"Am I dreaming?"
Li Ya muttered, his voice barely audible, as he turned to the Mysterious Divine Spirit perched on his shoulder.
The Mysterious Divine Spirit was equally wide-eyed, its tiny mouth agape in shock.
From their vantage point, the massive hand looming on the horizon seemed as vast as the ocean itself. Were it not for the unmistakable curvature of its fingers, they might never have discerned it was a hand.
The sheer size of that hand—it seemed capable of grasping an entire continent without difficulty!
Li Ya felt a strange sense of familiarity emanating from the demonic energy enveloping the colossal hand.
Wait a moment.
Wasn't this… the Ancestor's hand?
The realization sent a surge of excitement coursing through Li Ya's body, his blood boiling uncontrollably, leaving him trembling with exhilaration.
At the same time, the entire continent bore witness to Gu An's colossal figure. Mountains, cloud oceans—nothing could obscure his form. The sheer scale of his manifestation sent shockwaves through the masses, shattering their understanding and imagination of what was possible.
Within the Third Medicine Valley, thousands of disciples stood dumbfounded, their mouths hanging open.
Even Ji Xiaoya stepped out of his chamber, and upon seeing Gu An's towering figure, his mind went blank, his entire being frozen in awe.
To the common people, it was as though they were witnessing the descent of a god.
"What is that?"
"It's the Sword Master of Dao! That's Sword Master of Dao's figure!"
"Are you serious? How could he possibly be this large? It has to be an illusion!"
"Many ancient texts describe the Sword Master of Dao using the Demon Shadow Divine Art to reveal his presence."
"I knew it! Sword Master of Dao would never abandon us!"
Across the entire continent, jubilant cheers erupted like a tidal wave. Though the Demon Shadow Divine Art appeared terrifying at first glance, knowing it belonged to Sword Master of Dao dispelled all fear, replacing it with a fervent sense of hope.
Since the day Sword Master of Dao's name resounded across the land, every action he took had been for the sake of justice. Every individual he killed had deserved it.
Had it merely been a matter of sect rivalry, Sword Master of Dao would not have intervened—otherwise, the Tai Xuan Sect would have already ascended as the world's dominant power.
For this reason, even rival sects respected him, believing the Tai Xuan Sect's success to be a matter of fortune. While facing the Tai Xuan Sect, they always considered Sword Master of Dao's influence. Yet, they harbored no fear that he might harm them, knowing that as long as they refrained from acts of heinous evil, Sword Master of Dao would not intervene.
Even as Tai Xuan Sect disciples fell in the line of duty during their rise to prominence, Sword Master of Dao never sought vengeance, earning him widespread reverence.
For the families and sects who had chosen to remain steadfast, the atmosphere was nothing short of a festival—joyous, boisterous, as though the Spring Festival had arrived early.
While the continent rejoiced, the cultivators of the Great Cold Demon Sect spiraled into despair.
Their eyes remained fixed on Gu An's hand, which rose slowly yet inexorably, each finger like an ancient, towering peak ascending into the heavens. The sheer spectacle overwhelmed their senses; even those at the Immortal Dao Realm watched with eyes bulging in terror.
The Immortal of Death frantically channeled his power, but his body refused to move. The paralysis made him feel like nothing more than an insignificant ant.
How many years had it been?
Not since he had stepped into the Nirvana Realm—not to mention the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Realm—had he ever felt so utterly powerless.
The other three Unrestrained Primordial Immortals fared no better. Despite their desperate efforts, they could not budge. The depth of despair this induced was unimaginable.
If even they, in their exalted realms, were so utterly immobilized, what hope could the other cultivators have?
The massive hand grasped millions of Great Cold Demon Sect cultivators and their accompanying monsters in a single sweep. Those rushing to the scene froze at the sight of the colossal hand and fled in terror, casting aside all thoughts of sect rules or consequences.
Gu An gazed down at the captured cultivators and monsters in his palm.
A flicker of hesitation crossed his mind.
Mass killing weighed heavily on his heart, and he feared it might invite unforeseen calamities.
But then he recalled the countless lives slaughtered by Bai Hong True Person and others like him. His hesitation hardened into resolve.
A sect as vile as the Great Cold Demon Sect deserved to be eradicated. If even this act of justice incurred heavenly wrath, then Gu An would be forced to question the very nature of heaven itself.
With his thoughts aligned, Gu An clenched his hand tightly.
His colossal hand, fueled by boundless power, created a maelstrom of terrifying winds and monstrous waves that radiated outward. The resulting storm struck Mysterious Divine City, forcing its defensive formations to activate.
Li Ya stared at the distorted shield surrounding Mysterious Divine City, his gaze then shifting toward the horizon. His body quaked uncontrollably.
The sight of that gargantuan hand clenching into a fist was too overwhelming, too awe-inspiring.
Could cultivators truly achieve such godlike power through sheer cultivation?
Li Ya began to doubt. Perhaps the Ancestor was born a celestial being—a true immortal—not a mortal who ascended through cultivation.
With that single motion of Gu An's hand, the world fell silent. The suffocating pressure that had loomed over the continent and its surrounding seas dissipated entirely.
Though the sky remained filled with thunderclouds, the people felt as though they had emerged into sunlight after a long, dark storm.
Notifications filled Gu An's vision:
[Successfully seized 1,228 years of lifespan from Bi Lie (Loose Immortal Realm, Seventh Layer)]
[Successfully seized 493 years of lifespan from Qin Suxin (Nirvana Realm, Ninth Layer)]
[Successfully seized 58 years of lifespan from Crossing-Sea Elder Immortal (Nirvana Realm, Eighth Layer)]
[Successfully seized 2,780 years of lifespan from Cloud Sea Heavenly Lord (Wandering Immortal Realm, Fifth Layer)]
…
As the stream of notifications continued, Gu An vanished, leaving only a lingering afterimage in the sky, a testament to his unparalleled might.
The afterimage remained, etching reverence into the hearts of all who beheld it.
The black fog shrouding the ocean was dissipating rapidly, signaling the end of a devastating calamity.
Li Ya snapped out of his daze and immediately urged the Mysterious Divine Spirit to hurry toward the continent.
Far away, the Supernatural Realm Lord stood atop the thunderclouds, accompanied by an endless swarm of Spectral Wraiths. Every single wraith bore an expression of sheer terror, with many visibly trembling.
Even as beings who had fallen to become Spectral Wraiths, they couldn't suppress the fear brought by the terrifying presence they had just witnessed.
How could anyone possibly fight such an existence?
They were utterly terrified, praying the Supernatural Realm Lord wouldn't order an attack.
Fortunately, as that figure disappeared, the Supernatural Realm Lord refrained from giving any such command.
Instead, he turned around and said, "Return to the Supernatural Realm."
Gu An's unparalleled strength filled him with ecstatic delight, though he kept his emotions in check.
The move he made to ally with Zhang Buku had proven to be a brilliant one!
As he turned away, a newfound hope surged within his heart, enveloping him entirely.
Gu An returned to the Xuan Valley, sensing Jiang Qiong pacing back and forth inside the Eight Views Heavenly Cave, her footsteps hurried and restless. Without hesitation, he began walking toward the cave.
Before Gu An even reached the entrance, Jiang Qiong's steps came to an abrupt halt.
At the same time, the lifespan notifications continued to flash before Gu An's eyes.
Just as he neared the cave mouth, Gu An stopped in his tracks. Two particularly eye-catching prompts had drawn his attention.
[Your lifespan has exceeded one hundred million years for the first time, unlocking the Lifespan Reincarnation Function.]
[Lifespan Reincarnation: Utilize lifespan to undergo reincarnation evolution. Each evolution consumes ten million years of lifespan and manifests as reality. All memories gained during the reincarnation will be transmitted directly to your consciousness, as if personally experienced. Reincarnation evolution has no time restrictions; it depends entirely on one's karmic choices during the process. The integration of real-world memories requires only one hour.]
[Successfully seized 487 years of lifespan from Zhu Changming (Mahayana Realm, Ninth Layer).]
…
Lifespan Reincarnation.
Seeing the prompt for a ten-million-year cost, Gu An immediately felt like he was being ripped off.
But after reading the explanation carefully, he began to think otherwise.
If, during reincarnation evolution, he managed to live a long life and accumulate insights into the Dao, divine abilities, and profound understanding of universal principles, it might well be worth far more than ten million years of lifespan.
Of course, there was also the risk of dying before reaching a hundred years of age—a disastrous loss of ten million years.
This was nothing short of a gamble!
As Gu An was lost in thought, Jiang Qiong's voice echoed from within the cave, "Why are you standing there? Hurry up and come in!"
Her tone snapped Gu An back to reality, and he quickly strode forward.
The notifications of lifespan acquisition continued rolling in—a massive windfall!
Initially, Gu An had planned to rely on the high-grade spiritual herbs within the Hidden Heaven Cave to push his lifespan past one hundred million years. But as always, trouble came knocking before he could act.
As the saying goes, "Those who act recklessly will meet their end eventually. If the heavens won't deal with them, then I will."
Upon reaching the Cangvine Tree, Gu An found himself at a loss for words.
Jiang Qiong had dug a hole in the ground, where a coffin now lay.
What was she doing? Was she planning to bury herself?
Jiang Qiong pointed at the coffin and said, "Get in with me. Maybe this way, we can avoid disaster."
Gu An pretended to hesitate. "Is this really necessary?"
Jiang Qiong's eyes narrowed, and she charged forward to push him in. Had he not restrained his Dao Gang Primordial Qi, she would've been reduced to ashes on the spot.
Reluctantly, Gu An climbed into the coffin. Jiang Qiong followed immediately, shoving him down as she lay next to him. With a wave of her hand, the coffin lid slid shut, plunging them into darkness.
From the outside, the coffin began to sink into the ground, vanishing from sight in moments.
Inside the coffin, the space was exceedingly cramped, forcing Gu An and Jiang Qiong to press against each other.
Strangely, as Gu An lay in the darkness, his heart began to calm.
Having slaughtered so many lives at once—even if they were all evil—his spirit remained unsettled. Prolonged exposure to killing bred an ominous aura and an adrenaline-fueled detachment from morality, which he now recognized. He needed time to restore his inner balance.
Surrounded by darkness, a sense of tranquility washed over him.
Though his surroundings were pitch-black, the notifications about his lifespan continued to hover before his eyes.
Jiang Qiong shifted beside him, her soft arm brushing against him as she fidgeted to make more room.
Feeling the pressure, Gu An finally broke the silence. "If the disaster doesn't come, how long are we going to hide here before coming out?"
Despite the situation, he found it oddly amusing to be squished into a coffin with Jiang Qiong. It was certainly a new experience.
"Let's wait a few decades and see. At the very least, we need to stay hidden until the Immortal of Death's century-long deadline has passed."
"A few decades? That's way too long. I can't abandon the disciples in the valley—I need to go back."
"Don't even think about it. You've gotten in here, so don't dream of leaving!"
Her words were accompanied by the icy grip of her hand on his left wrist, as if daring him to try.
Her hand was cold—like a corpse's.
Gu An tried to pull free, but her grip was unyielding.
Once the notifications ceased, Gu An finally snapped back to reality. He chose not to check his current lifespan just yet, deciding to savor the anticipation for later.
He shifted uncomfortably and said, "This is way too cramped. Don't you think it's a bit much? If we stay like this for decades, I might actually die from it."
Jiang Qiong didn't respond. Instead, she started moving again.
Gu An stiffened.
She had turned over and was now lying on top of him, their faces inches apart.
In the suffocating darkness, Gu An could feel her slightly erratic breathing, faint but unmistakable to his keen senses.
Jiang Qiong suddenly pressed her face against his chest, and he could feel her leg brushing against his calf.
Uh-oh.
This was getting out of hand.
Gu An cleared his throat awkwardly and joked, "You're… uh… a bit heavy, don't you think?"
Jiang Qiong's breathing hitched. A moment later, Gu An felt her cold hand latch onto his waist, her fingers pinching his flesh.