As Gu An finished speaking, his gaze swept over Yang Jian and Zhang Xianwang, and the atmosphere in the room plummeted to a freezing point.
Even Zhen Qin, who had just taken a seat, was left frozen, not daring to even breathe loudly.
At this moment, she was utterly convinced that her master was indeed the Sword Master of the Dao. The aura he exuded was simply too overwhelming!
For Yang Jian, this was the first time he had experienced his master releasing such pressure. Even though he had regained the memories of his past life and endured countless trials, he couldn't help but feel a chill. It was as though the spiritual energy within his body had frozen solid under Gu An's oppressive aura.
Zhang Xianwang, who had previously managed to suppress his anxiety, found the tension creeping back into his heart. His entire body stiffened, unable to move.
Only Ye Lan seemed unaffected. Deep in her heart, she firmly believed that Gu An would never harm her.
"Senior… Daoist, please speak," Zhang Xianwang managed to bite out under Gu An's pressure, his voice trembling slightly.
Gu An's expression remained unchanged as he replied, "I have no intention of interfering in the disputes of the world, but do not provoke me. And do not involve mortals. The distinction between immortals and mortals should not lie in social status but in the safe distance that their difference in power necessitates."
Hearing this, both Zhang Xianwang and Yang Jian nodded without hesitation.
The terrifying pressure dissipated as quickly as it had come. Gu An's face softened into a smile, leaving the three of them—Yang Jian, Zhang Xianwang, and Zhen Qin—momentarily dazed by the abrupt change.
"Well, I've answered your questions. Let's talk about something lighter. How have you all been these years? Jian'er, why don't you go first?"
Gu An turned to Yang Jian with a smile. Yang Jian, finally snapping back to reality, immediately began recounting his experiences over the years. Even with Zhang Xianwang present, he spoke openly, showing no signs of reservation.
Zhang Xianwang found Yang Jian's story fascinating, while Ye Lan and Zhen Qin, too, listened intently.
Unlike Gu An and the others, Ye Lan and Zhen Qin were still in the mortal realm of cultivation. Even though they held significant positions within their branch sect, in the grander scheme of the cultivation world, they were still at the bottom of the hierarchy and had no access to matters like reincarnation.
While they had ventured into the mortal world to release wandering spirits, they had never seen what lay beyond or how souls were reincarnated.
Gu An also listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with questions, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere in the room.
Meanwhile, the strange phenomena outside began to subside. However, the creatures in the Desolation Domain remained on edge. Although the fluctuations had paused briefly before, they had quickly resumed. Now, they were uncertain whether this calm would be permanent or just another temporary reprieve.
Time passed swiftly.
By the time dusk fell, Gu An had instructed An Xin to help settle Zhen Qin, Yang Jian, and Zhang Xianwang. This left him alone with Ye Lan.
Looking at Ye Lan, Gu An spoke softly, "If you have questions, just ask."
He knew she had lingering doubts about his true identity as the Sword Master of the Dao. He had hidden it from her before, but now that it was out in the open, he could sense her thoughts. He didn't want her to suppress her curiosity.
Ye Lan indeed had many questions. However, seeing Gu An willing to sit down and explain things to her, the complaints in her heart vanished.
Did Gu An's identity truly matter?
What mattered was that regardless of who Gu An was, he had always been protecting her.
Moreover, the chaos outside the Medicine Valley was proof enough that the identity of the Sword Master of the Dao needed to remain hidden.
Ye Lan smiled gently and asked playfully, "How does it feel to be so adored by everyone?"
Hearing this, Gu An knew she no longer held any grievances in her heart.
His little junior sister had always been so understanding.
He shook his head with a wry smile. "It's all just meaningless fame. In this world, reputation might outlast a person, but it still pales in comparison to the passage of time."
"That might be true for most people, but with your abilities, senior brother, your name will surely be remembered forever," Ye Lan replied earnestly.
Throughout history, how many could claim to have saved the world?
She had never heard of anyone who could surpass her senior brother in strength or merit.
Gu An chuckled helplessly and picked up the teapot to pour Ye Lan a cup of tea.
From his expression, Ye Lan discerned something deeper. She recalled Gu An's previous conversation with the Emperor of Desolation and couldn't help but ask, "Do you really think a world like ours could face total destruction?"
Gu An nodded. "It has happened before. A long time ago, this great world was completely destroyed. What we have now is merely a fragment of what it once was. And beyond this world, there are countless others. Perhaps even the universe itself isn't singular—there could be countless universes. Compared to all of that, even I am insignificant."
Ye Lan's eyes lit up with wonder as she let out a heartfelt sigh. "There's always someone stronger, and there's always a greater sky. I wish I could see those other worlds for myself. Unfortunately, I lack the qualifications."
Gu An looked at her and said calmly, "If you wish to see it, I can take you there."
Ye Lan was tempted, but after a moment, she shook her head. "No, I'm afraid that after seeing it, I'd only feel more discontent."
She then turned to Gu An with a steady gaze and asked, "Senior brother, does reincarnation truly offer hope? Would the 'me' of my next life still be the same 'me'?"
After hearing Yang Jian's story, she had developed a strong interest in the concept of reincarnation.
Moreover, the innate reincarnation technique allowed one to accumulate cultivation across lifetimes. Though she had once dismissed this as a myth, she now wondered if walking toward death might be the true beginning of the path.
Hearing her inner thoughts, Gu An answered, "Reincarnation indeed holds hope. The path of cultivation is ultimately about seeking the Dao, and reincarnation is one such path. If your next self can regain your current memories, then you'll still be you. Even without those memories, you'll still be yourself. While reincarnation may erase memory, it can't alter your essence or the deepest desires within your soul."
He had always believed that one's nature was predetermined. Life experiences might suppress or shape this nature, creating principles and molding new personalities.
Just like his past self—while he understood countless truths, it was still difficult to control his will and inner desires.
Even now, though Gu An had grown incomparably strong, his heart would still give rise to many thoughts, some of which conflicted with the path of cultivation he knew and pursued.
Cultivation was the tempering of the heart; only by refining the heart could one master their true nature.
Ye Lan smiled and said, "I think I'd like to experience reincarnation too. I wonder, in my next life, will senior brother still come to find me?"
By now, she no longer doubted Gu An's abilities. In her eyes, reincarnation was likely something trivial to him.
Gu An raised an eyebrow and replied, "Of course I'll come. I'll tie you to my side, lifetime after lifetime, trapping you for eternity. Are you afraid of that?"
"That would be wonderful. I'm only afraid you won't want me anymore," Ye Lan replied, pretending to look pitiful.
Gu An chuckled and said, "I'm more worried that in your next life, you'll become rebellious and treat me like an enemy."
Ye Lan looked at him with determination and said, "That's impossible. Whether I have my memories or not, as long as I see you, I will trust you completely. Even though I've never experienced reincarnation, I firmly believe this."
Gu An held her gaze and listened to her inner thoughts. The room fell into silence.
"Senior brother," Ye Lan continued, "what's it like to watch your old friends reincarnate again and again, while you remain here?"
She was convinced that Gu An had lived countless lifetimes. She even began to wonder if she had some deep connection to him in a previous life, which was why he took such care of her now.
Gu An turned to the window and said, "When you watch the leaves on a tree fall and then see new buds grow in their place, what do you feel?"
Ye Lan followed his gaze to the window, her thoughts drifting away.
Gu An's profound Dao intent surrounded her, helping her gain insight into the natural order of the world.
The two of them stared out the window together, lost in thought.
Scenes from Gu An's past began to flash through his mind. Whenever he had free time, he would reflect on the past, including his life on Earth in his previous incarnation. He reminded himself constantly of where he came from and why he embarked on the path of cultivation.
As Gu An's thoughts wandered, a gentle breeze stirred the old tree outside the pavilion. Just as he had said, some of the leaves began to fall.
One particular leaf seemed unwilling to hit the ground. It fluttered in the wind, rising and falling, swaying back and forth.
It floated across the crimson sky and into a patch of blue, dotted with white clouds, before it gently descended, landing in Gu An's palm.
This moment marked the passage of hundreds of years.
Gu An, dressed in white, stood before a gravestone, gazing at the leaf in his hand with deep, contemplative eyes.
A hand reached out from beside him, attempting to grab the leaf from his palm, but it passed through both the leaf and his hand.
"So this is what it feels like after death? It's quite interesting," said Ye Lan's soul as she stood beside him, speaking with excitement.
Gu An glanced at her and sighed. "You're about to enter reincarnation, and you're still this happy?"
Ye Lan replied smugly, "Of course I'm happy. I get to start my life over again. Besides, I've lived for over four hundred years with no regrets."
It had been four hundred and twenty years since Gu An had broken through to the late stage of the Vast Heaven Free Immortal Realm. After their conversation four centuries ago, Ye Lan had yearned to reincarnate, feeling that her current life held no hope of pursuing the Dao further.
But Gu An had made her wait. Over the past four hundred and twenty years, she resigned from her position as an elder of the branch sect and stayed in the Third Medicine Valley, receiving guidance from Gu An.
As he often said, "The more you comprehend the rules of the world before reincarnation, the easier it will be to cultivate in your next life."
Hearing her cheerful words now, Gu An smiled, letting the leaf in his hand fall as he reached out to touch her face.
Ye Lan didn't flinch, but when Gu An's hand brushed her face, her eyes widened in shock. However, she quickly understood.
Senior brother was so powerful that crossing the barrier between life and death was no challenge for him.
As he touched her face, Gu An thought of the young girl who had clung to him so closely in the past.
Unknowingly, she had already accompanied him for over fifteen hundred years.
Gu An smiled and asked, "Are you ready?"
Ye Lan nodded and took a deep breath.
Gu An withdrew his hand and then waved his sleeve. An unstoppable force enveloped Ye Lan's soul, lifting her into the sky.
As Ye Lan watched the ground below grow more distant, the excitement in her heart faded, replaced by fear of the unknown.
Would senior brother find her in her next life? Or would he forget about her entirely?
Her heart ached with discomfort. Only now did she realize that no matter how much she thought she was prepared, experiencing life and death firsthand was an entirely different matter.
"Don't worry. Even if this world is annihilated, I will remain. As long as I exist, no matter how the seas change to mulberry fields, if you still wish to stay by my side, I will come for you."
Gu An's gentle voice echoed in her ears, instantly soothing her restless heart.
Yes, if senior brother had intended to abandon her, he could have done so long ago. What would be the point of lying to her?
She opened her mouth to speak to him, but no words came out.
Gu An watched her figure ascend into the heavens, hearing her unspoken thoughts. However, he said nothing further, instead shifting his gaze beyond the skies.
There, he looked at the radiant layer of light that symbolized the power of the Heavenly Dao.
He wondered—was reincarnation truly linked to the Heavenly Dao? Who was it that stood above all, dictating the fates of all living beings?
He thought of the transcendent immortals and gods he would one day face, those who stood behind the Heavenly Dao. Perhaps it was such beings who truly controlled everything.
Someday, he would face them. Someday, he would face the Heavenly Dao itself!