"How long have you six great clans and four hidden sects existed?" Li Xuan pondered, then asked Gu Tianxuan.
Knowing this would allow Li Xuan to roughly estimate his master's age. Even if not perfectly accurate, it would be close.
"Replying to Young Master, counting from now, the six great clans and four hidden sects have developed for over fifty thousand years," Gu Tianxuan replied after a moment of contemplation.
"Over fifty thousand years..." Li Xuan let out a wry smile. Those beings within the Prison Suppressing Ring seemed to have existed for slightly less time. By this calculation, his master must have lived for at least fifty thousand years.
"Truly an old monster," Li Xuan rubbed his brow. His master was far too mysterious.
Li Xuan distinctly remembered that most of the beings in Prison Suppressing were suppressed for tens of thousands of years. Even the Heavenly Dao Brush had rested quietly in its chamber for quite some time.
Heavenly Dao Brush: "..."
"Elder Gu, I will continue to address you as such. Besides the Gu family, are the remaining clans and hidden sects your master's subordinates?" Li Xuan collected his thoughts and asked Gu Tianxuan.
Gu Tianxuan nodded slightly. "On this Hun Tian Continent, we, the six great clans and four hidden sects, are all the Master's subordinates. To put it plainly, the entire Hun Tian Continent belongs to the Master."
"Why is that?" Li Xuan asked with some surprise.
Gu Tianxuan's expression turned serious. "At that time, our Hun Tian Continent faced a life-or-death crisis, and the Master resolved the trouble with just a single sword strike. Therefore, the ten of us immediately decided to follow the Master."
Gu Tianxuan paused, a confident expression surfacing. "And to put it bluntly, within the Hun Tian Continent, no one dares to challenge the authority of us, the six great clans and four hidden sects."
Li Xuan could only offer a wry smile. It turned out the six great clans and four hidden sects had unilaterally pledged their allegiance.
What surprised Li Xuan even more was that a crisis that caused Gu Tianxuan and the other nine to feel a sense of life-or-death was resolved by his master with a single sword strike.
In his memory, it seemed that every being his master had interacted with had been dealt with in a single sword strike.
"Elder Gu, the formation gate I saw when I entered here, are the ancestors of each family within it?" Li Xuan thought for a moment and asked again.
Gu Tianxuan nodded. "We have been deceased for too long. The world within this formation gate can allow us to survive for a longer period. Young Master, in fact, there is a wisp of the Master's sword energy within. The fact that we can preserve a wisp of our souls is also due to the protection of that sword energy."
"A wisp of sword energy?" Li Xuan's heart stirred, and he immediately closed his eyes, his consciousness rapidly exploring in all directions.
Gu Tianxuan did not stop him, watching Li Xuan with some anticipation. If Li Xuan was truly the Master's disciple, he would undoubtedly be able to sense the presence of that sword energy.
Time flowed quietly. Li Xuan frowned slightly and then opened his eyes.
He hadn't sensed it!
As Li Xuan opened his eyes and was about to speak, his heart suddenly moved, and his Master Sword instantly appeared in his hand.
"Go!" Li Xuan waved his left hand, and the Master Sword appeared in mid-air.
Since he couldn't sense the wisp of sword energy, Li Xuan remembered that he hadn't even met his master, let alone learned his swordsmanship. However, this Master Sword was forged by his master, and in terms of closeness to his master, it was undoubtedly closer than himself.
*Yin!*
The Master Sword, aware of Li Xuan's thoughts, let out a sword cry that resonated.
*Yin!*
Indeed, as the Master Sword's cry echoed, another sword cry quickly responded.
The next moment, a terrifying aura swept over them. Immediately after, a wisp of sword energy slowly condensed.
Li Xuan glanced at it. This wisp of sword energy was very small, only a tiny portion. Compared to the wisp of sword energy that had suppressed the five stone coffins in the first layer of the Prison Suppressing Ring, it was indeed only about one-tenth the size.
*Yin!*
The Master Sword let out another cry, followed by a suction force that directly drew the wisp of sword energy into its body.
Gu Tianxuan, standing nearby, his pupils contracted slightly, but soon, his face lit up with excitement.
This wisp of sword energy did not attack Li Xuan or the Master Sword. Moreover, it seemed to be cooperating willingly.
At this moment, Gu Tianxuan was certain that Li Xuan before him was the Master's disciple.
*Weng.*
The next moment, the Master Sword let out a humming sound and flew back into Li Xuan's hand.
Huh?
Li Xuan, holding the Master Sword, felt that it seemed to have undergone some change. He immediately unleashed a sword strike.
*Boom!*
A sword light flashed out, and a dark mark appeared in the air. Gu Tianxuan's pupils contracted slightly. The sturdiness of the Snow Spirit Illusion Realm was naturally stronger than that of the Hun Tian Continent.
Yet, it had just been broken by Li Xuan's sword strike.
In fact, Li Xuan himself was also shocked, not because his strength had increased, but because the power of the Master Sword had grown.
"Elder Gu, I've absorbed the wisp of sword energy from this Snow Spirit Illusion Realm. Will this cause any trouble for this world?" Li Xuan's heart stirred as he asked Gu Tianxuan.
Within his perception, Li Xuan had discovered that the wisp of sword energy had been completely absorbed by the Master Sword. And this wisp of sword energy was the one that protected Gu Tianxuan's soul. He wondered if this would cause any issues.
Gu Tianxuan smiled and shook his head. "After so many years of nourishment, my soul has stabilized considerably. Even without the Master's wisp of sword energy, my soul could still survive for another ten years."
Li Xuan felt a pang of guilt. After all, there were still problems. And Li Xuan knew that if he hadn't entered here, Gu Tianxuan's soul could have survived for a much longer time.
"Young Master need not feel this way. The reason I have been lingering in this world is to wait for you. If I cannot even wait for you, then what is the meaning of my slumber for hundreds or even more years?"
Perhaps sensing Li Xuan's guilt, Gu Tianxuan said with a smile.
"Young Master, their purpose in existing is for you. Even if they can only exist for another year or even a month, it is enough for them. After all, they have already perished and should have returned to the heavens long ago."
The voice of the Heavenly Dao Brush also sounded in Li Xuan's mind at this moment.
Li Xuan nodded slightly and then looked at Gu Tianxuan. "Elder Gu, is there anything you need my help with?"
Li Xuan thought that since Gu Tianxuan was waiting for him, there must be something he needed help with. Otherwise, it wouldn't be like this. If it was within his ability, Li Xuan wouldn't mind resolving this karma.
A flicker of joy appeared in Gu Tianxuan's eyes, and he nodded. "Indeed, there is."
Li Xuan let out a wry smile. "Elder Gu, please tell me what it is."
Gu Tianxuan took a deep breath and then spoke with anticipation. "I implore Young Master to vindicate our Gu family!"