After hearing the explanation, Lin An finally understood.
In that case, even without his having Shen Xueyin contact Li Yao and Zhang Fan, the Azure Profound Sect might still have chosen Shen Xueyin.
After all, Shen Xueyin had already proven both her strength and her abilities.
“All right, enough about that. Since you’re here, stay for a simple meal.”
“It’s been many years since we last saw each other.”
Lin An did not continue the topic. He immediately instructed the servants to prepare a meal.
The gathering was a joyful one for both host and guests, and it lasted until late into the night.
In the days that followed, Shen Xueyin was overwhelmed with state affairs and preparations for her coronation, so she rarely visited the Lin residence.
Li Yao, meanwhile, spent most of her time accompanying her mother.
After all these years, her mother’s hair had long since turned completely white, and her lifespan was nearly exhausted.
This meeting might very well be their final farewell.
Zhang Fan, on the other hand, often accompanied Lin An to the pleasure quarters to listen to music, as though they had returned to the days of their childhood when they played together.
But all feasts must come to an end.
A month later, Shen Xueyin ascended the throne and was proclaimed emperor. She appointed Li Yao and Zhang Fan as honored retainers, while designating the Azure Profound Sect as the empire’s superior sect and promising to offer it a portion of the nation’s resources every year.
Shen Xueyin’s strength was too weak, and the new dynasty lacked a solid foundation. With the Azure Profound Sect as her backer, she would be in a much better position to control the newly established court.
Lin An also attended the coronation ceremony.
The scale of the event was truly impressive, and the ceremony was exceedingly grand.
Shen Xueyin wore a black dragon robe. Her bearing had become even more imposing, exuding an aura of authority that commanded respect without anger. A faint imperial aura also surrounded her.
In the end, Shen Xueyin named the new dynasty An, hoping that the empire would enjoy peace and prosperity.
After the coronation ceremony, Li Yao and Zhang Fan bade farewell and left the imperial capital.
After becoming empress, Shen Xueyin devoted herself diligently to state affairs and was busy every day. Even so, she would set aside some time each week to visit Lin An at his residence.
Outsiders had no idea what they discussed or did inside the Lin residence. All they knew was that Shen Xueyin frequently entered the estate, so they assumed that Lin An was the empress’s lover.
“Don’t come so often anymore. You’re the empress now, so you need to be mindful of your position and of the rumors.”
The moment Lin An heard these baseless rumors, he told Shen Xueyin to stop visiting so frequently.
He did not care about gossip, but he did find it troublesome.
Although Shen Xueyin was reluctant, she still obediently stopped coming to the Lin residence so often.
However, she would still occasionally visit Lin An, letting the nobles and powerful families know that the current empress stood behind him.
...
The days passed one after another.
A year later, Li Yao’s mother was nearing the end of her lifespan. She lay on her bed, her consciousness beginning to fade, so Lin An used a voice transmission talisman to summon Li Yao back.
When Li Yao’s mother saw her arrive, she briefly regained consciousness as though given a final burst of life. After speaking with Li Yao for a while, she sank into eternal sleep.
Li Yao stayed behind to handle her mother’s funeral arrangements. Before leaving, she sought Lin An out once more.
“Master, thank you for taking care of my mother all these years. Here are a thousand spirit stones, along with some offensive and defensive talismans and a few pills. Please accept them as a token of my gratitude.”
“I will never forget everything you did for me and my mother. If you ever need anything in the future, you can send me a voice transmission.”
Li Yao expressed her gratitude solemnly.
She now possessed a cultivation level at the late Foundation Establishment stage and had already been designated as the Azure Profound Sect’s next sect master.
Even so, whenever she saw Lin An, she would still address him as “Master.” It was clear that she had never forgotten his kindness.
Unfortunately, Lin An was a mortal, and there was very little she could do for him.
Otherwise, no matter the cost, she would have helped him embark on the path of cultivation.
“I understand. Go on. You still have a long road ahead of you. Don’t let the attachments of your mortal past hold you back.”
Lin An smiled and nodded. He did not refuse the gifts, but neither did he make any requests.
These would all serve as bargaining chips for investing in promising newcomers.
...
After Li Yao left, life returned to its usual tranquility.
In the imperial capital, Lin An could not exactly walk around as though he owned the place, but no one dared provoke him either. As a result, he rarely encountered anything troublesome.
Three years passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Lin An continued searching for his next investment target. Unfortunately, children with spiritual roots were simply too rare, and the various powerful families and noble clans were also vying to recruit them. Thus, he made no progress at all.
Lin An was not in a hurry, however. He had already attained immortality, so time held no meaning for him.
He continued living a leisurely, peaceful life until one day, a dazzling pillar of light rose in the east, stretching across ten thousand miles.
Such a vast phenomenon drew the attention of every major force.
“With such a huge commotion, it’s probably the emergence of some extraordinary treasure.”
Lin An gazed at the phenomenon in the east and could not help murmuring to himself.
Unfortunately, he was only a mortal. No matter how grand the phenomenon was, it had nothing to do with him.
Still, the emergence of a great treasure would likely bring a storm of bloodshed to the cultivation world.
He only hoped that he would not be dragged into it despite being a mortal.
Three days after the phenomenon appeared, Shen Xueyin came to see Lin An.
“Master, we’ve already determined the source of the phenomenon. An ancient secret realm is about to emerge.”
“Only cultivators below the Golden Core stage can enter.”
“I’m planning to go and take a look.”
Shen Xueyin told him what she knew and explained the purpose of her visit.
She looked at Lin An’s still-youthful face.
Although Master still looked young, his lifespan should be nearing its end.
She wanted to enter the ancient secret realm and see whether she could find some heavenly treasure capable of extending a mortal’s lifespan—or perhaps one that could grant a mortal a spiritual root.
“Be careful.”
“Li Yao and Zhang Fan should be going as well. If you run into danger, you can ask them for help.”
Lin An did not know what Shen Xueyin was thinking, so he merely offered a concerned reminder.
Shen Xueyin nodded, her expression complicated as she glanced at Lin An.
Over the next two days, Shen Xueyin arranged the affairs of the court. She then personally led an expedition, taking most of the cultivators from the Great An Empire to the ancient secret realm.
By the time she arrived, the area outside the secret realm was already surrounded by people from various immortal sects and other factions.
With so many forces dividing up the spoils, each faction would receive very little.
Thus, two days later, the five immortal and demonic sects with Golden Core ancestors joined forces to clear out the area, driving away all the factions hoping to fish in troubled waters.
Those factions were naturally dissatisfied, but when faced with Golden Core ancestors, they had no choice but to accept their fate.
Before long, ninety percent of the forces outside the secret realm had withdrawn.
As one of the five great immortal sects, the Azure Profound Sect naturally qualified for a share. Thanks to Li Yao and Zhang Fan’s influence, Shen Xueyin also obtained three entry slots, ensuring that her journey would not be in vain.
Half a month later, the secret realm opened. The five great immortal sects and the other sects and factions with entry slots sent their chosen representatives inside one after another.
Only after everyone had entered did they discover that the secret realm was a place of inheritance left behind by an ancient powerhouse before his ascension.
That powerhouse was known as the Undying Heavenly Emperor, and he had once suppressed an entire era.
The inheritance of an ascended powerhouse was an immense opportunity for everyone.
Moreover, the secret realm contained not only the inheritance, but also all manner of heavenly treasures, magical weapons, and cultivation manuals.
With so many temptations before them, a bloody slaughter was inevitable.
Shen Xueyin was only at the seventh level of Qi Condensation and could not gain any advantage inside the secret realm. She had no choice but to seek the protection of Li Yao and Zhang Fan.
The three formed a team, and they encountered no serious danger along the way.
Li Yao’s talent was extraordinary. Although she was only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, she could still fight a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator on equal terms.
Moreover, Zhang Fan was also in the late Foundation Establishment stage. Working together, the two of them could safely retreat even if they couldn’t win.
After a bloody battle, the three of them finally reached the entrance to the inheritance grounds.