If I become a saint, a celestial official will summon me to raise horses.

Chapter 182 The Foundation of the Seven Star Spirit Realm, the Black-Hearted Demon King
Gu An pushed open the door and entered, seeing Shen Zhen sitting in his chair reading a book.

He noticed that Shen Zhen's cultivation had improved significantly, so he used a lifespan probe.

Shen Zhen (Ninth Level of Core Formation): 130/760/2560

Ok?
How did the lifespan limit increase?

Gu An remembered that her maximum lifespan was a little over a thousand years, but now it has doubled.

Could she really glean enlightenment from paintings?
Gu An closed the door, then walked to the desk and asked, "Why are you here?"

Shen Zhen put down the book in his hand and said with a smile, "What? Can't I come? It seems you and your Daoist partner are having a very happy time, and you don't even want me to show up."

Gu An rolled her eyes at her and said, "I don't have a Daoist partner."

"Didn't the great cultivator in your valley want to take you as her Daoist partner? She has high cultivation and is so beautiful, no normal man could refuse her." Shen Zhen looked him up and down, her tone slightly teasing.

Gu An raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm not an ordinary man. If you want to be my Daoist partner, you'll have to become an immortal first."

Shen Zhen chuckled and said, "If she becomes an immortal, would she even be interested in you? Would you still be around then? You can't just spend your days fantasizing about a fairy descending to earth and favoring you, can you?"

Gu An sat down and smiled, "I'm a writer, and so are you. Writers love to fantasize, don't they?"

“Hmm, that makes sense. I fantasize about the Sword Master Fudao appearing before me and wanting to take me as his Daoist partner.” Shen Zhen nodded and then stared at Gu An, wanting to see his reaction.

Gu An said earnestly, "What if? I think there's hope."

Shen Zhen pursed her lips and continued, "Recently, I've gained a lot of insights from a painting and sensed the aura of a priceless treasure. So, I'm preparing to go out and search for it. Would you like to come with me?"

Out on a treasure hunt?

Gu An quickly shook his head and said, "The world is in chaos now. Going out would be suicide! I'm not going!"

Shen Zhen frowned and said, "That painting comes from the palace of the Great Yu Dynasty. It was given to my father by the emperor of the past. It is said to have a history of six thousand years. I can sense that the treasure is not simple, and there is more than one. Such an opportunity is rare. I am sharing it with you alone."

Gu An replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Shen, but I'd better not. With my current cultivation level, going with you would only be a burden to you."

Shen Zhen looked displeased. Just when Gu An thought she was about to get angry, she changed the subject and asked, "What is your relationship with Lu Lingjun? Do you think she is trustworthy?"

"You want to find her to go treasure hunting?"

"Yes, I can sense that that place is not one I can enter."

"She should be trustworthy, but I can't be completely sure. You should know that you can't see into someone's heart."

"Then you can introduce me to her. With you as the middleman, if she still tries to harm me, she won't be able to face you afterwards."

Seeing Shen Zhen smile, Gu An realized that this was her true purpose.

Gu An thought about it and agreed.

Afterwards, he took Shen Zhen to find Lu Lingjun.

Lu Lingjun would occasionally go out, but he spent most of his time meditating under the Xuanqing Tree.

When she learned of Gu An and Shen Zhen's request, she was dismissive until Shen Zhen took out the painting, at which point she was moved.

Gu An sensed a trace of the Mahayana realm from the painting, indicating that there really was a treasure there.

Soon, the two women set off.

Gu An rarely came to the Xuanqing Tree, so he lay down against the trunk and began to close his eyes to rest.

He began to recall what he had seen and heard during this period, and the scenes of killing kept echoing in his mind.

Gu An left the Third Medicine Valley late at night.

The moonlight was slightly cool, and a gentle breeze was blowing through the mountains and forests.

Ji Xiaoyu sat cross-legged under the tree, closing her eyes to rest.

She heard footsteps coming from the side and couldn't help but open her eyes to look.

It was Gu An, who had transformed into the Sword Master of the Dao!

Ji Xiaoyu stood up, raised her hand to Gu An in a salute, and said, "Senior, I have obtained some information about the Seven Star Spirit Realm."

"Speak," Gu An said indifferently.

Ji Xiaoyu began to recount the intelligence, and Gu An listened attentively.

She discovered that the Seven Star Spirit Realm intended to blockade the seas surrounding the continent. At the same time, they established a dynasty in the north of the continent. That dynasty was entirely composed of the descendants of cultivators from the Seven Star Spirit Realm and had been established for four hundred years. Within the Seven Star Spirit Realm, their claim was that the holy land could not interfere with the evolution of the continent, but the human race needed to preserve their lineage, so they established a new human dynasty in the north.

This has always been the case since ancient times. The current Three Dynasties Land was formed by the descendants of the Seven Star Spirit Realm cultivators long ago.

The Seven Star Spirit Realm is divided into seven cave heaven factions, the strongest of which is the One Star Cave. The Ji family can only contact the Seven Star Cave at present. Ji Xiaoyu learned that the strongest cultivator is the cave master of the Seven Star Cave, who is said to be an immortal. Within the Seven Star Cave, there are as many as twenty Mahayana Realm cultivators. This is only on the surface. All twenty of these people are elders.

Gu An was also surprised by the strength of the Seven Star Spirit Realm.

Even the weakest Seven Star Cave has twenty Mahayana Realm cultivators and one immortal. How terrifying must the overall strength of the Seven Star Spirit Realm be?
"The reason I've come to you now is because I sensed the Seven Star Cave's wariness towards me. While I was cultivating, I clearly felt divine sense watching me, so I took the opportunity to escape. Now, it will be difficult for me to go back." Ji Xiaoyu said, looking at Gu An.

She knew she didn't have much intelligence, which was detrimental to her cooperation with the Sword Master Fudao.

Ever since she learned that the Sword Master Fudao had annihilated the Demon Master with a single axe stroke, she had developed faith in him.

If anyone in this world could overthrow the Seven Star Spirit Realm, it could only be the Sword Venerable Fudao. Gu An said, "If you can't go back, then stay in the Tai Xuan Sect. After the Great Calamity of Demons ends, to fight against the Seven Star Spirit Realm, you will need the combined strength of the three dynasties."

Ji Xiaoyu nodded and said, "I have been to the small world of the Seven Star Cave. There are nearly two million disciples there, and their cultivation levels are generally higher than those in the cultivation world. The Seven Star Spirit Realm has become a world of its own, and it is indeed necessary for the three dynasties to work together."

"When you contact the Ji family, try not to alert them. Don't rush into fighting the Seven Star Spirit Realm," Gu An reminded him.

Ji Xiaoyu nodded.

Then, Gu An vanished into thin air.

Ji Xiaoyu turned and walked deeper into the woods.

……

As summer drew to a close, the northern border was in dire straits. The cultivation world ultimately failed to withstand the onslaught of the demon calamity, and the human alliance was forced to retreat, as was the Tianwei Dynasty. The human race had no choice but to launch a dispersed campaign.

Although the Taicang Dynasty was not hit by the great wave of demons, the number of demons within its territory was increasing, and it seemed that no matter how hard it was to kill them, they could not be eradicated.

Gu An's monthly demon-killing count continues to increase, and his lifespan has exceeded four million years.

Although a lifespan of one hundred million years is still a long way off, Gu An is not so obsessed with the next lifespan function. The threat of the Seven Star Spirit Realm is too great. As long as a wandering immortal appears on the continent, he will break through immediately.

Even if his lifespan has accumulated to over 90 million years, he will still break through.

Lifespan is just a number; surviving is what matters most!
On this day, Gu An returned to Xuan Valley, changed into his usual robes, and went downstairs.

He did not head to the Third Medicine Valley, but gazed into the distance.

He sensed a demonic aura approaching the Tai Xuan Sect, about five thousand miles from the Xuan Valley. The demonic aura lingered in a certain forest, seemingly waiting for something. Tens of thousands of miles away, an even more powerful demonic aura was approaching.

Looks like something exciting is going to happen tonight.

As dusk approached, Di Xie left the city and headed towards the demonic aura.

An hour later.

Under the dark night.

Di Xie entered the woods, his gaze falling on the small red-scaled snake on a branch. He frowned and asked, "Why are you here? Where is the Black Crow Demon Envoy?"

The little red-scaled snake replied, "He disappeared after he came to find you. He must have been killed by the Sword Master Fudao."

Upon hearing this, Di Xie's expression changed slightly.

He finally understood why he was alive. Perhaps the Sword Master Fudao heard his words at that moment, which is why he didn't kill him.

Isn't the Sword Master Fudao too terrifying?
They concealed their demonic aura and were still outside the Tai Xuan Sect, yet the Fu Dao Sword Venerable was able to detect it.
"If that's the case, why do you still dare to come?" Di Xie mocked.

The little red-scaled snake said, "His Majesty sent me. He wants me to deliver a message to Sword Master Fudao, concerning the great calamity of demons, but I don't know where Sword Master Fudao is."

"So you called me out? You don't think I've already met the Sword Master Fudao, do you?" Di Xie sneered.

The little red-scaled snake flicked its tongue and said, "Di Xie, you don't need to be so hostile to your father. Your father often had no choice in his actions. Do you really think it was your father who advocated for the resurrection of the Demon Ancestor?"

"Isn't that so? Could the sorcerer possibly force my father?"

"That's right, he really can!"

The red-scaled snake's answer made Di Xie frown.

It continued, "The Demon Master's cultivation is indeed inferior to His Majesty's, but there is an even more powerful existence behind him, one that His Majesty dares not provoke. Moreover, His Majesty has lost control over the great calamity of demons. If you leave the Tai Xuan Sect and go out to take a look, you will understand that the demons that have invaded the human race have all turned into demons and are violent in nature, including those great demon kings."

Di Xie fell silent.

The little red-scaled snake continued, "The Demon Master said that the Demon Ancestor is just a soul shell without independent consciousness, but that is not the case. Your Majesty cannot control the Demon Ancestor, let alone control all the demons in the world. Your Majesty is worried that this great calamity of demons is not only aimed at the human race, but also at the demon race."

Di Xie took a deep breath and asked, "So he wants to talk to Sword Master Fudao about jointly facing the great calamity of demons?"

"Yes."

The small red-scaled snake replied.

Just as it was about to speak, it suddenly turned its head to look into the depths of the woods to the west and asked in a deep voice, "Who?"

Di Xie turned his head and saw a figure slowly emerging from the darkness.

When the two demons saw the true form of the newcomer, their expressions changed drastically, and the little red-scaled snake trembled all over.

"Black Demon King...you..."

The little red-scaled snake trembled, its voice filled with fear.

Di Xie was equally nervous.

A man in red emerged from the darkness. He had disheveled hair and was barefoot, looking just like a human with no demonic features, except for his pale face and the sinister aura between his brows.

The Black Demon King revealed a sinister smile and said mockingly, "The great calamity of demons has been going on for so long, yet His Majesty the Demon Emperor has yet to make a move. I was curious about the reason, so I followed you to the Tai Xuan Sect. I didn't expect His Majesty to actually submit to the human race. I will not allow it. Tonight..."

Before he could finish speaking, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

(End of this chapter)