Gu An and Xiao Chuan sat together in the courtyard, reminiscing about the past. Their conversation was filled with enthusiasm.
As they spoke about the bygone days, both were overcome with emotions. When the names of those long gone were mentioned, the conversation would lapse into brief silences.
"I sent you out of the valley. Over these decades, have you been satisfied with your life?" Gu An asked.
Xiao Chuan smiled and replied, "Of course, I'm satisfied. At least I have no regrets. I've even glimpsed the path of immortality. For a mortal to have reached where I am, how could I not be content? Those who are never satisfied spend their lives burdened and unhappy. Even with high cultivation, such a mindset will never bring fulfillment."
Gu An couldn't help but raise his teacup and toast to him. Such rare enlightenment was indeed admirable.
In the past, Gu An had often lamented Xiao Chuan's lack of diligence in cultivation. But now, he realized that even if Xiao Chuan hadn't achieved great heights in immortality, his life had been filled with far more joy than sorrow.
Still, the thought of Xiao Chuan not having many years left made Gu An feel a pang of reluctance.
This sentiment wasn't new to him; he had experienced it countless times during his reincarnations. In particular, the life of Long Zhan weighed heavily on him. The profound change in Long Zhan's personality stemmed from enduring such heartbreaks repeatedly—especially the death of his wife, which had left an indelible scar.
Even someone as powerful as Long Zhan realized that strength alone could not prevent regrets. This realization had driven him to venture into the vast universe on his own.
Xiao Chuan seemed to understand Gu An's emotions and sought to console him. "Senior Brother, though you've never started a family, there are many who care about you. You'll never truly be alone."
Gu An suddenly asked, "But what if they all end up like you? What should I do then?"
Xiao Chuan paused, giving Gu An a deep, thoughtful look. "Senior Brother, anyone can worry about that, but you don't need to. You treat others with kindness and sincerity, always forming connections. Besides, solitude isn't always a torment. The kind of life you choose depends entirely on your heart."
"I've learned to see things this way because of you. From my youth till now, you've been my greatest role model. No matter how skilled Senior Brother Li Ya was, in my eyes, he couldn't compare to you. You live freely and protect those you care about."
At this, Xiao Chuan smiled again, his expression serene.
Gu An felt a sudden surge of impulse.
This time, he wouldn't let Xiao Chuan have his way.
Gu An pulled out a manual and tossed it onto the table. Xiao Chuan instinctively glanced at it and asked in surprise, "What's this?"
"It contains a particular technique..." Gu An began to explain, and his words left Xiao Chuan momentarily dazed.
Taking advantage of the moment, Gu An began expounding on the Dao, immersing Xiao Chuan's thoughts into the grand rules of the universe, making him temporarily forget his surroundings.
The autumn wind swept through the courtyard, lifting fallen leaves into the air, as though fate itself refused to let them rest on the ground.
Far out over the ocean, Li Ya, clad in black, stood atop a black hawk. His gaze was fixed on the distance. Above the Broken Sea Rift hovered a majestic and imposing suspended island, its presence so grand that it inspired awe in all who beheld it. A city stood upon the island, emanating an overwhelming aura of power and reverence.
"Main City of the Broken Sea Domain..." Li Ya murmured, his brows furrowed.
The mystical spirit perched on his shoulder spoke softly, "There's something terrifying hidden there. It will devour me. We shouldn't get close."
Hearing this, Li Ya's frown deepened. It was the first time he'd heard such words from the mystical spirit.
Taking a deep breath, he stomped his foot, prompting the black hawk to spread its wings and accelerate. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, it shot straight into the darkness of the Broken Sea Rift.
As he entered the rift's shadowy expanse, Li Ya exhaled in relief. His gaze fell downward, his eyes becoming resolute.
"Zhang Buku, wait for me. I haven't given up on you yet!"
With fists clenched tightly within his sleeves, Li Ya drew his heavy sword, ready for battle.
Meanwhile, in Xuan Valley, Gu An was busy harvesting spirit herbs. He suddenly paused and looked into the distance.
It had been ten years since he last saw Xiao Chuan, having fully immersed himself in his own life after imparting his teachings.
In those ten years, Gu An had extended his lifespan by over 18 million years, bringing him consistent joy every passing year.
But today, the mystical spirit informed him of a looming danger.
The spirit claimed to have sensed a predatory presence in the Main City of the Broken Sea Domain—an aura of extreme malevolence.
Gu An extended his divine sense and discovered the presence of a Heavenly Demon within the city.
Another Heavenly Demon.
This demon, unlike the previous Dark Soul Patriach, was a living being at the same Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal cultivation level.
The demon resided deep within a shadowy palace, shrouded by numerous barriers. Yet to Gu An, it didn't seem like the demon was imprisoned.
Could it be that the Sacred King backing the Great Cold Demon Sect was colluding with the Heavenly Demon?
Gu An chose not to alert the demon. Killing a demon was easy, but severing karmic ties was difficult. Instead, he decided to wait. He didn't know what the other side was waiting for, but he knew that he was growing stronger every year.
Nirvana Realm, Loose Immortal Realm, Wandering Immortal Realm, Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Realm, Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm, Dao Void Profound Immortal Realm, Divine Thought True Immortal Realm!
In a world where even Unrestrained Primordial Immortals were rare, Gu An, who had already reached the Divine Thought True Immortal Realm, felt confident in facing any tribulation.
After observing for a while, he withdrew his divine sense.
As for the Sacred King's schemes, Gu An remained unconcerned. He suspected the Sacred King was merely a pawn of the Heavenly Demon.
Engaging in a personal vendetta that attracted the ire of a Heavenly Demon was unnecessary trouble, even if he wasn't afraid.
Gu An resumed harvesting spirit herbs, humming a cheerful tune.
After finishing his task, he left Xuan Valley.
He arrived at a rooftop of the Chuan residence and looked down at Xiao Chuan, who was diligently cultivating in the courtyard below.
After that moment of enlightenment, Xiao Chuan devoted more time to cultivation. However, he never shared the details of his realization with anyone.
Gu An observed that Xiao Chuan's maximum lifespan had increased to 415 years.
Not bad!
Following this, Gu An delved into the threads of Xiao Chuan's karma.
Despite his relaxed demeanor, Gu An spent considerable time cultivating. His focus had always been on studying karma and destiny.
By now, he could glimpse the entire life of a mortal. Even for a three-year-old child standing before him, Gu An could discern the end of their life in an instant.
As expected, Xiao Chuan's destiny had shifted.
Previously, Gu An foresaw Xiao Chuan living out his days peacefully, passing away without regrets. Now, he saw Xiao Chuan surpassing his former life expectancy, with his family producing a generation gifted in cultivation.
But as Gu An continued to watch, his brows furrowed.
Xiao Chuan didn't live to his new maximum lifespan of 415 years. At the age of 413, he passed away, not from natural causes but due to the stress of his descendants provoking a powerful cultivator clan. The mental strain ultimately led to his early demise.
For a moment, Gu An questioned whether imparting his teachings to Xiao Chuan had truly been beneficial.
Then again, he thought, When the time comes, I'll intervene.
After all, Gu An was the greatest variable in Xiao Chuan's karmic path.
With that, Gu An turned his attention to other members of the Chuan family, peering into their lives one by one.
For mortals, life seemed long. But in Gu An's eyes, their decades passed in an instant. Their entire lives were but fleeting memories, leaving no burden on him—this was the strength of a Divine Thought True Immortal.
Even a Dao Void Profound Immortal could achieve similar insight.
Before long, Gu An's gaze fell upon a young boy named Chuan Qi.
[Chuan Qi (Not Yet in Qi Refining Realm): 3/120/1050]
Such talent was undoubtedly the most outstanding among Xiao Chuan's descendants.
Gu An began to observe Chuan Qi's life.
It wasn't Chuan Qi who provoked the cultivator clan but another member of the Chuan family. After Xiao Chuan's death, Chuan Qi left the family and ventured into the cultivation world on his own.
Surprisingly, the boy exceeded his maximum life expectancy, indicating that he would encounter a great opportunity. However, the specifics of this fortune remained hidden, even from Gu An's karmic vision.
The mystery deepened when Chuan Qi encountered a girl, at which point his karmic threads abruptly ended. The future became unpredictable and obscure.
When Gu An saw the girl, he immediately recognized the presence of a Heavenly Demon soul within her.
Another Heavenly Demon!
How many Heavenly Demons had infiltrated the Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven?
Gu An frowned, his divine sense sweeping over the remaining members of the Chuan family.
He stood openly on the rooftop, yet none of the family members in the courtyard below could perceive his presence.
After a single incense stick's time, Gu An returned to the Third Medicine Valley.
Descending from the teleportation platform, he contemplated the interplay of karma and destiny.
"Gu An, come over for a game!"
A voice called out, and Gu An turned to see the speaker: Nine-Finger Divine Lord.
In recent years, Lu Xianyi and Qie Wuxing had left, leaving only two great cultivators in the valley—Shen Xin Zi and Nine-Finger Divine Lord. While Shen Xin Zi had little interest in board games, preferring instead to immerse himself in Journey to the West and Investiture of the Gods, Nine-Finger Divine Lord had always been eager for a match.
Gu An could never understand Shen Xin Zi's endless fascination with those two books but chose to respect his preferences.
Walking toward Nine-Finger Divine Lord, Gu An casually probed the divine lord's karma and destiny.
The higher the cultivator's realm, the less Gu An could discern about their fate.
Nine-Finger Divine Lord's destiny was particularly intricate. While the next ten years seemed stable, beyond fifty years, his karmic threads became completely unreadable.
Sitting down at the game board, Gu An opened the box of game pieces and asked, "Senior, you've lived a long life. What's your opinion? Should cultivators interfere with the lives of mortals, even with good intentions?"
Nine-Finger Divine Lord raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. "You've asked the right person. I believe we shouldn't interfere. Cultivation is, by nature, a path against the heavens. Meddling in a mortal's life only brings calamity upon them. There's a will in the heavens that governs such matters. Once, I encountered a tribulation that cost me a finger, but it also solidified my belief in the existence of this will."
"There's a force beyond our comprehension that controls the fate of all beings. It may lack consciousness, yet it manipulates the destinies of mortals and immortals alike. The higher my cultivation grows, the more I sense its overwhelming power."
As he spoke, a rare trace of fear flickered in Nine-Finger Divine Lord's eyes.
Gu An asked curiously, "Could it be from the Sacred Court?"
Since the establishment of the Broken Sea Domain, the Sacred Court had become widely known among the continents, regarded by the masses as the embodiment of immortal and divine authority.
Nine-Finger Divine Lord shook his head. "No, even the Sacred Court is subject to this force. As far as I know, this realm and the cosmos are separated by a barrier of power, preventing mortals from ascending to the heavens. It's a rule that even the Sacred Court must obey."
Gu An glanced upward. Indeed, there was such a rule—a luminous layer enveloping the Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven, preventing beings from escaping into the cosmos unless they reached the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm.
Even as a Divine Thought True Immortal, Gu An couldn't penetrate the mysteries of this barrier.
Long Zhan's realm, the Divine Origin Great Heaven, had no such restrictions.
As Gu An pondered, he placed a piece in the center of the board, earning a twitch of annoyance from Nine-Finger Divine Lord, who felt thoroughly insulted.