After much hesitation, Gu An ultimately decided to agree.
This was, after all, Yang Xian's life. Yang Xian and Fang Meng had once shared feelings for each other. Even without love, it was only right to bid farewell to an old companion at the end.
[You chose to visit Fang Meng. After preparing briefly, you departed the same day.]
[That year, you arrived at Blood Deer City and met Fang Meng. She lay on her bed, pale and lifeless, with a strange force surrounding her—a power similar to sword intent but more sinister and complex. Suspecting this force was linked to her condition, you probed further and discovered that Fang Meng had never married. The veiled woman was merely a descendant of the Fang family. Fang Meng, on her deathbed, wanted to test your feelings for her. Realizing this, you felt conflicted.]
[At the age of 509, despite your efforts, Fang Meng passed away. Standing before her grave, you fell into deep contemplation for months. During this time, your once-black hair turned white. Then, you sensed a faint force emanating from her tomb and drifting far away. Believing this force to be connected to Fang Meng's death, you decided to investigate. Before leaving, you engraved four words on her tombstone: "Wife of Yang Xian."]
Reading this, Gu An felt a pang of guilt.
If he had chosen to accept Fang Meng's love and marry her back then, would the ending have been different?
The notifications continued.
That mysterious force moved slowly. Along the way, Yang Xian dispensed justice and earned renown as the White-Clad Sword Knight.
Gradually, Yang Xian uncovered the dire state of the world: the common people suffered under the oppressive rule of the imperial court, while cultivator sects remained aloof, exploiting the mortal realm rather than offering aid.
As Yang Xian continued his journey, his enemies multiplied. Yet, with his unparalleled swordsmanship, no one could stand against him.
Years later, following the trail of the mysterious force, he arrived at the gates of the imperial capital. What he saw shocked him: corpses of commoners and cultivators alike, discarded outside the city in piles, forming mountains of death.
The force drifted into the imperial palace. But as a major sacrificial ceremony was underway, no one was allowed entry into the capital.
Gu An chose to force his way in.
This was undoubtedly a pivotal moment in Yang Xian's life. How could he falter here?
The notifications pressed on!
Yang Xian stormed the imperial capital despite overwhelming resistance. Though cornered on all sides, he invoked his mastery of "all things as swords," making it through unscathed.
Within the palace, he discovered the source of the mysterious force: the imperial court's Grandmaster. This figure had been using forbidden arts to steal the lifespans of others, including Fang Meng, channeling these stolen years to extend the emperor's life.
Yang Xian slew the Grandmaster, avenging countless victims. However, he quickly realized that the emperor himself was even more terrifying.
A fierce and bloody battle ensued.
Despite being gravely injured and without allies, Yang Xian ultimately slew the emperor.
As he left the capital, the surviving citizens knelt in gratitude. A young girl approached him and asked for his name.
Yang Xian, knowing the weight of his actions, did not hide the truth.
"The one who killed the emperor—Yang Xian."
Over the next year, Yang Xian returned to his secluded island to recover and continue his study of the sword.
Every few years, people came seeking his help. If their troubles were genuine and insurmountable, Yang Xian would intervene.
By the time Yang Xian reached a thousand years old, Gu An still couldn't discern his cultivation realm.
The notifications offered no direct mention of his level. However, subtle hints suggested that Yang Xian had already ascended to the Immortal Dao.
Yang Xian's journey was not one of luck or fortune. Unlike his other reincarnations, he relied solely on his own comprehension of the world and the Dao, never once using his ability to steal lifespans.
From Yang Xian, Gu An felt a profound sense of enlightenment—an unparalleled clarity surpassing even that of his other reincarnations.
Still, Gu An couldn't deny that Ji of the Yan Tribe's combat instincts remained unmatched. It was as if he was born solely for battle.
[At the age of 1,234, a cultivator arrived at your mountain island, claiming to be a disciple of the Sword God. He handed you an invitation. Upon opening it, you discovered that the so-called Sword God was actually your former disciple, Yang Ping'an. Yang Ping'an was about to ascend as the Sword Master of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Mansion and wished to invite you to the celebration. Do you choose to accept?]
What celebration! After all these years, not once did he return to visit. Now that he's basking in glory, he suddenly remembers his teacher?
Gu An directly made the choice on Yang Xian's behalf—to refuse.
Following Yang Xian's refusal, the cultivator could only leave.
From then on, Yang Xian continued his path of cultivation. Though challenges appeared along the way, they were mere ripples to him, easily overcome.
More and more locations and powers began appearing in the notifications, signifying Yang Xian's rising reputation.
During this time, many women showed admiration and affection for Yang Xian, but Gu An chose to reject all of them.
Five thousand years passed. Another visitor came to find Yang Xian, revealing his new title to the world:
Sword Saint!
This title was not merely a testament to his unmatched strength but also an ode to his deeds and spirit. Regardless of how high his cultivation grew, Yang Xian maintained his initial resolve. He helped those suffering from hardship without asking for reward.
He had slain world-shaking demons, exposed the evil schemes of so-called righteous sects, and stood against demonic forces intent on slaughtering imperial citizens. His many deeds spread far and wide, turning him into a living legend.
[At the age of 9,999, after ten years of meditation, you attained enlightenment. The Golden Core transformed into the Origin Core, achieving the Unrestrained Dao.]
Good heavens!
An Unrestrained Primordial Immortal before reaching 10,000 years old?
What kind of talent is this?
Without access to vast cultivation resources or the frequent guidance of great masters, Yang Xian's achievements were entirely his own.
After reaching the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal realm, Yang Xian's capabilities expanded even further, allowing him to uncover and confront the deepest evils of the Great Hong World.
Great Hong Heavenly Dao!
This was the most powerful force in the Great Hong World, reigning over the heavens as though they were gods. They looked down on all living beings, treating mortals as food and cultivators as sources of Dao energy to plunder. Hidden in the shadows, their atrocities were known to few, and those who learned the truth dared not speak out.
When a cultivator whose family was massacred by Great Hong Heavenly Dao sought Yang Xian's aid, he discovered the sinister depths of their deeds.
Although Great Hong Heavenly Dao possessed beings far stronger than the Ninth Heaven of the Immortal Dao, Yang Xian resolved to avenge the cultivator's family. He hunted down and slew one of their Unrestrained Primordial Immortals.
Decades later, emissaries from Great Hong Heavenly Dao came to recruit him.
Gu An, understanding Yang Xian's temperament, chose to refuse them outright.
Afterward, Yang Xian faced frequent ambushes from powerful cultivators. He defeated them all but eventually encountered a mysterious being of unparalleled strength.
Due to the immense gap in their cultivation, Yang Xian was struck down in a single blow and buried deep within a mountain.
At the moment of his imminent demise, a brilliant sword light slashed across the heavens, saving him.
It was none other than his first teacher—Myriad Sword Immortal Ancestor—the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Swords.
Myriad Sword Immortal Ancestor rescued Yang Xian and whisked him away from the Great Hong World to a secluded dimension for refuge.
The Ancestor warned Yang Xian, "Never again oppose Great Hong Heavenly Dao. If you provoke them further, even I won't be able to protect you."
Faced with the choice, Gu An opted for Yang Xian to temporarily endure and recover.
Once Yang Xian's injuries healed, Myriad Sword Immortal Ancestor began instructing him personally. After ten years of guidance, Myriad Sword Immortal Ancestor left, and Yang Xian resumed his cultivation.
No longer focused on helping individuals, Yang Xian turned his attention to the suffering of all beings in the Great Hong World.
Thus began another extended period of cultivation that spanned tens of thousands of years.
[At the age of 70,000, Yang Xian achieved the pinnacle of the Ninth Heaven of the Immortal Dao, reaching the realm of the Free Immortal!]