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

Chapter 1014: Chapter 1006: Unknown Power

Lv Xian argued with An Zizai because he wanted An Zizai to take people out. Now that An Zizai is the person wielding great power in Wushi, there’s no need to trouble Gu An with such matters. He could easily send a group of disciples to resolve it, but unfortunately, An Zizai disagreed, and eventually, the matter ended up in Gu An’s courtyard.

The two of them saw Gu An entering the courtyard and immediately approached him, asking him to decide.

"If you want to save them, then go yourself. It’s a good opportunity to verify the results of your cultivation over these years." Gu An raised his hand to interrupt their argument and directly spoke to Lv Xian.

Lv Xian was not angry; instead, his eyes lit up. He did care about the face of Wushi, but not to that extent. He actually just wanted to go out himself, but was afraid that going out without permission would anger Gu An.

"Master, rest assured, I will not let my fellow disciples suffer." Lv Xian immediately promised, then disappeared from where he stood.

An Zizai was slightly stunned, and then realized Lv Xian’s real purpose. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly, feeling as if he had been used.

Having Lv Xian come alone to find Gu An, he would certainly not dare; now taking advantage of their argument to go out with the flow, it was indeed a clever move.

An Zizai did not dwell on it; he raised his hand and saluted Gu An.

"Achieving the Daluo Dao Fruit as soon as possible is what you should focus on. It won’t be long before this world turns chaotic." Gu An left those words and walked towards his pavilion.

An Zizai didn’t take it to heart; chaos in the world was something he had grown accustomed to.

Of course, as for cultivation, he would exert all his effort, leaving no stone unturned.

...

In the hot summer, many Wood Spirits were frolicking in the bamboo grove. A pavilion stood deep within the grove, in front of which a courtyard hosted a red-clad woman admiring flowers. It was Hong Yi.

Her long hair was casually tied at the back, her gaze icy cold, as she looked at the flower in her hand, without any sign of joy or sorrow.

She suddenly looked up, her gaze passing through the gaps in the bamboo grove, to see a black rift appearing in the distant sky, resembling a giant centipede coiled in the heavens, an unsettling sight.

For such an anomaly, she felt no surprise, merely glancing at it before returning her gaze to the flower in her hand.

Leaves of bamboo floated down, gathering outside the courtyard to form a human figure, unmistakably Dao Shuzun.

"Your cultivation level has improved again, but if you wish to surpass the limits of the Immortal Dao, merely staying here in painstaking cultivation is not enough."

Dao Shuzun’s voice rang out, carrying a hint of weariness.

Hong Yi didn’t turn around, as if she hadn’t heard him.

Dao Shuzun continued, "You need to go into chaos, to experience the Great Dao up close. The various forces within chaos are attacking the Heavenly Dao, and the Celestial Dao Destiny is currently in a weak state. Now is the best time for you to leave."

Hong Yi turned around, coldly asking, "Even with the Heavenly Dao being weak, you dare not come before me yourself. Don’t you find it foolish, trying to lure me into chaos with mere words? How did you cultivate to this point, or is it that the survival pressure in chaos is less than I imagined?"

These words left Dao Shuzun silent, and the bamboo leaves couldn’t piece together his expression.

"After all these years, your boastful words have yet to come to fruition. It seems you already failed on your way here, truly a pity. I had hoped to personally defeat you, to crush your overestimated pride."

Hong Yi continued, her tone unchanged, yet her words pierced like daggers into Dao Shuzun’s heart.

Dao Shuzun indeed wanted to come, but over the years he had been enduring the torment of the fire poison within him, unable to fight. He had avoided battle numerous times, filled with frustration.

To reach Central Heaven from the Path of the Great Dao, he had to overcome numerous obstacles. Now the Heavenly Dao’s surveillance of Central Heaven was becoming increasingly strict, leaving him with no options.

Dao Shuzun was silent for a while, then said, "Actually, you were born from the Hongmeng Will. You don’t belong to the Heavenly Dao; you came from Hongmeng. The existence that created Heavenly Dao eradicated Hongmeng, using its power to create the Heavenly Dao. You were born with the mission to restore Hongmeng. Cultivating in the Heavenly Dao, it’s impossible to fulfill this mission. Returning to Hongmeng, you’ll acquire your true power. Then, the Heavenly Court Immortals will be nothing before you."

Hong Yi’s expression subtly changed. She asked, "Why do you think the power of Hongmeng is stronger than the Heavenly Dao when Hongmeng was scattered by it?"

"Hongmeng’s destruction was not due to being weaker, but due to the despicable acts of the Heavenly Dao’s creator. Moreover, Hongmeng is not like the Heavenly Dao in a way you cannot comprehend."

Dao Shuzun’s tone held a trace of melancholy, as if he had lived through everything he described.

Hong Yi was silent.

Dao Shuzun continued to recount the past of Hongmeng, trying to move Hong Yi with this point.

A long time passed.

When he finished speaking, he awaited Hong Yi’s decision with anticipation.

Hong Yi raised her eyes to him and said, "You went through all this trouble simply to gain my power. Do you know why you’re still alive?"

Dao Shuzun sensed something amiss upon hearing this.

"Because I want to tear you apart myself; you’re truly annoying."

Hong Yi spoke with extreme disdain, and as her words fell, the bamboo leaves that composed Dao Shuzun were scattered.

...

In the dark forest, Dao Shuzun opened his eyes, spitting out a mouthful of black blood, which splattered onto the grass, causing smoke to rise and then ignite into flames.

His expression was extremely unsightly, his body involuntarily trembling.

"Could she be connected to that Merit Suppressing God Heavenly Monarch?"

At this thought, Dao Shuzun felt a chill all over, even a sense of utter hopelessness.

The Merit Suppressing God Heavenly Monarch seemed more frightening than the Celestial Emperor in his eyes. Such an existence had long set sights on the Hongmeng Will, making this path devoid of hope.

The most crucial issue was that the fire poison in his body continued to torment him, not diminishing even after a hundred million years, and causing him immense torment.

Woosh woosh woosh—

A gale howled through, causing the surrounding forest to shake violently. He had to stand up and look toward it.

"What on earth is this? I’ve never seen anything like it in chaos before?"

Dao Shuzun furrowed his brows, increasingly sensing the danger and mystery surrounding the Heavenly Dao.

Perhaps the Celestial Emperor’s abdication was a necessity.

He turned to leave; though the future seemed bleak, he would fight with all his strength to survive.

On the other side.

Gu An entered Hong Yi’s courtyard; he walked to her side and with a smile asked, "Is it necessary to be this angry?"

Hong Yi turned to him and said, "He thinks of me as such a fool, how can I not be angry?"

"Without me, would you truly find his words laughable?"

"Yes, I only believe what I feel."

Seeing Hong Yi’s resolute expression, Gu An smiled and did not pursue the matter further.

He turned to look at the little Wood Spirit in the corner of the courtyard wall, making faces.

Hong Yi asked, "Did you come today because of him or because of the crack in the sky?"

As she spoke, she turned to look at the crack above the bamboo grove. It hadn’t grown any larger, merely suspended there quietly.

Gu An followed her gaze and smiled, "Did you sense it too? Your kind."

Hong Yi furrowed her brow, asking, "Why is he so powerful?"