[You successfully absorbed 9,670 years of lifespan from the Dark Soul Patriarch (Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm, Level 3).]
Gu An glanced at the notification, his expression calm and indifferent. If the Dark Soul Patriarch hadn't launched an attack at him first, he wouldn't have bothered to eradicate the soul.
He chose not to perform a soul search because there were still other Heavenly Demons hidden within the stone pillar's internal space.
"It's just a demonic soul. The realm doesn't matter," Gu An said casually.
Doesn't matter?
Zhu Xinglan opened his mouth, at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, Gu An's divine sense delved deeper into the space within the stone pillar, locking onto an even more formidable Heavenly Demon aura.
It was a demonic egg.
The egg, formed entirely from demonic energy, stood over three meters tall and radiated a faint, otherworldly glow, like a dim star in the void of darkness.
Gu An's divine sense pierced through the egg and saw a demon fetus inside.
Complex and immense karmic ties were coiled around the fetus, so intricate and overwhelming that even Gu An felt uneasy. His intuition screamed that destroying the demon fetus would invite even greater trouble.
Retracting his divine sense and hand, Gu An restored the restrictions on the stone pillar.
Turning to Zhu Xinglan, he said, "From now on, no one is allowed to enter this place. Do not disturb the stone pillar under any circumstances. There's a powerful Heavenly Demon inside—difficult to handle, but still dormant."
Zhu Xinglan tensed upon hearing this and muttered, "A Heavenly Demon… So, the calamity from before isn't truly over."
Gu An raised an eyebrow. "Was the previous chaos at Dingtian Peak related to a Heavenly Demon?"
"Exactly. The terrifying evil that appeared back then was indeed a Heavenly Demon. It's said that the former peak master was possessed by one. To prevent widespread panic, the sect concealed the truth about the Heavenly Demon," Zhu Xinglan explained, his face clouded with worry.
The potential "panic" referred to was undoubtedly fear of the Sacred Court. The Sacred Court had always been deeply apprehensive about Heavenly Demons.
Gu An's thoughts turned to figures like You Yingying and Shen Xin Zi. Could there be other reincarnated Heavenly Demons in the world?
It seemed highly plausible.
He had the distinct feeling that he'd stumbled onto an ominous side plot he wanted no part of.
Deciding to avoid entanglement, Gu An resolved to seal this place entirely. After all, the demon fetus was still in a dormant state.
"In that case, this matter must remain absolutely confidential. Understood?" Gu An instructed firmly.
As for reporting to the Sacred Court, the idea had crossed his mind. However, doing so would risk exposing his ability to easily crush a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal. Moreover, Mortal Peak's distrust of the Sacred Court was evident; otherwise, they wouldn't have hidden the truth about the Heavenly Demon.
I'm just here to cultivate herbs. The safety of Mortal Peak has nothing to do with me.
Still, once he became strong enough to disregard the karmic entanglements of the demon fetus, he'd consider erasing it for his own peace of mind.
Zhu Xinglan nodded, though his furrowed brow remained tense.
The Blood Prison Saint, meanwhile, stared at the stone pillar, lost in thought.
After sealing the cave entrance, Zhu Xinglan stayed behind while Gu An mounted the Blood Prison Saint and returned to the summit.
The Blood Prison Saint had countless questions but didn't dare ask, worried about being overheard by powerful cultivators. He had no choice but to suppress his curiosity.
In the following days, Gu An busied himself harvesting herbs from Mortal Peak. Zhu Xinglan had prepared a large herb garden, tended daily by dedicated disciples.
At first, the disciples were both honored and nervous to see Gu An personally picking herbs, but they eventually grew accustomed to his presence. Regardless of how approachable he appeared, their reverence remained unwavering.
After half a day at Dingtian Peak, Gu An left with the accumulated lifespan of hundreds of thousands of years.
He returned monthly to harvest herbs, and by the end of the previous year, the lifespan income from Dingtian Peak alone had exceeded a million years, surpassing the revenue from his entire estate on Tai Cang Continent.
Back at Tai Xuan Sect, the Blood Prison Saint tried to voice his thoughts, only for Gu An to cut him off.
"Remember what I told you when we left. Don't ask. In time, you'll understand," Gu An said, his tone imbued with a wisdom that left the Blood Prison Saint deeply moved.
He felt as though his master was imparting a lesson.
His impulsive nature had always been his downfall, and this moment of reflection convinced him to cultivate a steadier state of mind.
On Mortal Peak, Gu An was revered as a lofty peak master. Yet, back at Tai Xuan Sect, he blended in seamlessly as an ordinary valley master.
Watching Gu An laugh and chat with the manual labor disciples, the Blood Prison Saint was awestruck. Master isn't pretending. He genuinely believes in equality among all beings.
Though cultivation levels varied, the sanctity of life itself was, in his eyes, universal.
This realization only deepened the Blood Prison Saint's admiration. Gu An's way of treating people would undoubtedly earn him countless allies, and who knew? Perhaps one of these allies might defy fate one day and rewrite history, cementing Gu An's legacy.
However, this epiphany was short-lived.
That obnoxious fat rat returned to pester him again.
What was worse, the rat had gotten faster!
Is this fat rat also some kind of peerless talent? The Blood Prison Saint felt his sanity slipping. This is ridiculous!
Gu An resumed his rounds through the herb gardens in the Third Medicine Valley. Although the valley rarely experienced disturbances, he diligently maintained appearances, ensuring no disciple became complacent.
Summer gave way to autumn.
In the early days of autumn, within a secluded dimension, Gu An was locked in combat with Tian Yao'er, Tianqing, and Tianbai. The three demons shifted their forms continuously, their surging demonic energy coiling like a dragon to encircle him.
Gu An handled their attacks effortlessly, dissolving their spells with a mere wave of his hand.
Tian Yao'er employed the Infinite Free Step, appearing out of thin air behind Gu An. She struck out with her palm, flames erupting from her hand and rapidly expanding into the shape of a phoenix, engulfing him completely.
In the next moment, the fiery phoenix disintegrated with a loud crash, sending Tian Yao'er flying backward in defeat.
Gu An casually lifted his leg, unleashing countless afterimages. Tianqing and Tianbai's faces paled, unable to react in time as the leg shadows struck them one after another. Both were sent hurtling away, landing awkwardly in the distance.
The three demons struggled to their feet, their eyes meeting Gu An's with a mix of grievance and frustration.
"If this were a true life-and-death battle, you'd already be dead," Gu An remarked nonchalantly as he retracted his leg. "Out there, no one will coddle you as I do."
Tian Yao'er glared at him and asked, "Are the beings outside all as strong as you?"
"There's always someone stronger, and skies beyond the skies," Gu An replied, his tone casual. He had held back considerably, ensuring they weren't injured.
"Is that so?" Tian Yao'er muttered skeptically. She couldn't shake the feeling that Gu An's constant warnings about dangers and stronger foes were mere exaggerations. To her, he was always calm and composed, as though nothing could faze him.
"Hmph, you still need more training," Gu An said firmly.
Tianqing and Tianbai immediately sidled up to him, clinging to his arms and sweetly agreeing, "Master is right."
Tian Yao'er ground her teeth in frustration. How did these two end up so thoroughly spoiled?
After a few more instructions, Gu An turned and left.
As soon as he was out of sight, Tian Yao'er pounced on Tianqing and Tianbai, initiating round two of their sparring session.
The autumn breeze carried a single leaf into a courtyard, where an elderly man in fine clothing was sweeping the ground.
It was none other than the aged Xiao Chuan.
Xiao Chuan held the broom with both hands, his movements slow and deliberate, as though he was performing a refined art rather than a chore.
A teenage boy ran into the courtyard, his youthful voice cutting through the tranquility. "Grandpa, why are you sweeping the floor again? What's so fun about sweeping? It's not like we don't have servants."
The boy, dressed in a blue robe, had a clean and delicate appearance. He looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, his hair tied high, exuding youthful arrogance.
Xiao Chuan didn't stop sweeping. Instead, he smiled kindly and said, "It's not about fun—it's habit. Sweeping helps me reminisce about the past. When you're old, you'll understand. You're still too young."
The boy placed his hands on his hips and huffed, "Grandpa, I heard you used to cultivate in a sect. Why don't you introduce us to Tai Xuan Sect? Cultivating isn't something ordinary people can't access. Over the years, cultivators have come to the city often. Even the governor's grandson has gone to cultivate!"
"Grandpa, our family might be wealthy, but it's not enough for the long term. We need to think ahead."
The boy rambled on, voicing his complaints, while Xiao Chuan listened patiently, a smile never leaving his face.
When the boy finally ran out of steam, Xiao Chuan asked, "What if you joined a sect and discovered your aptitude was mediocre? That you couldn't keep up with anyone around you, and they all left you behind. What would you do then?"
The boy glared at him and retorted, "How could I possibly be that bad?"
"Your grandpa was exactly that bad," Xiao Chuan replied with a chuckle.
"But people are different! What if our family produces a prodigy? Wouldn't that bring blessings to our descendants for generations? Even you might benefit."
"Haha, your uncle once joined a sect too. He was of average aptitude and nearly lost his life in a fight with other cultivators. Whether someone is a prodigy or not, these old eyes of mine can tell."
Xiao Chuan shook his head. Every one of his descendants had asked him similar questions as they grew up. He had once sent some of his children to cultivate, but the results had been disappointing.
Of course, he had never sent anyone to Tai Xuan Sect. He didn't want to trouble his senior brother further.
If they couldn't make it in other sects, how could they survive in Tai Xuan Sect?
"Are you sure you can judge accurately?" The boy's face turned red as he argued, unwilling to concede.
Xiao Chuan was about to respond when he suddenly froze.
Gu An had entered the courtyard, his gaze sweeping the surroundings as if searching for something. When their eyes met, Gu An's face broke into a warm smile.
The boy noticed his grandfather's change in expression and turned to look. Frowning, he scrutinized Gu An and asked, "Who are you? Why haven't I seen you before?"
Smack!
Xiao Chuan delivered a light slap to the back of the boy's head and scolded with a laugh, "Do you remember everyone in the household aside from the maids? Now get lost!"
The boy pouted but left begrudgingly, stealing curious glances at Gu An as he walked away.
[Chuan Yue (Qi Refining Realm, Level 1): 15/80/180]
Gu An winked playfully at Chuan Yue, who responded with a glare.
Once the boy was gone, Xiao Chuan stepped forward and embraced Gu An excitedly.
"Senior Brother, why are you here?" Xiao Chuan's joy was evident.
Gu An retorted, "Why didn't you call me Senior Brother when your grandson was here?"
Xiao Chuan grinned and said, "I didn't want him pestering you once he knew your identity. You're a high-ranking cultivator of Tai Xuan Sect, after all. In his eyes, you'd be some kind of legend."
Seeing the signs of aging on Xiao Chuan's face, Gu An felt a pang of nostalgia.
"If your descendants want to pursue immortality, why stop them?"
"I didn't stop them. They just want to use me as a connection. If they truly have talent, they can rise without my help."
Xiao Chuan shook his head, his reasoning leaving Gu An nodding in agreement.
After decades apart, Xiao Chuan had grown more composed. The passage of time had shaped him, transforming the once silent and obedient boy who had followed Gu An everywhere.