Gu An noticed Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi still in a daze. Without hesitation, he rolled up his sleeve, drawing them into the palm of his hand. Then, following Bai Ziya, he soared upward.
Witnessing this, Bai Ziya raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Daoist Meng, such an impressive divine ability!"
From Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi's perspective, it wasn't that they had grown smaller—it was that Gu An and Bai Ziya had become gigantic. The sheer visual impact was overwhelming, leaving the siblings utterly speechless.
As Gu An and Bai Ziya exchanged lighthearted banter, Xu Xi snapped out of her stupor. She turned to Xu Ruohai and cautiously asked, "Brother, did that senior just say that Daoist Meng… he's the Peak Master?"
She knew exactly what being a Peak Master represented. Within the Mortal Peak, a Peak Master held immense power and was synonymous with the strongest among them—a figure of legend.
Xu Ruohai's heart churned with shock and disbelief. He struggled to maintain composure, nodding slightly without speaking.
He carefully replayed his earlier interactions in his mind. Luckily, he hadn't offended the other party. In fact, Gu An had even reassured him that he would successfully join the Mortal Peak.
A glimmer of hope lit up Xu Ruohai's eyes. Excitement began bubbling within him, and he clenched his fists tightly in his sleeves.
Meanwhile, Bai Ziya began explaining the details of the Millennial Summit.
Despite its name, the Millennial Summit didn't occur every thousand years. It had been over twenty thousand years since the last one. With Bai Ziya's rare return, he had discussed hosting it with the other Peak Masters.
The Millennial Summit served dual purposes: recruiting new disciples and fostering relationships with allied forces.
Before the event officially began, Bai Ziya planned to take Gu An to choose an unclaimed Divine Peak.
The Mortal Peak consisted of numerous mountains ranked by levels: Sea Peaks, Immortal Peaks, Divine Peaks, and the Master Peak. The Master Peak was the highest tier, with only one in existence, while there were twenty-five Divine Peaks. To claim a Divine Peak, one had to meet the strict criterion of being in the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm.
Gu An raised an eyebrow. "Are Divine Peak Masters really in short supply?"
Bai Ziya explained, "Many in the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm prefer exploring beyond the heavens. If given the opportunity, many would willingly vacate their positions."
Gu An didn't respond much to this revelation, which made Bai Ziya quietly exhale in relief.
It seemed his earlier exaggerations about the dangers beyond the heavens had successfully deterred Gu An.
After all, a self-made genius like Gu An, who reached the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm without any backing, could continue to improve even without venturing beyond the known realms.
As they ascended higher, the blue sky gradually gave way to a dazzling starry expanse.
Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi stood in Gu An's palm, gazing upward, mesmerized by the vast and magnificent universe.
Following Bai Ziya, Gu An eventually arrived at a grand hall. Gently placing Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi down, he motioned for them to follow behind him.
The hall was vast, with towering, imposing statues lining both sides. The ceiling was adorned with intricate carvings of majestic scenes, leaving Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi awestruck. They tread carefully, afraid to make a sound, and stuck close to Gu An.
Moving forward, Gu An spotted twenty-five blue-purple crystalline pillars pulsing with the power of rules. Each was layered with countless prohibitions, suggesting the Mortal Peak concealed profound techniques.
Even a Unrestrained Primordial Immortal would find it nearly impossible to craft such pillars.
Bai Ziya stopped and gestured toward two adjacent crystalline pillars. "These two Divine Peaks are available for selection. One is called Chengtian Peak, and the other is Dingtian Peak..."
He began introducing the two peaks in detail.
Chengtian Peak housed over a million disciples. Its mountain height was average, but due to its long history, its disciples boasted strong cultivation levels.
Dingtian Peak, on the other hand, ranked second in height among the Divine Peaks. However, a past internal conflict had severely disrupted its disciple structure. The vast majority of its disciples were below the Loose Immortal level, and it had fewer resources, leaving many areas neglected.
Currently, Dingtian Peak had just over 200,000 disciples.
Without hesitation, Gu An declared, "I'll take Dingtian Peak. I'll make sure to restore it and contribute to the Mortal Peak's prosperity."
Hearing this, Bai Ziya regarded Gu An with newfound admiration.
Afterward, Bai Ziya instructed Gu An to place his Mortal Jade on the crystalline pillar.
Once the process was complete, they proceeded to other halls for further formalities. The tasks were tedious but necessary to unlock Gu An's authority over Dingtian Peak.
Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi also took the opportunity to register as Dingtian Peak disciples.
Half an hour later, Bai Ziya escorted Gu An and the siblings to Dingtian Peak before departing.
He didn't bother making any overt gestures of support for Gu An. After all, a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal hardly needed help asserting authority.
In the Mortal Peak, disciples defying their Peak Master was unthinkable.
Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi gazed in awe at the grand and imposing Dingtian Peak, their faces brimming with excitement.
Gu An turned to them and asked with a grin, "From now on, how should you address me?"
Xu Ruohai immediately bowed deeply and declared, "Disciple Xu Ruohai greets Master!"
Xu Xi quickly followed suit, offering a respectful greeting as well.
Gu An chuckled, then released his Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm aura, enveloping the entirety of Dingtian Peak.
At that moment, Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi fully grasped the extent of Gu An's power.
The three ascended to the mountain's summit, where nine Loose Immortals promptly arrived to welcome them. Without a word, Gu An presented his Mortal Jade.
The nine Loose Immortals beamed with joy, bowing deeply as they addressed Gu An as "Master."
Gu An conducted a Lifespan Investigation on them and was satisfied to find their lifespans healthy enough for years of service.
Dingtian Peak's chief disciple, Zhu Xinglan, possessed a cultivation at the ninth layer of the Loose Immortal Realm. Though seemingly one step away from the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, that final leap was an insurmountable chasm for most.
Gu An dismissed the other disciples, keeping Zhu Xinglan with him while assigning someone else to arrange accommodations for Xu Ruohai and Xu Xi.
Zhu Xinglan exuded a refined demeanor. His appearance suggested he was in his forties, clad in a green robe, with a mix of black and white in his beard. His composed, stately manner showed in every stroke as he stroked his beard.
Gu An had Zhu Xinglan guide him around Dingtian Peak.
Time flew by, and two hours later, Gu An finalized his residence before preparing to leave. Before departing, he handed Zhu Xinglan a generous amount of spirit crystals, instructing him to purchase medicinal herbs and plant them across Dingtian Peak. Zhu Xinglan was elated, his impression of Gu An as a benevolent and capable Peak Master solidified.
When Gu An returned to the Third Medicine Valley, he transitioned from the high-status Peak Master of Mortal Peak to his role as a humble Valley Master of the Tai Xuan Sect.
By evening, Gu An sought out Qie Wuxing and Nine-Finger Divine Lord, who were once again engrossed in a game of chess—a pastime that Gu An often considered a waste of time.
Curious, he asked, "Where did Shen Xin Zi go?"
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord replied casually, "He left not long ago, heading to participate in the Millennial Summit at Mortal Peak."
"Mortal Peak?" Gu An echoed.
"Yes, it's an ancient sect rooted in luck and destiny. Forget about it; someone like you won't have a chance to interact with them. That sect is even stronger than the Great Cold Demon Sect," the Nine-Finger Divine Lord remarked offhandedly.
Hearing this, Gu An shot him a glare and turned to leave.
Qie Wuxing chuckled and said, "You might be wrong about that. If someone like him can invent such a game of chess, he might be destined for greater fortune in the future."
"Who knows," Nine-Finger Divine Lord responded nonchalantly. "But you're so great; why don't you help him out?"
Despite his familiarity with Gu An, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord had no intention of meddling with his fate. With Gu An's talent, joining a large sect wouldn't necessarily be beneficial. At least in his current state, Gu An could live freely and happily.
Gu An overheard their conversation and smirked inwardly. If I showed my true cultivation realm, you might not even comprehend it!
He snorted and went off to chat with Ji Xiaoya instead.
With some time left before the Millennial Summit, Gu An wasn't in a hurry to attend. A few days later, he arrived at Xunxian Island for the final phase of negotiations with the island master. From that day on, Xunxian Island officially became his.
The calamity wrought by the Great Cold Demon Sect had caused the forces backing the island master to withdraw. Now unwilling to return, the island master sought to make one last profit before relinquishing ownership.
Before leaving, the island master warned Gu An, "You'd better have your faction send at least one Loose Immortal here, or you'll struggle to keep this place under control."
Gu An smiled and nodded.
After the island master and his people left, Gu An turned to Hu Xiaojian and smiled. "From now on, Xunxian Island is mine. I'll make sure you're treated well."
Overcome with emotion, Hu Xiaojian knelt and kowtowed to Gu An.
Next, Gu An summoned the elders of the Sea Protectorate and gave them simple instructions. When they heard that Gu An would arrange for a Loose Immortal to oversee the island, their attitudes grew respectful, and they dared not underestimate him.
Gu An wasn't bluffing. With Dingtian Peak under his control, he had no shortage of Loose Immortals at his disposal.
Besides, he managed Xunxian Island under the alias of Meng Lang, adding another layer of discretion.
Time flowed swiftly. After the Spring Festival had passed, the Millennial Summit of Mortal Peak finally began.
Above the sea of clouds, Xi Ling Sacred Mother stood on a lotus platform, flying swiftly. Beside her was Lu Lingjun, who had a small snake coiled around her shoulder—the White Spirit Demon Emperor, who had ascended alongside her.
Lu Lingjun's beautiful eyes widened as she gazed at the countless towering peaks ahead, undisturbed by the clouds, resembling a celestial paradise.
The White Spirit Demon Emperor flicked its tongue curiously and asked, "How does Mortal Peak compare to the Great Cold Demon Sect in strength?"
Lu Lingjun glanced at Xi Ling Sacred Mother, her curiosity piqued. She hadn't forgotten the overwhelming might of the Great Cold Demon Sect surrounding the mainland all those years ago.
Back then, the Great Cold Demon Sect had seemed invincible.
"In terms of historical depth, Mortal Peak is superior," Xi Ling Sacred Mother replied calmly. "Moreover, within the Holy Court, Mortal Peak wields considerable influence. Even our Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect can't compare."
Her serene tone only underscored the immense strength of Mortal Peak, leaving Lu Lingjun and the White Spirit Demon Emperor awestruck.
Xi Ling Sacred Mother continued recounting the history of Mortal Peak, its glory making Lu Lingjun even more eager for the summit.
Passing through layer upon layer of clouds, they gazed at the towering peaks along the way, their eyes constantly drawn to the breathtaking scenery.
As they progressed, the number of cultivators in view increased. These figures, all invited representatives of major sects, radiated an air of unmatched power.
Lu Lingjun and the White Spirit Demon Emperor, both yet to reach the Mahayana Realm, felt an instinctive tension in the presence of these formidable beings. Yet, as ascenders, they refused to display cowardice.
Inwardly, a fierce determination grew within them. Someday, they would return to such an event as honored invitees rather than as mere followers.
Lu Lingjun couldn't help but think of Gu An. That man, who once wrote his tales of gods and immortals, would surely find boundless inspiration if he could witness this spectacle.
But with Gu An's aptitude and temperament, she doubted he'd ever set foot in a place like this.