Saint Who Lay Low

On the dueling ground.

Li Ya, dressed in black, slowly unsheathed his heavy North Sea Sword from his back. His expression was cold and solemn as he stared at the figure a hundred feet away, his eyes full of battle intent.

His opponent was none other than An Hao.

An Hao stood tall and proud, clad in luxurious blue robes, with a gold and purple belt wrapped around his waist. His long black hair was tied up under a silver crown, adorned with a golden phoenix. As he adjusted his exquisitely crafted bracers, the wind blew gently across his face, brushing the strands of hair near his cheeks. His smile radiated confidence and charm.

Tilting his chin slightly upward, An Hao gave Li Ya a dismissive glance, smirking. "Before, you relied solely on the weight of your sword to defeat your opponents. This time, your opponent is me, so don't even think about holding back."

Li Ya asked calmly, "An Hao, how old are you this year?"

An Hao replied, "Forty. Why do you ask?"

Forty years old and already at the ninth level of the Core Formation Realm...

Li Ya fell silent. Just hearing this was enough to make anyone envious.

Taking a deep breath, Li Ya raised his North Sea Sword and declared, "Then let me witness the might of Tai Xuan Sect's top genius!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped forward, covering the distance in just three strides. His sword swung toward An Hao, and the heavy North Sea Sword stirred up a fierce gust of wind.

An Hao raised his right hand, forming a sword gesture with his two fingers. Sword energy emanated from his fingertips as he parried Li Ya's attack.

The clashing of swords and the eruption of sword energy filled the battlefield as their forms flickered and intertwined in a fierce, swift battle. The cheers from the outer sect city rose in waves.

Gu An stood on the rooftop, watching the battle unfold above.

Wu Jue sidled up next to him, also looking at the projection in the sky. He sighed, "These two are really powerful."

"Of course," Gu An replied. "They're the top talents of Tai Xuan Sect."

Both An Hao and Li Ya were at the Core Formation Realm, but their battle was far more intense than those of other Core Formation geniuses.

Li Ya's strikes were powerful and imposing, carrying the ferocity to cleave mountains and rivers.

An Hao, on the other hand, moved with grace and ease, effortlessly deflecting Li Ya's sword attacks.

Their movements were so fast that most of the disciples in the outer sect city couldn't keep up with their speed. Only the streaks of sword light marked their positions.

Clang!

An Hao flipped in the air, swinging his arm as his sword energy bore down on Li Ya, forcing him to bend his knees. The heavy North Sea Sword trembled above Li Ya's head, illustrating just how strong An Hao's sword energy was.

Li Ya was stunned that An Hao's strength could match his, even though he had consumed Dragon Elephant Divine Energy. The pressure on him intensified.

Boom!

A terrifying burst of sword intent erupted from Li Ya, sending An Hao flying. In mid-air, An Hao flipped and gracefully landed a hundred feet away.

Surprised, An Hao glanced at Li Ya before breaking into a crazed smile.

The projection in the sky transmitted some of the pressure from the battle, allowing the spectators to feel a taste of the combat's intensity. When Li Ya unleashed his sword intent, the entire Tai Xuan Sect was stirred.

"That's the sword intent of the Sword Master of the Dao!"

"Did Li Ya receive the Sword Master of the Dao's legacy?"

"I've been to Heaven Mending Platform; that is definitely the sword intent of the Sword Master of the Dao!"

"Li Ya is amazing! Who would've thought the strongest royal descendant would be him!"

"He's even stronger than his sister, Li Xuanyu!"

The city where Gu An stood erupted in noise. Li Ya's display of the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword astonished countless people.

Feeling the sword intent, Wu Jue marveled, "That's incredible. I don't think I can beat him easily."

Gu An glanced at him.

Not easily?

Li Ya, cloaked in sword intent, stood straight and poised. He pointed his sword at An Hao, his black hair whipping in the wind, and his entire presence shifted, becoming even colder and more imposing.

"Now the real battle begins," Li Ya said coldly. He hadn't expected to use the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword so early in the fight. His luck had simply been bad, forcing him to face An Hao prematurely.

With the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword at his disposal, Li Ya felt that the battle could end soon.

Even though An Hao hadn't yet used his more powerful spells, no spell could match the strength of the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword.

Li Ya was unaware that An Hao had also mastered the sword intent, as the news had been tightly sealed. After spending so much time away from the sect, Li Ya had no idea what An Hao was truly capable of.

However, he did notice that An Hao was smiling, which puzzled him.

Has this guy gone mad?

An Hao casually dusted off his robes, his lips curling into a smirk.

Boom!

A sword intent even more overwhelming than Li Ya's erupted, shaking the entire valley. Wild sword energy condensed above An Hao, forming a massive face that glared down at Li Ya.

In front of this colossal face made of sword energy, Li Ya seemed tiny, and his sword intent suddenly felt insignificant.

"How is this possible? How do you know the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword?" Li Ya cried out in disbelief.

The city was also filled with exclamations of shock—An Hao had inherited the legacy of the Sword Master of the Dao as well!

Standing on Heaven Mending Platform, the Ghost Mother of the Ephemeral Blossom gazed at the projection in the sky, her brows furrowing, her expression equally stunned.

The Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword, which had disappeared for thousands of years, had reemerged, and now there were three inheritors?

The Ghost Mother, who knew the true origins of the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword, was both shocked and filled with reverence for the Sword Master of the Dao.

It was clear to her that these two had received the Sword Master's legacy.

Within the projection.

An Hao soared into the air, looking down at Li Ya from above. He sneered, "Since we share the same master, let's see whose sword intent is stronger!"

He raised his right hand, palm facing Li Ya, the smirk vanishing from his face.

When Li Ya unleashed the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword, An Hao had felt a sense of kinship, confirming that they were both disciples of the Sword Master of the Dao.

But even if they were fellow disciples, he wouldn't hold back.

An Hao was born to be the strongest!

All opponents would bow before him!

An Hao's gaze sharpened, and the massive sword energy face above him widened its eyes. Countless sword shadows, like a river of stars, surged forward with unstoppable momentum.

Li Ya gripped his sword with both hands and unleashed his most powerful sword technique.

Clenching his teeth, his face contorted with effort, he roared inwardly, "I can't lose!"

The two waves of sword intent collided, enveloping the entire city in blinding sword light.

Wu Jue's face was illuminated by the sword light, and he stood frozen, lost in thought.

"An Hao is so strong. I'm no match for him..." Wu Jue muttered to himself.

If his opponent were Li Ya, Wu Jue might still have some confidence. But faced with An Hao's overwhelming strength, all hope vanished.

Gu An watched the battle impassively.

While he was pleased with the progress both An Hao and Li Ya had made, he couldn't feel truly happy, knowing that Li Ya was about to be seriously injured.

He even suspected that Lü Baitian had orchestrated this, deliberately pitting An Hao against Li Ya because of his long-standing dislike for Li Xuandao.

Whatever the case, Li Ya was finished. He wouldn't even make it into the top five hundred.

After a few moments, the sword pressure dissipated.

The ground was shattered, and Li Ya lay on the ground, covered in blood, his black robes in tatters. He no longer had the strength to stand.

"The winner is An Hao from Tai Xuan Sect of the Tai Cang Dynasty!"

As the elder announced the result, the entire city erupted in excitement, marveling at An Hao's strength.

Although An Hao hadn't displayed such overwhelming sword techniques in his previous battles, he had always easily defeated his opponents. But this time, everyone witnessed just how terrifying his sword energy and spiritual power were. He no longer seemed like a Core Formation cultivator; his power was more akin to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Gu An glanced at Wu Jue and said, "If you encounter An Hao, don't try to go head-to-head with him."

At the same level of cultivation, anyone who faced An Hao would be eliminated.

Even Wu Jue, who had comprehended the Dao multiple times, wouldn't stand a chance.

Looking at all the contestants left in the tournament, Gu An believed he was the only one who could defeat An Hao—but he had no intention of doing so. And Lü Baitian wouldn't allow them to face each other.

"You should take your own advice," Wu Jue muttered quietly.

Gu An smiled faintly. This kid was getting bold.

…

The news of An Hao inheriting the legacy of the Sword Master of the Dao spread like wildfire through the cultivation world. As for Li Ya, many believed that he had merely grasped the sword intent during his time at Heaven Mending Platform and wasn't the true inheritor of the Sword Master's techniques. Compared to An Hao, Li Ya's sword intent was far inferior.

An Hao's fame soared, while Li Ya quickly faded into obscurity.

After his defeat, Li Ya didn't seek out Gu An, likely retreating to his cave to recuperate and brood.

Ten days later.

In Tianya Valley, Gu An encountered Li Xuandao.

From afar, Li Xuandao waved at him, prompting Gu An to approach and sit down.

Lü Xian, Yi Liuyun, and Luo Hun were also seated around the table. When Gu An arrived, Luo Hun stood up and courteously offered his seat.

"How's Li Ya doing?" Li Xuandao asked with a chuckle, seemingly unfazed by Li Ya's loss.

Gu An noticed that Li Xuandao's cultivation had increased again, now at the third level of the Void Crossing Realm.

To be honest, Gu An had always wanted to see Li Xuandao participate in the Gold List Tournament. He was sure that Li Xuandao could make it into the top ten.

After all, Li Xuandao wasn't even three hundred years old yet, making him eligible for the tournament. A Void Crossing cultivator under three hundred was undoubtedly one of the top talents in the world.

"I'm not sure. He hasn't come to see me," Gu An replied.

Li Xuandao sighed. "Losing to An Hao isn't shameful. An Hao's fame has already spread to the other Eight Dynasties, and the world now acknowledges his incredible talent."

Purely in terms of cultivation speed, An Hao had already surpassed everyone.

Jiang Qiong had reached Core Formation at forty and considered herself a prodigy, but An Hao was already on the verge of forming his Nascent Soul at the same age. The only reason he hadn't advanced yet was the Gold List Tournament.

If An Hao reached the first level of the Nascent Soul Realm, he could probably defeat even the top-tier geniuses at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul Realm. However, pulling them down to the Core Formation Realm left no contest at all.

Gu An nodded, saying, "An Hao is indeed formidable. Li Ya was just unlucky."

Lü Xian huffed, "Don't worry, I'll avenge Li Ya."

He, too, had participated in three matches, and no one had lasted more than ten moves against him.

Li Xuandao turned to Gu An and said, "By the way, I've sent your disciple Ye Yan to train at the Three Purities Mountain in the Shen Tang Dynasty. When he returns, he'll be completely transformed."

Ye Yan?

Gu An recalled the disciple who always wielded a spear, surprised at the great opportunity he had received.

Of course, Gu An understood that this was Li Xuandao extending a favor. Without his help, Ye Yan wouldn't have had this chance.

"Thank you, Uncle," Gu An said sincerely.

Li Xuandao continued, "What do you think? If I manage to recruit the Sword Master of the Dao, could I secure the throne?"

Gu An replied, "Even without him, you'll secure it."

Hearing this, Li Xuandao burst into laughter.

Yi Liuyun and Lü Xian didn't laugh, though—they agreed with Gu An's assessment.

Li Xuandao then reined in his smile, saying, "I've already figured out who the Sword Master of the Dao is."