The Blood Prison Saint knelt respectfully before Gu An, his posture so low it was as though he was about to press his head against the ground.
Seeing the unwavering deference of the Blood Prison Saint at such a crucial moment, Gu An felt deeply gratified.
Raising him wasn't in vain after all!
"His name is Bull Demon King? Don't tell me there's a Sun Wukong somewhere as well?" someone joked from the crowd.
"Hahaha! Don't underestimate him; he's incredibly petty."
"True! I remember touching his horns once, and he actually tried to charge at me!"
"Shhh! You'd best not speak of such things."
"What's the point of summoning a bull? To kill it and add some flair to the ceremony?"
The murmurs from the crowd reached the Blood Prison Saint's ears, and some of the remarks made his fur stand on end with anger.
Gu An paid no mind to the crowd's chatter. The Blood Prison Saint's present demeanor and situation were, in part, his own doing. Like the White Spirit Mouse, the Blood Prison Saint's sharp tongue and arrogance had alienated him from others. No one except Gu An truly cared for them.
It's time to begin.
Gu An's gaze sharpened, signaling his resolve.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Gu An produced the Pen of Destiny. He twirled it gracefully before gripping it firmly, the tip pointing directly at the Blood Prison Saint. All eyes followed the motion, filled with confusion and curiosity about what Gu An intended to do.
"Today, I will transform my mount into an immortal. Watch closely, all of you," Gu An declared, his voice reverberating throughout the Third Medicine Valley.
The declaration stunned everyone, their faces etched with disbelief.
He was going to elevate this demon bull into the immortal realm?
Impossible!
Even seasoned cultivators such as Jue Luo Sword Master and the white-robed elder furrowed their brows. Figures like Ji Xiaoya and the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor shared their astonishment, their heightened cultivation giving them an acute understanding of the monumental difficulty in crossing from the Core Formation Realm to the Nirvana Realm. Even with the guidance of a supreme master or the infusion of boundless spiritual energy, such a feat was deemed unattainable.
The Blood Prison Saint's aura bore no traces of reincarnation karma, nor did it suggest hidden reserves of greater strength. How could such a being suddenly leap to immortality?
Lü Baitian, meanwhile, was utterly dumbfounded, even finding the situation absurd.
This uncouth bull… an immortal? Seriously?
The gathering fell into a hushed silence. Before anyone could fully process Gu An's bold proclamation, he wielded the Pen of Destiny, its ink spreading across the Blood Prison Saint's body.
In an instant, the seal of the Returning Origin Divine Dao within the Blood Prison Saint dissolved, unleashing a force he hadn't felt in ages.
His entire body seemed to ignite.
"Innate Reincarnation Technique —released!" the Blood Prison Saint roared internally.
The aura of his suppressed Mahayana Realm erupted like a dormant volcano awakening, its surge overwhelming. His cultivation skyrocketed, his presence akin to a mountain flood, surging toward the heavens.
Boom—
Terrifying waves of energy radiated from the Blood Prison Saint's body, forming a pillar of flame that pierced the sky. The fiery column blasted apart the dense clouds above, rippling out in concentric rings of fire that painted the heavens red. The entirety of the Third Medicine Valley was bathed in a crimson glow.
All heads tilted upward in unison. Even Jue Luo Sword Master could no longer maintain his composure.
"This… This is impossible…" he murmured, his pupils quivering as a storm brewed in his heart.
The Blood Prison Saint's aura was climbing beyond the Nirvana Realm!
From the Core Formation Realm to Loose Immortal in one step?
How?!
Jue Luo Sword Master's gaze locked onto the Blood Prison Saint atop the platform, scanning him meticulously yet finding no traces of reincarnation karma.
Could he have been hiding his cultivation all this time? But even so, how could I have failed to detect it entirely?
His mind spiraled with confusion. In the distance, the white-robed elder standing amidst the Reincarnation Tribulation shared Jue Luo Sword Master's shock, his expression mirroring disbelief.
"Your Majesty, this…" The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor turned to Ji Xiaoya, his voice tinged with urgency, hoping she could provide some explanation.
Ji Xiaoya inhaled deeply, her reply succinct yet laden with awe: "Unfathomable. Such an act defies all reasoning."
Among the crowd, Xu Jie stood frozen, his eyes wide and his face blank as he stared at the surging flames surrounding the Blood Prison Saint.
He had crossed paths with the Blood Prison Saint before. At the time, he had believed Gu An looked down on him, conveying his disdain through the Blood Prison Saint's mocking remarks. The demon bull had taunted him, dismissing his genius as insignificant compared to countless others across the realms.
But now, as he beheld the Blood Prison Saint's transformation, Xu Jie could no longer deny the truth. Compared to the miracle unfolding before him, his supposed talent felt trivial.
Gu An's effortless creation of an immortal realm existence plunged him into a sea of doubt.
Could it be… I am not a true genius? Am I merely an above-average talent within Tai Xuan Sect, insignificant on a grander scale?
Another who found herself equally shaken was Zhu Xi. She had long considered herself well-versed in the extraordinary, but even she had never encountered anything remotely similar to this.
How is he achieving this? Just how profound is his cultivation?
Meanwhile, Lü Xian, after a brief moment of stunned silence, became visibly excited. Clenching his fists, he felt a surge of vicarious exhilaration, as though it were he who was breaking through.
Gu An's display of power left him awestruck. But as he recalled Gu An's words acknowledging him as the sole genius he truly recognized, pride swelled within his chest, a feeling of immense honor engulfing him.
Even though Gu An had the power to casually create immortals, the fact that he still acknowledged Lü Xian's talent spoke volumes.
This realization sent Lü Xian's confidence skyrocketing. He puffed out his chest and began to look at everyone around him with a triumphant smile.
"Could he really be the Sword Master of the Dao?" Wu Jue was dumbstruck, his entire body frozen in place.
His painstakingly cultivated Dao attainment had been effortlessly surpassed by the Blood Prison Saint in an instant, leaving him questioning the meaning of his efforts.
Shen Zhen, on the other hand, gazed at Gu An with blazing eyes filled with reverence.
The one she admired most was the Sword Master of the Dao. Her most cherished companion was Gu An. Even without the connection to the Sword Master of the Dao, she had always admired Gu An's extraordinary talent.
Now that Gu An's identity overlapped with that of the Sword Master of the Dao, her admiration and affection for him reached an unprecedented peak.
The roaring aura of the Blood Prison Saint created fierce winds that billowed Gu An's robes and hair. He turned slightly to glance at the Blood Prison Saint, his lips curling into a faint smile.
To those watching, this simple gesture made Gu An appear radiantly heroic and peerlessly confident.
To create an immortal with a single stroke of his pen—was there another in this world capable of such a feat?
Everyone was overwhelmed by Gu An's miraculous methods, and the Blood Prison Saint's imposing aura shook the entire Tai Xuan Sect. More and more cultivators flew toward the Third Medicine Valley.
Ji Hantian quickly regained his senses and moved to intercept others, stopping the influx of disciples.
Gu An's methods were too extraordinary; such news could not be allowed to spread.
This sentiment wasn't exclusive to Ji Hantian. Lü Baitian and the other high-ranking members shared the same view.
If word of this leaked out, how could the disciples focus on their cultivation? It would undoubtedly lead to countless disciples seeking Gu An's favor, and rival sects would go to any lengths to curry favor with him.
Lü Baitian flew into the air to take charge of the situation. Glancing back at the platform, he saw Gu An standing there, undiminished by the Blood Prison Saint's blazing aura.
For a moment, Lü Baitian felt a sense of unreality.
Could Tai Xuan Sect truly retain someone like Gu An? Was the sect even worthy of him?
Looking back, without the Sword Master of the Dao, how many times would Tai Xuan Sect have faced destruction?
This thought brought Lü Baitian a sense of relief.
Why suppress it any longer?
Such a miraculous event would inevitably be impossible to conceal.
"Gu An, is the reason you refuse the position of Sect Master because you'll outlive Tai Xuan Sect itself?" Lü Baitian murmured softly, his words a faint whisper meant only for himself.
Thunderclouds surged from the horizon, gathering above them. The mounting celestial pressure caused the sky to darken rapidly.
Amid the overwhelming aura, the Blood Prison Saint slowly stood upright. His fur bristled, and his body began to shift. A crimson robe materialized out of thin air, wrapping around him before his transformation was complete. It concealed his bovine body and assisted in his transformation into human form.
The once imposing bullhead shrank rapidly, revealing a face that was both handsome and defiant. The arrogance between his brows eclipsed even that of An Hao and Lü Xian.
The invincible Blood Prison Saint, who once dominated his domain, had returned!
Beneath the Mysterious Clear Tree, the plump White Spirit Mouse clutched a fruit in its paws, staring blankly at the transformed Blood Prison Saint. The fruit fell to the ground, unnoticed.
An Xin stood at the edge of the platform, observing the Blood Prison Saint's true form with quiet amazement.
"So this is what he really looks like? Or is he imitating Master?" she wondered silently.
"No matter how you look at it, Master is far better-looking. This bull's attempt at a charming appearance just makes him seem punchable," she mused, a hint of mischief in her thoughts.
Feeling the rapidly growing aura of the Blood Prison Saint, An Xin's competitive spirit ignited.
One day, I'll surpass the Blood Prison Saint. I'll even surpass my senior brother, An Hao!
The impending Heavenly Tribulation loomed overhead. Yet, no one in the valley seemed intimidated by its oppressive force. All eyes remained fixed on the Blood Prison Saint, stunned into silence.
It wasn't long before the quiet was broken. Someone's incredulous voice pierced the stillness, setting off a chain reaction.
"Impossible! He really became an immortal?!"
"He's not just the Sword Master of the Dao's mount—he is the Sword Master of the Dao!"
"My heavens! How did he do this? Wasn't this bull already an immortal?"
"Immortal, my foot! I've known Bull Demon King for five hundred years. I've watched him nap every day. Immortals don't behave like that!"
"That's right. This bull has existed for ages. He didn't just show up in recent years."
Excitement and chatter erupted throughout the valley. Discussions of the Blood Prison Saint and Gu An dominated every conversation.
Gu An, however, remained composed, his gaze fixed on the heavens. A powerful presence was rapidly approaching from the Desolation Domain.
The aura carried the unmistakable mark of a true Heavenly Demon, a being even stronger than Jue Luo Sword Master. It was a figure with one foot already in the Dao Fruit Realm.
"The Heavenly Demon Emperor… How interesting," Gu An mused, his eyes glinting with playful intrigue.
The scene shifted to a dimly lit hall, where eerie green candlelight flickered like malevolent spirits baring their fangs.
Seated atop a massive cauldron, the Annihilation God Emperor meditated. Gray mist coiled around the cauldron, within which ghostly figures twisted and writhed.
His face was a void of darkness, an impenetrable black hole that obscured his features.
"Enter," his voice commanded, calm and indifferent.
From the shadows ahead, a surge of demonic energy emerged, swiftly coalescing into the imposing figure of the Heavenly Demon Emperor.
Standing before the cauldron, the Heavenly Demon Emperor gazed up at the Annihilation God Emperor.
"God Emperor, are you awaiting the descendants of the Dragon Clan?" he asked.
"Indeed," the Annihilation God Emperor replied simply, not moving from his seated position. His stoic demeanor made it impossible to discern his thoughts.
"Since you suspect that person to be in the Heavenly Spirit Great World, why not destroy the realm outright? Sacrificing one Great World to ensure the peace of the myriad realms—doesn't that seem worthwhile?"
The Annihilation God Emperor tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on the Heavenly Demon Emperor.
Unfazed, the Heavenly Demon Emperor pressed on. "You are not one to shy away from destruction. The number of Great Worlds you've obliterated isn't small. Or could it be that you don't intend to kill that person? Perhaps you even wish to protect them?"
He continued without hesitation. "Legend has it that the progenitor of the Dragon Clan wasn't Dragonheart Emperor but his father, known as the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, the founder of the Battle Court. His demise was swift, and Dragonheart Emperor merely inherited his mantle. There's another rumor, too—that Dragonheart Emperor was your disciple. Is that true?"
The Annihilation God Emperor's voice turned cold. "Heavenly Demon Emperor, though you have attained the title of Emperor, are you sure you wish to provoke me?"