Gu An had an impression of the Heavenly Demon Emperor, mostly due to Ji Xiaoya.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor and Ji Xiaoya had a longstanding enmity, and Ji Xiaoya's true self had already been defeated by him multiple times.
When the Heavenly Demon Emperor descended upon the area surrounding the Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven, Gu An had already deduced the future and knew what was about to happen.
If he chose not to intervene, the Heavenly Demon Emperor would bring catastrophic destruction to Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven.
If he chose to take action, even more calamities would emerge in the future, potentially accelerating the end of Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven.
The fate of Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven was a result of the trajectory of the world's luck, as determined by the Heavenly Dao itself.
The Heavenly Dao influenced the wills of all living beings, making them prone to conflict and creating an environment ripe for strife. Unless Gu An could control the will of all living beings under heaven, it would be impossible to truly save the people of Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven. But if he did so, the people would become mere puppets, living a life worse than death.
Moreover, the Heavenly Dao sought to destroy only the living beings of this era, not to eradicate all life from Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven entirely.
Over the years, Gu An's deduction abilities had steadily improved. He could even deduce the outcomes of his own actions. Of course, he could not predict events related to beings with cultivation levels higher than his own.
"Demon God? What kind of Demon God? Is it someone you can fight, Master?" Tianbai asked instinctively after hearing Gu An's words.
The secluded cave heaven was still trembling. Despite being shielded by the laws of heaven and earth within the cave, the impact was this intense. Naturally, the commotion outside in the mortal world would be even greater.
Gu An replied, "I can protect myself, but not the world. There is an unseen, untouchable force orchestrating everything. Cultivating immortality is about breaking free from such forces."
The three demons fell silent, contemplating his words.
Tian Yao'er cautiously asked, "Then… can I still go outside to break through?"
Gu An smiled and said, "Of course. In a few days, I'll take you."
The worry on Tian Yao'er's face vanished instantly, replaced by excitement. She was eager to step into the Nirvana Realm.
Tianqing and Tianbai were also looking forward to reaching the Nirvana Realm, but their talents were not as exceptional as Tian Yao'er's. They would need to wait several more centuries to make the breakthrough.
Boom, boom, boom!
The earth shook violently. Even within Tai Xuan Sect, fear spread among the disciples.
Ji Xiaoya stepped out from her quarters, looking up at the sky. Rolling black mist descended from the heavens, engulfing the sky and creating an oppressive atmosphere, as though the Demon Realm itself was descending.
She sensed a powerful aura and frowned deeply.
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor appeared beside her, his expression grave. "He's here."
Without needing to mention a name, Ji Xiaoya already knew who it was.
In the Medicine Valley, everyone was discussing the strange phenomenon in the sky. Even disciples who had been meditating indoors came rushing outside. Chess players beneath the pavilion abandoned their game, though the Nine-Finger Divine Lord took the opportunity to alter the board before also turning his gaze skyward.
The overwhelming black mist churned endlessly, like an inverted sea suspended above, leaving everyone in awe.
A dragon's roar echoed through the heavens, high-pitched and unending. Before anyone could catch a glimpse of the dragon's shadow, other roars and cries followed in succession.
Beyond the heavens, colossal divine beasts battled on behalf of Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven. Both the Sacred Court and the Immortal Dynasty were deploying reinforcements, forming an unstoppable force.
Above Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven, massive black vortices began to appear one after another. From within them, an endless stream of Heavenly Demons poured forth.
In the far distance, a towering and terrifying figure walked through the void. Flames coiled around his body like dragons, and with every step he took, the cosmic void trembled.
He resembled the most ancient Demon God from the dawn of the universe, exuding an infinite and desolate aura. The tremors caused by his steps were visible to the naked eye, as though the very Dao was being shaken.
His appearance immediately evoked thoughts of destruction, instilling a bone-deep fear in all who saw him.
Whether they were Sacred Court cultivators or Immortal Dynasty immortals, everyone who laid eyes upon him instinctively felt terror.
This was the Xuanhuang Demon God.
On his shoulder stood a figure so small it seemed like mere dust in comparison—yet it was none other than the Heavenly Demon Emperor.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor stood with his arms crossed, gazing at Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven with a mocking expression.
A beam of golden light shot out from within Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven. When it stopped, it revealed a figure—the Sun Immortal Emperor, with a golden wheel suspended behind him radiating boundless brilliance, brighter than the sun itself.
The Sun Immortal Emperor stared at the distant Xuanhuang Demon God, his eyes filled with wariness.
He felt an immense pressure bearing down on him.
Similarly, the Sacred Minister of the Sacred Court revealed himself, standing within the Sacred Court's formation. He quickly began deducing the situation, but the more he calculated, the darker his expression grew.
"Everyone, it's been a long time. Why hasn't Saint Tian shown himself?"
The Heavenly Demon Emperor's voice reverberated through the void, reaching the ears of the Sacred Court and Immortal Dynasty's top cultivators. Both the Free Immortals and True Immortals of Divine Thought turned pale at his words. Clearly, they all recognized him.
"Heavenly Demon Emperor…" a Holy God muttered through gritted teeth, his expression extremely grim.
Boom!
Another deafening explosion shook the heavens, so loud it seemed to tear apart the fabric of reality. Sacred Court cultivators and Immortal Dynasty immortals turned their heads in unison toward the source.
Within the vast expanse of Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven, a continent erupted in a massive explosion. Clouds of fog scattered, and terrifying demonic energy surged toward the heavens like a geyser.
An immortal of the Immortal Dynasty, his face twisted with rage, spat through clenched teeth, "The Heavenly Demon Sect! I've said it before—back then, we should have joined forces with the Sacred Court to eradicate them completely!"
With the Xuanhuang Demon God and the Heavenly Demon Emperor approaching from the outside, and the Heavenly Demon Sect wreaking havoc within, the Sacred Court and the Immortal Dynasty felt an immense and unprecedented pressure.
The expression on the face of the Sun Immortal Emperor grew cold as he turned his gaze toward the Sacred Minister.
The Sacred Minister also looked at him. Their eyes met briefly before both directed their attention to the Xuanhuang Demon God.
Gu An returned to the Third Medicine Valley. As he walked toward the valley entrance, he glanced upward. The sky looked as if it were at dusk. Black clouds surged ominously, and crimson light filled the horizon. Countless meteors, trailing fiery waves, fell into the distance—a breathtaking yet desolate sight.
Tai Xuan Sect had already activated its protective sect formation, and on the edges of the Tai Cang Continent, the Heaven-Earth Grand Formation had been raised. This formation had been purchased by the Tai Cang Dynasty from overseas, taking two hundred years to complete its deployment. The Heaven-Earth Grand Formation could shield the entire Tai Cang Continent, and this act had earned Li Xuandao deep respect from the people.
As soon as Gu An entered the Medicine Valley, he was surrounded by a group of disciples.
"Master, what's happening?"
"Do you think the conflicts between those major sects will spill over to our Tai Cang Continent?"
"You fool! This disturbance is clearly coming from beyond the heavens. It must be the Heavenly Demons attacking."
"There hasn't been anything like this in the past few hundred years. This time, Tai Xuan Sect is likely to get caught up in it."
"Master, you have a high cultivation level. Please tell us what's going on!"
Faced with their barrage of questions, Gu An replied calmly, "This is indeed a great calamity of heaven and earth. What happened before were minor squabbles—this is the real tribulation. However, in the short term, it shouldn't pose a direct threat to Tai Xuan Sect. What you all need to do is continue cultivating. Standing here marveling at it is pointless."
Hearing his response, the disciples felt somewhat embarrassed and dispersed quietly.
Gu An continued walking forward when the Jue Luo Sword Master approached him and asked, "Senior, do you know the origins of the Demon God outside the heavens?"
Gu An stopped and looked at him. "You know? Then tell me."
The Jue Luo Sword Master took a deep breath and explained, "That is the Xuanhuang Demon God. It is said that long ago, the entire universe and all the great heavens within it were part of one vast heaven. During that time, countless powerful beings and extraordinary physiques emerged. Among them was a race called the Demon Gods. They possessed the ability to destroy heaven and earth as soon as they reached adulthood. The Xuanhuang Demon God was a renowned figure among the Demon God race. He is also one of the rare Demon Gods whose body has remained intact after death. From what I know, he fell into the hands of a forbidden existence in the Desolate Domain. This means that there is an even stronger being behind the Heavenly Demon Emperor."
After finishing, he looked at Gu An but saw no change in his expression.
As expected, this senior knew everything!
The Jue Luo Sword Master felt his worries ease. Although the Heavenly Demon Emperor didn't frighten him, uncovering the identity of the Xuanhuang Demon God had made him uneasy.
No matter how confident he was, he would never consider himself invincible.
Gu An sighed and said, "When heaven and earth face tribulation, some seek to fulfill their mission, while others aim to exploit the chaos for their own gain. Tell me, when will this cycle of suffering finally end?"
The Jue Luo Sword Master was taken aback by these words, pondering Gu An's meaning deeply.
Gu An was lamenting the Heavenly Dao.
Just as humans have a finite lifespan, it now seemed that heaven and earth did too.
Gu An had already foreseen millions of ways in which Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven could be destroyed, and the number of possible endings was still rapidly increasing.
The Jue Luo Sword Master didn't consider the Heavenly Dao. Instead, he assumed Gu An was expressing dissatisfaction with the existence behind the Xuanhuang Demon God.
"A game outside the game, and every chess player is also a chess piece. If your Sword Dao is to advance further, you must forge your own path and not rely on any existing Dao."
With those parting words, Gu An walked toward his own pavilion.
The Jue Luo Sword Master furrowed his brow. To forge one's own path was easier said than done. Not everyone was the Sword Dao Patriarch. The Sacred Heart Sword Dao could indeed be considered an independent path. He had once visited the River of Sword Dao, where the Sacred Heart Sword Dao stood as an eternal presence, coexisting with the Grand Dao.
Though he often declared his intention to surpass the Sacred Heart Sword Dao, he knew deep down that he was far from achieving that. His goal was merely to use the Sacred Heart Sword Dao to break the shackles on his own cultivation.
As he watched Gu An's retreating figure, a trace of curiosity flashed in his eyes.
With Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven on the brink of annihilation, what would this being, who had surpassed the Free Immortal Realm, choose to do?
Would he intervene to protect it or stay away from the turmoil?
Turning to the disciples within the valley, the Jue Luo Sword Master felt a gut instinct—Gu An would not abandon all of this.
This realization came from years of careful observation during his time in the Third Medicine Valley.
Gu An made his way to the bottom of the pavilion, where he saw Ji Xiaoya and the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor still observing the ongoing battle. Raising his hand, he casually greeted them.
Ji Xiaoya glanced at Gu An and said, "It seems this life of mine is about to end."
Gu An stopped in his tracks, surprised. "Why? You're not even from Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven. Surely you don't feel that responsible?"
Ji Xiaoya replied, "The Heavenly Demon Emperor is the nemesis of my true self. The moment he appeared, the power of my innate Dao rune began to stir. My true self can't wait to fight him."
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor stood silently beside her, showing no objection. He had long wished for Ji Xiaoya to end this life of hers but refrained out of respect for the hierarchy.
Gu An narrowed his eyes and asked, "Do you have any regrets or unfulfilled wishes?"
Ji Xiaoya's gaze was calm, devoid of sadness. She looked at Gu An and asked, "Do you think there's any difference between this life of mine and the previous one?"