Innate Dao Talisman, Ambitions of the Demonic Path

"He is Gu An!"

Du Ye gave Gu An a push. Gu An pretended to stumble, then looked at the summoning cultivator and said, "I am Gu An."

"Come with me."

The cultivator replied, then turned and walked toward the residence.

Gu An followed his footsteps, feeling puzzled. What did Ji Xiaoyu want with him?

He didn't have much interaction with Ji Xiaoyu when he was a child; after all, there was a vast disparity in their statuses.

After Gu An left, the Ji Family cultivators guarding the gate surrounded Du Ye, prying for information about Gu An. Du Ye's expression was somewhat unnatural, and he could only answer them one by one.

On the other side.

Gu An followed behind the summoning cultivator for two miles before arriving at Ji Xiaoyu's courtyard.

The summoning cultivator stopped outside the courtyard gate, raised a hand to signal for Gu An to enter, and then turned and left.

Gu An could already sense Ji Xiaoyu's aura. Based on his judgment, Ji Xiaoyu was also at the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment realm, but she was significantly stronger than Ji Lin.

He stepped into the courtyard, where a bamboo forest was planted. The entire courtyard was filled with the colors of spring, not at all like the autumn season.

He followed the path through the bamboo forest and soon saw a pond. The surface was wreathed in white spiritual mist, and within the mist, a figure was sitting in meditation, practicing. One could vaguely tell it was a woman.

After Gu An approached, he cupped his hands toward Ji Xiaoyu in the pond and bowed, saying, "Gu An pays his respects to Third Young Miss."

Ji Xiaoyu wore green robes and sat cross-legged. She was actually hovering above the pond's surface, her hands forming seals and resting on her knees. Her long hair was held up by three pearl-inlaid hairpins, with two strands of hair fluttering beside her cheeks. Her forehead was as white and bright as jade, with a faint red line appearing and disappearing. In terms of facial features, in Gu An's experience, only Jiang Qiong could compare to her.

Different from Jiang Qiong's charming temperament that was both righteous and evil, Ji Xiaoyu was like a fairy descending from the heavens. No emotion could be seen on her face, and she exuded a holy aura that made one afraid to desecrate her.

Gu An recalled the scene of first meeting Ji Xiaoyu as a child. Even then, he felt that Ji Xiaoyu didn't seem like a child; those eyes seemed to have been tempered by the passage of time.

He immediately cast a lifespan inspection:

[Ji Xiaoyu (Foundation Establishment realm, ninth level): 34/830/8900]

What the hell?

An extreme lifespan of 8,900 years?

The most crucial point was that she was only at the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment realm; how could she have a lifespan of 830 years?

Gu An was astonished. He suddenly felt that Ji Xiaoyu was more than just a dual-spirit root cultivator.

"You did very well earlier. After the banquet ends, go see Gu Zong. You may take him as your master."

Ji Xiaoyu said without opening her eyes. Her voice was pleasant, soft yet not lacking in majesty.

This person actually eavesdropped on the conversation in front of the gate!

Gu An complained internally, but replied out loud, "Third Young Miss, truthfully, I really do not wish to take him as my master. I can tell his status is not simple and his cultivation must be very high, but my aptitude is mediocre. If I were to take on a famous master, I would instead fall into trouble. I only wish to stay in my Medicine Valley and spend the rest of my life in peace. Being able to contribute a batch of medicinal herbs to Third Young Miss every year is already enough to satisfy me."

Hearing this, Ji Xiaoyu opened her eyes. The mist in front of her dissipated, and she tilted her head to look at Gu An.

The corners of her eyes seemed to be traced with a stroke that curved slightly upward, adding a touch of haughtiness to her soft, beautiful eyes. That bright gaze seemed to want to see through Gu An's mind.

Gu An lowered his head slightly, avoiding her gaze.

It wasn't that he was afraid of her, but his current public identity was that of a servant at the ninth level of the Qi Refining realm; he had to play the part well.

"Then don't take him as your master. However, since Gu Zong wants to see you, you still have to go once. This matter is indeed difficult for you. Tell me, what can I do for you? As long as it is within my power, I will certainly do it," Ji Xiaoyu said softly.

Perhaps it was because Ji Xiaoyu had saved Gu An when he was a child, but Gu An had a favorable impression of her. So, upon hearing her words, he didn't stand on ceremony and said, "Third Young Miss, the Mystic Valley where I am is too small, and I want to plant more medicinal herbs. Could you see if you can help me obtain another medicine valley? Of course, please don't transfer me away from Mystic Valley. That place holds my life's work, and I cannot bear to leave it."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiaoyu fell into silence.

Gu An was in no hurry.

If she couldn't do it, he would ask Gu Zong.

He could roughly guess why Gu Zong wanted to see him.

He was just a writer; what could he possibly want with him?

Ji Xiaoyu spoke, "I cannot fully promise the matter of the medicine valley. After all, this is not the Ji Family, and you do not wish to leave your medicine valley. I will try my best, but besides that, you may make one more request."

Gu An immediately said, "Then could you give me a set of teleportation formations? I want to connect the two medicine valleys for easier travel."

"That is not difficult. After the banquet ends, I will have someone bring it to you."

"Many thanks, Third Young Miss!"

Gu An revealed a smile and cupped his hands in a salute once more.

Ji Xiaoyu closed her eyes and asked, "By the way, what exactly did you write? Why does Gu Zong value you so highly, to the point of wanting to take you as his disciple?"

Gu An thought for a moment and felt that this matter could certainly not be hidden. After today, Ji Xiaoyu might investigate him, so it was better to be frank. In the future, the Ji Family might even be able to provide him with protection.

"Investiture of the Gods."

When Gu An spat out these four words, Ji Xiaoyu opened her eyes abruptly and turned to look at him, a look of astonishment appearing in her eyes for the first time.

"You wrote Investiture of the Gods? How do you know so much?" Ji Xiaoyu asked, frowning.

Gu An said helplessly, "That was just something I imagined; it is not real."

There were many people now who claimed that Investiture of the Gods was a record of ancient history. Zuo Lin, Wuxin, and others thought the same, which had made him nervous for a time.

If he hadn't checked the Library Hall in the Outer Sect and found absolutely no records related to Huaxia, he would have almost believed that Investiture of the Gods was real.

"A figment of your imagination? But the world of Investiture of the Gods you described is so vast, and those Daoist techniques are truly mesmerizing," Ji Xiaoyu said softly.

Clearly, she also enjoyed reading Investiture of the Gods.

Gu An pretended to be awkward, acting as if he didn't know how to respond.

"You must not tell anyone else about this. The influence of Investiture of the Gods is too great; the name Pan An has already spread throughout the Great Cang Dynasty, and other sects are all looking for you," Ji Xiaoyu cautioned him.

She thought for a moment, raised her right hand, and a flash of light emanated from the jade ring on her middle finger. A small bronze sword appeared in her palm.

"This is a Talisman Treasure. You only need to inject spiritual energy into it to activate it. This treasure can slay a Golden Core realm cultivator; keep it for your self-defense."

Ji Xiaoyu's words made Gu An take a closer look at the small bronze sword.

This was his first time encountering such a Talisman Treasure. Jiang Qiong had mentioned it to him before, noting that a Talisman Treasure cannot be bound to a master and requires stored spiritual energy to be used. They are usually left by powerful cultivators to protect their descendants, and he hadn't expected to be on the receiving end of one today.

He did not refuse and accepted the small bronze sword.

"Return to your room and rest. You don't need to guard the gate anymore."

Ji Xiaoyu closed her eyes again, her tone returning to its previous indifference.

Gu An raised his hand in a salute, then turned and left.

After leaving the courtyard, Gu An felt secretly curious. He had sensed an indescribable, mysterious aura about Ji Xiaoyu, a presence that inexplicably made one desire to possess it.

He didn't dwell on it and headed toward his own courtyard.

As more guests arrived, the interior of the Ji Mansion became lively, with figures everywhere.

Spirit Transmutation cultivators chatted and laughed, Nascent Soul cultivators stood by as companions, and Golden Core cultivators could only busy themselves with the chores; the status gap brought about by cultivation realms was fully exposed here in the Ji Mansion.

As he walked, Gu An suddenly spotted someone.

Jiang Qiong.

The two met in a corridor, face to face. Gu An was very calm, his expression unchanged, and Jiang Qiong was the same.

They brushed past each other, half a meter apart, when Gu An suddenly felt a jade pendant being pressed into his left hand.

"Use your divine sense to check it back in your room. We shall pretend not to know each other."

Jiang Qiong's voice entered Gu An's ears; she was using the Sound Transmission Technique.

Gu An gripped the jade pendant in his hand and left without looking back. The two passed each other just like that, as if they were complete strangers.

Inside his room, Gu An sat cross-legged on the bed. His left hand gripped the jade pendant, the back of his hand facing upward; even inside the room, he did not let the pendant be exposed.

He probed the pendant with his divine sense, and his brows furrowed quickly.

Inside the jade pendant was a remnant of Jiang Qiong's divine sense, telling him why she had come to the Ji Mansion.

Jiang Qiong's target for this visit was none other than Ji Xiaoyu.

It wasn't just her; the Thousand Autumn Pavilion and other Demonic Path sects had also sent spies, all wanting to snatch the Innate Dao Talisman within Ji Xiaoyu's body.

The Innate Dao Talisman is a very special power, like a bloodline, innate from birth. However, once the possessor reaches the Golden Core realm, the Innate Dao Talisman manifests on the Golden Core. At that point, as long as the Golden Core is seized, the Innate Dao Talisman will leave the cultivator's physical body.

According to Jiang Qiong, such a Dao Talisman is seen once in ten thousand years, even rarer than a Heavenly Spirit Root, and possesses the great fortune to change one's destiny.

No wonder Ji Xiaoyu's lifespan was so exaggerated; it was because of the Innate Dao Talisman.

Gu An was now in a dilemma. On one side was Jiang Qiong, and on the other was Ji Xiaoyu. Who should he support?

Forget it!

He wouldn't get involved. Jiang Qiong wouldn't make a move until the banquet was over anyway, and by the time Ji Xiaoyu reached the Golden Core realm, Gu An would have already returned to the Mystic Valley.

Gu An was very curious about the Innate Dao Talisman. Could the special aura he had sensed on Ji Xiaoyu earlier be the aura of the Innate Dao Talisman?

Even he, a powerful Void Crossing Realm cultivator, couldn't help but feel a hint of greed, which showed just how powerful the Innate Dao Talisman was.

As time passed, the banquet proceeded smoothly, and none of the lurking Demonic Cultivators made any rash moves.

At noon, Ji Xiaoyu even demonstrated the Qilin Step for the guests, and Gu An witnessed this from his courtyard.

Ji Xiaoyu stepped out of the courtyard, ascending with every step. With each movement, a Qilin manifestation appeared beneath her feet. After seven steps, the Qilin manifestations enveloped her body. At a glance, it looked as if seven dark red Qilins were standing in the air; it was quite spectacular.

With Gu An's keen eyesight, he could see that Ji Xiaoyu could take two more steps; nine steps was the limit of her Qilin Step.

But the limit of the Qilin Step was not nine steps. When practiced to the pinnacle, one could take a thousand steps, and a thousand Qilins could act as clones, capable of surrounding or confusing an opponent.

Regardless, it was truly remarkable that Ji Xiaoyu had mastered the Qilin Step at age thirty-four. Relying on the Qilin Step, she was enough to sweep through her own cultivation realm.

In the evening, Du Ye brought Gu Zong and Gu Yu to see Gu An.

Du Ye left after showing them the way, not daring to disturb them.

An hour later, Gu Zong left with a satisfied smile.

Gu An saw them to the courtyard gate. Gu Yu turned back, winked at Gu An, and said, "Remember, the version of me in your book must have many beautiful confidantes. In six months at most, I will come to find you. The Medicine Valley you want will definitely not be small!"