[Name: Gu An]
[Lifespan: 195 / 12,708,862]
[Physique: Primordial Causal Body]
[Cultivation Level: Ninth Layer of Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm]
Beneath a tree, Gu An lay sprawled, taking a restful moment. As he pulled up his personal status panel, a faint smile graced his lips while his eyes scanned his remaining lifespan.
It had been 21 years since his last breakthrough, and in such a short time, his accumulated lifespan had exceeded 12.7 million years. Gu An was thoroughly satisfied—this proved he hadn't slacked off.
Maintaining this pace, a billion years of lifespan was no longer a distant goal.
After reviewing his status, Gu An extended his divine sense toward the Deep Sea Rift.
Recently, Zhang Buku had become a disciple of the Supernatural Realm Lord. Gu An could sense the goodwill released by the Supernatural Realm Lord. True to his word, the Supernatural Realm Lord had begun to sincerely teach Zhang Buku, remaining in the same cave to focus on his disciple's cultivation.
This urgency, however, indicated that the calamity foretold by Qie Wuxing was drawing nearer.
Despite this, Gu An was unbothered. The Supernatural Realm Lord undoubtedly had other means of resistance; otherwise, how could he carve such a massive rift into the seas?
"Let them fight among themselves. When it touches Zhang Buku, I'll consider stepping in," Gu An mused.
There was no way he would recklessly entangle himself in disputes unless he was certain he could resolve the root of the trouble.
Seeing Zhang Buku making progress gave Gu An peace of mind.
"Everything's good. Everyone's busy. Staying busy is good," Gu An muttered to himself, his divine sense sweeping across all those he was connected with. Seeing that everyone was safe and sound, he let out a satisfied smile.
He sat up, stretched lazily, and rose to his feet before leaving the spot.
Along the way, disciples greeted him warmly. Gu An nodded back with a gentle smile, maintaining an approachable demeanor free of arrogance.
When he reached the pavilion, he saw Yang Jian conversing with the Blood Prison Saint. The topic seemed to be physical cultivation techniques. The Blood Prison Saint was also a physical cultivator, having inherited the essence of divine beast blood.
Seeing Gu An approach, Yang Jian immediately stood and saluted respectfully.
After some thought, Gu An said, "Rest well for now. In a few days, I'll take you to spar with someone and test your true strength."
Hearing this, Yang Jian's eyes lit up. Usually, he only sparred with Li Lingtian, which had grown tiresome. The thought of engaging in real combat thrilled him.
Before Yang Jian could respond, Gu An had already turned to ascend the pavilion stairs.
At a distance.
Qie Wuxing, who was playing a game of Go, cast a glance at Yang Jian with an expression of intrigue. He could discern that Yang Jian possessed some kind of ancient treasure physique, which made him even more curious about Gu An. No wonder this man had established such a close relationship with the reincarnation of the Samsara Dao Emperor. Gu An's background was undoubtedly extraordinary.
Qie Wuxing had no intention of investigating Gu An. Instead, he planned to foster goodwill with Yang Jian in the future.
If Yang Jian could live to a thousand years, he was destined to become a figure of renown throughout the world. Forming connections with such a person was always advantageous.
Qie Wuxing began contemplating what technique or divine ability he could teach Yang Jian.
Since Gu An never objected to his guidance of other disciples, he was confident Gu An wouldn't mind him teaching Yang Jian as well.
That evening, Qie Wuxing approached Yang Jian.
"Young man, I've been observing you for some time now. Your aptitude and understanding are exceptional. I have a palm technique—are you interested in learning it?" Qie Wuxing asked with a smile.
Yang Jian, knowing that Qie Wuxing was a highly accomplished cultivator who had even defeated the Nine-Finger Divine Lord in Go, replied courteously. "Thank you for your kind offer, senior, but I must decline."
Qie Wuxing was taken aback. "Do you doubt my abilities?"
Yang Jian shook his head and explained, "It's not that, senior. I'm simply uninterested in palm techniques. For a physical cultivator like me, enhancing physical strength is far more effective than relying on palm techniques."
Intrigued, Qie Wuxing asked, "Then what do you want to learn?"
Seeing Qie Wuxing's persistence, Yang Jian hesitated before asking, "Senior, have you ever read Investiture of the Gods or Journey to the West?"
Qie Wuxing nodded. "Of course. Are you saying you aspire to become like Yang Jian from those tales? But you should know, those are fictional stories. The techniques and divine abilities described in them don't truly exist."
Hearing this, Yang Jian could only sigh and turn to leave.
"Wait," Qie Wuxing called after him. "How about I teach you a spear technique instead? It's the most formidable long-weapon technique I possess. Mastering it would allow you to dominate an era, with few able to rival you. It would complement your physique perfectly."
Yang Jian stopped and turned back, his eyes filled with cautious anticipation.
Qie Wuxing smiled and continued, "This spear technique is called the Thirty-Six Spear Strikes of Heaven's Destruction. It is exceptionally challenging to cultivate. To this day, no one has successfully inherited it."
Hearing this, Yang Jian's interest was piqued. "Is that so? Then I'd like to give it a try. Thank you, senior."
"Find a secluded spot to practice," Qie Wuxing suggested.
"Understood."
The two headed toward the depths of the Medicine Valley, with the Blood Prison Saint following out of curiosity. Qie Wuxing didn't mind his presence, as he didn't believe the Blood Prison Saint would be capable of mastering the technique.
After all, Yang Jian's ancient treasure physique was a rarity in the current world.
Inside the pavilion, Gu An noticed the scene outside but paid it no mind. He was confident Qie Wuxing wouldn't act recklessly. If he did, it would be a death sentence.
Besides, Gu An was curious about the Thirty-Six Spear Strikes of Heaven's Destruction. He wanted to see if it was truly as formidable as Qie Wuxing claimed.
The night passed uneventfully.
At dawn, disciples gathered for their morning exercises.
Gu An stood by, observing Yang Jian approaching quickly, with Qie Wuxing trailing behind. The latter's expression was disoriented and far from his usual composure, as though he had just experienced a significant shock.
The sight amused Gu An. Qie Wuxing's reaction was understandable—he must have been astonished by Yang Jian's exceptional talent and physique.
In just one night, Yang Jian had already grasped the basics of the Thirty-Six Spear Strikes of Heaven's Destruction. Though the technique's true power hadn't yet been revealed, his progress alone was enough to leave Qie Wuxing speechless.
Qie Wuxing even suspected Yang Jian's physique to be among the most exceptional ancient treasure physiques. Unfortunately, the one most knowledgeable about such physiques, Tian Wuchang, had perished long ago. Otherwise, Qie Wuxing could have sought his insights.
"What were you up to?" Li Lingtian asked Yang Jian curiously, noticing his disheveled state and erratic aura, clear signs of a sleepless night.
Yang Jian casually replied, "Just training. Don't ask too much."
Li Lingtian's gaze drifted toward Qie Wuxing in the distance. He seemed to understand the situation.
After the morning exercises, Li Lingtian sought out Qie Wuxing, asking directly, "Did you teach Yang Jian some techniques?"
Qie Wuxing didn't hide the truth and nodded.
"Could you teach me as well? My talent isn't lacking!" Li Lingtian pressed eagerly.
Qie Wuxing sized him up and replied, "Your aptitude is indeed decent, but not enough to catch my attention. Focus on improving your cultivation for now. When you seem more pleasing to me, I'll consider teaching you."
"Pleasing to you?"
Li Lingtian's frustration boiled over. From a young age, he had always been praised and held in high regard. Being rejected like this was a first. Even Gu An had never denied him anything since his arrival in the Third Medicine Valley.
With a clenched jaw, Li Lingtian stormed off in anger.
Qie Wuxing, however, was unfazed. Li Lingtian's karma was simple, and the forces backing him posed no threat.
In fact, Qie Wuxing almost hoped that Li Lingtian's backers would try to stir trouble—it would add some excitement to his otherwise monotonous life.
As Qie Wuxing was about to head for a game of Go, he was intercepted by Shenxin Zi.
"Amitabha. Benefactor, may we have a word?" Shenxin Zi said, his expression unusually grave.
Qie Wuxing, smiling as always, nodded and left the Third Medicine Valley with Shenxin Zi.
As autumn arrived, the Third Medicine Valley was painted in hues of yellow. Disciples could be seen everywhere, sweeping away fallen leaves.
Inside the pavilion, Shen Zhen excitedly recounted the progress of her latest literary masterpiece to Gu An. Her enthusiasm was palpable.
Gu An, however, was uninterested in her Southward Journey Chronicles. His divine sense remained fixed on the sea.
Above the Deep Sea Rift, an awe-inspiring battle was unfolding—one individual facing three Spectral Wraith Kings and still holding the upper hand.
A Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal!
The Spectral Wraith Kings were already at the peak of the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm. For another cultivator to suppress them singlehandedly was truly astonishing.
"You're not listening, are you?" Shen Zhen asked indignantly.
Gu An chuckled. "Of course, I'm listening. But I'm more curious about your cultivation than your writing."
[Shen Zhen (Nascent Soul Realm, Seventh Layer): 231 / 880 / 4400]
To Gu An's surprise, Shen Zhen's maximum lifespan had increased. Previously, it had only been around 2,500 years.
While his other junior disciples struggled to find enlightenment through diligent cultivation, Shen Zhen spent her days writing and painting, rarely bothering with cultivation—and yet, her lifespan kept growing. How was that fair?
"Perhaps writing and painting are a path to enlightenment," Gu An mused.
Shen Zhen cleared her throat, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I've been working hard," she said somewhat awkwardly.
Gu An resisted the urge to expose her. He knew well that every time he checked on her, she was either reading, writing, painting, or playing music—all in solitude. Yet, somehow, it worked for her.
Clearly, her efforts weren't meaningless.
Judging by her expression, Shen Zhen herself seemed unaware of her increased aptitude and comprehension.
Gu An chose not to tell her. She was still young and had plenty of time. If he pointed it out, she might lose the unique rhythm she had found.
"What about you?" Shen Zhen asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why does it feel like your cultivation hasn't advanced?"
Gu An's expression darkened at her words. He let out a heavy sigh.
"What's wrong? Is something troubling you?" Shen Zhen asked, concerned.
"Nothing much," Gu An replied. "It's just that I feel the weight of destiny pressing down. Even with all the herbs and pills, breaking through seems almost impossible. You wouldn't understand the feeling. It's as though I've hit the limit of my potential—perhaps this is my future."
Hearing this, Shen Zhen opened her mouth to offer comfort but found herself at a loss for words.
Talent was a harsh reality. Gu An's friends, such as Wu Jue, had already soared to new heights. Even Li Ya had become the face of Tai Xuan Sect.
Forcing a smile, Gu An continued, "Miss Shen, my life is short. But yours… yours is different—"
Before he could finish, an overwhelming pressure enveloped the heavens and earth, cutting him off.
A domineering voice echoed across the skies:
"I am the Immortal of Death from the Grand Cold Demon Sect. Today, I establish my tower above the Deep Sea Rift. If no one defeats me within a hundred years, I will annihilate all who hear these words and extinguish every life to quell the fury of the seas!"
The Grand Cold Demon Sect!
Gu An had heard of this sect before. It was a demon sect rivaling the Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect. According to Bai Ziya, the Grand Cold Demon Sect was one of the few demon sects recognized by the Sacred Court. Though they were a demon sect, the lands they ravaged were all territories abandoned by the Sacred Court.
Could it be that their continent and the surrounding seas had already been forsaken by the Sacred Court?