Chapter 130: The Past Has Gone (1)

A crimson sun hung in the sky, which stretched clear for ten thousand miles.

The Heavenly Abyss Sea remained as azure and tranquil as ever. Yet beneath its seemingly peaceful surface, no one knew how many dark currents surged.

Endless Island went about its business as usual. Disciples, deacons, and elders hurried about, attending to their respective duties.

Only occasionally did people lower their voices to discuss Grand Ancestor Jiuyou breaking through to the Nascent Soul Late Stage, carving into the heartland of the Righteous Path Alliance, and annihilating the Yuqing Sect. These shocking rumors added a splash of color to their otherwise dull days of cultivation.

None of them knew that the subject of their discussions was currently seated atop the highest peak of Endless Island.

Profound Square Mountain was the tallest peak on Endless Island, serving as the secluded cultivation dao field of Supreme Grand Elder Gu Xuanzhou.

The peak pierced straight into the clouds, rising a hundred li into the air. Standing here, one could overlook the entirety of Endless Island and gaze out across the cities and market towns of the surrounding auxiliary islands, all the way to the azure horizon.

A pavilion stood on the summit, carved entirely from emerald jade. Under the sunlight, it reflected a dazzling array of colors, striking to the eye.

Gu Xuanzhou raised his celadon teacup, his fingertips tracing the warm, smooth rim. Emotion surged within him as he tilted his head back and drained the clear tea in a single gulp, making no attempt to conceal his delight.

“Hahaha! Brother Jiu You, it's just as the saying goes—part ways for three days, and you must look at a man with new eyes!”

Inside the pavilion, the two figures sat opposite each other, one clad in green, the other in purple.

“I never expected that upon your return, Fellow Daoist, you would stir up such a storm.

“Those hypocrites of the Yuqing Sect deserved to die long ago. They styled themselves the Righteous Path, yet in secret, they routinely resorted to the foulest underhanded schemes. How many of our fellow Demonic Path cultivators suffered tragic deaths at their hands?

“Your actions this time were truly satisfying, venting the fury of countless wronged demonic cultivators throughout the Heavenly Abyss Sea!”

Gu Xuanzhou set down his teacup, a lingering smile still playing in his eyes.

“Then again, Brother Jiu You, your strength is truly staggering. And as for your courage, I must admit I fall short. To withdraw unscathed from the encirclement of dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators, making your name resound across the Abyssal Sea once more and earning the praises of myriad demons—I am deeply impressed.”

As he spoke, he brewed himself another pot of tea, holding it in his hand and giving it a gentle swirl.

Across from him, Jiuyou rested one hand on the stone table, his fingertips tapping lightly against the surface. Ripples stirred endlessly across the water in his teacup with each tap.

A cool breeze swept past, lifting his green robes and pressing a few strands of ink-black hair against his fair, handsome cheek. Had others seen him, who knows how many young maidens' hearts would have fluttered with adoration.

Yet in the face of Gu Xuanzhou’s praise, the young man’s expression remained completely unchanged. He lifted his gaze toward the distance, where an unassuming pavilion sat.

“Brother Gu flatters me,” he said, his tone mild and polite. “Just a bit of wind and frost, hardly worth mentioning.”

After a brief pause, his gaze settled on that pavilion.

“Forgive the presumption, but if I remember correctly, that should be Elder Dan’s alchemy chamber, right? Yet on my way here, I sensed no trace of his aura. How has Brother Dan been lately?”

Hearing this, Gu Xuanzhou’s expression shifted slightly. A complicated look crossed his face, and he shook his head gently. Slowly setting down his teacup, he remained silent for a moment before letting out a sigh.

“Alas... Junior Brother Dan is no longer with us.”

His voice grew low.

“All his life, my junior brother was obsessed with the Dao of Alchemy. His talent was remarkable, yet he remained stuck at the Peak Golden Core stage for centuries, never able to break through to the Nascent Soul realm. Back then, consuming that four-hundred-year Life-Extending Fruit only granted him an extra forty years of life. But the celestial path is ruthless; he passed away in meditation twenty years ago.”

He paused, as though steadying his emotions.

“We gave him a grand funeral befitting a Nascent Soul elder. At the time, nearly every Nascent Soul cultivator in the Demonic Path Alliance came to pay their respects, and even many from the Heaven and Earth Alliance who had received his favors attended.”

Gu Xuanzhou looked into the distance, his eyes somewhat vacant.

“My poor junior brother valued relationships and loyalty above all. Before his death, knowing he could no longer break through, his final act was to refine the pills others had entrusted to him. I tried to persuade him to stop, but he merely said he did not wish to leave this world owing anyone a favor.”

Silence hung in the pavilion for a while, broken only by the wind slipping through the stone pillars with a low moan.

Gu Xuanzhou composed himself, glanced sideways at Jiuyou, and looked down in a certain direction. His gaze ultimately settled upon an island—the very beast park where Canfeng was stationed.

He pointed toward it, his voice tinged with emotion.

“Brother Jiu You, you have likely seen Canfeng already, haven’t you?”

Jiuyou followed his gaze, remaining silent.

“Back then, upon learning of the disaster at Soul-Ghost Island, it was Junior Brother Dan who rushed straight to my Profound Square Mountain, begging me to intervene. Although the favors between the two of you had long been settled, out of respect for your past contributions, I still chose to lend a helping hand. Regrettably...”

Gu Xuanzhou shook his head.

“I arrived a step too late. I could only save that grand-disciple of yours and a few Foundation Establishment cultivators. They are all settled on my Endless Island now.”

Jiuyou gave a slight nod, still saying nothing. His gaze rested on that distant island, his thoughts drifting along with the cool breeze.

Three hundred years ago—that was the first time he had met Canfeng.

Back then, he had just advanced to the Nascent Soul realm. Full of sharp ambition, he traversed the islands in search of highly talented disciples.

One day, he passed by a desolate island that had been swept through by a beast stampede, leaving behind devastation and a landscape strewn with corpses.

Amidst the ruins, he discovered a scrawny figure curled up in the rubble, drenched in blood and barely breathing, yet refusing to let go of a shattered jade pendant clutched tightly in his grasp.

Leaning down to check on him, he discovered the child possessed an extraordinary fate—a rare Wind-Attribute Mutant Spiritual Root.

Moved by his talent, he brought the destitute child back to Soul-Ghost Island, personally took him as a disciple, and bestowed upon him the name Canfeng.

A remnant surviving in the world, drifting like the wind with no one to rely on, yet as resilient as a gale.

And Canfeng never failed to live up to that opportunity and expectation.

His nature was resilient to the extreme. He endured hardship and cultivated with a diligence that far surpassed his peers. In just over a century, he forcibly broke through the bottleneck of the Foundation-Establishing stage and secured his place in the Golden Core realm.

The youth of that time was high-spirited and valiant, always closely following at Jiuyou’s side and respectfully referring to himself as “grandson” at every turn. Quick-witted, decisive, and ruthless in battle, he shared Jiuyou's burdens in all matters, serving as an exceptionally capable right-hand man.

Though Jiuyou had maintained a lukewarm exterior, in his heart, he had come to regard the boy as half a successor.

“That kid was far too stubborn. When he fought, he wasn't just ruthless to his enemies—he was even more ruthless to himself.”

Gu Xuanzhou’s voice pulled him back to reality. The purple-robed elder chuckled softly, his tone laced with emotion.

“When I rushed over back then, that boy was locked in a desperate struggle against several cultivators of his realm. Heaven knows what secret technique he used, but by burning his own lifespan, his strength surged explosively for a short time. Fighting multiple Peak Golden Core cultivators all by himself, he managed to hold his ground. By the time I rescued him, he was hanging on by half a breath.”

“Later on, Junior Brother Dan visited him several times and brought a few bottles of healing pills. The boy finally pulled through, but after casting that secret technique, he had burned away over a century of his lifespan.”

Gu Xuanzhou paused for a moment.

“Even so, he never neglected his cultivation. Today, he is already a Peak Golden Core cultivator.

“Later, he seemed to realize that his talent had reached its limit, so he volunteered to head to that auxiliary island as a manager. Over the years, he has guarded that isolated island, laboring in silence without vying for fame or fortune. His temperament has grown increasingly calm and reserved.

“During that time, he even took in a child whose home had been destroyed by a beast stampede. That child’s talent is quite good; in just twenty-five years, he has already become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, named... Xiao Yi, if I recall correctly. He is one of the most outstanding juniors on the island in recent years.”

Finishing his tale, Gu Xuanzhou lifted his eyes toward Jiuyou, a complex look surfacing between his brows. He smiled faintly, his tone carrying a hint of probing.

“Brother Jiu You, could your arrival this time mean that you intend to rebuild the Soul-Ghost Island sect? If that is the case, I may be able to lend you a hand.”