Since Shen Zhen's departure, whenever Gu An encountered Ji Xiaoyu, she completely ignored him. Gu An pretended to remain unaware of her attitude.
Over time, rumors began circulating within the Medicine Valley that the master and Senior Ji had quarreled over emotional matters.
This prompted An Xin to question him during their visit to the Mortal Peak.
"Master, are the rumors true that you and Senior Ji had a falling out?"
"Stop gossiping nonsense. There's no conflict between us," Gu An glared at An Xin, his tone carrying a trace of exasperation.
An Xin giggled mischievously but refrained from pursuing the matter further. Instead, she stepped aside and began cultivating.
On Mortal Peak, she didn't need to hide her cultivation, so she cherished every opportunity to practice there.
Gu An, on the other hand, wandered around the mountain alone.
Ever since the incident regarding his clandestine harvesting, Gu An had deliberately slowed down his pace of gathering herbs on Mortal Peak. Yet, thanks to the constant growth of the plants in his secluded space, he still managed to harvest nearly four million years' worth of lifeforce annually.
His total lifespan had already exceeded 400 million years!
By maintaining this rhythm, Gu An could continue to grow stronger at a steady pace.
Thus, he avoided taking in new disciples or getting involved in unnecessary matters to prevent accelerating the evolution of events in Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven.
While strolling along the mountain path, his divine sense focused on Zhu Xi.
Currently at the lowest rank within Mortal Peak, Zhu Xi resided in the sea area specifically designated for disciples below the Nirvana Realm. Only after reaching the Nirvana Realm could one qualify to ascend to one of the sacred peaks, such as Dingtian Peak.
Over the years, Zhu Xi had blended seamlessly into Mortal Peak. Her presence was so inconspicuous that few were aware of her immense talent. Her life mirrored the one she led at Falling Moon Divine Lake.
Recently, she had just formed her core, placing her at the equivalent of a menial disciple on Mortal Peak, tasked with tending a medicinal garden—a scenario that bore a striking resemblance to Gu An's own past.
Gu An observed that her body contained immense spiritual energy. The Primordial Devouring Origin Physique was like a black hole—impossible for anyone beneath a Free Immortal to comprehend.
Should she unleash her full potential, her cultivation would skyrocket.
In terms of physique, she was undoubtedly the most powerful individual Gu An had ever encountered in the current era, with even ancient physiques paling in comparison.
At this moment, Zhu Xi was meticulously planting herbs in the medicinal garden. Even though she was alone, her actions were cautious, appearing no different from an ordinary disciple.
After observing her for a while and finding it uninteresting, Gu An withdrew his divine sense.
Upon performing calculations, Gu An concluded that Zhu Xi would eventually clash with Mortal Peak. Her secret herb-gathering activities would be exposed, triggering conflicts with Mortal Peak cultivators. Ultimately, she would be expelled and hunted down.
However, this would not occur for quite some time.
Gu An had no intention of intervening. Observing the trajectories of many disciples revealed that their fates often brought them into conflict with Mortal Peak. The sheer number of disciples made it impossible for all to remain on Mortal Peak indefinitely. Even if Gu An intervened, as long as Mortal Peak continued recruiting disciples, similar issues would inevitably arise.
The deeper Gu An delved into the study of karma and destiny, the more he grasped the terrifying nature of fate.
Having the knowledge and power to alter fate did not always prove advantageous. Any changes introduced unforeseen variables beyond the manipulator's prediction. Causes needed to exist before results could be calculated; without a starting point, the outcome was indeterminable.
During the subsequent herb-gathering process, Gu An continually observed the karmic threads of Dingtian Peak cultivators, enhancing his comprehension of the Dao of Karma.
As night fell, Gu An decided to stay on Dingtian Peak instead of returning to Tai Xuan Sect.
Reclining on a chair under the bright moon, book in hand, he felt utterly at ease.
An Xin remained nearby, cultivating and drawing qi, surrounded by tiny flickering lights. Her ethereal appearance made her seem as though she might ascend at any moment.
The courtyard buzzed with the chirping of insects, bringing a touch of life to the serene night.
Suddenly, Gu An looked up. A streak of light zipped across the night sky like a shooting star, moving at extraordinary speed.
In most cases, such shooting stars indicated the descent of a Heavenly Flying Immortal. However, this time was different. Gu An sensed the figure's cultivation far exceeded that of a Heavenly Flying Immortal. It was most likely a Divine Thought True Immortal.
Could it be that the Immortal Dynasty and Sacred Court were about to wage war again?
Gu An pondered silently. The fates of these two mighty powers were shrouded in immense destiny, preventing karmic deductions. At his current level, Gu An was unable to fully unravel their mysteries.
He hoped for peace in the world, at least for another millennium or ten thousand years. By then, he would be better prepared to handle any calamity.
"It's time to establish a new Medicine Valley," Gu An murmured. He had entertained this thought for quite some time.
The next Medicine Valley would be situated beneath the sea.
After all, one must not place all their eggs in one basket.
As the moon set and the sun rose, Gu An escorted An Xin back before heading to Xunxian Island alone. There, he utilized his island lord privileges to exchange profits for a large quantity of herb seeds.
This task was entrusted to Island Lord Xun Hanfeng.
Xun Hanfeng didn't question Gu An's need for so many seeds. In the cultivation world, the demand for herbs rivaled that of spirit stones. No cultivator ever complained about having too many herbs. In fact, Xun Hanfeng envied Gu An's capabilities.
By dusk, Xun Hanfeng handed Gu An a high-grade storage bag filled with herb seeds.
Under the starry night sky, Gu An arrived at the largest oceanic expanse in the Heavenly Spirit Grand World. The turbulent waves mirrored an overwhelming, oppressive presence under the night's veil.
This vast sea was shrouded in thick demonic energy, with the aura of human cultivators scarcely detectable.
Gu An dove into the depths of the ocean. It was a realm of unfathomable depths, with the seabed lying more than a hundred thousand miles below the surface. This abyss housed terrifying aquatic demons, many comparable in strength to Heavenly Flying Immortals, and even the occasional presence of an Unrestrained Primordial Immortal could be faintly sensed.
Given that Heavenly Spirit Grand World was primarily dominated by humans, these formidable aquatic demons were forced to band together. They formed their own isolated world within the ocean, cut off from the outside.
As Gu An descended further, the surroundings grew darker and more oppressive.
At a depth of ten thousand miles, a green glow emerged below, resembling an endless sea of emerald light. Countless tiny marine creatures darted around, devoid of sentience but moving with astonishing speed comparable to Core Formation cultivators.
Passing through the green expanse, darkness reigned once more. As he continued his descent, occasional bursts of light flickered from the surroundings. These were the glimmers of demonic energy emanating from sea creatures. Gu An even spotted numerous underwater residences, carved into the oceanic mountainsides.
Further below, he glimpsed an undersea city radiating dazzling light, teeming with an uncountable number of aquatic demons entering and leaving.
In this manner, Gu An traversed the depths undetected, finally reaching the ocean floor.
He located a desolate stretch untouched by demonic activity. With a sweep of his spiritual energy, he designated a hundred-mile radius on the sandy seabed. Then, he created a clone, whose formidable power established a barrier. This barrier shielded the area from external detection.
Meanwhile, Gu An's true form began casting spells to craft an environment conducive to the growth of spiritual herbs. The abundant spiritual energy in the depths of the ocean provided optimal conditions for herb cultivation.
After refining the environment, he began setting up an intricate formation.
One hour later, the seabed was transformed into a verdant Medicine Valley, filled with newly planted spiritual herb seeds. Gu An had no intention of employing sea demons to guard this valley. Instead, he left its management entirely to his clone.
Although the clone lacked independent thought, it could alert Gu An to any disturbances. If the valley were threatened, Gu An could immediately project his consciousness into the clone to address the issue.
Even if a Free Immortal appeared, they wouldn't pose a challenge to his clone!
With everything prepared, Gu An moved to the valley's edge. He drew out a stone tablet and firmly embedded it into the seabed, inscribing words upon it with his Pen of Destiny.
"Submerged Spirit Palace."
The use of "Palace" in the name symbolized his intent to construct a grand palace here in the future, potentially as a personal Daoist temple.
Admiring the elegance of his calligraphy, Gu An felt increasingly satisfied with his work.
With a slight smirk, he vanished from the seabed, heading back to Tai Xuan Sect.
The undersea region remained eerily silent. Beyond the boundaries of Submerged Spirit Palace, darkness stretched like an abyss. Occasionally, colossal shadows, as massive as mountain ranges, glided across the waters above. Within the palace, Gu An's clone sat cross-legged in meditation, its eyes closed in stillness.
Fifteen Years Later.
In the early summer, Gu An lounged within a pavilion in Xuan Valley, gazing at his attribute panel. His lifespan was nearing the five hundred million mark.
Thanks to the steady growth of high-grade spiritual herbs within the Hidden Paradise Cave Heaven, a significant influx of lifeforce awaited him in the coming years. This prospect left him in an excellent mood.
Though his days were uneventful, Gu An found them far from dull. Watching his lifespan steadily increase, he likened the process to leveling up in a game—a deeply satisfying accomplishment.
The sound of a knock at the door broke his contemplation.
"Come in," he said casually.
The door opened, and Lu Jiujia stepped in.
At 518 years old, Lu Jiujia appeared no older than his early forties. His long beard and composed demeanor exuded authority.
Approaching the table, Lu Jiujia bowed respectfully and said, "Senior Brother, the Chen family's Medicine Valley has rejected my conditions and continues to encroach on Xuan Valley's territory. What should we do?"
Over the years, as Tai Xuan Sect grew in strength, numerous Medicine Valleys sprouted in the outer regions. Some were directly managed by Tai Xuan Sect, while others were private ventures established by aristocratic families to stockpile resources for their descendants.
A Medicine Valley had recently appeared near Xuan Valley, boasting a territory even larger than Xuan Valley's.
The Chen family, a rising power in the past millennium, had climbed to prominence, with their highest-ranking member in Tai Xuan Sect holding the position of an Elder in the Inner Sect. This status afforded them significant influence.
After hearing this, Gu An replied calmly, "No problem. I'll send An Xin over tomorrow. In three days at most, their Medicine Valley will be gone."
Relieved, Lu Jiujia's face lit up with a smile. He harbored no doubt about his senior brother's words. Gu An wielded immense authority, and the Chen family was likely testing his limits. Otherwise, they would have already attempted to seize Xuan Valley outright.
Gu An raised his eyes toward Lu Jiujia. "How is your cultivation progressing recently?" he asked.
Decades ago, Lu Jiujia had overcome the restrictions of the Innate Reincarnation Technique. With Gu An's guidance, his maximum lifespan had reached 700 years.
But 700 years was far from impressive. Lu Jiujia's cultivation advanced too slowly. Currently, he was only at the ninth level of the Core Formation Realm. Even if he fully unlocked his potential, reaching the Divine Transformation Realm seemed unlikely.
By all appearances, Lu Jiujia's chances of achieving the Nirvana Realm were slim to none in this lifetime.
Hearing the question, Lu Jiujia scratched his head. "To be honest, Senior Brother, I feel increasingly powerless. When I cultivate, I often find myself distracted and weary."
Gu An replied bluntly, "Then find a way to overcome it."
Lu Jiujia could only nod, a mixture of frustration and shame in his expression.
Over the years, his senior brother had shown him immense care and guidance, yet he felt like he was letting him down.
Seeking to change the topic, Lu Jiujia added, "By the way, Senior Brother, there's been a remarkable talent emerging in the Medicine Valley recently. Would you like to meet them?"
As he spoke of this prodigy, excitement lit up his face.
After managing Xuan Valley's affairs for centuries, it was his first time encountering such an extraordinary individual, and it filled him with pride.