Deep within the vast cosmos, amidst the endless darkness, a purple light streaked across the void at an inconceivable speed, heading directly toward the Heavenly Spirit Great World.
Countless great cultivators, demons, and wandering entities roamed the starry skies.
The moment they saw this purple light, their expressions changed drastically, and they scattered in panic, afraid of being caught in its path.
"What is that?"
"Such terrifying pressure... Could it be an expert at the eighth or ninth heaven of the Immortal Dao?"
"The universe has truly become more dangerous. It's not just the Heavenly Spirit Great World— I've heard that many other great worlds are also facing calamities. Some have even been completely devoured by mysterious forces."
"I heard about that too. The force behind it is called the War Court."
"We should find a place to avoid the disaster. If we can survive until the next era, we'll have a chance to rise again."
As these cultivators and demons exchanged hushed whispers, the purple light rapidly approached the Heavenly Spirit Great World.
Within the Heavenly Spirit Great World, countless beings gazed up into the sky as a purple meteor descended, streaking across the heavens toward the distant horizon.
Many mortals mistook it for a blessing from the heavens.
They knelt in prayer, making wishes in reverence.
However—
Before long—
BOOM!
A world-shaking explosion resounded throughout the land.
On a mountainside, two figures stood locked in a sparring match—
One was Long Qing, the other, Chen Chuan.
The moment the explosion erupted, both of them immediately stopped, turning their gazes toward the distant sky.
There—
A purple radiance shone brilliantly, painting a scene both majestic and ominous.
Feeling the terrifying pressure emanating from afar, Chen Chuan frowned and asked,
"Senior Brother, what's happening?"
A strange sense of unease stirred within Long Qing—
A feeling of impending doom, similar to one he had experienced many years ago.
But he couldn't explain why.
"I don't know… Maybe it's just another battle between powerful beings."
"It's nothing new— there's always some chaos somewhere in this world. As long as it doesn't reach us, we have nothing to worry about."
Long Qing tried to reassure him, but even his own voice carried a hint of doubt.
Chen Chuan hesitated.
Then, he asked in a lower voice,
"But Master has been gone for years… Could it be—"
Long Qing immediately shot him a sharp glare.
His tone was stern.
"Senior Sister and Blood Prison Saint are still here. How could Master possibly abandon us? He will return."
Chen Chuan fell silent.
He didn't know Gu An very well—
And whenever he was in Gu An's presence, he always felt a deep sense of restraint.
So, he couldn't help but worry—
Would Gu An truly return?
Because if Gu An left, then Third Medicine Valley, and even Tai Xuan Sect itself, would inevitably be caught in the turmoil of the world.
Chen Chuan wasn't afraid of war.
He just didn't want to lose his master.
He still had too much to learn from him—
Even though others called him a genius, whenever he stood before Gu An, he felt like he had barely scratched the surface of the sword path.
He needed time—
Time to grow stronger.
Right now, he wasn't ready to face the true titans of this world.
The two brothers gazed into the distance, each lost in their own thoughts, no longer speaking.
They weren't the only ones—
Throughout Third Medicine Valley, many disciples turned their eyes in the same direction, feeling uneasy about the future of Tai Cang Continent.
For over a century, Gu An had never left for this long.
His prolonged absence had led to rumors spreading within Tai Xuan Sect.
Some whispered that the Sword Master of the Dao had abandoned them.
And these whispers—
Had even reached foreign lands.
As a result—
Countless spies from sects and factions across the world had infiltrated Tai Cang Continent, sneaking into Tai Xuan Sect in hopes of uncovering the truth.
On the surface, Tai Xuan Sect still stood firm—
But to those who paid attention, it felt like a great fortress on the verge of collapse.
Inside the pavilion.
Gu An quietly observed.
He watched as the Immortal Dynasty struggled to resist the Dao Repository Free Immortal who had descended from the heavens.
In just an instant—
The destiny of the Immortal Dynasty had been shattered.
That mysterious being had descended upon the land of the Immortal Dynasty, causing the earth to fracture, setting the land ablaze with roaring flames.
In the blink of an eye—
The once-prosperous Immortal Dynasty had turned into a hellish inferno.
Yet—
Gu An could tell.
That being had deliberately restrained its power.
It did not seek to destroy the Heavenly Spirit Great World.
It only wanted to annihilate the Immortal Dynasty itself.
The Immortal Dynasty reacted swiftly.
In mere moments, a grand formation was erected, and Ancient Immortal Emperor was the first to step forward, leading the charge against the Dao Repository Free Immortal.
The other Divine Thought True Immortals followed suit, forming an alliance of powerful figures to resist the invader.
But—
The Dao Repository Free Immortal exuded an unmatched arrogance, his actions deliberately shaking the Dao hearts of the Immortal Dynasty's cultivators, as if trying to push them toward a greater opportunity.
Yet, Gu An could see through it all.
The Dao Repository Free Immortal was merely stalling.
He was waiting for the Heavenly Dao Gold Core.
This mysterious artifact was hidden within an isolated space, surrounded by Heavenly Dao's protection.
Even a Dao Repository Free Immortal couldn't directly locate it.
Through his gaze, Gu An observed that Sun Immortal Emperor had already surpassed the Free Immortal Realm.
He now resided within the Heavenly Dao Gold Core, yet—
He had undergone no tribulation.
His lifeblood essence was merging with the Gold Core in an unfathomable manner.
"This should be interesting."
A faint smile appeared on Gu An's lips.
With a thought—
A clone of himself manifested before him, then vanished into thin air.
The arrival of a Dao Repository Free Immortal would inevitably bring chaos upon the Heavenly Spirit Great World.
And—
Gu An knew where he came from.
That man was connected to War Court.
Which meant—
War Court's forces would eventually descend upon Heavenly Spirit Great World in full strength.
Gu An had to prepare—
He needed to find the perfect place for his breakthrough, ensuring that when the time came, he would have the power to face War Court head-on.
At present—
The strongest expert within War Court was merely at the Profound Origin Free Immortal Realm.
That level was still far below Gu An's Vast Heaven Free Immortal Realm.
But—
Gu An wanted to hide his true strength even further.
He wanted to prevent any unexpected changes before the right moment arrived.
With that in mind—
His clone stepped forward and vanished into the Reincarnation Whirlpool above the heavens.
In an instant—
It entered the mysterious realm of reincarnation.
The Rules of Reincarnation were beyond mortal comprehension.
They had no form, no color—
Yet—
Any being that drew near would be dragged inside.
Pulled toward the Reincarnation Lands.
Gu An had explored this place before.
It was vast beyond measure—
Even larger than the entire universe itself.
Which meant—
He had yet to determine the perfect breakthrough location.
After all—
The Reincarnation Lands were an endless void, shrouded in perpetual darkness.
Even his clone, as strong as it was, could feel an indescribable sense of unease.
It was as if something lurked in the shadows, waiting to devour him at any moment.
The mystery and vastness of the Reincarnation Lands made Gu An realize something—
The Grand Dao is limitless.
The universe itself could not contain its entirety.
There were still many unknown places, filled with laws that defied the universe's rules.
While one part of Gu An's mind monitored the battle in the Immortal Dynasty, another focused on his clone's journey through the Reincarnation Lands.
Then—
About half an hour later—
A terrifying aura erupted, sweeping across the entire world.
It was majestic and boundless, covering all of existence.
In that instant—
All living beings could feel it.
Not just humans, but demons, beasts, and even sea-dwelling creatures—
All turned their eyes toward the Immortal Dynasty.
In the sky above the battlefield, a massive sun appeared.
It was blazing with divine radiance, illuminating the entire world.
The heat it emitted—
Did not burn.
Instead, it warmed the soul, easing the tensions in the hearts of all who felt it.
Even those gripped by fear found themselves calming down.
At the center of this celestial phenomenon—
Gu An's gaze locked onto Sun Immortal Emperor.
That colossal sun—
It was him.
The Heavenly Dao Gold Core had fused completely with his existence.
The power of Heavenly Dao surged, healing the Immortal Dynasty's cultivators, restoring their spiritual energy, and accelerating their recovery from injuries.
It was—
Tyrannically powerful!
Gu An's interest deepened.
He was now eager to see Sun Immortal Emperor's next move.
Then—
A cold voice echoed across the heavens and earth.
"The Heavenly Dao Gold Core... Such a divine creation... And you dare desecrate it?"
Killing intent surged.
A pressure so immense that all beings across the land trembled in fear.
Then—
BOOM!
The entire world quaked.
Two Dao Repository Free Immortals clashed in battle!
This meant—
That all living beings—
No matter how far away—
Would be caught in the aftermath!
Even though both combatants did not intend to destroy the Heavenly Spirit Great World—
The sheer force of their battle was enough to bring devastation upon all existence.
At once—
Major sects across the world activated their formations, shielding continents, islands, and oceans from the impending catastrophe.
Even the great sects of Tai Cang Continent sensed the crisis—
And began forming defensive arrays.
At the same time—
On a mountain peak.
A lone figure stood at the edge of a cliff.
Her long hair fluttered in the wind, her expression solemn.
It was Zhu Xi.
She stared into the distance, her gaze flickering with uncertainty.
The overwhelming pressure she felt—
Triggered strange visions in her mind.
Visions she had never seen before.
She saw—
A massive Gold Core, blazing with flames.
And within it—
A lone figure stood.
As if—
Calling out to her.
She struggled to hear the words.
But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make them out.
Her brow furrowed.
She muttered to herself.
"What... is this?"
After leaving Tai Cang Continent, she had traveled the world, encountering countless fortuitous opportunities.
And as her cultivation grew, so did something else—
Fragments of her past life's memories began to resurface.
She was slowly piecing together who she truly was.
Yet—
She had not fully accepted it.
But soon—
She would have to.