Sect. Once the Profound Heart Realm cultivators from the main branch arrive, we will declare war."

Upon hearing this, Zong Ying felt ecstatic. This was a golden opportunity to make a name for himself!

The vision shattered, and Gu An's spiritual sense continued probing Zong Ying's memories.

Zong Ying wasn't the Phantom Thief at all. He had only borrowed the Phantom Thief's name to mislead the Tai Xuan Sect into preparing prematurely, allowing him to uncover the sect's hidden strengths.

By posing as the Phantom Thief rather than an Ephemeral Blossom Sect member, Zong Ying hoped to escape unscathed even if he failed.

After all, the Phantom Thief was known for doing righteous deeds. The Tai Xuan Sect, being a righteous sect, might not kill him.

Without the Lifespan Investigation, Gu An might very well have been fooled by him.

...

Half an hour passed in the real world, back in the forest.

With a dull thud, Zong Ying collapsed at Gu An's feet, his eyes rolled back, his body stiff and lifeless. His soul had been shattered by Gu An's overwhelming spiritual power, his very essence extinguished.

Gu An showed no emotion as he claimed Zong Ying's storage bag and then used spiritual fire to burn his corpse to ash.

Killing Zong Ying earned him 240 years of lifespan, though it didn't improve his mood.

Among Zong Ying's memories, there was no Heavenly Oath Curse. Instead, Gu An saw his many heinous deeds—killing for treasure, slaughtering entire families, abusing female cultivators, refining souls to craft ghostly artifacts—Zong Ying was truly guilty of every imaginable evil.

This deeply worsened Gu An's opinion of the Ephemeral Blossom Sect.

Initially, Gu An had thought the conflict between the Ephemeral Blossom Sect and the Tai Xuan Sect was just an ordinary sect rivalry. Now, he realized that if the Ephemeral Blossom Sect succeeded in taking over the Tai Cang Dynasty, life would only become more miserable.

Though the Tai Xuan Sect had its darkness, its Body Fusion Realm cultivators would never stoop to such depravity.

"Profound Heart Realm..."

Gu An murmured to himself, then turned and left.

The autumn wind blew through the forest, scattering Zong Ying's ashes into the wind. They faded into the air, disappearing entirely.

Gu An first returned to the Eight Views Heavenly Cave, inspected Zong Ying's storage bag, and destroyed anything suspicious that might expose the location of the cave. Only the cultivation resources were kept.

A Body Fusion Realm cultivator's storage bag was indeed impressive, filled with countless magical items, peculiar treasures, and an abundance of pills, including many sinister ones.

After spending an hour sorting through the items, Gu An left the cave.

Back at Xuan Valley, Gu An sought out Yang Ni to check on how the Ephemeral Blossoms were growing.

He found Yang Ni meditating in the Ephemeral Blossom garden. She hadn't noticed Gu An or Zong Ying earlier because she had been focused on her cultivation. Visitors from the Pill Hall, Law Enforcement Hall, or the Ji Family were frequent, so she had become used to the occasional disturbance.

Most importantly, Zong Ying's concealment technique was extraordinarily powerful.

"Why are you cultivating here?" Gu An asked, noticing that Yang Ni was absorbing the spiritual energy of the Ephemeral Blossoms, which was detrimental to their growth.

Yang Ni opened her eyes and replied, "I'm afraid revealing my cultivation elsewhere might expose me."

Gu An immediately pulled her up and led her toward his own pavilion. "Come cultivate in my room. I've recently set up a barrier there. No one will be able to sense anything inside," Gu An said as he led Yang Ni away.

Yang Ni frowned but couldn't outright refuse Gu An, so she followed him back to the pavilion.

...

Winter arrived, and snow covered the Third Medicine Valley in a thick blanket of white.

Gu An was reading inside his room when Ji Xiaoya suddenly came to visit. He hurriedly put away his copy of Tai Xuan Secrets and stood up to welcome her.

Ji Xiaoya closed the door behind her and set up a barrier around the room. She then asked, "Did you gain insight into the Shenzhou Scripture in your dreams?"

She had spent the past half year meditating on the Shenzhou Scripture and had developed many insights.

Gu An replied seriously, "This isn't a cultivation manual. It's a book of wisdom about life, meant to stabilize your heart and mind. A tranquil heart helps one progress more effectively in cultivation."

"Not insights from dreams?"

"Of course not. This was a gift from an old elder I met in the outer regions of the sect. He passed on the Shenzhou Scripture to me and talked about how the Dao is simple yet profound. Though his words were confusing at the time, over the years, I've often studied the scripture, and while my cultivation hasn't increased, my heart has grown calmer and more peaceful. I no longer worry about trivial matters or obsess over anything. Life just feels... clearer."

As Gu An shook his head, Ji Xiaoya stared at him thoughtfully.

"I see... The book is useful, though. My heart has indeed become more serene since studying it. I no longer dwell on goals I can't yet achieve," Ji Xiaoya said. "I'd like to take this book back to the Ji Family. If you agree, I'll try to secure a seven-tier spirit tree for you. The Ji Family's heritage is no less than that of the Tai Xuan Sect."

"Of course, if you don't agree, I won't force the issue. I promise I won't share the contents of the Shenzhou Scripture with anyone without your consent."

"A seven-tier spirit tree?" Gu An's heart leaped with excitement at the offer, but he maintained a calm exterior. "Of course, I'm willing to share. One of the sages mentioned in the book, Confucius, aspired to share his teachings with all of humanity. How could I selfishly hoard this knowledge?"

The Shenzhou Scripture was a patchwork of famous sayings from China's ancient sages, such as Confucius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi. Gu An had even included their names in the text to elevate their status.

Ji Xiaoya smiled, pleased with his response. She began to discuss her thoughts on the Shenzhou Scripture with Gu An.

After a long conversation, she finally stood to leave. Just as she was about to reach the door, Ji Xiaoya turned back and said, "Now that you're in charge of the entire Third Medicine Valley, your position and status have changed. You've probably heard of the Ephemeral Blossom Sect by now. If they try to recruit you, don't join them."

"Why not?"

"The Ephemeral Blossom Sect is full of deceitful people. They aren't part of the righteous path. Associating with them will only bring misfortune. Furthermore, the Ji Family has been their sworn enemy for a long time."

So that's the real reason, Gu An thought with amusement. Still, Ji Xiaoya's words held truth. The Ephemeral Blossom Sect was becoming a growing concern, and her warning confirmed that many within the Tai Xuan Sect were being approached by them.