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

The Origin Tree of Ephemera broke through the soil, unleashing massive and dense branches, countless leaves rapidly growing, enveloping the entire Wanji Forest with a coverage reaching tens of thousands of miles, its trunk as colossal as a great mountain.

A ghastly and terrifying human face grew out of the Origin Tree of Ephemera's trunk, exhibiting only facial features, revealing a greedy and cruel smile that made the numerous captives below feel their hearts and gallbladders split in terror.

At that moment, countless people fainted from fright.

All were sealed with Talisman Paper on their bodies, unable to speak, and for this reason, their fear escalated to the extreme.

Upon seeing a human face grow on the Origin Tree of Ephemera, all the Mahayana Cultivators from the nine dynasties went insane.

"Everyone, we have no place to retreat, think of your descendants, your disciples, if we fail today, there will be no land in this world for the Human Race to stand on!"

A domineering voice thundered across heaven and earth, as deafening as thunder.

As the words fell, a dazzling golden light burst from the horizon, speeding forth unstoppable.

The four Mystic Heart Cultivators of the Ephemera Sect appeared out of nowhere in the sky, simultaneously casting spells, attempting to intercept this golden light.

However, just as the two were about to collide, the golden light burst forth with thousands of beams, continuing to charge forward.

A majestic blue river came from behind, on top stood a man in a black robe, holding a Zen Stick, his Spiritual Power vast, stirring up waves.

From other directions, Great Cultivators arrived, each displaying Divine Skills, a spectacular sight.

All Mystic Heart Cultivators on the nine dynasties' side began to charge with all their might, vowing to reach the Origin Tree of Ephemera.

Lv Baitian raised the big flag in his hand high, and beneath him, a hundred thousand Inner Sect Disciples simultaneously revealed their Magic Artifacts, they quickly shifted, altering formations, myriad Spiritual Power dragons rose into the sky — fire dragons, ice dragons, with the intertwining dragons roaring, shaking heaven and earth.

Lu Lingjun stood on a white python, soaring across the sky, she released the swords from her hands and then drew a large bow, pulling the bowstring taut, Spiritual Power converging into arrows.

Nature's spiritual energy surged towards this arrow, gathering together, causing its aura to explode, and her right hand pulling the bowstring gleamed with a dazzling light.

From another direction, Daoist Tianshu from the Three Pure Ones Mountain led dozens of Daoists swiftly towards the Wanji Forest.

A battle far surpassing the previous ones erupted!

...

Boom!

In Mystic Valley, Gu An stood on top of a mountain, hearing the distant booming sounds, beside him, Chu Jingfeng was thrilled, unable to remain calm.

"This commotion..." Chu Jingfeng frowned and spoke, he could feel the sound coming from a very distant place, which made him think of the Wanji Forest of the Taichen Dynasty.

The battle of Wanji Forest had already spread across the Immortal Cultivation World; those Servant Disciples who had roamed the Outer Sect had come back and talked about it.

This battle had started a while ago, yet now suddenly erupted with such terrifying noise, it was hard to imagine what exactly had happened.

Dark clouds began to gather in the sky, fierce and threatening, as if intending to cover the heavens.

Gu An looked towards the distance, softly saying, "The moment of life and death for the nine dynasties has arrived, it's a pity we can't do much, only pray that the heavens stand on the side of the Righteous Path."

Chu Jingfeng took a deep breath and asked, "What kind of realm must one reach to save all lives with one's own power?"

Gu An glanced at him, asking with a smile, "So, you still harbor such ideals?"

"Sword Venerable Fudao has repeatedly saved Supreme Sect by himself; as a Sword Cultivator, naturally, he is the person I hope to become. Yet, the longer I practice, the more I feel my talent and comprehension are very mediocre," Chu Jingfeng said as he gazed into the distance, his eyes becoming blank.

Gu An laughed and said, "If you've realized this, then you better practice diligently the Daoist Expansion Skill I taught you. Although this Cultivation Technique comes from the Thousand-Autumn Pavilion, I haven't mastered it myself, but I believe you can. I hope you can go and see the Mortal World for me a thousand years from now."

Chu Jingfeng looked at him, frowning and asked, "You always urge me not to give up hope, why are you giving up on yourself?"

Gu An turned around, patted his shoulder, said nothing, and walked down the mountain.

Chu Jingfeng chased after him, asking, "Where are you going?"

"If tomorrow is the end of days, I want to be with my beloved herbs," Gu An dropped these words and disappeared into the woods.

Chu Jingfeng was stunned for a moment, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

"Compared to him, I really am worrying over nothing…" Chu Jingfeng thought silently to himself, then looked back up at the horizon.

Just then, a gust of wind swept from the horizon, stirring his robes, squinting his eyes.

The wind had risen.

...

After walking around in Mystic Valley, Gu An finally returned to his attic, he closed the room door, activated the restrictions within the room, and then directed his Divine Sense towards Wanji Forest.

He felt spatial fluctuations within the Origin Tree of Ephemera, these fluctuations were very covert, and he was able to perceive them because he sensed an unfamiliar aura inside the Origin Tree of Ephemera.

Mahayana Realm!

Gu An had spent many years in the Mahayana Realm, he was very familiar with the aura of the Mahayana Realm.

The time had finally come!

Just then, Gu An felt someone calling him again, he paid close attention.

It was Sage Xuan Miao again!

Hasn't this fellow learned his lesson?

Far in the North Sea Mountains, Sage Xuan Miao arrived in the forest where he had met the Mountain God before, kneeling on the ground, continuously kowtowing.

For a long time.

Sage Xuan Miao couldn't remember how many kowtows he had performed when the voice of the Mountain God reached his ears, causing his body to stiffen.

"Hey, kid, what are you bothering me for again, do you have that many treasures to offer me?"

Sage Xuan Miao looked up, seeing the Mountain God squatting on a branch, tilting its head towards him.

He hastily said, "The lands of the nine dynasties will soon face an overwhelming disaster, and when the people of the nine dynasties perish and demons invade, there will be no one left to worship you!"

"Who said that only humans can worship me, and who told you that I only protect the human race?"

Facing the Mountain God's enquiry, Sage Xuan Miao was stunned and suddenly did not know how to respond.

Gu An followed up, saying, "I might lend a hand, but..."

"But what? What do you want?" Sage Xuan Miao pressed, his expression very agitated.

Gu An's tone suddenly turned chillingly cold, "I want you to serve as my eternal servant, to cultivate and guard my Taoist temple, and to never have freedom for the rest of your life!"

Upon hearing this, Sage Xuan Miao's face drastically changed, and he fell into silence.

Gu An had come with the intention of using his identity as a Mountain God to eliminate a Mahayana Cultivator from the Ephemera Sect.

He initially wanted to use the identity of Sword Venerable Fudao, but feared that it might attract more consequences for the Supreme Sect in the future, so he decided to act as a Mountain God.

After all, this situation was different; the cultivation level of that Mahayana Cultivator was nearing the ninth layer of the Mahayana Realm, and his vast aura was far beyond any opponent Gu An had previously faced.

Eliminating such a powerful being would have significant implications!

Since the identity of a Mountain God was elusive and intangible, even if the Ephemera Sect had support, they would have to think twice.

Gu An did not want to get entangled in endless troubles.

Sword Venerable Fudao protected the Supreme Sect, and the Mountain God protected the people of the nine dynasties!

By subordinating Sage Xuan Miao, he not only punished him but also wanted Sage Xuan Miao to help him establish a medicinal garden.

Being the second-ranked talent on the Golden List, Sage Xuan Miao had enough strength to guard the medicinal garden.

After struggling for a few moments, Sage Xuan Miao gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I am willing to serve as the servant of the Mountain God, as long as the Mountain God saves the people of the world!"

Gu An waved his sleeve, and a wooden figurine fell into Sage Xuan Miao's hand.

This wooden figurine was carved in the likeness of Gu An's Mountain God.

Sage Xuan Miao picked up the wooden figurine, looked up toward Gu An, but his figure was nowhere to be seen.

"Carry it to save the people."

The voice of Gu An echoed through the forest, and Sage Xuan Miao's cultivation began to recover, bringing joy to his face.

Path of Returning Primordial Spirit, release!

Sage Xuan Miao immediately rose to his feet and headed toward Wanji Forest at full speed, bursting with the velocity of the Divinity Transformation Realm, disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

...

Boom! Boom! Boom...

The great rumbling reverberated surrounding the Mahayana Array from all directions, deafening, as seven dignitaries of the Ephemera Sect floated in front of the Origin Tree of Ephemera, standing side by side, half-kneeling in mid-air.

Following their gaze, a black crack adorned with a human face on the forehead of the Ephemera Tree oozed black flames, as if a terrifying being was about to step forth.

Looking further down, at the feet of the prisoners on the ground, those runes emitting blood light densely packed, formed arrays of beautiful but mournful light arcs rising up.

The activation of the Mahayana Array had commenced!

The terrifying pressure of the formation stimulated the hearts of the cultivators at the edge of Wanji Forest belonging to the nine dynasties; the cultivators had gone mad, charging forth heedlessly, falling dead every moment.

Lu Lingjun, too, was fiercely battling, unable to break through the defensive line formed by dozens of Mystic Heart Realm Great Cultivators.

The sky grew dark, thunder clouds tumbled about, lightning flashed, and thunder roared as if even the heavens were lamenting.

Suddenly, a giant claw emerged from the clouds, directly grabbing the branches of the Origin Tree of Ephemera to uproot it entirely, causing the tree to tremble violently.

"How dare you!"

The seven dignitaries of the Ephemera Sect shouted in unison, each taking action. Their Divine Skills exploded in force, jointly repelling the giant claw.

Right then, a massive red snake descended from the sky, this snake bearing claws and a head resembling a human face. From afar, it looked like a woman's face smeared with rouge, with wild and disheveled hair, quite frightening in this dark and gloomy world.

The body of the snake was a hundred zhang thick and stretched for an unknown number of miles.

"It's the Divine Beast of our Taichen Dynasty, Chen Snake!"

A cultivator exclaimed excitedly, greatly boosting the morale of the nine dynasties' cultivators.

The aura of Chen Snake was ancient and vast, far surpassing the ordinary Mystic Heart Realm; its appearance brought a strong sense of hope to the nine dynasties.

Chen Snake opened its massive mouth, spewing out magma like a torrential flood, sweeping towards the Ephemera Tree.

Just then!

A beam of blood light burst from the black crack on the forehead of the Ephemera Tree's human face, fiercely annihilating the rolling magma, sweeping across a hundred miles, piercing through Chen Snake's throat, and hot blood sprayed like that from a trumpeting elephant, echoing through the heavens and earth.

Chen Snake fell, stirring up thousands of zhang of dust, causing the ground to shake violently.

A terrifying pressure, far surpassing the Mystic Heart Realm, enveloped the entire Taichen Dynasty.

"An Ancient Species dares to call itself a Divine Beast?"

The voice of Butcher Immortal Jing resounded, his tone cold and filled with murderous intent, as if originating from a Demon God of the Nine Nether, sending chills down the spine of anyone who heard it.

While battling, Lu Lingjun turned her head, her pretty face drastically changed, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Facing this pressure, her Spiritual Power seemed to be suppressed.

The opponent's realm was definitely higher than the Mystic Heart Realm!

"The Immortal of the Ephemera Sect has descended, why aren't you kneeling down yet to receive the favor of the Ephemera Immortal?" a Mahayana Cultivator of the Ephemera Sect laughed maniacally.

The Mystic Heart Realm Great Cultivators from the nine dynasties no longer cared about his provocation, all looking terrified towards the Origin Tree of Ephemera.