Gu An looked at Li Xuandao, who was kneeling before him, and felt a wave of emotion.
Back when he first started cultivating, Li Xuandao had supported him in many ways. Although Gu An had already possessed the power to protect himself at the time, Li Xuandao, unaware of his true strength, had treated him as a junior—never once trying to suppress him and always maintaining a kind attitude.
Moreover, Tianya Valley, which Li Xuandao had provided, had played a significant role in Gu An's early years. The valley had been cultivating high-grade spiritual herbs from the very beginning, making it an invaluable resource for Gu An during the first century of his life.
Li Xuandao had also treated Ye Yan, Yang Jian, and Wu Xin well, which further solidified Gu An's positive impression of him.
He truly believed there was a bond of friendship between them. Every time they met, the conversations had been pleasant. However, since Li Xuandao was the emperor, he had always been too busy, so their meetings had been few and far between.
The last time they had seen each other had been over two thousand years ago.
By then, Li Xuandao had successfully undergone Nirvana, though on the surface, he only revealed the cultivation of the Body Fusion Realm. He had established his own network of connections, but compared to Li Lingtian and the Yang Family backing his mother, his gathered forces were still far weaker.
"Get up."
Gu An's voice was calm as he looked at Li Xuandao, who was still kneeling in a daze. He then helped him up.
Once he stood, Li Xuandao took a deep breath. "You really didn't leave."
Gu An chuckled. "It seems we truly are kindred spirits—you knew I wouldn't."
Hearing these words, Li Xuandao realized that Gu An had already seen through his hidden cultivation. But rather than being shocked, he simply nodded in acceptance. After all, Gu An's strength far surpassed his own.
"Let's sit and talk."
Gu An gestured with a wave of his hand. Li Xuandao nodded and walked toward the table.
As they sat across from each other, Li Xuandao gazed at Gu An—who seemed almost like a celestial immortal in the flesh—and felt a complex mix of emotions.
There was relief, gratitude, and even a bit of disbelief.
He hadn't expected that his call would actually bring Gu An to him.
Gu An, who had abandoned Tai Xuan Sect, had not abandoned him.
How could he not be moved?
"Tell me—how do you need me to help you?" Gu An asked. Even though he could already guess the answer, he wanted to hear Li Xuandao say it himself. Speaking out his troubles would also help ease his emotions.
Li Xuandao took a deep breath and began explaining his predicament.
As Li Lingtian grew older, his ambition became more evident. No longer satisfied with his position as Crown Prince, he had begun eyeing the throne itself. The Yang Family, backing the Empress, had also grown restless—constantly instigating conflicts in the shadows.
Recently, the Yang Family had produced a genius, who had been accepted into Mortal Peak, one of the most powerful mortal sacred lands. Compared to Mortal Peak, none of the sects within the Broken Sea Region could even come close in terms of power.
For Li Xuandao, it was not Li Lingtian that he feared—it was Mortal Peak.
Gu An listened patiently. Once Li Xuandao finished speaking, he sighed with a slight smile.
"That kid, Li Lingtian, was never the type to sit still. But that's only natural—he was born in the imperial family, so how could he not desire the throne?"
Li Xuandao's expression stiffened slightly. He sighed. "I don't blame him. Power is fought for with one's own ability. At the very least, under my rule, the Tai Cang Dynasty has flourished."
This was undeniable.
The Tai Cang Dynasty had experienced thousands of years of prosperity. Of course, even in a golden age, internal conflicts were inevitable. But Li Xuandao had always been able to handle them.
Gu An didn't feel that Li Xuandao was obligated to give up his throne.
As long as the citizens of Tai Cang continued to live well, and as long as Li Xuandao's lifespan remained long, there was no reason for him to step down.
Li Xuandao stared at Gu An, feeling uneasy.
In his view, Mortal Peak posed no threat to Gu An.
However, there was no reason for Gu An to involve himself in this matter either.
Even if Li Xuandao were to offer everything he had, it likely wouldn't be enough to interest Gu An.
Gu An spoke, "How about this? I'll have Yang Jian assist you. He will serve under you from now on—how does that sound?"
The reason he made this arrangement was because Yang Jian had recently been seeking to leave the Sacred Court, and at the same time, he happened to be the first person to ever defeat Li Lingtian. Their rivalry had always been fated, and this arrangement would only prolong their destined conflict.
Even now, Li Lingtian still regarded Yang Jian as his greatest rival.
Li Xuandao's eyes lit up the moment he heard this. "Is that really possible?"
He had always admired Yang Jian. From the moment he first laid eyes on him, he had wanted to recruit him. That was why he had once mobilized the resources of the entire dynasty to forge a divine weapon specifically for Yang Jian.
"Of course. He'll be here in a few days." Gu An smiled. He believed that Li Xuandao had the potential to go even further.
Regardless of how the future unfolded, having multiple powerful factions coexisting was the best outcome for the world. If a single force were to monopolize all power, it would only lead to greater disasters.
Just like before—when the Sacred Court ruled the land, demonic cultivators had been free to massacre entire regions, and the truth of such atrocities had been easily covered up by the Sacred King.
Because of this, Gu An hoped that the Tai Cang Dynasty would continue to thrive and expand.
Of course, he had no intention of personally interfering.
He would only build the bridge—he would not fight this battle himself.
Besides, Yang Jian held a favorable impression of Li Xuandao as well. If the two teamed up, it would benefit both sides.
Hearing Gu An's assurance, Li Xuandao's heart swelled with relief. It felt as if all the pent-up tension in his chest had been washed away.
He already knew that Yang Jian had regained his Sacred King status. With his power, Yang Jian could help him resist Mortal Peak. At the very least, Mortal Peak would be forced to show him some respect.
Gu An then casually asked, "How have things been for you all these years?"
And just like that, the two began to chat about old times.
Li Xuandao did not hold anything back—he openly recounted his experiences and struggles.
As they spoke, it felt as though they had been transported back to the days four thousand years ago, in Tianya Valley, where they had once conversed freely and joyfully.
An entire hour passed before Gu An finally left.
As he watched Gu An vanish like the wind, without leaving even the slightest trace of his presence, Li Xuandao sighed in awe.
"This... is what it means to be a true immortal."
Just as he finished speaking, Gu An had already arrived at Mortal Peak.
Without hesitation, he summoned Zhu Xinglan and instructed, "Ensure that no one interferes in the Tai Cang Dynasty's internal affairs."
Zhu Xinglan immediately set out to execute the order.
Even without assuming the identity of the Sword Master of the Dao, Gu An's mere words were enough to settle the matter.
The Yang Family might have been powerful in the Broken Sea Region, but within Mortal Peak, their influence couldn't even reach the higher ranks.
Once he had issued his command, Gu An went to his courtyard to rest.
A while later, Zhu Xinglan returned.
It was rare for him to see his master back at Mortal Peak, so he was naturally overjoyed.
Gu An, pleased with Zhu Xinglan's diligence over the years, decided to pass down a divine ability to him.
This gesture left Zhu Xinglan ecstatic.
At the Tai Cang Dynasty, inside a private residence.
Li Lingtian sat at the head of the hall, his face filled with impatience.
Before him, over a dozen people stood, deep in discussion about how to seize power.
Their debate grew increasingly heated, with some even beginning to argue fiercely.
Finally, Li Lingtian grew weary of their bickering and could no longer hold back.
"Enough!" he snapped.
"Regardless of what happens, he is still my father! At most, we fight for power—but harming him is out of the question!"
The room instantly fell into silence.
Everyone turned to look at Li Lingtian.
He was a peerless genius, and his cultivation had already reached the Immortal Dao Realm. His aura alone was domineering enough to suppress the entire room.
A cold, arrogant voice suddenly rang out from beyond the hall.
"Do you not understand what imperial power means to your father? A fight for the throne will never be bloodless!"
A figure dressed in white robes strode into the room, bathed in sunlight.
Everyone turned their heads.
Their expressions shifted—some in shock, others in delight.
An elderly man at the front of the group spoke excitedly.
"Yang An, you've finally returned!"
This white-robed youth was Yang An, the Yang Family's greatest genius—and a disciple of Mortal Peak!
His features were handsome and refined, and his every movement exuded an otherworldly aura.
The moment he stepped into the hall, Li Lingtian's aura was instantly overpowered.
Li Lingtian's brows furrowed slightly as he looked at Yang An.
He disliked him.
He resented him.
And most of all—he feared him.
The crowd quickly cleared a path, allowing Yang An to walk directly up to Li Lingtian.
With his chin slightly raised, he looked down at him and spoke in a cold, commanding tone.
"The Yang Family has arranged everything to put you on the throne. This is an honor. You have no right to hesitate."
"Do you think your father, Li Xuandao, ascended the throne without spilling the blood of his own kin?"