Lu Qiuxian...
Gu An fell silent, his thoughts drifting to Lu Han within the Lifespan Reincarnation. The turning point of Lu Han's life was tied to the birth of Lu Qiuxian. Lu Qiuxian's unparalleled talent was unmatched under the heavens, and Lu Han's only act before his death was to resurrect Lu Qiuxian within the River of Fate.
Listening to Lu Qiuxian's words, Gu An could sense a deep sense of weariness. It was hard to imagine the loneliness and desolation he must have endured through countless years.
Gu An, who held Lu Han's lifetime of memories, had a unique bond with Lu Qiuxian. In his eyes, Lu Qiuxian was his son.
Gu An even suspected that the Lifespan Reincarnation's reality was not entirely fabricated. It might have been genuine from the start, akin to how a Free Immortal must face the tribulations of reincarnation.
The reincarnation tribulations of a Free Immortal could span different times and spaces. The far-reaching time span of Lifespan Reincarnation hinted at a higher-level cycle of tribulations.
Returning from his musings, Gu An spoke, "Thank you for the warning, fellow Daoist. My name is Meng Lang. Should I one day journey to the River of Fate, we can discuss the Dao and exchange our insights."
The silver glow surrounding Lu Qiuxian flickered faintly as he stood atop the River of Fate, his figure resembling a fleeting shadow that might vanish into the flowing currents at any moment.
After a pause, Lu Qiuxian finally replied, "Very well."
With that, his figure dissipated into the endless expanse of the River of Fate.
Gu An shifted his gaze back to An Shengtian, observing the severance of his karmic ties with the An family.
Meanwhile, Jiang Shi's thoughts drifted elsewhere, his curiosity piqued by Lu Qiuxian's level of cultivation.
"Do not speak of what just transpired to anyone, including Shengtian," Gu An instructed suddenly.
Jiang Shi immediately nodded, hastily assuring, "I won't utter a word, Master."
Even without Gu An's warning, Jiang Shi had no intention of sharing what he had witnessed. Encountering such a powerful existence was a rare stroke of fortune for him, something he would not share with others.
Time continued to flow.
An Shengtian remained lost in his own pain, oblivious to the events that had unfolded. All he could see were blurry images of Gu An and Jiang Shi standing before him.
His mind, however, was in turmoil. Memories of his family grew increasingly hazy, filling him with dread.
He could accept his family forgetting him, but he could not forget them. If both sides were to mutually erase one another, there would be no connection left. This was not the outcome he wanted.
"Master... Master Ancestor..."
An Shengtian forced out the words, his voice trembling as he referred not to the master of Xuan Valley but to An Hao's master—The Sword Master of the Dao.
"Focus your mind. As long as you hold them dearly enough in your thoughts, you will not forget," Gu An's voice resonated.
In truth, Gu An had ulterior motives. He deliberately put An Shengtian through this emotional ordeal, hoping the young man would prioritize familial bonds. This was to prevent him from walking a path that might one day oppose An Hao.
To Gu An, An Hao's importance was absolute. Without An Hao, An Shengtian's very existence would not have been possible.
Hearing Gu An's words, An Shengtian clenched his teeth and persevered.
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed.
A fiery blood-red flame ignited over An Shengtian's body as he curled up, trembling violently.
Gu An extended his right hand, summoning a dark purple herb that appeared in his palm. The herb disintegrated into fine powder, swirling into a vortex in his hand.
Jiang Shi's gaze fixated on Gu An's palm, curiosity filling his mind as he wondered what Gu An intended to do.
Gu An raised his hand and struck An Shengtian with his palm.
With that single strike, An Shengtian's flesh and blood disintegrated instantly, leaving only a skeleton behind. Jiang Shi was horrified, about to exclaim, but before he could utter a word, a dark purple mist enveloped the skeleton.
The mist surged and condensed around the bones, forming the outline of new flesh.
Jiang Shi's fists clenched tightly within his sleeves as panic gripped his heart.
Would An Shengtian truly survive this?
The sight was too terrifying. Could someone whose body was reduced to nothing but bones still live?
Before long, the dark purple mist solidified into flesh and skin, slowly restoring An Shengtian's body.
"What is that…" Jiang Shi's eyes widened in shock, his face full of disbelief.
Gu An remained expressionless. The herb he used was a ninth-grade medicinal plant, acquired at great cost. Its immense spiritual energy made reconstructing a body relatively simple. As long as An Shengtian's lifeforce was preserved and his soul remained tethered to the body, the process was feasible.
"A new life and destiny... How will you proceed from here?"
Gu An silently mused, curious if this process would extend An Shengtian's lifespan limit.
If so, it would serve as a method to defy the heavens and alter fate.
Within the pavilion, Gu An sat on his chair, his face marked by disappointment.
[An Shengtian (Foundation Establishment Realm, Stage Eight): 20/350/5000]
While An Shengtian's cultivation level had increased and his overall lifespan had grown, his maximum lifespan limit remained unchanged.
This proved that replacing his bloodline could not alter the innate cap of his lifespan.
To Gu An, the concept of lifespan limits grew more intricate and puzzling. Still, at least An Shengtian had defied fate, escaping the An family's cursed destiny.
"Master, may I take him back now?" Jiang Shi asked nervously, holding the unconscious An Shengtian, who was now wrapped modestly in a robe.
Gu An nodded slightly, signaling Jiang Shi that the matter with An Shengtian was resolved. Jiang Shi let out a sigh of relief and carefully carried the unconscious An Shengtian out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Inside, Gu An sank into thought.
Lu Qiuxian... How did he survive after Lu Han was killed by the Black Xuan Emperor?
This question lingered in his mind, tangled with countless possibilities. Surely, there was an untold story buried in the annals of fate.
Far from the Tai Xuan Sect, in a mountain range over ten thousand miles away, a caravan of horse-drawn carriages steadily advanced. Si Yan'er sat cross-legged on one of the carriage planks, her eyes suddenly snapping open.
"What is this feeling… Why does it feel so hollow? Why can't I recall anything?" she murmured to herself, her brows furrowing deeply.
In another carriage further back, a mother and daughter clutched their chests, unable to articulate the inexplicable sorrow overwhelming them. It was as if a profound sadness had taken root in their souls, though they couldn't pinpoint the cause.
In the Immortal Dynasty, An Hao was struck by a similar sensation.
His eyes snapped open, his sword-like brows knitted tightly as he gazed into the distant sunset. Confusion clouded his expression.
"Who is severing my karmic ties?"
Ever since inheriting the Heavenly Dao Legacy, An Hao had begun delving into the mysteries of karmic laws. Though his comprehension was still shallow and lacked the ability to deduce answers, this sudden disruption perplexed him.
Unable to find an explanation, he attributed the disturbance to the Immortal Dynasty's punishment against him and refocused his efforts on comprehending the Dao.
Despite being suppressed by the Immortal Dynasty, he remained calm. As long as his master still existed, the dynasty would not dare take reckless action.
The news that his master had slain the Qiu Xi Immortal Lord left him stunned. An Hao had met Qiu Xi before, whose overwhelming aura left a lasting impression. Yet, to hear that such a formidable being fell so easily before his master solidified the image of his master's invincibility.
No matter how powerful his adversaries or how insurmountable their foundations appeared, they all crumbled before his master. An Hao could not fathom the true extent of Gu An's strength.
In fact, a flicker of anticipation took root in his heart—he wondered what would transpire if the Sun Immortal Emperor clashed with his master.
The Sun Immortal Emperor was currently regarded as the undisputed strongest in the world, but to An Hao, his master might already hold that title.
With thoughts of his master's unparalleled might, An Hao felt his determination ignite anew. He vowed to one day stand alongside his master as an equal.
Time passed, and the day of the Spring Festival arrived. At dawn, Xuan Valley bustled with preparations for the celebration.
In a secluded forest, An Shengtian was chopping firewood. His hair was tied high with a thin cord, revealing his sharp, cold features.
A female disciple carrying a teapot approached, her face tinged with shyness as she looked at him. "Senior Brother, aren't you tired? Have some spirit tea," she offered.
An Shengtian turned his head, a rare smile gracing his lips, as if an icy mountain had begun to thaw. He replied warmly, "How could I, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, feel tired? But I can't refuse your kind gesture, Junior Sister. Just leave the teapot here, and I'll return it to you later."
The female disciple opened her mouth as if to say something, but a sudden rustling in the bushes interrupted her. A white deer darted past like an arrow, followed closely by a male disciple in hot pursuit. The man didn't dare meet the gazes of An Shengtian or the female disciple, fearing he might disturb them.
An Shengtian glanced at the scene and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
The female disciple pouted in annoyance but refrained from interrupting further. She placed the teapot down and left reluctantly.
Within Xuan Valley, Gu An and Shen Zhen stood side by side, admiring the view of the herb garden.
"Now that you've seen it, tell me—why did you want to come here?" Gu An asked, turning his gaze to Shen Zhen.
Shen Zhen's eyes darted around, as though searching for something. She muttered to herself, "This doesn't feel right… something's off."
"What's wrong?" Gu An asked, his brow furrowing slightly. He had sensed something unusual about Shen Zhen since her arrival earlier that day.
Recently, the karmic aura of reincarnation surrounding her had grown stronger—a phenomenon he had only encountered before in Ji Xiaoya, signaling the awakening of past-life memories.
Instead of responding, Shen Zhen turned and walked away.
Her destination? The forest where An Shengtian was chopping wood.
Curiosity piqued, Gu An followed, wondering what Shen Zhen was searching for.
Could it be An Shengtian?
Gu An found himself increasingly perplexed, sensing that this situation held hidden complexities.
As Shen Zhen entered the forest, she brushed past the female disciple who had just left. The girl instinctively glanced back at Shen Zhen, mesmerized by her ethereal presence. With her face veiled, Shen Zhen exuded an air of celestial grace, leaving the disciple momentarily dazed.
When Gu An passed by moments later, the disciple snapped out of her trance. Though curious about Shen Zhen's identity, she dared not follow. Gu An's authority within Xuan Valley, particularly among new disciples, was considerable.
Shen Zhen walked deeper into the forest until she saw An Shengtian. Her expression shifted subtly.
An Shengtian, sensing something, instinctively turned his head. The moment his eyes met Shen Zhen's, his brows furrowed. A strange discomfort washed over him.
Shen Zhen's pupils gleamed with an otherworldly light, and a faint smile played beneath her veil.
"What's wrong?" Gu An's voice interrupted as he approached.
Seeing him, An Shengtian immediately stood and saluted respectfully.
Shen Zhen didn't respond to Gu An. Instead, she spoke in an eerie tone, "One who escapes the Heavenly Dao… a variable..."
An Shengtian's frown deepened. An inexplicable chill ran down his spine, filling him with unease.
Gu An stepped between Shen Zhen and An Shengtian, his expression darkening. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern evident in his tone.
He raised his hand, intending to place it on Shen Zhen's shoulder.
Smack!
Shen Zhen suddenly grabbed Gu An's wrist, her eyes now gleaming with malevolent energy. Her voice was cold as ice. "I'm fine. Don't touch me."
[Hostile intent detected from Mo Bian'an. Hostility level: Extreme. Intent to kill. Do you wish to activate lifespan investigation?]