Chapter 675: All Beings Are Equal, Taking a Disciple

“How could that be possible? Could you have been tricked? Even if someone could beat you, their cultivation must be higher than yours. Could it be some old monster disguising themselves?”

An elder frowned as he spoke. His words immediately received agreement from the others present. None of them believed Yuan Luo could lose to someone in the same realm.

Yi Qingshan also furrowed his brow. He didn’t think Yuan Luo’s judgment was wrong. He could clearly sense Yuan Luo’s frustration. After all, Yuan Luo had been out wandering the world for many years and wasn’t someone inexperienced who would mistake an old monster’s disguise.

Yuan Luo took a deep breath and said, “I’m certain his cultivation is lower than mine. I just don’t know where he came from, or even his name.”

The elders’ attempts to comfort him only made him feel worse.

He was a proud person. He didn’t like failure, but he disliked it even more when others denied his loss.

The top brass of the Qiankun Sect all fell silent after hearing this.

Another peerless prodigy had emerged?

Once they calmed down and gave it more thought, it wasn’t completely impossible. Especially with Tai Qian and the Dao Court currently at war, the fate of the world was shifting. Some great figures had already said that the time for the change of world eras had arrived. In such a time, it wasn’t strange for even more terrifying geniuses to be born.

Besides, the world was vast beyond imagination. The Qiankun Sect was just a speck in the ocean. If even they could produce someone like Yuan Luo, why couldn’t other, more prosperous lands give birth to someone even more gifted?

Yi Qingshan spoke, “Don’t dwell on it too much. Just win next time. If not, I could recommend you to cultivate in Wushi?”

Yuan Luo shook his head and replied, “I don’t want to go. I want to rely on myself. Besides, there’s still a long road ahead for me. Only if I reach the end and find no hope will I consider other options.”

Yi Qingshan didn’t press the issue, but he couldn’t help feeling that something was strange.

Yuan Luo’s aversion to Wushi was a little excessive, and yet he had never spoken badly of Wushi, not even once.

The other elders also began encouraging Yuan Luo, hoping he wouldn’t be shaken by this setback.

Yuan Luo accepted everyone’s concern one by one, appearing very humble. He was arrogant toward outsiders, but within the sect, his reputation was impeccable. That was why the Qiankun Sect was willing to support him no matter the cost. All his fellow disciples took pride in him.

After chatting for quite a while, Yuan Luo finally took his leave.

Once he was gone, the elders began to voice their true thoughts. Yuan Luo’s defeat left them all stunned, and some even began to worry because of it.

“No need to worry. Yuan Luo isn’t the only top-tier genius in the sect anymore. With Wushi here, we won’t fall behind in talent,” said Gu Changsheng.

His words were met with agreement. After hundreds of thousands of years of working together, everyone trusted Wushi.

Yi Qingshan followed up, “The world is in chaos now. Tell the people in the sect to be cautious. Avoid getting involved with either Tai Qian or the Dao Court. We cannot afford to take sides. The path of the Qiankun Sect must be one of self-reliance.”

Whether it was the Tai Qian Dynasty or the Dao Court, both were backed by ancient and transcendent forces that had stood tall for countless ages. In a way, they were more like allies than rivals.

The Qiankun Sect’s development might not be as fast as theirs, but every step was steady and firm. Their leadership was still the original founding group.

After receiving their orders, the elders began discussing the current state of the world.

The Tai Qian Dynasty’s assault was ferocious. They were already close to reaching the Dao Court’s mountain gate, causing a huge uproar across the world. People everywhere realized that the Dao Court was no longer the undisputed ruler of the land, which emboldened many with ambition to begin plotting.

The Dao Court’s territory was massive and its foundation overwhelmingly deep. Even if someone could seize just a small piece of it, it would be enough to catapult their sect to unimaginable heights.

A thousand years later.

Tianhong Emperor returned to Wushi Dao Field. The first thing he did was go straight to visit Gu An.

“Master, the person you asked me to teach… he’s dead. I failed to protect him. Please punish me!”

Tianhong Emperor knelt behind Gu An, his expression filled with grief.

An Xin, who had brought him in, froze upon hearing that. She couldn’t move another step as she stood in place, wanting to know who exactly Tianhong Emperor was referring to.

Gu An was standing inside a small pavilion, writing a secret manual. His back was turned to Tianhong Emperor as he calmly said, “It’s fine. Dead is dead. I had you teach him, nothing more. I didn’t expect you to stay out there for so many years before returning.”

The person he was talking about was the reincarnation of Tai Yi Immortal Lord. Under Tianhong Emperor’s guidance, his cultivation had progressed rapidly. Unfortunately, he died at the hands of a powerhouse from the Tai Qian Dynasty. Even Tianhong Emperor couldn’t stop it, and had to rely on a Dao Treasure to protect himself.

After all those years of companionship, Tianhong Emperor had formed a deep bond with Tai Yi. His heart was filled with sorrow and self-blame. Deep down, he even hoped Gu An would avenge Tai Yi. But he didn’t say it. He knew his master had no obligation to make a move.

In his eyes, his master didn’t involve himself in worldly affairs and would only act when threats from beyond the heavens appeared. To Gu An, all living beings were of equal standing—he wouldn’t show favoritism toward anyone.

Tai Yi’s death, in the end, came down to a personal grudge. He insisted on competing with a Tai Qian genius over a precious heavenly treasure, which triggered the intervention of that person’s powerful backer.

Tianhong Emperor had fought too, but the enemy had numbers on their side—he couldn’t win.

“I never expected I’d end up teaching him for so long… Guess I got too sentimental in the end,” Tianhong Emperor sighed. Tai Yi was the first disciple he ever accepted, and after spending so much time together, it was impossible not to care.

Gu An turned around to look at him and said, “Treasure the emotions and experiences this brought you. As for Tai Yi, he will reincarnate again.”

“Really? But I saw him get destroyed completely—body and soul…”

Tianhong Emperor’s eyes lit up as he asked excitedly.

Gu An just smiled and didn’t answer, which made Tianhong Emperor wonder if it was his master who intervened. His heart filled with gratitude.

“Thank you, Master! Thank you so much!”

Tianhong Emperor started kowtowing, full of joy.

Gu An watched him and sighed inwardly. Though he had already awakened part of his immortal memory, Tianhong Emperor was still far from becoming a true immortal deity.

“Go back and focus on cultivating. As for Tai Yi, I won’t stop you from seeing him again in the future. But for now, there’s no need to go out of your way to look for him,” Gu An said.

Upon hearing this, Tianhong Emperor’s mood improved even more. He quickly thanked Gu An, then got up, bowed to An Xin, and disappeared from sight.

“Master, that person called Tai Yi… Was he really the reincarnation of Tai Yi Immortal Lord?” An Xin came up to Gu An’s side and asked softly.

“Yes, it was him.”

“You’re not worried the two of them might collude?”

“Don’t worry. They won’t.”

Gu An replied casually, then glanced at the characters he had just written and nodded in satisfaction.

An Xin asked, “Master, do you think I could take in a disciple too? I’ve never had a real disciple. I want to try being a master. Don’t worry, I won’t leave the sect. I’ll pick someone from within Qiankun Sect.”

Gu An gave her a side glance and said, “Only one.”

An Xin lit up with joy and said playfully, “Thank you, Master! Don’t worry, I won’t pick just anyone. The one I choose will definitely be someone you’ll like, and won’t embarrass Wushi either!”

Gu An raised his hand and gently rubbed her head, smiling. “Talent isn’t that important. If you meet a disciple you connect with, and they’re willing to acknowledge you as their master, don’t overthink it.”