"Of course, you can. Who do you have in mind? Should we go take a look now?" Xiao Chuan agreed without hesitation, even standing up in anticipation.
Gu An quickly waved his hand. "No rush, not now."
Xiao Chuan tilted his head and replied, "Why not just take a quick look? Maybe someone will catch your eye today."
"It's not urgent. The disciple I want to take hasn't even been born yet," Gu An clarified with a smile.
Xiao Chuan sat back down, deep in thought. Over the years, he had occasionally entered a peculiar, mystical state where his cultivation bottlenecks would effortlessly dissolve, providing moments of sudden enlightenment.
Reflecting on it now, he realized these moments likely had something to do with his senior brother, Gu An.
Xiao Chuan chuckled to himself. For someone as ordinary as he was, his only stroke of fortune had been meeting Gu An. Without Gu An's guidance and the innate Reincarnation Technique, Xiao Chuan would likely have perished long ago.
As their conversation shifted toward recent events in the cultivation world, Gu An easily captured Xiao Chuan's attention.
The two talked until nightfall before Gu An finally left, heading to the Eight Views Heavenly Cave for a quiet night alone.
Underneath the ancient Ancient Vine Tree, Gu An reclined lazily. His divine sense swept through the mountain and out into the skies beyond.
Ever since the sudden arrival of the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor, the Sacred Court had dispatched numerous powerful cultivators to patrol the outer skies. The weakest among them were in the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, and their presence had caused tension even among cultivators at the same level attempting to traverse the skies.
Rumors about the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor's attack on the Sacred Court had spread far and wide. Although no one knew the exact details, the very act of storming the Sacred Court had sent shockwaves through the entire realm.
Gu An could feel a palpable sense of unease in the world, though he couldn't pinpoint its exact source.
For now, at least, his divine sense confirmed that the world remained relatively peaceful.
One notable change was that after the death of the Great Ming Sacred King, Yang Jian had returned to the Immortal Dynasty. Gu An couldn't help but wonder how Yang Jian was faring.
Without the Great Ming Sacred King, Yang Jian should have been able to reclaim his title of Sacred King.
Gu An was particularly curious about how beings like Yang Jian, who had reincarnated, managed to restore their former cultivation. Did they have to cultivate all over again?
From what he observed, Ji Xiaoya didn't appear to require any sort of re-cultivation. The innate Dao Seal within her contained immense power, capable of instantly returning her to her peak state if necessary.
This line of thought led Gu An to consider tapping into the cycle of reincarnation once more to further enhance his lifespan.
But he held himself back.
He couldn't afford to squander his remaining lifespan. His top priority was reaching the one-billion-year mark as quickly as possible to make his next breakthrough.
The fact that two Divine Thought True Immortals had appeared recently made Gu An increasingly uneasy.
"I must always be the strongest within my environment; otherwise, I won't feel safe," he reminded himself.
One billion years... I need to push harder!
With his goal firmly in mind, Gu An threw himself into his work. Using the resources of Seeking Immortal Island, he collected a greater variety of high-level spiritual herbs while also expanding the cultivation capacity of Dingtian Peak.
The Immortal Dynasty had also delivered his official stipend—a gesture performed by none other than a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal. Posing as the Sword Master of the Dao, Gu An accepted it at the edge of the mainland.
The benefits of holding a third-tier heavenly rank were staggering. Millions of supreme-grade spirit stones, a hundred bottles of high-quality spiritual elixirs, and an extensive collection of rare herb seeds were included. This bounty significantly accelerated Gu An's progress in accumulating lifespan.
His days were now packed. Whether he was traveling across the realm, mentoring An Xin in her cultivation, or lecturing disciples like Ye Lan, Xiao Chuan, and Zhen Qin, there was never a moment of idleness.
Thirty years passed in the blink of an eye.
By early autumn, the Hidden Paradise Cave Heaven enjoyed a bountiful harvest. Gu An reaped the rewards with a staggering gain of fifty million years of lifespan.
For now, he could only harvest seventh-grade spiritual herbs. The eighth and ninth-grade herbs still required more time to mature.
Feeling content, Gu An wandered into the Medicine Valley, humming a cheerful tune. With his lifespan nearing 7.5 billion years, his smile refused to fade.
From a distance, he spotted Shen Xin Zi and Long Qing.
The master-disciple relationship between the two was now well-known. Despite Shen Xin Zi's rigorous guidance, Long Qing still couldn't generate even the faintest trace of spiritual energy. As a result, he had turned to body refinement.
Remarkably, Long Qing's innate celestial physique was indeed formidable. At sixty years old, his physical strength was terrifying, capable of rivaling even a Core Formation Realm Blood Prison Saint.
Gu An had previously elevated the Blood Prison Saint to the Core Formation Realm, while An Xin's cultivation had similarly advanced to that level. As for himself, he now stood firmly in the Nascent Soul Realm.
An Xin's actual cultivation had reached the seventh layer of the Nascent Soul Realm. After Gu An had temporarily lifted the restrictions of the Innate Reincarnation Technique and regularly taught her, her maximum lifespan had increased to 570 years.
Gu An noticed Long Qing brimming with excitement, a clear sign of progress in his body refinement path that day.
"Master!"
Spotting Gu An, Long Qing immediately waved and called out energetically.
Shen Xin Zi also acknowledged Gu An with a polite nod.
Gu An approached them, ready to chat and inquire about Long Qing's progress.
At that moment, the ground began to tremble violently, sending waves of panic throughout the valley.
Shen Xin Zi frowned and stomped his foot. A brilliant golden light burst forth from within him, expanding rapidly to encompass the entire Third Medicine Valley. As the valley calmed under his divine power, everyone sighed in relief.
For Long Qing, it was his first time experiencing Shen Xin Zi's power firsthand. Turning to his master, his face was filled with awe.
Shen Xin Zi, radiant with golden light, seemed like a divine figure descended upon the world, exuding an overwhelming divine might.
As Gu An played along with the commotion, his divine sense extended outward. The entire Tai Cang Continent was trembling, and even the surrounding oceans surged with towering waves.
The source of all this chaos lay in a distant continent, where lightning streaked across the sky, and violent winds raged.
His divine sense quickly locked onto a figure.
Suspended in mid-air, this person stood above a landscape of utter destruction spanning thousands of miles, with dust and debris swirling in a storm-like haze.
This was a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal!
Their blood energy was surging wildly!
It seemed they had cultivated a powerful physique, one Gu An judged to be comparable to Yang Jian's Abyssal Tyrant Body.
Gu An observed as numerous high-level cultivators rushed toward this Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal. He didn't linger, retracting his divine sense quickly. Stepping forward, he approached Shen Xin Zi and asked, his voice tinged with concern, "What's happening?"
Shen Xin Zi stared at the distant horizon, his expression grave.
"Master, don't worry! With my second master here, even if the sky falls, we're safe!" Long Qing blurted out, his words filled with blind confidence. He was practically boasting, and his excitement made Gu An want to laugh.
Smiling with a look of relief, Gu An began asking Long Qing about his cultivation progress.
When the topic shifted to his training, Long Qing became even more animated. He proudly declared that he had just mastered a ferocious fist technique capable of shattering a thirty-zhang-high mountain with a single punch.
Shen Xin Zi, uninterested in the conversation, disappeared into thin air.
Elsewhere.
Ji Xiaoya stepped out of her residence, gazing into the distant sky.
"The Reverse Blood Treasure Body—a rarity. The Heavenly Spirirt Grand Heaven World indeed harbors untapped potential. Perhaps when the Immortal Dynasty falls one day, this world will truly flourish."
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor appeared beside Ji Xiaoya, his tone laced with amusement.
Ji Xiaoya turned to him and asked, "The Immortal Dynasty is so powerful. How could it possibly fall?"
With his arms crossed, the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor closed his eyes and chuckled. "Nothing is certain. No matter how mighty a force, its destiny will one day run its course. The Immortal Dynasty has existed for far too long; its tribulation draws near. That's also why the Sacred Heavenly Wheel exists."
Ji Xiaoya glanced at Gu An in the distance before asking, "Can you predict when the Immortal Dynasty's tribulation will arrive?"
"Of course not. The heavenly secrets cannot be divulged. As powerful as I am, before the Heavenly Dao, I am no different from a mere mortal." The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor shook his head.
"Just watch. Something spectacular will unfold soon."
With that, he vanished without a trace.
Ji Xiaoya's brows furrowed deeply. She didn't believe in his so-called "spectacle." The "good show" in the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor's words was undoubtedly a calamity of grand proportions. If it involved the Immortal Dynasty, it would be no small matter.
Half an hour later, the tremors across the Tai Cang Continent finally subsided. However, the quake had left countless mortals homeless and devastated. Even the creatures of the mountains and forests weren't spared.
The major sects immediately dispatched their disciples to help those in need.
This, however, had nothing to do with Gu An. If a great enemy descended upon the continent that no one could resist, he might step in. But natural disasters? He had no intention of involving himself.
Intervening too often could set dangerous expectations. If Gu An failed to act someday, he'd be blamed. He couldn't let the world see him as obligated to protect everything.
For mortals, disasters—natural or otherwise—were an unavoidable part of life, varying only in magnitude.
By nightfall, Gu An witnessed the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal clashing with high-ranking cultivators from major sects. The battle even drew the attention of the Main City of the Broken Sea Region, forcing the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal to intervene.
The person's physique was undeniably formidable. Even when besieged by multiple Heaven and Earth Flying Immortals, he held his ground. It wasn't until the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal joined the fray that he was subdued.
Captured by the Immortal Dynasty, his fate was uncertain.
Gu An didn't dwell on it. The world frequently produced individuals capable of shaking the heavens. Previously, the Broken Sea Region was too distant for such events to affect it, but now, that no longer seemed to be the case.
Years passed.
Five years later.
On Dingtian Peak in Mortal Peak.
In a tranquil courtyard, Gu An listened as Zhu Xinglan gave a report. Nearby, An Xin meditated, focused on her cultivation.
"It's rare for the Immortal Dynasty to invite sects from across the realm to attend a conference. The Main Peak hopes you'll accompany us, Master, to guard against any potential danger," Zhu Xinglan explained, his brow furrowed.
Gu An, holding a book casually, asked, "What kind of conference?"
"It's a banquet. The Yangxian Emperor of the Immortal Dynasty intends to engage the world's sects in a discussion on the Dao. He's also offering immortal fruits. It's said these fruits take a million years to mature, and consuming one enhances comprehension and refines the body. Whether it's true, I'm not certain."
"Is that so? Then I won't go."
"Understood. I'll inform the Main Peak."
Zhu Xinglan agreed without further persuasion. He, too, worried for Gu An's safety. With Dingtian Peak finally rising to prominence thanks to Gu An's efforts, Zhu Xinglan didn't want him entangled in unnecessary danger.
Hearing about the immortal fruit piqued Gu An's interest. However, upon further thought, he realized that such a gathering of sects could easily lead to trouble.
Perhaps the Immortal Dynasty itself would take action.
If he didn't attend, he'd merely miss out. If he went, he might invite calamity.
Gu An instructed Zhu Xinglan to expand Dingtian Peak's herb cultivation, framing it as a way to provide more resources for disciples. Zhu Xinglan was moved by the gesture.
Having a master like this was truly their fortune.
After Zhu Xinglan departed, Gu An finally set his book aside.
Suddenly, he sensed a familiar presence.
Lu Lingjun.
Once again, she had arrived at Mortal Peak with the Xi Ling Sacred Mother, accompanied by a Unrestrained Primordial Immortal. The Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect had also sent representatives, likely to discuss some major matter.
Gu An paid no heed to it. Rising, he said, "Xin'er, let's head back."
Hearing this, An Xin promptly stood, ready to follow Gu An.