Staring at the stubborn expression of the demon in human form, Gu An's memories were stirred. He recalled the scenes of interacting with his senior brother, Zhang Chunqiu, from the days of youth to old age, encapsulating Zhang Chunqiu's entire life in his memories.
This demon in front of him was none other than Zhang Chunqiu's son, Zhang Buku.
Back when they first met, Zhang Buku had still been a young boy, but now he had grown up.
Seeing the current pitiful state of Zhang Buku, Gu An couldn't help but think that his senior brother would surely be heartbroken.
These thoughts ran through Gu An's mind as his thoughts drifted away.
The injuries on Zhang Buku were not inflicted by Gu An. Before Gu An made his move, Zhang Buku was already being bullied by other demons. When Gu An attacked the other demons, Zhang Buku had rushed forward but was kicked aside by Gu An. Only after all the demons had been killed did Zhang Buku manage to stand up.
From the words of the villagers, it was clear that Zhang Buku had not committed any evil acts.
But why did this boy seem to have such a death wish?
Gu An raised his Azure Swan Sword, pointing it at Zhang Buku, and asked, "Do you really wish to die?"
Zhang Buku, without hesitation, charged straight at Gu An, his face twisting in defiance.
Gu An swiftly shifted his sword, using the hilt to press against Zhang Buku's chest while leaning back slightly, preventing Zhang Buku from getting close.
Before Zhang Buku could change his tactics, Gu An removed his mask and placed it over Zhang Buku's face.
Instinctively, Zhang Buku stepped back, then pulled off the mask and glared angrily at Gu An. Just as he was about to throw the mask back, his eyes widened in shock, his face filled with disbelief.
"Gu… Uncle Master?"
Zhang Buku asked cautiously.
Gu An was unafraid of revealing his identity, knowing that the strength he displayed when slaying demons, though formidable, was far from his true power.
Moreover, only by revealing himself would Zhang Buku cease his reckless behavior.
Gu An smiled and asked, "Do you still remember me?"
Zhang Buku wiped the blood from his face, excitement flashing in his eyes as he replied, "Of course, I remember! You gave me a Spirit Qi Pill once—how could I ever forget?"
Gu An sheathed his sword and took out a healing pill, handing it to Zhang Buku. "Here, take this and heal your wounds."
Zhang Buku didn't refuse. He took the pill, sat down cross-legged, and began meditating to heal. As he tended to his wounds, he watched Gu An as the latter collected demon treasures from the fallen creatures.
An hour later, the two of them arrived at a small stream. Zhang Buku knelt down to wash his face, rinsing away the blood from his wounds.
When he was done, he glanced at Gu An, who had put his mask back on, and asked, "Uncle Master Gu, why are you dressed like this?"
Zhang Buku was no longer the naive boy he once was. After wandering the cultivation world for so long, he was well aware of Tai Xuan Sect's prestigious status.
Within the Tai Cang Dynasty, disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect were revered wherever they went.
Gu An replied, "The world is in chaos with demons running rampant. Though I wish to help the suffering, I also wish to avoid unnecessary trouble, so I wear this mask to keep my identity hidden."
Zhang Buku nodded in understanding, recalling the way his father had described Uncle Master Gu: cautious and meticulous, but with a kind heart.
"Just make sure you don't tell anyone about what I've been doing," Gu An added.
Zhang Buku grinned and said, "Don't worry! My lips are sealed. Besides, you just saved my life—I'd never betray you."
Gu An ruffled Zhang Buku's hair and asked, "So, how did you end up with these demons?"
At this question, Zhang Buku's smile faded, and he lowered his head, falling silent.
The night breeze was stifling. Watching Zhang Buku's slumped back, Gu An sighed inwardly.
He didn't need to ask to understand the boy's predicament.
Born of both human and demon blood, Zhang Buku had grown up in human society. But as his demonic aura grew stronger with age, humans no longer accepted him. However, his upbringing, shaped by Zhang Chunqiu's teachings, made it difficult for him to integrate into demon society as well.
Gu An had heard the other demons mocking Zhang Buku for his impure bloodline earlier, which only confirmed that the demon race didn't accept him either.
"I recently obtained a cultivation technique, said to be from the Thousand Autumn Pavilion. Since I follow the path of righteousness, I cannot practice it. Why not let you have it?" Gu An suddenly said, taking out a manual from his storage bag.
The title read Demon Shadow Divine Art.
In reality, it was the cultivation method for the Nine Extremes Yin-Yang Body.
Zhang Buku looked up at the sight of the manual in Gu An's hand, dazed.
In his sixty-six years of life, only this Uncle Master Gu had ever shown him such kindness without asking for anything in return.
Zhang Buku rose to his feet, uncertainty flickering across his face.
Gu An, without waiting, shoved the manual into Zhang Buku's arms and said, "Take it. And remember—don't tell anyone it was me who gave it to you."
Zhang Buku took a deep breath, then raised his eyes to Gu An and asked, "Uncle Master Gu, do you think I'm human or demon? Why is it that neither side will accept me?"
Gu An raised his brows and asked, "Who says no one accepts you? I accept you. Does it really matter whether you are human or demon? Buku, the suffering you endure now may be due to the chaos of the world. Think of those people trapped in the valley earlier—do they have any control over their fate? You can cultivate; that alone puts you ahead of ninety percent of the living beings."
Zhang Buku stood in a daze, thinking of those people who had suffered in the valley.
"What matters isn't the identity you were born with, but what kind of person you want to become in this life," Gu An said earnestly.
Zhang Buku inhaled deeply and said, "Thank you, Uncle Master, for your guidance."
Fearing that Zhang Buku might still harbor thoughts of self-harm, Gu An added, "When your father was younger, he often said that if only he had better aptitude, he would have loved to roam the world, visit the great rivers and mountains, and ascend to the highest peak to ask the heavens whether immortals truly exist. What you possess now is something your father could never touch in his lifetime. Cultivate well—immortal cultivation will guide you to find the true meaning of life."
Zhang Buku's lifespan limit was 2,300 years, proving that his aptitude wasn't bad, despite his half-demon bloodline.
After finishing, Gu An patted Zhang Buku on the shoulder and left a storage bag behind before walking away.
"Uncle Master, where are you going?" Zhang Buku called out.
"I'm going to save others like you, who are suffering."
Gu An waved his hand but didn't look back.
Watching Gu An's retreating figure, Zhang Buku's eyes filled with admiration.
He knew about Uncle Master Gu's background—an orphan, born into servitude. Yet he still lived so freely. At least Zhang Buku had his father by his side as he grew up.
If Uncle Master Gu could live so carefree, why should he wallow in self-pity?
Zhang Buku noticed the storage bag on the ground and picked it up. Just as he was about to call out to Gu An, he realized that Gu An had already vanished from sight.
Extending his divine sense into the storage bag, Zhang Buku's expression became complicated.
Inside were all the demon treasures left behind by the monsters they had just slain.
Clutching the storage bag tightly, Zhang Buku lowered his head, tears streaming down his face. As he cried, a smile broke out on his face.
"I'll cultivate well, Uncle Master Gu. One day, I'll repay you and make you proud."
...
A year passed in the blink of an eye.
Throughout the year, more and more powerful cultivators returned from overseas. Their life stories were broadcasted by their sects, inspiring passion and hope among cultivators everywhere.
The Demon Catastrophe was terrifying, but as Pan An had written in Shattering the Void, the human race was resilient and would surely endure through all calamities!
Gu An's year had been fulfilling. When he wasn't harvesting herbs, he was descending from the mountains to aid the suffering. If he encountered demons being oppressed, he would step in to help.
Gradually, a legend began to spread among the common people—a tale of a swordsman known as the Green Sword Hero. Over time, this title evolved into simply Green Hero.
At the pavilion in Xuan Valley, Gu An was sparring with Chu Jingfeng, their swords clashing repeatedly.
Ye Lan stood by, watching.
In the end, Gu An narrowly defeated Chu Jingfeng. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he sighed, "Without using spiritual energy, it's tough to defeat you with just swordsmanship alone, Brother Chu."
Chu Jingfeng, panting, smiled and said, "Your swordsmanship is excellent—I lost fair and square."
Though defeated, Chu Jingfeng wasn't disheartened, as the battle had been challenging for Gu An as well.
Afterward, he took his leave, not wishing to disturb Gu An and Ye Lan further.
Gu An led Ye Lan upstairs.
Once inside, Gu An went to wash his face while Ye Lan closed the door and walked toward the desk, saying, "There have been more and more demons appearing at the borders of the Five Dynasties lately, including some in the Profound Heart Realm. It seems that the death of the six-headed Jiao Luo didn't deter the Demon Realm."
In the past year, the Shen Tang Dynasty had merged with the Great Jiang Dynasty, reducing the world to just five dynasties.
"I've received information that the Demon Realm has seventy-two Great Demon Kings. The six-headed Jiao Luo was just one of them. When the true Demon Catastrophe arrives, I fear humanity will struggle to defend itself. Even with the Nine Cultivators of the World, it may not be enough," Ye Lan said worriedly as she sat down.
The term Nine Cultivators of the World had been coined by the Tai Xuan Sect, referring to figures like the Dao Monarch of Cang Tian Sect, the Longevity Daoist of Three Purities Mountain, and the Sword Master of the Dao, Gu An.
The rise of the Nine Cultivators had greatly boosted the morale of the cultivation world, and Tai Xuan Sect's name had spread far and wide as a result.
Lu Jiujia had thoroughly mastered the tactics Gu An had taught him.
Gu An smiled and said, "At least the strength of the cultivation world is steadily increasing. As long as there is hope, that's what matters."
Ye Lan nodded and said, "But I've heard that above the seventy-two Great Demon Kings, there are even more terrifying entities. Who knows what the Demon Realm is truly plotting?"
"Don't dwell on it too much. You and I can't change the grand fate of the world. All we can do is survive as best we can," Gu An comforted her.
Ye Lan nodded. "If the Great Jiang Dynasty falls, Brother, let's head south and escape to the sea. I've been preparing for this. Although the ocean is dangerous, it's at least a way to survive. If we find a small island, even if we only live for another ten or twenty years, it would still be worth it."
Gu An chuckled, "Just the two of us? Wouldn't that be boring?"
"How could it be boring? We'll work by day and rest by night. I know plenty of ways to keep you entertained," Ye Lan said with a playful smirk, raising an eyebrow suggestively. Her expression made Gu An's thoughts wander.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Gu An replied, "If that's how it ends up, I guess we'll make do."
Hearing this, Ye Lan became excited and began listing the resources she had prepared.
Watching her smile, Gu An silently vowed, Don't worry, junior sister—I won't let you wander homeless!
Gu An's lifespan had already surpassed 9.3 million years, drawing closer to the critical ten million year mark!
With a bit more effort this year, he might just reach ten million years by the year's end.
For the sake of his junior sister, he was prepared to face the full fury of the Demon Catastrophe!