Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses

After a fierce and exhilarating battle, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord looked extremely displeased.

He lifted his eyes to look at Gu An and asked through gritted teeth, "Where exactly is the problem?"

Gu An shrugged and said, "I don't know."

"Why can you always guess my next move?"

"Intuition tells me where you'll play next, and as long as I guess right, you seem to get flustered and keep changing your strategy, eventually exposing your weaknesses."

Gu An's response infuriated the Nine-Finger Divine Lord so much that he nearly coughed up blood.

Gu An's smile faded as he said, "However, this game of chess has indeed made me understand that change can indeed bring disaster. Thank you for your teachings, senior."

With that, he stood up, gave a formal bow, and took his leave.

The Nine-Finger Divine Lord watched Gu An's retreating figure and opened his mouth, but ultimately, his gaze fell back on the chessboard.

Gu An walked towards his loft with a smile on his face. In fact, there was one more thing he didn't say.

Change can indeed lead to disaster, but whether it's for better or worse depends on the player himself.

Life is like a game of chess, and Gu An intends to be a player who always wins!

Even if his opponent is what they call "fate!"

To struggle against destiny is a joy, isn't it?

Having come to this realization, Gu An no longer felt burdened. He didn't intend to casually change others' lives, only the lives of those he cared about.

Xiaochuan was indeed open-minded, but his wish to be reborn into a good life in the next life also showed his longing for Immortal Cultivation, just lacking in innate talent.

Gu An also realized that as long as he kept getting stronger, he could keep pushing the limits of those around him.

What cannot be achieved now does not mean it cannot be done in the future!

Reincarnation might exist, but he only wished to strive for the present.

This Ji Xiaoyu was not the same person from his past life, and Gu An was not Long Zhan, Xiao Shengtian, or Chu Lu!

...

In the Divine Exotic Realm, beneath the blood-red sky and above the sea of clouds, Zhang Buku stood shoulder to shoulder with the Master of Divine Exotic Realm, overlooking the battle below.

Endless waves of Divine Exotic Resentful Ghosts besieged Li Ya, coming at him like relentless waves, never ceasing.

Without the Divine Exotic City, Li Ya was embroiled in a difficult fight.

"The Divine Exotic Resentful Ghosts are undying. With his capabilities, at most he can hold on for one Ancient Hour," said the Master of Divine Exotic Realm, expressionless.

Zhang Buku turned to him and asked, "Why won't you let me meet him? I can make things clear."

"What things clear? Say that someone is backing you, forcing me to not restrict you? And even taking you as a disciple?" The Master of Divine Exotic Realm glanced at him coldly and asked.

Zhang Buku frowned, not understanding his meaning.

The Master of Divine Exotic Realm scoffed, "Do you think the city in the sky was built to suppress us? If so, why don't they invade?"

"If not for you, then for whom was it established?" asked Zhang Buku in confusion, his eyes widening with surprise.

"Could it be for Sword Venerable Fudao? Wait, could the person who saved me be Sword Venerable Fudao?" Zhang Buku was utterly shocked.

So the sparrow had Sword Venerable Fudao backing it...

The Master of Divine Exotic Realm gazed down at Li Ya and said, "After all these years, he's the only one to have broken in. Might this person have some karmic connection with Sword Venerable Fudao?"

Zhang Buku hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "He received the legacy of Sword Venerable Fudao and learned his swordsmanship."

He left unsaid the claim that Li Ya had made, that Sword Venerable Fudao was his Primordial Ancestor.

He now understood that it must have been arranged by Sword Venerable Fudao for them to meet.

But he still couldn't figure out why Sword Venerable Fudao had taken an interest in him.

"So that's how it is. It seems they have reached far and wide," the Master of Divine Exotic Realm said somberly.

Zhang Buku couldn't help but ask, "Master, isn't Holy Court supposed to be good? You've said before that the Holy King doesn't represent Holy Court."

The Master of Divine Exotic Realm took a deep breath and said, "He didn't represent it before, but now it's not certain. The Holy Court tried to recruit Sword Venerable Fudao, but he didn't accept the Qi Fortune outcome. That's enough for the Holy Court to be wary."

"In fact, there is a certain power in this world that the Holy Court fears. We are the evolution of that power. It's precisely because of this that the Holy King has kept me, wanting to use me to identify that power."

Zhang Buku quickly asked about the nature of that power.

The Master of Divine Exotic Realm uttered two words: "Heavenly Demon!"

Zhang Buku frowned; this was the first time he had heard of the Heavenly Demon.

"Can you spare him?" Zhang Buku asked through gritted teeth.

He didn't understand what a Heavenly Demon was; all he wanted was for his brother to live.

The Master of Divine Exotic Realm said somberly, "I've already delayed the time, but if Sword Venerable Fudao doesn't appear and I let him go, then it's you and me who will die."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Buku looked around.

He increasingly felt as if there were eyes watching him from the shadows.

He noticed the Master of Divine Exotic Realm's hand on his waist casting a spell.

He looked back down and his eyes hardened; he was about to rush to help, but as he leaned forward, a hand pressed down on him.

He turned to look, and the person holding his shoulder was the Master of Divine Exotic Realm.

The Master of Divine Exotic Realm's expression was indifferent; at this moment, his look made Zhang Buku feel alienated and cold.

The thought of Li Ya possibly dying was the thing Zhang Buku couldn't accept the most.

He wanted to speak, but he couldn't utter a sound.

In the vast sea of ghosts, Li Ya wielded his Heavy Sword, sweeping powerfully in all directions, but no matter how many Divine Exotic Resentful Ghosts he vanquished, more swarmed in.

"Damn it! Do you really acknowledge me as your master, why won't you listen to me?"

Li Ya cursed in his heart; he was unable to harness the power of the Divine Exotic City, which frustrated him greatly.

"No! It will devour me!"

The voice of the Divine Exotic Immortal Spirit rang out, filled with fear.

Li Ya was infuriated by this—how had this creature become so gutless?

Damn it!

Was he to die here before even seeing Zhang Buku?

If Junior Brother Gu knew of his death, would he grieve?

No, that's wrong. Having been gone for so long and so far away, would Junior Brother Gu reach the end of his life still thinking I'm out conquering the world?

Perhaps that's for the best...

Li Ya's sword swings began to slow; flashes of memories from his youth passed before his eyes.

When he and Meng Lang and Li Ya had all entered the Mystic Valley, with Meng Lang gone missing, and now him about to die here, who would have thought the least talented Gu An would be the last one alive?

What a twist of fate!

A Divine Exotic Resentful Ghost suddenly lunged at Li Ya, holding a Soul Sword whose cold light shattered all the visions before his eyes and filled his pupils.

Am I going to die?

Li Ya's pupils dilated.

Just then, his body burst into golden light, like unstoppable waves wiping out all the surrounding Divine Exotic Resentful Ghosts.

Li Ya was taken aback by the sudden change in the scenery as a golden city's phantom emerged from within him, rapidly enlarging to envelope him.

The Divine Exotic City!

Li Ya was overjoyed, ready to ask why the Divine Exotic Immortal Spirit had suddenly chosen to defy, when a terrifying and unmatched pressure descended, enveloping the whole world.

"Have you finally decided to come forth, Sword Venerable Fudao? To entrust such an Immortal Path Supreme Treasure to a mere mortal child for amusement, what a grand gesture!"

An ancient and majestic voice sounded, causing Li Ya to become stunned.

The Primordial Ancestor?

Was the Divine Exotic City belonging to the Primordial Ancestor?