Chapter 653: The Fall of the Cup, the End of the Tribulation

Beneath the vast blue sky, surrounded by green mountains and flowing rivers, the chirping of birds and the fragrance of flowers filled the air.

Li Ya and Li Xuanyu sat inside a small pavilion by the mountain stream, sipping tea and catching up. As she listened to Li Ya recount his experiences over the years, Li Xuanyu maintained a seemingly indifferent expression, yet her heart was filled with emotions.

Compared to Li Ya, she felt she had been much luckier.

To grow stronger, Li Ya had to roam the world, constantly seeking fortune and engaging in countless battles, while she, within Qiankun Sect, never lacked cultivation resources and never faced bottlenecks in her training.

Regarding the lack of bottlenecks, she suspected it was Gu An’s doing in secret.

Before meeting Gu An, her comprehension had never been this exceptional.

After Li Ya finished narrating his legendary journey, he raised a brow at Li Xuanyu and asked, “Sister, what about you? How have you been all these years?”

He was unaware of Li Xuanyu’s inner thoughts. To him, his experiences were something to be proud of. Though he wasn’t ranked among the top prodigies, his name was well-known, and every bit of it was earned through his own efforts!

Li Xuanyu did not hide anything and began recounting her own experiences. Most of them revolved around her rise within Qiankun Sect.

By the time she finished, she sighed, “Compared to you, my life has been far too uneventful.”

At first, Li Ya listened with great interest, but as she continued, something felt off.

With the assistance of great cultivators within the sect, she safely passed tribulations and broke through to the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm.

Under the guidance of immortals, she attained the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Realm.

During the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm tribulation, she nearly perished, but was saved by a Dao treasure of the Unbeginning Sect.

Li Ya’s mouth twitched.

He wanted to ask, Is this for real?

He knew Li Xuanyu’s talent. Back in Tai Cang Continent, he had already surpassed her. Over the span of hundreds of thousands of years, he had traveled across the world, encountered numerous opportunities, and endured endless hardships just to barely prove his Dao and reach the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm.

The difficulties Li Xuanyu faced in her tribulations, he had faced as well. Every time he survived, he was left covered in wounds, experiencing unimaginable pain.

But Li Xuanyu?

Even though she was his own elder sister, Li Ya’s heart felt a little sour.

Gu Shidi, are you trying to tell me that staying by your side is more promising?

Li Ya was convinced that Gu An had deliberately nurtured Li Xuanyu. If it were just an ordinary connection, offering some protection would have been the most one could expect. But to allow Li Xuanyu to cultivate to such a level?

And at such an insane speed?

Li Xuanyu turned to him and asked, “Why have you come?”

Why?

A strange sense of frustration rose in Li Ya’s chest.

He had always been closer to Gu An, but now it seemed like he was the one who had drifted further away.

After a pause, Li Ya replied, “I’ve obtained some intelligence about the world. I wanted to deliver it to Gu… to Sword Master of the Dao.”

He nearly called him Gu Shidi but caught himself just in time. Gu An was Sword Master of the Dao, the very being who had altered Li Xuanyu’s fate. He shouldn’t be so casual in addressing him.

Moreover, after hundreds of thousands of years, did Gu An still even consider him a senior brother?

As his cultivation advanced, so too did his understanding of the world. The stronger he became, the more he revered Sword Master of the Dao.

No matter how powerful Li Ya grew, he remained an ordinary cultivator within the world. He had encountered too many beings so vast that they made him feel insignificant, and with each realization, he marveled even more at Gu An’s strength.

What kind of power did one need to ignore the entire Heavenly Spirit Great World and even oppose the terrifying entities beyond the heavens?

“Intelligence about the world?” Li Xuanyu raised an eyebrow and was about to inquire further when—

Suddenly.

A figure appeared beside them. The newcomer gracefully lifted his robe and sat down directly.

Li Xuanyu froze, staring blankly at Gu An.

Li Ya, upon seeing Gu An suddenly seated beside him, was equally stunned.

Dressed in immaculate white robes, wearing a newly forged Immortal King’s Crown, Gu An’s entire being radiated a celestial aura, otherworldly and refined. With his flawless features, he seemed like a divine sovereign descending from the heavens.

“What’s wrong? Am I not welcome?”

Gu An chuckled, pouring himself a cup of tea as if he were at home.

Li Xuanyu snapped out of her daze and quickly said, “Of course, you’re welcome. I just didn’t expect you to show up personally…”

Her gaze instinctively drifted toward Li Ya.

She had always known that Gu An cared about Li Ya, but she never imagined that the moment Li Ya arrived, Gu An would personally come to greet him.

This was a deep connection.

Her heart was filled with curiosity. By all logic, when Gu An had befriended Li Ya, he was already a transcendent existence, yet he had only spent a few years in Xuangu Valley with him. How could such a bond form?

Or was there something in Li Ya that she could not perceive?

Gu An sipped his tea with a faint smile. “Go ahead. What intelligence concerning the world do you need to tell me?”

Li Ya regained his composure, his expression turning serious.

“This world is descending into greater chaos. At first, I thought it was simply the cycle of Heaven’s Dao, until I met an old Daoist. He claimed to be a servant of Heaven’s Dao. He had been cursed by some unknown force, and before he died, he told me—”

“There is a grudge-filled force from beyond the heavens infiltrating this world. It corrupts the hearts of living beings, fueling their darkest desires. If this force is not eradicated, the turmoil in the world will never cease, and will eventually lead to the destruction of all existence.”

Hearing this, Li Xuanyu’s expression shifted slightly. She instinctively turned to Gu An, seeking confirmation on whether Li Ya’s information was true.

She firmly believed that Gu An could see through everything in the world.

Gu An looked at Li Ya, a faint smile on his lips. "You said it yourself—it only amplifies the darkness in people's hearts. Doesn't that mean the resentment already existed within them?"

Li Ya’s words were indeed true. Those who spread the doctrine of Heaven’s Dao and the Heavenly Court had been continuously cursed. It was clear that this sinister force feared the Heavenly Court. However, with so many great worlds being invaded by it, how could the Heavenly Court remain unaware?

Gu An had already deduced the origin of this strange power—it stemmed from Chaos Wraith Luo, a malevolent entity from beyond the Three Thousand Great Worlds, possessing a cultivation level at the mid-stage of Wondrous Truth Grand Luo Immortal Realm.

Through calculation, Gu An knew that there were many similar entities lurking within the Chaos. Moreover, at the borders of Chaos, there were remnants of Heavenly Court’s fortune, proving that the Heavenly Court had been watching the Chaos for a long time.

The fact that Chaos Wraith Luo had managed to infiltrate the Three Thousand Great Worlds felt too much like a deliberate conspiracy.

And this conspiracy likely originated from Xuan Su Immortal Lord—why would he be the first to act?

Gu An would wait until the Heavenly Spirit Great World truly faced its moment of life and death before stepping in.

After all, he had saved this great world countless times, but all the beings he had once saved would eventually die. His intervention only ever extended their lifespan.

"Humans are driven by seven emotions and six desires. You can’t eradicate darkness entirely, but a force from beyond the heavens must harbor a deeper catastrophe. What if this power is feeding on the negative emotions of all beings, using them to grow stronger?" Li Ya frowned as he spoke.

Gu An rolled his eyes at him, his tone exasperated. "You’re exaggerating."

He had already seen through the true purpose behind Chaos Wraith Luo's release of this sinister power. It wasn’t to consume the life force of all beings—it was because as its grudge-infused aura spread, the Heavenly Dao’s fortune would begin to dissipate. And when it completely vanished, Chaos Wraith Luo would descend.

Before his breakthrough, Gu An had thought that Chaos Wraith Luo was invading the Three Thousand Great Worlds to devour or strengthen itself. But now, it was clear—those corrupted great worlds were merely a pathway.

Perhaps Chaos Wraith Luo was running from something, or maybe it was heading somewhere specific. Yet, along its route, the fortune of Heaven’s Dao was too abundant, so it had no choice but to clear the path.

It was like a refugee fleeing through a crowded street, stepping on countless insects along the way, never stopping to care.

Li Xuanyu spoke next. "Tribulations never cease in this world. We can’t always rely on Sword Sovereign to resolve them. Blood-stained history serves as a warning to future generations, teaching them how to avoid greater disasters."

She had been comprehending the Dao of Karma, and her deepest realization was that as long as intelligent beings exist, conflict is inevitable. Conflict breeds war, and war eventually leads to calamity.

To her, those who find themselves in disaster should seek salvation themselves, rather than always relying on an external force to intervene.

Lately, even within Qiankun Sect, there were growing undercurrents, and tensions within the sect had intensified. But the high-ranking figures refused to seek help from Wushi, fearing it would make them look incompetent.

"But…"

Li Ya hesitated.

He had originally thought that, for Gu An, this matter wouldn’t be difficult to resolve—hence why he had come to seek him out. Yet, he hadn’t expected Gu An to refuse.

Gu An lightly pushed his teacup in Li Ya’s direction and asked, "Senior Brother Li, do you really want to put an end to this chaos?"

Li Ya, without thinking, picked up the teapot and poured tea for Gu An. He then asked in return, "What do you mean? If I want it, does that mean it will happen?"

Gu An laughed boldly. "Since you went out of your way to find me, how could I not grant your wish?"

Before others, Gu An often maintained an air of mystery and wisdom, but in front of Li Ya, he enjoyed showing off a little.

Li Ya was pleasantly surprised, yet Li Xuanyu’s words still lingered in his mind—they made sense.

Even if this calamity were resolved, what about the next one?

Would he always have to come to Gu An for help?

Li Ya’s brow furrowed. He hesitated. "Won’t this deplete your cultivation? Or bring some kind of terrible disaster upon you?"

Gu An lifted his teacup, took a slow sip, then swirled the remaining tea in his cup as he looked at Li Ya and said, "To the common people, this catastrophe is unstoppable. But to me, it’s as simple as putting down this cup."

As soon as he finished speaking, he gently placed his cup down.

He smiled at Li Ya. "See? It’s already done."

Li Ya froze.

Li Xuanyu also revealed a look of bewilderment.

Neither of them realized that, in that very moment, the sinister power that had shrouded all beings in the world completely vanished, dissipating without a trace.