As dusk approached, the setting sun bathed the sky in brilliant hues.
Gu An sat on a stone bench, absentmindedly toying with the Seven Stars Mirror. A look of mild impatience colored his face.
Across from him sat the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, his expression stormy. The onlookers surrounding them wore similar expressions of tension, their eyes glued to the chessboard between them.
"Still can't decide? Just admit defeat!" Gu An finally broke the silence, his tone exasperated. Oddly enough, he and the Nine-Finger Divine Lord had been locked in the same chess match all afternoon, and this was still their first game. The Divine Lord had barely played thirty-seven moves.
Apparently, unable to win, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord was intent on dragging the game out. Gu An, of course, had long since seen through his ploy. Every move he made preemptively blocked where the Divine Lord intended to play, leaving the latter in torment.
The agony of being read like an open book was unbearable!
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord couldn't comprehend how Gu An could predict his every strategy. He had simulated countless possibilities, each one seemingly ingenious, yet Gu An always thwarted him at the exact moment. What the Divine Lord didn't know was that Gu An had been using his newfound ability to glimpse the threads of fate.
By peering into the Divine Lord's near future, Gu An could foresee his next moves. The Divine Lord's cultivation might have been formidable, but not so overwhelming that Gu An couldn't predict his actions within the span of half an hour.
The slower the Divine Lord played, the faster Gu An retaliated, his moves precise and ruthless. This relentless assault chipped away at the Divine Lord's mental defenses.
Hearing Gu An's remark, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord cursed inwardly.
If they were out at sea, who would dare treat him this way?
The worst part was that he really was trying to stall, leaving him both furious and mortified.
Taking a deep breath, the Divine Lord placed another piece on the board.
Clack!
The sound echoed like thunder, startling the onlookers into stiffening their necks.
Even the Divine Lord himself jumped, hastily touching the piece he had just placed, as though to confirm it was real.
Gu An's lips curled into a knowing smile as he used the Seven Stars Mirror like a fan, fanning himself lazily with an air of feigned profundity.
The Divine Lord stared at him, a sudden urge to strike him rising within.
"That's it! I'm done!" the Divine Lord roared in frustration.
Hearing this, Gu An stood up immediately and walked away, leaving without a backward glance.
Watching Gu An's retreating figure, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately closed it, a heavy pressure settling on his chest.
Gu An decided to take a stroll, intending to see every corner of the Third Medicine Valley.
He wanted to experience his longtime home through the enhanced senses of a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal.
He hadn't gone far when Yang Jian approached, a bright smile on his face. He told Gu An that, for some reason, he felt an unusual clarity today, as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Gu An chuckled and reassured him, saying it was likely the result of a breakthrough in his cultivation.
Encouraged by his master's praise, Yang Jian left brimming with energy, eager to spar with Li Lingtian, knowing how much the latter desired to challenge him.
No sooner had Yang Jian departed than An Xin arrived, lamenting the disappearance of her White Spirit Mouse once again.
Gu An consoled her with patient words before sending her on her way.
Then came Tang Yu, bringing another minor issue.
Today seemed unusually busy for Gu An. While such interruptions were rare, he found them amusing rather than tiresome.
What was the point of being a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal?
To Gu An, it was clear. He still cherished the simpler moments with those close to him, even if their cultivation realms were far below his own.
The path of immortality was long, with the immortal dao spanning nine heavenly stages. The Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm was merely the sixth.
What lay beyond the ninth heavenly stage?
Gu An looked forward to finding out, his heart brimming with determination.
An hour later, night fell.
Gu An strolled leisurely back toward his pavilion.
From a distance, he noticed a graceful figure standing beneath it—Ji Xiaoyu.
Gu An also caught sight of an item in her hand. Though he didn't care to focus on it, his gaze was calm; he had already discerned the item's karmic threads and origin.
Nearby, the Blood Prison Saint lay sprawled on the ground. The Bull Demon's massive eyes sparkled as he noticed Gu An's approach, sensing subtle changes in his master.
Had his master grown stronger again?
For the Bull Demon, this was undoubtedly great news. The stronger his master became, the more benefits he could reap, and the greater the pride he felt.
As Gu An reached Ji Xiaoyu, he greeted her with a smile. "Isn't this usually your time for cultivation? What brings you here tonight?"
Ji Xiaoyu's gaze lingered on the golden mark on Gu An's forehead. Even under the dim light of night, it radiated a faint glow.
Subconsciously, she raised her hand to touch her own forehead, where a red mark, thinner than Gu An's, glimmered faintly.
A soft smile crossed her lips. "Nothing much. I just came out to admire the moonlight."
In the next moment, the item hidden in her other hand vanished.
Gu An turned and stood beside her, looking up at the bright moon in the night sky. His lips curved into a slight smile. "Xiaoyu, what do you think lies beyond the heavens?"
Ji Xiaoyu followed his gaze toward the starry sky. "Perhaps many other realms," she replied softly. "I once heard from an elder in my clan that every star in the sky represents a realm of its own. The great dao is simple; all things follow the same laws. Life in this world is as insignificant as dust, just as the heavens are vast yet no greater than a single star."
Gu An turned his head slightly, gazing at her in surprise. He hadn't expected her to express such profound understanding.
Unknowingly, this little girl had grown so much.
"If one attains the Dao, they may eventually ascend beyond the heavens," Ji Xiaoya mused, her gaze lingering on the sky.
Gu An met her eyes and found them strikingly beautiful.
The two began discussing the mysteries of the heavens, their conversation flowing naturally. Their words were unhurried, like a gentle stream winding its way through the landscape.
Half an hour later, Gu An bid her farewell and ascended to the second floor of his residence.
Sitting at his desk, Gu An stared out at the starry sky. He muttered to himself, "Attain the Dao and soar beyond the heavens?"
Why not see for himself tonight?
Having reached the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm, he felt it was time to explore the vast cosmos. When he had first attained the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, he visited Xunxian Island. Now, as a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal, he could explore even broader horizons.
A faint smile graced Gu An's lips. Without hesitation, his Wondrous Spirit Soul detached from his body, leaving the confines of his world.
In an instant, he appeared amidst the stars, overlooking the vast expanse of the Heavenly Spirit World below.
Gu An concealed his aura, suppressing it to the level of a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal. The rainbow-hued radiance of the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm receded into his primordial spirit.
From the cosmos, the Heavenly Spirit World appeared as an enormous continent, its surface shimmering with a layer of golden light. Seven suns orbited above, their movements following a mysterious and profound order.
Even within the suns, enigmatic lifeforms resided. Observing them from the vastness of space, Gu An felt their immense presence—each was a being at the level of a Unrestrained Primordial Immortal.
It was evident that these entities served as guardians of the Heavenly Spirit World.
Turning away, Gu An ventured deeper into the cosmos.
Among the stars, many were revealed to be self-contained worlds. Some were spherical planets, while others took the form of sprawling continents. Not all held life; some were barren, haunted only by wandering spirits.
These worlds, too, were cloaked in golden light, forming a barrier that shielded them from beings below the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm.
Gu An's speed was extraordinary, though he maintained it within the limits of a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal.
The universe was vast. Even at this speed, it would take considerable time to encounter other cultivators, let alone more powerful beings.
However, during his flight, Gu An detected faint, unusual auras emanating from distant directions, signaling potential dangers beyond.
The heavens, too, held their perils.
Eventually, Gu An's divine sense locked onto another Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal. He quickly altered his course to meet them.
Amidst the cosmos, most celestial bodies were subject to mysterious forces that bound them. However, some meteors, varying in size, wandered aimlessly without restriction.
On one such meteor, massive and continental in scale, a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal lay in concealment.
This individual was a human cultivator.
Seated before a cliff face, clad in a white-feathered robe, the young man exuded an air of grace. His handsome features gave the impression of someone in their early twenties, radiating an aura of immortal poise.
As Gu An approached, he directed his lifespan investigation toward the cultivator.
[Bai Ziya (Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal, Third Layer): 124,902/350,000/400,000]
Bai Ziya opened his eyes, sensing Gu An's presence. His pupils gleamed with a crystalline blue hue, resembling two shining gemstones.
He rose to his feet, gazing at Gu An's approach.
When Gu An landed, he cupped his hands respectfully and said, "I am Meng Lang, newly arrived beyond the heavens. To encounter a fellow Daoist here is a rare fate. Might I have the honor of your acquaintance?"
A smile broke across Bai Ziya's face as he replied, "Ah, a newcomer to the heavens. That explains your boldness. Consider yourself fortunate to have met me. My name is Bai Ziya. Be cautious in this universe; encountering a fellow cultivator can be more dangerous than meeting demons."
Feigning ignorance, Gu An asked, "Is the universe truly so perilous?"
Bai Ziya resumed his seat and gestured for Gu An to do the same with a casual wave of his sleeve.
Gu An obliged, and as he settled down, Bai Ziya introduced himself properly before sharing his knowledge of the heavens.
Bai Ziya, too, hailed from the Heavenly Spirit World. He was one of the peak lords of the Mortal Peak Sect and had spent the past twenty thousand years exploring the cosmos. Recently, he had decided to return to the Heavenly Spirit World.
According to Bai Ziya, while the Heavenly Spirit World was vast, it was governed by the Sacred Court of the Immortals, which maintained order among the great cultivators. Beyond the heavens, however, no such rules existed. Here, death carried little karmic consequence, making great cultivators even more unscrupulous.
Though countless worlds dotted the cosmos, the Heavenly Spirit World reigned supreme. The others were but minor realms in comparison.
When Gu An inquired about worlds comparable to the Heavenly Spirit World, Bai Ziya offered little comment. Nevertheless, it was clear that this starry domain centered around the Heavenly Spirit World.
In addition to conflicts among cultivators, Bai Ziya explained, the cosmos was plagued by Heavenly Demons. These demons had existed since time immemorial, forming factions of their own. They harbored an inherent hatred for humans and demons alike, attacking on sight.
Bai Ziya recounted his encounter with one such terrifying Heavenly Demon, capable of devouring a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal in a single bite. He had only escaped by outpacing his fellow cultivators. Even now, the memory sent shivers down his spine.
"If you're curious about the heavens," Bai Ziya warned, "don't venture too far into the Void Extinction Zone. That region teems with Heavenly Demons and harbors countless cursed anomalies. For a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal, entering is a gamble with death. That said, if you've reached a bottleneck in your cultivation, it might be worth the risk. Some have reversed their fate in the Void Extinction Zone. They say it was once a flourishing great realm, far surpassing the Heavenly Spirit World. What we know as the Heavenly Spirit World is but a fragment of that lost domain."
Bai Ziya spoke at length, and Gu An listened attentively.
He sensed no malice from Bai Ziya, whose open demeanor suggested genuine kindness.
Still, Gu An remained cautious, prepared for any eventuality.
Bai Ziya turned to Gu An and asked, "Daoist Meng Lang, which sect do you hail from?"
While the Heavenly Spirit World was vast, it was not boundless for a Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal.
Gu An responded calmly, "To be honest, I am but a lone wanderer. My sect was destroyed years ago due to a calamity, leaving me to cultivate in seclusion in the mountains."
Bai Ziya's interest was piqued. "To reach the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm through solitary cultivation? Daoist, your talent is truly remarkable. Why not join my Mortal Peak Sect? I could make you a peak lord. With the Sacred Court of the Immortals's blessing, you could even claim a throne of fate. With such blessings, comprehending the rules of the universe would become much easier."