Mo Bian'an?
Gu An had never heard this name before. Without hesitation, he activated lifespan investigation to gather more details.
[Mo Bian'an (Free Immortal Realm, Ninth Level): 58,027,612/500,000,000/1,000,000,000]
Five hundred million years of lifespan!
A maximum lifespan of one billion years!
Why would this person harbor such intense hostility toward him?
Could it be that Shen Zhen's eerie behavior was due to this individual's control?
Gu An fixed his gaze on Shen Zhen before him, deliberately feigning a look of confusion.
Shen Zhen tilted her head slightly, her eyes locking onto Gu An. "Is there a problem?" she asked.
Though the voice was hers, the tone was undeniably foreign.
Gu An feigned a nervous response. "No, none at all."
Shen Zhen released his hand and took a step to the side, her gaze lingering on An Shengtian. Her piercing look sent shivers down An Shengtian's spine.
After a moment, Shen Zhen chuckled softly and turned to leave.
An Shengtian let out a deep breath, then approached Gu An, clearly uneasy. He opened his mouth to speak, but Gu An raised a hand to silence him.
Once Shen Zhen had exited the forest, Gu An's expression turned cold and stern.
"Master Ancestor, she…" An Shengtian ventured cautiously. The memory of Shen Zhen's unsettling gaze left him shaken, as if he had been targeted by a predator.
"No need to worry," Gu An replied curtly.
Hearing this, An Shengtian immediately relaxed.
Those two words were enough reassurance.
An Shengtian knew well that Gu An was none other than the legendary Sword Master of the Dao, revered for the awe-inspiring Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc he had unleashed years ago. With Gu An backing him, what was there to fear?
All he needed to do was focus on his cultivation and strive to surpass An Hao, bringing honor to Gu An.
Gu An patted An Shengtian on the shoulder, signaling him to carry on.
Watching Gu An's retreating figure, An Shengtian couldn't help but touch his shoulder, a grin spreading across his face.
The Spring Festival festivities carried on in high spirits. Despite having Mo Bian'an on his mind, Gu An maintained a composed demeanor, engaging warmly with the disciples and celebrating alongside them.
In recent years, the chaos that had once engulfed the Tai Cang Continent had subsided significantly, thanks to Gu An's decisive actions. As a result, the disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect were able to enjoy the festival with peace of mind, their hearts brimming with hope for the future.
Late into the night, at the Third Medicine Valley.
Gu An sat at a desk in his pavilion, his eyes closed as his divine sense swept across the vast expanse of the Heavenly Spirit World in search of clues.
Failing to find anything resembling Shen Zhen's karmic ties, he extended his divine sense further into the cosmos.
Although Mo Bian'an's cultivation was inferior to his own, Gu An could not tolerate being the target of such animosity.
Especially when that hatred was directed toward his true self.
He must eliminate Mo Bian'an to prevent future calamities.
That night, Gu An was the most restless person within the Tai Xuan Sect.
By dawn, he had finally pinpointed Mo Bian'an's location.
The man was hiding in the Desolation Domain, a desolate realm, and had gathered a horde of malevolent demons under his command. It was evident that he was plotting something.
Gu An rose from his seat, left the pavilion, and descended the stairs.
Just as he reached the ground floor, Ji Xiaoya stepped out from her room and called out to him.
"What's wrong?" Gu An asked with a smile.
Ji Xiaoya approached him, her eyes scanning him carefully.
Gu An touched his face and asked, "Is there something wrong with me?"
Ji Xiaoya fixed her gaze on his eyes and said, "There's a deathly aura clinging to you. Have you been targeted by something unclean?"
Feigning panic, Gu An replied, "Really? Don't scare me like that!"
He knew Ji Xiaoya wasn't mistaken. Ever since Mo Bian'an's gaze fell upon him, a strand of karmic energy had latched onto him, growing stronger by the moment.
Gu An had deliberately refrained from dispelling the karmic thread, using it as a means to trace Mo Bian'an's location.
"Perhaps it's just my imagination," Ji Xiaoya said, noting his apparent distress. However, her heart was filled with unease.
What exactly had Gu An encountered?
Although she had recovered fragments of her past-life memories, she was still far from regaining her full strength. As such, her ability to perceive the intricacies of Gu An's karmic ties remained limited.
"You're just trying to scare me," Gu An muttered. "Now I'll be worried about running into trouble the moment I step outside."
"Then don't go out," Ji Xiaoya countered. "What I don't understand is why you keep managing so many medicine valleys when you already have endless resources at your disposal."
"You don't get it. This is life. To live as a person, one must find purpose in their actions."
"Hmph, you're definitely hiding something."
"Don't you dare follow me. If I catch you, we're cutting all ties. Ever heard of privacy?"
"Who gave you the right to privacy?"
"The heavens, of course. Do you dare to oppose?"
Gu An and Ji Xiaoya continued bickering, their voices light and teasing. Eventually, Ji Xiaoya pinched Gu An a few times, forcing him to flee in mock terror.
As Gu An walked away, Ji Xiaoya stood watching his retreating figure, her brows furrowed in concern. She couldn't shake off the ominous feeling that trouble loomed over Gu An.
Heading toward the teleportation platform, Gu An noticed Long Qing walking toward the valley's exit.
"Heading out to box again?" Gu An asked with a smile.
Long Qing, who had been training under Shen Xin Zi for years, had developed a formidable physique. His physical strength surpassed even those in the Void Crossing Realm, though his body remained devoid of spiritual energy.
Long Qing stopped in his tracks, facing Gu An with a proud expression. "In another six months, Second Master is taking me demon hunting. Finally, I'll get to test myself in real combat!"
Gu An didn't admonish him. Instead, he nodded approvingly, offering a few words of encouragement before letting him go.
As Gu An watched Long Qing disappear into the distance, his thoughts drifted to An Shengtian. The number of young disciples in the medicine valleys was steadily growing. What would the valley look like a thousand years from now?
With a faint smile, Gu An continued toward the teleportation platform.
Upon arriving in Xuan Valley, he checked on Lu Jiujia before departing on his own.
Walking into the forest, his pace slowed until a figure emerged from his body—a clone formed from his divine ability. This clone would take his place while his true self entered a state even Free Immortals would find unfathomable.
The clone strolled forward leisurely, while Gu An's true form transcended the limits of the Heavenly Spirit World, descending into the Desolation Domain in a way no living being could comprehend.
The Desolation Domain was dark and oppressive, void of stars. Thick, swirling mists cloaked the area, as if the chaos of creation had just begun. The suffocating atmosphere was unrelenting.
Amid the darkness, a fortress-like city loomed, suspended in the void. Its structure resembled a colossal armored beast, its sharp spires rising ominously. The sight was chilling.
Within the city's central hall, thick demonic fog roiled like waves. At the hall's heart was a crimson pool, over ten meters in diameter, its surface gleaming blood-red. In the center of the pool sat a figure in meditation.
The figure was a white-haired woman, her bare skin radiant against the dim surroundings. Her long hair cascaded down her front, merging with the pool's surface. Her delicate back was as flawless as jade, her posture mesmerizingly graceful.
This woman was none other than Mo Bian'an.
Her eyes remained closed, her breathtaking features marred only by the ominous aura emanating from the center of her brow.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she muttered in confusion, "Why has that boy's karmic thread been severed?"
Raising her right hand, she began a deduction, her expression serious.
But before she could proceed, a hand landed gently on her pale shoulder.
The unexpected touch caused her entire body to tremble, her face draining of color.
"Who are you looking for?" a hoarse voice whispered in her ear, freezing her to the core.
Impossible.
Mo Bian'an was horrified to find herself unable to move. Her spiritual energy, vast and formidable, was frozen solid.
She was a Free Immortal, and not just any—she had reached the Ninth Layer. How could she be rendered powerless?
Could the person behind her be...?
She thought of certain legends, struggling to suppress her terror. Gritting her teeth, she asked, "Who... who are you?"
"Through her eyes, you glimpsed the Heavenly Spirit World," the figure said, his tone chilling. "But can you hear the truths whispered into her ears?"
Standing behind her, Gu An leaned forward slightly.
His form was shrouded in gray mist, his features obscured. The air around him was both mysterious and terrifying.
Upon hearing his words, Mo Bian'an's mind raced. She quickly recalled Shen Zhen often murmuring about someone—a name she dared not forget.
Sword Master of the Dao!
Her heart sank. She had long suspected this figure might be a Free Immortal, yet she hadn't dared provoke him directly.
The gap between Free Immortals could be vast. Though she had undergone a reincarnation tribulation, making her more advanced than most, she knew she was no match for a figure of his reputation.
"Sword Master of the Dao," she stammered, her voice trembling despite her effort to remain composed. "Why... why are you here?"
The longer Gu An's hand rested on her shoulder, the more terrified she became.
In her perception, his Dao cultivation was immeasurable, her own understanding of karma laughably insignificant in comparison.
Gu An let her stew in fear, deliberately prolonging the moment. He wanted her to fully grasp the despair, terror, and regret she had brought upon herself.
She had dared to direct hostility toward him—killing her outright would be far too lenient.
He studied Mo Bian'an closely, his gaze piercing.
A fine exterior, but what a shame—she dared provoke him.
Time to die.
Gu An's eyes narrowed, and an overwhelming divine sense surged into her body, bombarding her soul and prying into her memories.
Mo Bian'an's body trembled violently before gradually falling still.
The hall fell silent, the surrounding demonic fog freezing in place.
After some time, Gu An withdrew his divine sense. His hand clenched slightly, and Mo Bian'an's body disintegrated into ash. A shockwave burst outward, scattering the fog and leaving behind countless specks of starlight.
These shimmering fragments were the remains of Mo Bian'an's shattered Dao.
Gu An sifted through her memories, his thoughts heavy with reflection.
The mysteries of reincarnation tribulations ran deep.
Mo Bian'an hadn't just reincarnated herself—she had chosen to implant her soul into a mortal. Shen Zhen had been her chosen vessel, already grown at the time of selection.
Shen Zhen's extraordinary talent in the Dao of Karma and the countless variables surrounding her had drawn Mo Bian'an's interest.
Initially, Mo Bian'an hadn't seen Gu An as a threat. It wasn't until the grand Supreme Hunyuan Dao Disc shook the world that she realized he was the pivotal variable she had overlooked.
Her obsession deepened with the arrival of An Shengtian. Through Shen Zhen, she sensed An Shengtian's karmic ties and became covetous.
She had even planned to seize An Shengtian's body!
The thought of this seductive demoness transforming into a man disgusted Gu An.
Fortunately, her memories confirmed she had always been a woman. Otherwise, even looking at Shen Zhen in the future would feel awkward.
[You have successfully absorbed 61,098,203 years of lifespan from Mo Bian'an (Free Immortal Realm, Ninth Layer).]
The system notification appeared before Gu An, marking his gain—over sixty million years of lifespan in one stroke.
Not bad.
He couldn't help but wonder: if he slew a Dao Repository Free Immortal, how much lifespan could he harvest? Billions, perhaps?
Though the idea intrigued him, Gu An had no intention of confronting such figures anytime soon.
For now, he preferred to accumulate lifespan through medicine and cultivation, growing stronger without attracting undue attention.