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

Gu An heard Ye Tianji's words but did not take action; he watched Ye Tianji help Long Qing awaken his past life memories.

"It's time for this young man to face his own destiny."

If Gu An had helped him recover his memories, Long Qing might still have entertained some hope. Now that Ye Tianji was helping him awaken the memories, Long Qing realized just how heavy the causality he bore was.

Gu An couldn't take care of Long Qing forever. Long Qing was already over a thousand years old; it was time to face his destiny.

The fate of the Long Clan, though tragic, was also wrought with many evil deeds; their downfall was lamentable, yet seemed only natural.

Of course, there were good people in the Long Clan, but because of Long Zhan, the clan was prone to producing violent individuals.

Just like Long Qing, Gu An could see that in his past life, Long Qing had also committed evils.

Gu An defended Long Qing from the Battle Court as a favor for Long Zhan. Moreover, since the Battle Court was no good either, destroying it would mean Gu An was thoroughly erasing the causality left by Long Zhan.

The Battle Court was created by Long Zhan, and Long Qing was his only descendant. Gu An felt it necessary to reverse this bad karma.

Besides, if he did not intervene, the Celestial Spirit Great World would probably not withstand the Battle Court's assault, which was not something he wanted to see.

Gu An looked up at the night sky, his divine sense locking onto Ye Tianji, as he examined the deeper causality of the Battle Court.

The Battle Court that had descended upon the Celestial Spirit Great World was merely a branch, just as the Silent Destruction God Emperor before it—the real Battle Court was being blocked outside the World Gate.

If Gu An were to destroy this branch of the Battle Court, then it would mean a fight to the death with the real Battle Court.

To this, he was not afraid; what he dreaded was only the group of Immortal Gods, not the Battle Court.

"The causes that arise from me shall be eradicated by me."

Gu An looked at the night sky, thinking so, his face as calm as ever.

...

In the void, atop a grand palace.

The Yang Immortal Emperor and the Saint Minister trembled as they looked at the terrifying giant hand above the Celestial Spirit Great World. They had no will to fight in the face of such a hand, only a sense of despair.

Even though the Yang Immortal Emperor had glimpsed such a vision in the Celestial Dao Golden Core, when he saw it for real, he was chilled to the bone.

How vast was the Celestial Spirit Great World, yet it seemed insignificant before this colossal hand.

The Yang Immortal Emperor turned his head, looking at Ye Tianji, and with gritted teeth asked, "Who exactly are you all, and from where have you come? If you want us dead, can you at least let us die in the know?"

Ye Tianji's right hand was half raised. Upon closer examination, his hand's shape was identical to the giant hand above the Celestial Spirit Great World, intensifying the pressure on the Yang Immortal Emperor.

Facing the Yang Immortal Emperor's inquiry, Ye Tianji sneered, "Then I shall satisfy your curiosity. We come from the Battle Court; my name is Ye Tianji, and I possess the power to discern heavenly secrets. The destinies of both of you lay clear before my eyes; you are destined to die, without even the hope of reincarnation."

The Battle Court!

The Saint Minister seemed to remember something, his eyes revealing a horrified expression.

The Yang Immortal Emperor, however, fell silent—not that he had chosen to surrender without a fight, but because a domineering power suppressed him, leaving him immobilized.

All he could do now was wait for his death; he didn't even dare to use the power of the Celestial Dao Golden Core, fearing Ye Tianji would detect its existence.

"Hmm? Finally found it, it really was under the care of the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable."

Ye Tianji suddenly said, redirecting the thoughts of the Yang Immortal Emperor and the Saint Minister.

The Supporting Dao Sword Venerable became the only hope in their minds; they clung to this lifeline like drowning individuals, their eyes lighting up.

Ye Tianji then lifted his left hand, reaching toward the palm of his right.

But at that moment, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, causing his heart to jolt violently, and his pupils to dilate. In his view, the Yang Immortal Emperor suddenly grew larger—not just the Yang Immortal Emperor but everything around became enlarged.

No!

It was he who had shrunk!

His gaze drifted sideways unconsciously, and from the corner of his eye, he saw a figure shrouded in a dark purple Demonic Qi; it was this figure's hand pressing down on his shoulder, shrinking him to the size of a mortal.

The Battle Court beings around the grand palace turned their gaze to him, figures appearing out of thin air before Ye Tianji, surrounding Gu An who had performed the Celestial Dark Purple Micro Saint Dao Body.

The Celestial Dark Purple Micro Saint Dao Body was a transformation of the Demon Shadow Divine Skill, possessing an even greater mystery and creation. Gu An had chosen to appear in this form, wishing to intervene under the identity of the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable.

He was unconcerned about being surrounded by nine Profound Yuan Free Immortals.

Even if he stood still, those nine Profound Yuan Free Immortals wouldn't be able to breach the defense of the Celestial Dark Purple Micro Saint Dao Body!

Gu An's eyes settled on Ye Tianji.

[Ye Tianji (Late Stage of the Profound Yuan Free Immortal Realm): 1,209,827,298/30,000,000,000/50,000,000,000]

A twelve-billion-year existence!

A life span of thirty billion years!

Not too bad, worth taking action for!

Gu An's gaze flickered towards the nine Venerable Profound Yuan Self-Free Immortals around him, only to discover that he could not conduct Life Span Detection on them. That indicated these nine were not their true forms; their auras seemed just like that of Living Spirits.

No wonder those nine suns connected to other universes. They were merely some special power transmission channels. For their true bodies to come here, they probably needed to pass through a World Gate.

Seeing Ye Tianji shrink, Yang Immortal Emperor was momentarily stunned and then saw Gu An's figure.

"Supporting Dao Sword Venerable!"

Yang Immortal Emperor became excited, ecstatic with joy.

The distant Saint Minister followed his gaze, equally surprised.

His senior had indeed taken action!

Ye Tianji glanced at Gu An with a taut heart that gradually calmed and coldly said, "Supporting Dao Sword Venerable, you truly have taken action. What exactly is your relationship with the Long Clan?"

The nine Venerable Profound Yuan Self-Free Immortals all around emitted black gas, their true faces obscured, as mysterious as Gu An. They didn't speak, but their mana had already formed a Barrier to prevent Gu An from escaping.

Gu An could even feel their invisible power attempting to probe the surface of his Celestial Dark Purple Micro Saint Dao Body, but they simply could not achieve it.

"I have said, do not involve All Living Beings. No matter who you are, no matter where you come from," Gu An's voice sounded, hoarse and ice-cold, with utmost killing intent that brought Ye Tianji's recently stabilized emotions of terror surging back.

Ye Tianji felt the same as Yang Immortal Emperor.

Unable to move!

Mana nearly solidified inside!

How could this be!

Could it be that he has surpassed the Profound Yuan Self-Free Immortal Realm?

Ye Tianji suddenly sensed danger. He had estimated Gu An to the highest degree, yet Gu An was even more powerful than he had anticipated.

What brought Profound Yuan Self-Free Immortal to this shattered Great Thousand World?

Ye Tianji couldn't understand, and at the same time, he felt Gu An had no relation to the Long Clan. The Long Clan did not possess such a powerful being; if they did, how could they end up in such a plight?

In an instant, he thought of many possibilities, even considering Gu An as an enemy of the Battle Court.

"Fellow Daoist, do you truly wish to oppose the Battle Court?"

"With such cultivation level, hidden in the shattered Great Thousand World, for what reason?"
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"The descendants of the Long Clan aren't worth your concealment here, could it be that you came for the Celestial Dao Golden Core?"

"Laughable, for the sake of All Living Beings? If All Living Beings aren't here, why the pretense?"

The surrounding nine Venerable Profound Yuan Self-Free Immortals spoke in succession, their tones full of hostility.

In their view, Gu An did not come to protect All Living Beings but purely aimed to interfere with the actions of the Battle Court.

Gu An slowly raised his head, looking down upon them.

Boom!

A golden light burst forth from within him, in an instant scattering the nine Venerable Profound Yuan Self-Free Immortals!

Dao-Protecting Divine Essence!

And he had unleashed it with the full force of the Perfected Profound Yuan Self-Free Immortal Realm – enough to disperse these not-true-form beings!

The black gas exploded, drifting in front of Ye Tianji, whose pupils suddenly shrank, his face revealing disbelief.

The Battle Court powerhouses around the grand hall were also scared, retreating en masse, distancing themselves from the grand hall, including the man with double wings who had previously battled with Yang Immortal Emperor, not daring to get close.

Gu An looked down, gazing at Ye Tianji, and said, "Is this what you're proud of, your Battle Court?"

Ye Tianji, enveloped by fear that penetrated his Dao Heart, opened his mouth to speak when a terrifying karmic force came from all around, instantly annihilating him.

Physical form annihilated, soul and spirit scattered, even his karma wiped clean!

The entire void fell silent at once.

Yang Immortal Emperor, looking up at Gu An standing high, was dumbstruck, his body trembling nonstop.

The Saint Minister was equally shaken. When Ye Tianji's oppressive force suddenly vanished, he collapsed to the ground, his gaze fixed upon Gu An, as if a Mortal Spirit looked up to a God.