When I Achieved Sainthood, the Immortal Official Actually Called Me to Raise Horses!

“If you want the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword to submit to you, you must first eliminate all fear from your heart. The greater your fear, the stronger its backlash. From this moment on, you will endure unimaginable pain and suffering. No matter how excruciating, you must not waver. If you have even the slightest doubt that you can withstand it, it is still not too late to give up.”

Sword Annihilation Patriarch’s voice rang out beside Li Ya, his tone calm yet carrying a weight of warning.

Hearing this, Li Ya’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.

The Divine Spirit, perched on his shoulder, turned its head toward Sword Annihilation Patriarch and asked, “What happens if he fails?”

Sword Annihilation Patriarch replied, “At best, he will lose two of his three souls and seven spirits. At worst, his soul will be completely annihilated, leaving behind an empty shell for the sword’s spirit to possess.”

These words sent a chill through Divine Spirit. It now regarded the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword with deep wariness.

Lowering its voice, it whispered, “You do not bear a sea of blood debts, nor do you have any urgent matters that demand immediate strength. Why take such a risk?”

Li Ya, however, showed no hesitation. He took a deep breath and said, “Precisely because I have no pressing need, I must push myself. I do not want to live a mediocre life.”

The moment he finished speaking, he grasped the hilt of the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword.

Boom!

A violent killing aura erupted from the sword, surging skyward as if to tear apart the heavens. The surrounding mountains and forests trembled violently, as though they were about to be uprooted.

With a simple wave of his hand, Sword Annihilation Patriarch pressed down, instantly restoring the world to calm. The surrounding trees ceased their shaking, but a forceful surge of sword energy had already wrapped around Li Ya, isolating him within.

Veins bulged across Li Ya’s face as he widened his eyes, his pupils streaked with blood-red lines. His expression began to lose its clarity.

A chilling voice whispered in his ear:

“Why do you wield the sword?”

“All hearts harbor killing intent. Who do you wish to kill?”

“Why does your heart burn with unwillingness? Who do you resent?”

“It seems you are afraid of something.”

The voice reverberated endlessly, causing his perception of the world to spin wildly.

Suddenly, he found himself in a blood-colored realm.

Looking around, he could no longer see Sword Annihilation Patriarch. The Divine Spirit that had been on his shoulder had vanished without a trace.

He stood alone in a vast, desolate land, beneath a crimson sky.

In the distance, atop a mountain ridge, stood a shadowy figure. He could make out the figure’s form, but its features remained obscured.

Just as he was about to speak—

Whoosh!

A blade whistled through the air.

Thud!

A sword pierced through Li Ya’s throat, his body jerking backward. His eyes widened in shock, and within his pupils, he saw Gu An’s reflection.

Gu An, with disheveled hair and murderous intent blazing in his eyes, had driven a sword straight through his throat.

At that moment, in Wu Shi Dao Field

Gu An sat quietly, observing the illusion that Li Ya was experiencing.

Sword Annihilation Patriarch was not being honest—he was attempting to use the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword to trace the karmic connection between Li Ya and Gu An.

Clearly, Sword Annihilation Patriarch had another agenda for coming to Heavenly Spirit Grand World.

However, Gu An remained unperturbed. The gap in cultivation between them was far too vast—there was no way Sword Annihilation Patriarch could truly perceive Gu An’s existence.

He sensed the sword energy that Sword Annihilation Patriarch had infused into Li Ya, helping him endure the backlash of the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword. This reassured him.

It seemed that while Sword Annihilation Patriarch might have his own schemes regarding Sword Master of the Dao, he did not intend for Li Ya to die here.

After all, Li Ya was only in the Nirvana Realm—there was no way he could withstand the full power of the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword. Since Sword Annihilation Patriarch was taking action to protect him, it meant he truly intended for Li Ya to inherit this power.

Even if there were plans to manipulate him later, Gu An could intervene at that time.

For now, Gu An turned his attention to the battle between Blood Prison Saint and Lu Xian.

He was very pleased with Lu Xian’s performance.

Since he had taken Lu Xian under his wing, he was determined to cultivate him into an unparalleled powerhouse.

After all, in the distant Tai Chu Era, Lu Xian was destined to become the strongest being in existence.

A small smile appeared on Gu An’s face as he contemplated the future.

Meanwhile, in the battlefield

Lu Xian felt an immense pressure.

The sheer power of Blood Prison Saint shocked him, but it also exhilarated him.

If even a bull could reach such heights of strength, then surely following Gu An’s path would allow him to surpass all limits!

Tian Yao’er, An Xin, and Chen Chuan observed the fight intently, discussing it among themselves.

They were genuinely astounded by the strength Lu Xian displayed.

After all, Blood Prison Saint was a Loose Immortal—yet Lu Xian, a Nirvana Realm cultivator, was able to contend with him.

Such talent was nothing short of monstrous.

Dusk was falling. In Tai Xuan Sect, at the Third Medicine Valley, Long Qing stepped down from the attic and caught sight of Zhu Xing standing under the eaves, staring into the distant horizon. With a flash, Long Qing appeared beside Zhu Xing and asked, “What are you looking at?”

Zhu Xing replied, “The Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword. It is choosing a master, and the one it acknowledges is a cultivator of the Nirvana Realm.”

A Nirvana Realm cultivator? Long Qing frowned. That sounded utterly absurd.

Zhu Xing continued, “Interestingly, this person has a connection to you—more precisely, he carries the karma of Sword Master of the Dao. His name is Li Ya.”

“Li Shibo?” Long Qing’s brows, which had been tightly knit, gradually relaxed.

“If it’s him, then it’s not surprising. Perhaps my master is watching over him.” Having grown up under Gu An’s tutelage, Long Qing was well aware of the connection between Gu An and Li Ya.

Zhu Xing looked at him and asked with a smile, “Do you think your master has really left Heavenly Spirit Grand World?”

Though Long Qing had reached an agreement with Zhu Xing, he still harbored some wariness toward him. The gap in their cultivation was too vast for him to completely trust the other party.

Shaking his head, Long Qing replied, “How would I know? I didn’t follow him.”

Zhu Xing chuckled but did not press further.

“How strong will Li Shibo be once he fully controls the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword?” Long Qing asked curiously. After all, this sword had once caused a huge stir, and he had yearned for it himself.

Zhu Xing answered, “With this sword in hand, even cultivators at the Ninth Heaven of the Immortal Dao would find it impossible to kill him. However, the highest power he can currently draw upon is only at the level of the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm.”

Long Qing fell silent, his eyes filled with admiration and shock. This was nothing short of an instant rise to power! It seemed Li Shibo was about to make a name for himself across the world.

Time flew by, and another 1,000 years passed. Within Wu Shi Dao Field, Gu An was reclining on a tree, reading a book. Below him, a group of cultivators sat cross-legged on the grassy ground—An Xin, Tian Yao’er, Tianqing, Tianbai, Lu Xian, Blood Prison Saint, and Jiang Shi—all immersed in their comprehension of the Dao, completely enveloped in the Dao Intent radiating from Gu An. Sunlight filtered through the tree leaves, casting dappled light on Gu An’s figure.

He slowly raised his head and looked toward the sky. Ever since arriving at Wu Shi Dao Field, time seemed to flow much faster than before. But Gu An did not mind—in fact, he found it quite enjoyable. His lifespan had grown tremendously because of it.

However, the Heavenly Spirit Grand World, which had been at peace for over 2,000 years, was once again approaching turbulence. The will of the Heavenly Dao never ceased in its attempts to annihilate all living beings.

This time, it was invaders from other great worlds within the universe, seeking to occupy the Heavenly Spirit Grand World. Behind them were figures from the Dao Fruit Realm, plotting in the shadows. Yet, Gu An had no intention of getting involved. The Heavenly Spirit Grand World was home to many hidden experts, and numerous factions held vested interests in its survival. Many powerhouses would not allow the Heavenly Spirit Grand World to be destroyed at such a crucial juncture.

For Gu An, it was nothing more than an entertaining spectacle.

“Li Shixiong, even though you’ve already made a name for yourself, you’re about to suffer yet another major setback.” Gu An murmured to himself, a faint smile on his lips.

Five hundred years ago, Li Ya had burst onto the scene, wielding the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword, challenging sword cultivators across the world. He fought one hundred battles and remained undefeated. For a time, his fame was unrivaled, and the world had forgotten about An Hao, instead regarding Li Ya as the greatest genius alive. Even though much of his power came from the Nine Absolute Sacred Heart Sword, his reputation had reached unparalleled heights.

Gu An’s expression changed slightly as his gaze pierced beyond the heavens.

“This aura…”

“You’re still not willing to give up?”

His eyes turned cold. He had sensed the presence of the Annihilation God Emperor.

It emanated from the realm gate.

The Annihilation God Emperor had seized the flesh of the Dragon Clan, intending to hunt down Long Qing, and in doing so, he threatened the lives of countless beings.

For Gu An, this alone was enough to put him on his kill list.