Supreme Sword Exalt

Meanwhile, at the Emotionless Sect within the Tiannan Realm. Within a quiet and elegant stone chamber, a man and a woman sat facing each other, conversing.

The middle-aged man was refined and elegant, with a gentle temperament. His eyes held affection. As for the woman, she was either eighteen or nineteen years old. In terms of pure appearance, she fell only half a point short of Feng Xi and Mo Chenyin. Her eyes were like a clear spring without the slightest impurity. Anyone who saw her eyes could not harbor the slightest thought of deceiving her.

Suddenly, the man paused and glanced into the distance.

The woman slowly asked, “Master, what’s wrong?”

Withdrawing his gaze, the man gazed at her affectionately. “Nothing. Just a small accident. Don’t get distracted. Focus on stabilizing your cultivation.”

The woman’s gaze trembled slightly for a moment, and she nodded. “Yes, Master.”

Feigning ignorance, he maintained his gentle expression, though a hint of confusion flickered deep within his eyes. Half a month ago, a strand of his split soul was severed. Just now, Zhong Yu had triggered the restriction he had left behind.

Who could it be?

He glanced at the woman burying herself in cultivation and suppressed the urge to go investigate personally. The cost was too great, and besides, the matter at hand was the top priority.

***

In the Eastern Wasteland, Gu Han frowned slightly. “The Ancient Cang Realm? Taihao... What does that have to do with Ling Ya?”

Immediately after, he stopped thinking about it further. When it came to matters involving the Ancient Cang Realm, asking Xiao Yang would make everything clear.

Gu Han respectfully performed a great bow. “Master, thank you! I’m endlessly grateful!”

The old monk pressed his palms together. “Benefactor, did that bodhi seed help you?”

“Without it, I would have lost what I hold most precious.”

The old monk smiled. “It seems that object truly has fate with you, and you also have fate with our Buddha.”

Who the bodhi seed had helped, or how it happened, he did not care. All that mattered was the result, and being able to help someone was the best possible outcome.

Then, the old monk sighed softly again. “My cultivation of the mind is insufficient. Today, I actually stirred the two thoughts of anger and obsession, and even spoke falsely. Sinful, sinful...”

Gu Han was somewhat curious. “Master, did you intend to convert him?”

“Indeed.”

“Then why?”

“Converting that benefactor would require a thousand years...”

Gu Han suddenly understood. He’s trying to say that converting Zhong Yu was a waste of time, right?

After thinking for a moment, Gu Han asked again, “Master, I feel that he couldn’t defeat you—”

The old monk turned serious. “Benefactor, do not speak recklessly! I could not kill again! I’ve left that world behind!”

Gu Han was stunned. And so you handed him over to me?

He strongly suspected that if the old monk hadn’t converted to Buddhism, he would definitely have been much more straightforward.

He said with some helplessness, “I understand. So, your earlier words were deliberate?”

The old monk said seriously, “Benefactor, it wasn’t me who said it. He really didn’t have fate with our Buddha. Buddha does not convert him, and I can do nothing about it. Haa... Sinful, sinful...”

Gu Han’s mouth twitched. Whether there’s fate or not, isn’t it all up to you to say? After all, Buddha belongs to your family! Master, what a great bait, indeed!

The old monk glanced toward the west. “Benefactor, I still have important matters. We shall meet again if fate allows.”

Gu Han’s heart stirred. “Master, I have a question I wish to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Heavenly Demons are inherently emotionless beings. Do they have a chance to become sentient creatures with emotions?”

The old monk gave him a profound look. “Of course there is.”

Gu Han was overjoyed and bowed once more. “Please teach me, Master!”

He had never expected the old monk to know what even the old blind man didn't know.

The old monk said, “Fate.”

Gu Han was bewildered. “Master, can you explain more?”

I don’t understand!

The old monk only smiled before striding away. “Once fate comes, all things become possible.”

He left behind only a cryptic-sounding but ultimately useless piece of nonsense. With a sway, the old monk vanished without a trace.

Gu Han’s face had darkened. Talking normally with him is too exhausting!

***

After returning to Yue Mountain City, Li Xun eagerly presented over ten storage rings, having already counted the quantities. Aside from some strange and rare resources, the Transcendent Substances that truly concerned Gu Han totaled over nine hundred drops, and there were seven half-saint herbs.

Gu Han was somewhat dissatisfied. “Isn’t that a bit too little? There isn’t even a single saint herb! Are all outer domain Heavenly Prides this poor?”

Xiao Yang felt insulted. “Brother Gu, everyone came here mainly for the matter of the Gold List, so they wouldn’t carry too many resources.”

Hua Xing nodded. “He’s right. Moreover, saint herbs contain fragments of Dao principles. Even for us, they are extremely precious things, so no one would bring them out either.”

Gu Han nodded and stopped dwelling on the matter. After thinking, he took out some Transcendent Substances and gave them to Wei Fang as compensation for the losses to Ruyi Tower, and also as a token of gratitude for the matter of that pill from years ago.

Wei Fang was overjoyed. For him, the value of ten Ruyi Towers could not compare to these Transcendent Substances. After some thought, Gu Han handed Li Xun three more storage rings to pass on to Yang Lan and the Murong family. Whatever was left would serve as Li Xun's compensation for his troubles.

Xiao Yang and Hua Xing were dumbfounded. The way he divides the spoils is way too natural! Could he be a repeat offender?

Xiao Yang cautiously asked, “Brother Gu, the cultivation resources you use on a daily basis... Ahem, all come from this?”

Gu Han shook his head. “Can’t say all.”

Xiao Yang breathed a sigh of relief. He thought he had misunderstood Gu Han. How could anyone obtain all their cultivation resources through robbery?

After thinking, Gu Han gave a relatively moderate figure. “I’d say just about ninety percent.”

Xiao Yang and Hua Xing exchanged a glance, hiding the hands that bore the storage rings behind their backs. I knew it! It is robbery! He’s definitely done this kind of thing many times! And “just about”?

Remembering Zhong Yu’s words before he died, Gu Han’s heart stirred. “Brother Xiao, you come from the Ancient Cang Realm. Do you know of someone called Taihao—”

Xiao Yang blurted out, “Taihao Ancient Sect? The Taihao Ancient Sect is the only super major power in the Ancient Cang Realm! Brother Where did you hear about it?”

Gu Han was evasive. “I heard it casually. Just wondering, is the Taihao Sect really that powerful?”

The two appeared unconvinced, but it wasn’t appropriate to press further. Casually heard about it?

Hua Xing thought for a moment. “Brother Gu, it’s not just powerful. The Taihao Ancient Sect is practically the Central Dao Palace of the Ancient Cang Realm! And the sect master, Gu Chen, is the only Unfettered Realm expert in the entire Ancient Cang Realm!”

Transcendent, Saint, Feather Transformation, Ascension, Freedom and Unfettered. These represented six cultivation realms. The Ascension realm meant that a cultivator could break through the world’s barriers and transcend constraints.

The Freedom realm, as the name implied, meant that a cultivator could roam within the perilous void without restraint. As for the Unfettered realm, it meant having the ability to cross the void alone, traveling from one realm to another without relying on ancient paths or portals. Of course, the two realms could not be too far apart.

Gu Han appeared thoughtful. “The Taihao sect master surely must have extraordinary qualities, right?”

Xiao Yang nodded. “Of course! An Unfettered realm expert is the absolute overlord in the Ancient Cang Realm. Moreover, Sect Master Gu is an upright and unwavering man who condemns evil! He simply can’t tolerate the slightest bit of deceit! That's also why he has a mortal enemy. Every time they meet, it's a fight to the death!”

Gu Han felt as if he vaguely grasped something. “Mortal enemy? Who?”

“Master Ling Ya of the Tiannan Realm!”