Once Gu An reached the ninth layer of the Divine Thought True Immortal Realm, the violent upheaval of spiritual energy and universal laws within the cosmos gradually subsided.
Looking around, he could see powerful figures moving in all directions, yet the massive eyes that had once gazed into the universe had disappeared entirely.
Gu An slowly opened his eyes, his gaze now indifferent and serene.
After witnessing the lives of so many beings through karmic connections, his comprehension of the Dao had deepened considerably. In the depths of his consciousness, he even felt the faint touch of his own personal Dao.
The Dao was vast and profound, a journey requiring endless years of accumulation. For now, Gu An possessed only cultivation; to strengthen his Dao, he would need to experience the flow of time in the real world.
Of course, this didn't mean he was weaker than others at the same level. The Dao merely indicated the direction of future cultivation.
The nine heavens of the Immortal Dao placed the Divine Thought True Immortal Realm at the eighth heaven.
Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation, Void Crossing, Body Fusion, Profound Heart, Mahayana, Nirvana, Loose Immortal, Wandering Immortal, Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal, Unrestrained Primordial Immortal, Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal, Dao Void Profound Immortal, and finally Divine Thought True Immortal.
Unknowingly, Gu An had traversed all these major realms.
At only 220 years of age, his future potential seemed boundless.
But what lay beyond the nine heavens?
Gu An's thoughts wandered, contemplating the possibilities. As for the figures moving in various directions, he paid them no mind.
Not a single Divine Thought True Immortal, nor even a Dao Void Profound Immortal, had shown themselves. If they were present, they were likely hiding in the shadows.
Reflecting on the mysterious giant eyes he had encountered earlier, Gu An found himself unable to discern the being's true cultivation level even now.
Turning his gaze inward to examine the Lifespan Barrier's consumption, Gu An frowned.
This breakthrough had consumed over 50 million years of lifespan from the barrier alone.
His remaining lifespan now stood at a little over 340 million years. With nearly 300 million years spent on this single breakthrough, Gu An found it hard to imagine how much would be required for the next one.
Regardless, with the ninth layer of the Divine Thought True Immortal Realm under his belt, he was confident in his ability to protect himself.
Standing up, Gu An's thoughts turned toward the pavilion within the Third Medicine Valley.
The moment the thought crossed his mind, he reappeared in his room.
Such was the power of the Divine Thought True Immortal Realm!
With a single thought, he could traverse to the desired location. This marked the beginning of his ability to achieve near-omnipresence.
The entire world appeared different to Gu An now. He could perceive a multitude of laws, and the fabric of heaven and earth became increasingly transparent and defined.
Peering once more into the vast expanse of the Heavenly Spirit World, Gu An's Divine Will surpassed his previous divine sense, allowing him to penetrate even the defensive formations and restrictions of powerful sects without being detected.
He discovered that this grand world harbored several Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortals. Although few in number, they were all secluded, focused entirely on cultivation and ignoring worldly affairs.
Gu An's gaze shifted toward the Immortal Spirit Empire.
The continent hosting the Immortal Spirit Empire dwarfed the one beneath his feet. Even newborns in that land began their cultivation journey at the Nirvana Realm. Within this empire were Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortals, Dao Void Profound Immortals, and places shrouded in mystery beyond his current ability to penetrate.
In Gu An's understanding, a place "beyond penetration" meant it was silent and imperceptible.
While he could force his Divine Will into these areas, doing so would inevitably alert the beings residing within.
"The Immortal Spirit Empire is terrifyingly powerful," Gu An thought.
Without the presence of the Sacred Court, unifying the Heavenly Spirit World would likely have been a trivial task for the Immortal Spirit Empire. However, they appeared uninterested in conquest, choosing instead to remain isolated. Gu An observed no movement in or out of their borders.
Next, Gu An directed his Divine Will toward the Sacred Court.
While the Sacred Court's individual baseline wasn't as high as the Immortal Spirit Empire's, their population was staggeringly large. In sheer numbers, they vastly outstripped the Immortal Spirit Empire, even at equivalent cultivation levels.
If the Immortal Spirit Empire followed an elite path, the Sacred Court exemplified comprehensive development, exerting absolute control over the Heavenly Spirit World.
Certain areas within the Sacred Court were equally impenetrable to Gu An. Still, after scanning the region, he concluded that the Sacred Court was overall stronger than the Immortal Spirit Empire.
During his observations, Gu An noticed a Unrestrained Primordial Immortal silently entering and exiting the Heavenly Spirit World in a manner undetectable to ordinary beings.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Had he acted recklessly after reaching the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, he might not have survived a confrontation with such a being—without even realizing they were present.
Reaching the Divine Thought True Immortal Realm now allowed Gu An to better grasp the depth of the Heavenly Spirit World's power. Nevertheless, he too had gained sufficient strength to maintain his footing.
Gu An's Divine Will faintly detected the Sacred Court's aura forming an invisible channel extending deep into the cosmos, leading toward the Void Extinction Zone.
His gaze naturally shifted toward that enigmatic region.
The universe was vast and infinite, and the Void Extinction Zone was not confined to a single direction. It encircled the entire cosmic region containing the Heavenly Spirit World. Because the Heavenly Spirit World was closer to one side, its inhabitants mistakenly believed the Void Extinction Zone existed in only one direction.
Even for a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal, flying to the Void Extinction Zone from the opposite side of the universe would take countless years. This fact alone underscored the unfathomable size of the cosmos.
Retracting his Divine Will, Gu An felt a wave of emotions.
This world was far different from what he had envisioned.
Influenced by cultural notions from his previous life, Gu An had assumed that if Immortal Dao truly existed, there would be order—celestial beings overseeing the universe, immortals and gods governing the balance, and reincarnation regulating the cycle of yin and yang.
But reality was nothing like that.
There were realms of Immortal Dao, but no celestial beings ruled over the Heavenly Dao.
The concept of reincarnation and yin-yang existed, but there was no structured order akin to a netherworld court.
As Gu An observed the vast universe, he had only one feeling: chaos.
There was no absolute order.
He speculated that on the far side of the universe lay an even more expansive world, obscured by the Void Extinction Zone. The Heavenly Spirit World's inhabitants were barred from venturing further. After all, through his reincarnation simulations, Gu An had already learned of the existence of other great worlds.
Take the Dark Grand World as an example—it was larger and more powerful than the Heavenly Spirit World.
This wasn't surprising. As Bai Ziya had once mentioned, the current Heavenly Spirit World was merely a fragment. The true Heavenly Spirit World's scale was beyond comprehension.
Thinking of his junior sister and his disciples, Gu An's pride faded away.
The Divine Thought True Immortal Realm was indeed powerful, but it was far from dominating reincarnation itself. At least, it didn't grant him the ability to ensure immortality for those around him.
Gu An decided to visit Ye Lan soon and see if he could help extend her lifespan's upper limits.
He lifted his hand and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
This subtle motion transmitted his mana, strengthening the Heaven-Sundering Axe and reinforcing the righteous "Dao" characters inscribed on the Heaven Mending Platform.
Since the title of Sword Master of the Dao had already gained renown, it was necessary to maintain that reputation.
As summer ended, the weather gradually turned cool.
In the forest, Gu An was guiding Yang Jian's cultivation.
Yang Jian wielded his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade with ferocious power. His attacks were swift and heavy, yet they couldn't touch Gu An. With just two fingers, Gu An blocked every strike.
The blade was a divine weapon forged under the orders of Li Xuandao and given to Yang Jian. However, Yang Jian rarely used it in the confines of the Medicine Valley.
Modeled after the Heaven-Sundering Axe, this divine weapon weighed a million jin and contained unique restrictions that significantly amplified its destructive force.
The longer Yang Jian fought, the more alarmed he became. He was giving his all, yet even the gusts generated by his attacks couldn't disturb the forest under Gu An's suppressive aura.
From a distance, it seemed as though Yang Jian was merely a more vigorous, faster martial artist.
The Blood Prison Saint crouched to the side, observing the match. He wasn't surprised. To him, this was as it should be.
What intrigued him more was Yang Jian's growing momentum.
"This kid's aura keeps getting stronger. I can't even imagine what he'll look like when he reaches the Mahayana Realm," the Blood Prison Saint muttered to himself.
Yang Jian leaped into the air, bringing his blade down in a forceful arc. Gu An calmly raised two fingers and caught the blade mid-swing, holding it in place. No matter how much strength Yang Jian exerted, he couldn't push further. His entire body trembled with effort.
"That's enough for today," Gu An said lightly. He gently moved the blade aside and set Yang Jian down.
Yang Jian withdrew his weapon and bowed respectfully, his heart pounding with uncertainty. Had he met his master's expectations?
In truth, Yang Jian's cultivation had already reached the seventh layer of the Divine Transformation Realm. His progress owed much to his own diligence, but Gu An's pills had played a crucial role. In terms of speed, Gu An was more than satisfied.
"Come on, let's head back. Someone important is coming today," Gu An said with a faint smile.
Yang Jian's curiosity was piqued. Who could it be?
As they walked out of the forest, the Blood Prison Saint offered Yang Jian insights from his own battle experience. Knowing the Blood Prison Saint's true cultivation level, Yang Jian listened intently.
An hour later.
Gu An was playing chess with the Qie Wuxing. The Nine-Finger Divine Lord, Shen Xin Zi, and other cultivators were gathered around, watching the match unfold.
The Qie Wuxing frowned deeply, hesitant to make his next move.
At that moment, a powerful voice resonated across the Tai Xuan Sect, echoing throughout the entire continent.
"By decree of the Sacred Prime Minister: for his meritorious service in saving countless lives, the Sword Master of the Dao is invited to join the Sacred Court and be bestowed with a karmic fortune rank!"
The proclamation startled everyone in the Medicine Valley. Gu An, too, pretended to look up in surprise.
After a brief silence, a cacophony of voices erupted.
"The Sacred Court?"
"Bestowing an honor on the Sword Master of the Dao?"
"What's going on? What kind of force is the Sacred Court?"
"What is this 'karmic fortune rank'? It sounds incredible."
"Who is this Sacred Prime Minister? How dare they summon the Sword Master of the Dao? That's so arrogant!"
Most disciples were displeased, interpreting the Sacred Court's words as dismissive of the Sword Master of the Dao's strength. They felt that the Sacred Court considered itself superior, at least judging from the tone of the message.
Hearing the commotion, Gu An shook his head, chuckling softly.
"Recruit me? This feels oddly familiar…like something out of Journey to the West."
Thankfully, they weren't asking him to manage celestial stables.
One disciple couldn't resist asking the Nine-Finger Divine Lord about the Sacred Court's origins. Without hiding anything, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord explained.
Upon learning that the Sacred Court was the dominant force in the world, the disciples' indignation quickly turned into worry. Their minds raced with concern: What if the Sword Master of the Dao left? What would happen to the continent during future crises?
Gu An, meanwhile, sensed the presence of a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal stepping onto the Heaven Mending Platform.
He stood up immediately, heading to see the commotion.
In the outer sect city, the streets buzzed with activity.
The crowds at the Heaven Mending Platform were abuzz with discussions about the Sacred Court. Many shared the sentiment that the Sacred Court's proclamation belittled the Sword Master of the Dao.
A man in white walked leisurely through the throng. His steps were unhurried, his long sleeves fluttering elegantly, and he held a folding fan in his hand. His handsome features were adorned with a faint smile, though disdain flickered in his eyes.
"Mortals dare to question the Sacred Court?" he mused.
The man wasn't angry. He wouldn't stoop to argue with mortals. Besides, this was the territory of the Sword Master of the Dao—someone he couldn't afford to offend.
After all, anyone capable of annihilating the Grand Cold Demon Sect was no ordinary figure.
Having delivered the Sacred Prime Minister's message, the man wasn't concerned about whether the Sword Master of the Dao would accept the offer. Instead, his mind was set on another matter.
He wanted to test the fabled Heaven-Sundering Axe.
Before coming to the Tai Xuan Sect, he had heard stories of this weapon during his travels in the Tai Cang Dynasty.