In the storm-covered sea of thunderclouds, a streak of red light raced through the skies, moving as fast as lightning itself.
Gu An, An Xin, Yongxin Fairy, and Fu Shenxiu stood at the edge of the pavilion's platform, gazing at the breathtaking scene of the Thunder Sea Demon Domain.
The area was shrouded in dense demonic energy, but it couldn't conceal the towering waves or the countless streaks of lightning twisting between the sea and sky. The bolts writhed like dragons and serpents, their ferocity terrifying. From time to time, enormous beasts larger than mountains would break through the water's surface, roaring wildly, as if the primordial wilderness had come alive.
"The Earth Origin Soul can be identified by the strange light it emits, which makes it relatively easy to locate," Yongxin Fairy explained. "However, the Earth Origin Soul is elusive. If it's not captured quickly, it will submerge into the sea and vanish without a trace. It would only reappear the next time the conditions are right."
Gu An gave a slight nod. He could sense a powerful spiritual will suffusing the sea, dissipating into the waters rather than gathering in one place. It seemed the ancient cultivator Yongxin Fairy mentioned had likely achieved the Divine Thought True Immortal realm.
Even Divine Thought True Immortals could succumb to the trials of fate—what catastrophic tribulation had this one faced to meet their end here?
As Gu An contemplated, his spiritual sense swept over the vast Thunder Sea Demon Domain. It was immense, even larger than the Broken Sea Region, and brimming with countless demon beasts of all cultivation levels. From Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortals to Qi Refining practitioners, the diversity was staggering.
Certain areas within the domain resisted Gu An's spiritual probe, protected by formidable barriers. With effort, he could forcibly break through the barriers, but doing so would inevitably destroy the small worlds they concealed, causing irreparable damage.
His spiritual sense soon locked onto a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal hidden on a secluded island. Surrounding the island were several terrifying sea monsters, each rivaling the strength of Heaven and Earth Flying Immortals and dwarfing the island in size.
Gu An witnessed a passing Wandering Immortal—a female cultivator of ethereal beauty—devoured in a single gulp by a pitch-black giant whale before her primordial spirit had a chance to escape.
What a pity, Gu An mused, while responding to Yongxin Fairy's observations.
His spiritual sense detected a glimmering anomaly in the distance and directed Yongxin Fairy to head toward that location.
Standing beside Gu An, An Xin watched the unfolding scene with wide-eyed curiosity.
The demonic energy here was so thick it had condensed into visible black mist.
If I were alone in this domain, I might as well end it quickly, An Xin thought, shuddering at the overwhelming challenge of surviving in such a perilous place.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted in the distance as a crimson fish, spanning ten miles in length, leapt from the water. Coiling around the fish were two monstrous tentacles. An Xin could only watch in horror as the crimson fish was crushed into a spray of blood and flesh, causing her entire body to tremble.
Gu An, Yongxin Fairy, and Fu Shenxiu, however, remained unperturbed, as if they had seen it countless times before.
Gu An's gaze shifted toward the horizon, where cities lined the edges of the Thunder Sea Demon Domain. The resemblance to the principal cities of the Broken Sea Region was uncanny, indicating that the Sacred Court had established control over this area.
The rule against sects claiming the territory was clearly a pretext for the Sacred Court to impose its authority and dictate the rules.
It was no wonder so many cultivators banded together for safety, forming groups led by Heaven and Earth Flying Immortals. These groups kept a cautious distance from the Earth Origin Soul's suspected location, making it clear they weren't here for the Earth Origin Soul itself.
Examining them closely, Gu An sensed an aura of fortune similar to that of Lu Xianyi emanating from their bodies.
After some time, they reached an area bathed in radiant blue light, spanning a thousand miles. The light was so intense it made the thunderclouds and sea appear translucent.
In the midst of the glowing sea, two Wandering Immortals were locked in combat, their divine abilities vast and magnificent. However, the power of their clash was constrained within the bounds of the blue light.
Gu An's attention settled on one of the fighters: a man named Zhao Qizhen, clad in battle armor and wielding a divine weapon. Surrounded by blazing phoenixes, his aura was both majestic and domineering.
In Zhao Qizhen's other hand was a shimmering blue crystal.
It didn't take much to deduce—the blue crystal was the Earth Origin Soul!
Gu An could sense the crystal contained traces of spiritual will, similar to the will suffused in the surrounding sea.
"Zhao Qizhen of the Zhao family," Fu Shenxiu muttered coldly, his gaze fixed on the man.
Yongxin Fairy chuckled. "Zhao Qizhen and Shenxiu are fated rivals. They've crossed paths and competed in every major realm of cultivation."
An Xin glanced at Fu Shenxiu, wanting to ask about their past duels but hesitating for fear of offending him.
"Hmph. I lost our last duel, but next time, the outcome will be different," Fu Shenxiu declared confidently.
Gu An's curiosity was piqued. Could there really be families powerful enough to rival the Mortal Peak?
The fact that Yongxin Fairy referred to Zhao Qizhen's lineage as a family rather than a sect indicated the formidable strength of the Zhao clan.
An Xin, however, was puzzled. Why would Fu Shenxiu wait for the next time? Why not challenge Zhao Qizhen now?
Yongxin Fairy continued to introduce Zhao Qizhen's opponent, a grand elder from a prominent sect.
For a family prodigy like Zhao Qizhen to suppress an elder of such status only underscored the disparity in strength between the two factions.
Their arrival hadn't gone unnoticed by the two combatants. Zhao Qizhen, in particular, seemed to recognize Fu Shenxiu's aura, prompting both fighters to subtly slow their attacks, each remaining vigilant against interference from this new force.
Yongxin Fairy and Fu Shenxiu turned to Gu An, eager to see how he would act.
An Xin, meanwhile, stared nervously at the scene. Upon entering the blue light region, the sheer might of the Wandering Immortals left her in awe.
So terrifying. Even the Heavenly Ranking Tournament didn't showcase battles of such intensity.
Gu An raised his right hand and made a simple grasping motion through the air.
In an instant, Zhao Qizhen vanished from the battlefield. His opponent froze, retreating in panic, his gaze locking onto the red pavilion in the distance.
Both Yongxin Fairy and Fu Shenxiu were equally stunned, their eyes fixed on Gu An's hand.
Even An Xin, startled by the sudden turn of events, turned to Gu An with wide eyes, speechless.
Zhao Qizhen, who had previously stood as a dominant and warlike figure, now appeared minuscule and powerless in Gu An's hand, as insignificant as an insect.
Looking up, Zhao Qizhen was utterly stunned. What terrified him even more was the realization that he could not escape. An invisible, untouchable force held him captive, suppressing him completely.
Gu An raised his left hand, extending his index and middle fingers. Zhao Qizhen felt a sudden emptiness in his palm. Lowering his gaze, he saw that the Earth Origin Soul had vanished, now securely held between Gu An's fingers.
With a casual flick, Gu An tossed the Earth Origin Soul into Fu Shenxiu's hands.
Fu Shenxiu stood frozen, his mind unable to process what had just happened. Even Yongxin Fairy was left wide-eyed, unable to believe the simplicity of their success.
Was that it? Did we really succeed just like that?
Gu An casually threw Zhao Qizhen away, releasing him. As soon as Zhao Qizhen regained his freedom, his body returned to its original size.
Stabilizing himself, Zhao Qizhen stared at Gu An with a face full of fear and disbelief.
Gu An remained expressionless, uninterested in wasting words. Turning to Yongxin Fairy, he said, "Let's go."
Snapping out of her daze, Yongxin Fairy instinctively cast a spell to drive the red pavilion forward.
Gu An had revealed his true self but had encountered no hostility from Zhao Qizhen or his rival. Leaving them alive seemed a fitting end to this encounter.
As the red pavilion disappeared into the distance, Zhao Qizhen's handsome face twisted with humiliation.
Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Zhao Qizhen realized from Gu An's earlier display that he was utterly outmatched.
If I were in his place, would I have spared me? Likely not.
His thoughts were now consumed by one question: When did Mortal Peak produce such a powerful figure?
That man must be a Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal!
Zhao Qizhen clenched his fists. Turning to the Wandering Immortal he had been fighting earlier, he cupped his hands in a polite gesture. The opponent, taken aback, hesitated to return the courtesy before Zhao Qizhen turned and left without another word.
Back on the red pavilion, Fu Shenxiu held the Earth Origin Soul in his hands, his expression a mixture of awe and confusion.
Yongxin Fairy, recovering first, offered her heartfelt thanks to Gu An. Fu Shenxiu quickly followed suit, bowing deeply.
An Xin, meanwhile, couldn't contain her curiosity. "Is that it? Is it over already?"
Her innocent question made both Fu Shenxiu and Yongxin Fairy's expressions turn even more complicated.
Gu An chuckled. "Isn't it better that things went smoothly?"
"Yes, of course!" An Xin quickly replied. "I just meant…" Unable to articulate her thoughts, she trailed off.
Smiling, Gu An said, "Let's head back."
Yongxin Fairy's face lit up with relief. For her, such a straightforward resolution was a blessing. Even Wandering Immortals faced life-and-death risks in the Thunder Sea Demon Domain.
As the pavilion exited the Thunder Sea Demon Domain, Gu An suddenly placed a firm hand on An Xin's shoulder. Before she could react, she found herself being flung from the pavilion.
Startled, An Xin let out a small gasp, only to see Gu An holding her steady with one hand. With the other, he waved, sending the pavilion speeding away in a flash.
Yongxin Fairy and Fu Shenxiu were equally caught off guard. Before they could process what had happened, Gu An's voice echoed in their ears: "You two head back first."
The red pavilion surged forward with incredible speed. Both passengers noticed the surrounding natural laws bending away from their path, creating an unobstructed route.
"This is... an advanced technique beyond our comprehension," Yongxin Fairy muttered.
"I think it's because his disciple wanted to stay and explore," Fu Shenxiu speculated.
Yongxin Fairy raised a brow. "Wouldn't that be reckless?"
"With his cultivation, could you really call it reckless?" Fu Shenxiu countered, glancing at the Earth Origin Soul in his hand. In this moment, his opinion of Gu An shifted completely.
Elsewhere, Gu An carried An Xin through the sky, riding on the clouds. Wrapping his spiritual sense around her, they entered a unique state, invisible to anyone below the Dao Void Profound Immortal realm.
"Master, you didn't have to do this for me. This place is so dangerous…" An Xin whispered, clearly moved by his actions.
Gu An chuckled. "Don't overthink it. This isn't just for you."
"Then who is it for?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Gu An replied cryptically.
Intrigued, An Xin grew even more curious about what lay ahead.
They traveled swiftly, the turbulent thunderclouds rolling away in their path. An Xin, surrounded by Gu An's protective aura, felt no discomfort despite the incredible speed.
Before long, Gu An came to a stop.
Ahead of them, flashes of lightning illuminated a chaotic scene. Beneath the storm clouds, dense demonic mist churned ominously.
Suddenly, a swarm of ghostly figures erupted from the sea of clouds, startling An Xin into instinctively moving closer to Gu An.
The continuous roar of explosions drew her attention downward.
Gu An guided their descent through the cloud layer, revealing a massive battle unfolding below.
A towering phantom of a city hovered above the ocean, emitting endless streams of strange ghostly figures. These spectral entities surged from the city, relentlessly attacking the surrounding monsters.
The scene was pure chaos.
"Mysterious Divine City? Is Uncle-Master Li Ya here?" An Xin asked excitedly.
Li Ya had left a deep impression on her during the Heavenly Ranking Tournament, showcasing the formidable might of Mysterious Divine City.
Thinking of the extraordinary treasure, An Xin couldn't help but ask, "Master, could your Qingtian Peak become as strong as this?"
Gu An scoffed. "Mysterious Divine City is a damaged immortal treasure. At best, it's a pseudo-immortal treasure. When it comes to real power, it's no match for Qingtian Peak. I'll show you what it can do soon enough."