Xiao Lan felt as if she were dreaming today.
She had encountered an immortal, someone who declared that she possessed extraordinary talent and wanted to take her as a disciple.
And after witnessing that immortal display her divine abilities, the father she had always thought of as the strongest person had actually fallen to his knees and kowtowed.
Everything felt so unreal.
Even as the sun began to set, Xiao Lan still couldn't process everything that had happened.
"What's wrong? You don't want to cultivate?"
A familiar voice interrupted her wandering thoughts. She turned her head and saw Gu An walking into the garden.
Seeing Gu An immediately calmed her nerves, and she replied, "It's not that I don't want to, I just feel... afraid. After all, I've never left home before. And she… my master says she's going to take me to the Dao Court. It seems to be a really powerful place…"
She poured out her feelings, speaking honestly about the uncertainty in her heart.
Gu An walked closer and listened attentively.
By the time she finished, Xiao Lan sighed. "If only someone could go with me. But... Master didn't accept any of my siblings as disciples."
Gu An blinked and said casually, "I can go with you. Your master has already accepted me as a registered disciple. Though my status isn't the same as yours, staying by your side won't be difficult."
Xiao Lan's eyes widened in shock.
She grabbed Gu An's arms excitedly and asked, "Really?!"
"When have I ever lied to you? Besides, Xiao Manor's Lord has already asked me to take good care of you." Gu An smiled as he spoke, reaching out to ruffle her hair.
After living in Xiao Manor for eighteen years, Gu An had long since become one of them.
Everyone in the manor held him in high regard, and through his knowledge and skills, he had formed a deep friendship with Xiao Lan's father.
More importantly, he had personally chosen the name 'Lan' for her, a testament to just how much trust he had earned in Xiao Manor.
"That's amazing! We'll explore the world of cultivation together!"
Xiao Lan beamed with excitement, grabbing Gu An's arm and shaking it vigorously.
Ever since she was a child, she had loved playing with Gu An because no matter what she wanted, he would always indulge her.
Her earlier anxieties vanished completely, and she began looking forward to the journey ahead.
Two days later, the white-robed immortal, known as True Person Su, took Gu An and Xiao Lan away from Xiao Manor.
The entire manor gathered at the gates to see them off.
Xiao Lan's mother sobbed uncontrollably, while Xiao Manor's Lord gazed at them with hopeful eyes.
Though his own talent was limited, his daughter's opportunity made him believe that perhaps immortality was within reach through her.
Farewells were always bittersweet, but with Gu An accompanying her, Xiao Lan's sadness quickly faded.
After traveling just a hundred miles from Xiao Manor, she had already returned to her usual cheerful self.
Completely unfazed by True Person Su's status as an immortal, she bombarded her with questions about the Dao Court, chattering nonstop along the way.
Gu An walked behind them, enjoying the scenery, before using a clone to take his place while his true self went off to gather medicinal herbs.
True Person Su treated Xiao Lan with patience and warmth, clearly favoring her.
As for Gu An, though she wasn't particularly enthusiastic toward him, she also didn't show any hostility. The atmosphere throughout their journey remained pleasant.
As night fell, they stopped to rest in a forest.
True Person Su had no intention of returning to the Dao Court right away.
She was traveling through the mortal world, seeking to comprehend the red dust before bringing Xiao Lan back.
During this time, she would begin instructing Xiao Lan in cultivation.
Xiao Lan was thrilled.
Even after half a day had passed, she still couldn't calm down.
"Master, can you tell us more about the Dao Court? And the cultivation world?"
She leaned against Gu An and asked eagerly, "My father once told me that cultivators have their own hierarchy, invisible to ordinary people. But in the cultivation world, it's full of turbulent waves, where heroes rise and fall."
True Person Su frowned slightly at how close Xiao Lan was to Gu An, but she didn't say anything.
Instead, she began explaining the Dao Court.
According to True Person Su, the Dao Court was the strongest sect under the heavens, consisting of countless branches.
She mentioned several names, listing the most famous geniuses within the Dao Court.
"Disciple, your talent is no worse than theirs," True Person Su said, her eyes burning with determination. "As long as you put in the effort, I will ensure that you surpass them all and become the number one prodigy of the Dao Court."
Xiao Lan's excitement soared.
She sat up straight, patting Gu An's shoulder proudly, and grinned.
"Gu Gege, I'm going to be the greatest prodigy in the world! Just wait, I'll protect you from now on!"
Gu An chuckled. "Alright, I'm already looking forward to it."
True Person Su furrowed her brows slightly.
In her eyes, Gu An was not worthy of Xiao Lan, and the path Xiao Lan had to walk did not require emotional attachments.
To become one of the Dao Court's top prodigies, she needed to devote all her focus to cultivation.
However, True Person Su did not intervene. She believed that once Xiao Lan witnessed the Dao Court's power and brilliance, she would inevitably lose interest in Gu An.
She looked at Gu An with a hint of pity.
The feeling of being abandoned was not a pleasant one. Regardless, he was still technically her disciple, and she would ensure that he had a good end in the future.
Her thoughts were quite interesting.
Gu An, having overheard her inner musings, found it rather amusing. This journey was getting more entertaining by the moment.
Xiao Lan remained oblivious to their thoughts, still immersed in her excitement for the cultivation path ahead.
That year, Xiao Lan began Qi Refining. In addition to teaching her techniques, True Person Su provided pills, allowing her to progress at an astonishing rate.
By the second year, Gu An gifted the White Spirit Sword to Xiao Lan, which made her overjoyed.
She was growing up, and though she was still naïve about emotions, she had started to recognize the nature of her feelings.
She realized that her attachment to Gu An was very much like the relationships between mortal couples.
Whenever she thought about it, she blushed, secretly glancing at Gu An. However, neither of them openly addressed it, instead enjoying the unspoken bond between them.
True Person Su, though not actively preventing their closeness, frequently took them to observe mortals who suffered for love, attempting to make Xiao Lan understand that romantic feelings were unreliable.
However, Xiao Lan was not influenced at all.
On the contrary, she felt even more fortunate—she was glad that her Gu Gege was not like those people.
Time flew by in an instant.
Fifty years passed swiftly.
Xiao Lan had reached the Divine Transformation Realm, and her natural talent, signified by her 9,999-year lifespan, had finally revealed its full brilliance.
According to True Person Su, if Xiao Lan cultivated in the Dao Court, her progress would be even faster.
As for Gu An, his apparent cultivation had reached the Core Formation Realm.
On Tai Cang Continent, this would be considered an outstanding achievement, but in True Person Su's eyes, his cultivation speed was not worth mentioning.
Over the past fifty years, they had traveled through twelve dynasties, witnessing countless landscapes, cultures, and customs.
They had also encountered cultivators, demons, and ghosts.
Xiao Lan had matured.
She had untied the ribbons from her twin braids, and her aura had transformed into that of a true prodigy.
Yet, no matter how much stronger she became, her feelings for Gu An never wavered—in fact, they only grew deeper.
Once, Gu An looked after her.
Now, it was she who took care of him.
Whenever Gu An remained silent, she would immediately ask if something was wrong, afraid that he was under pressure.
This made Gu An both amused and touched, while True Person Su grew even more dissatisfied.
She simply could not comprehend why Xiao Lan was so devoted to Gu An.
At first, she had thought it was because Xiao Lan had never met a better man, having spent her childhood in Xiao Manor without exposure to other geniuses.
But now, even after seeing the wider world, Xiao Lan was still infatuated with Gu An—this utterly baffled True Person Su.
More importantly, True Person Su realized that she could no longer stop it.
Her instincts told her that if she forcibly tried to separate them, Xiao Lan would turn against her.
Under the blazing summer sun, the three of them walked along the banks of a great river.
Waves crashed against the shore, white gulls soared in the sky—there was a certain majestic solitude to the scene.
"Gu Gege, are you hot? Do you want me to cast a spell for you?"
"Gu Gege, are you tired? Do you need to rest?"
"Gu Gege, look over there! That demon bird is so cute! Do you like it? Do you want me to catch it for you?"
Hearing these relentless questions, even Gu An felt overwhelmed, let alone True Person Su.
"I'm at least at the Core Formation Realm! Why does it sound like I'm some delicate scholar?" Gu An said helplessly.
Standing beside him in flowing white robes, with an ethereal beauty like an immortal, Xiao Lan blinked playfully and smiled softly.
"I just can't help it."
Even she didn't understand why she constantly thought of Gu An.
Sometimes, she would even zone out during her master's lectures.
As long as she could see Gu An, she felt overjoyed, as if she were the luckiest person in the world.
While speaking, she suddenly clung to Gu An's arm, as if afraid that he might disappear.
Gu An felt helpless, but at the same time, he was deeply moved.
He had not cast any spells on her—this was a bond that transcended reincarnation.
Xiao Lan's love for him had become an obsession through lifetimes.