The black-robed elder eventually conceded. He figured that Gu An must mean what he said since there was no advantage in lying to him—especially now when he was completely powerless.
After dealing with the black-robed elder, Gu An placed the Qingtian Peak back at his waist. His gaze pierced through the walls, falling on the one-year-old Long Qing, who was currently chasing a White Spirit Mouse. The mouse deliberately slowed its pace, seemingly worried that the child wouldn't catch up.
Seeing the usually aloof White Spirit Mouse behave so gently, a faint smile spread across Gu An's face.
The mysteries of reincarnation evolution were no longer something Gu An cared to dwell on. What mattered now was cultivating diligently and steadily growing stronger. These various identities linked by reincarnation held no tangible benefit for his survival. The world was vast and fraught with peril: the Sacred Court, the Immortal Dynasty, and beyond the heavens, the Desolate Domain. His enemies included the Annihilation God Emperor, the Black Xuan Emperor, and countless other unfathomable threats. His path forward was long and arduous.
Long Zhan, after all, had been too reckless—and ultimately crushed by the Annihilation God Emperor.
Gu An resolved to quietly surpass the Ninth Heaven of the Immortal Dao in the vast universe where the Heavenly Spirit World was situated.
The Annihilation God Emperor and the Black Xuan Emperor needed to be overestimated as much as possible. Only by preparing for the worst could Gu An ensure that if he ever faced them as foes, he would be ready to triumph.
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, Gu An erased any lingering resentment toward the Black Xuan Emperor, burying the grievances deep in his heart.
He was Gu An, and Gu An was his true self.
He picked up a brush and ink, ready to write something to express his current emotions.
The clear blue sky stretched endlessly, unmarred by a single cloud. Beneath its vast expanse, countless cultivators gathered on a barren plain, encircling a colossal pit spanning over a hundred miles in diameter. Along the pit's edge, pavilions were being erected, and towering iron spires stood guard before each structure.
Bai Ziya stood at the pit's rim, staring into its depths at the blood-red coffin. Worry clouded her eyes.
"You ventured into the Desolate Domain. Have you ever encountered anything like this?" a voice called out. Fu Shenxiu approached her side with measured steps.
Bai Ziya turned to him, bowing respectfully before answering. "I haven't, but its aura feels exceedingly dangerous."
"I have," Fu Shenxiu replied, his gaze fixed on the crimson coffin.
Bai Ziya looked at him in surprise, only to hear him continue. "Wherever this coffin appears, Heavenly Demons retreat, leaving only a desolate wasteland of ruins. Even Heavenly Demons fear the entity inside. I've heard of beings stronger than Unrestrained Primordial Immortal crumbling into ash the moment they draw near it."
"Stronger than Unrestrained Primordial Immortal?" Bai Ziya's expression turned pale with fear. To him, the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal realm represented ultimate freedom. If even beings beyond that level couldn't withstand the coffin's presence, how terrifying must it truly be?
The thought involuntarily reminded her of Meng Lang. She shuddered, picturing him disintegrating into nothing if he dared approach the coffin.
As Fu Shenxiu recounted his past encounter with the coffin, Bai Ziya listened attentively. Around them, other sect members began sharing their own harrowing experiences in the Desolate Domain.
Within a majestic pavilion overlooking the scene, a white-robed man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, silently observing the blood-red coffin with deep, contemplative eyes.
A man clad in golden armor suddenly appeared beside him, saluting as he said in a hushed voice, "Sacred King, the higher-ups have instructed us not to act. We are to wait for the Dark War Emperor to awaken."
Hearing this, the white-robed man narrowed his eyes but remained silent, his thoughts unfathomable.
The golden-armored man hesitated before speaking again, lowering his voice further. "Sacred King, something feels off about this. While Heavenly Demons have caused trouble for the mortal world from time to time, the Divine Sovereign would never have sought outside help. Didn't the Divine Sovereign decree that all entities from beyond the heavens were enemies? Why would they now rely on an external force?"
Unconcerned about being overheard, the golden-armored man spoke freely. The pavilion was enveloped in numerous restrictions, preventing any higher-level beings from eavesdropping.
The white-robed man's expression remained unchanged as he replied flatly, "This is now the Sacred Minister's era, and it will last for a long time. If you want to secure your place within the Sacred Court, you must learn to feign ignorance."
The golden-armored man's face contorted in anger as he gritted his teeth. "Where has the Divine Sovereign gone? Why does he place so much trust in the Sacred Minister?"
The white-robed man's calm response betrayed no emotion. "The Reincarnation Tribulation is an ordeal every supreme being must face. The Divine Sovereign has delayed it for a long time. No one can predict what will happen if he waits any longer."
"Reincarnation Tribulation? Does that mean the Divine Sovereign has reincarnated?" The golden-armored man frowned, his curiosity piqued.
Shaking his head, the white-robed man replied, "Your cultivation level isn't sufficient to comprehend this. Don't ask too much. Just remember this: if the Sacred Court ever faces a crisis of survival, the Divine Sovereign will return. Until then, let the Sacred Minister make his noise. The greater the commotion, the better for us. Don't forget, the Divine Sovereign himself is dissatisfied with the Sacred Minister."
The golden-armored man's expression shifted between frustration and resignation before he finally saluted and departed.
As the wind tousled his long hair, the white-robed man continued gazing silently at the blood-red coffin.
Under the blazing summer sun, Gu An rode the Blood Prison Saint toward the Third Medicine Valley, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
Near the blood-red coffin, Gu An detected the presence of a Dao Void Profound Immortal. This was his first time sensing such an existence.
They were likely from the Sacred Court.
With so many forces gathered yet remaining passive, Gu An found it impossible to discern friend from foe.
Regardless, the arrival of the blood-red coffin had wiped out an entire continent's worth of life. By modern Earth's standards, it was akin to the extinction of all life on the planet. Yet, the Sacred Court had taken no action.
Perhaps, in their eyes, the threat posed by Heavenly Demons was even greater, a sacrifice for the greater good. But for the innocent lives lost, what could be more tragic?
"Master, how is Long Qing's talent? He seems quite sharp to me," the Blood Prison Saint suddenly asked, snapping Gu An out of his thoughts.
The Blood Prison Saint couldn't help but wonder as he observed the young Long Qing, "Master wouldn't simply take in an orphan without reason. This child must be extraordinary, perhaps even more gifted than Yang Jian."
Gu An replied nonchalantly, "He's quite ordinary. In this life, he probably won't achieve much."
The Blood Prison Saint froze momentarily before breaking into a chuckle. "Master, you must be joking, right?"
"You'll find out in time," Gu An said with a faint smile.
Still curious, the Blood Prison Saint pressed further, "Then why did you decide to take him in?"
"Because I liked him at first sight. Do you think I need someone like Yang Jian to repay me?" Gu An replied casually.
The Blood Prison Saint thought it made sense. After all, Gu An wasn't only kind to Yang Jian; every disciple in the valley had benefited from his generosity. As Gu An often said, "Do good deeds and don't worry about the outcome."
"True," the Blood Prison Saint agreed. "Living a simple life might not be a bad thing." Yet, deep down, he believed that Long Qing was destined for greatness—it was only a matter of time.
As they approached the valley entrance, Gu An spotted a group of female disciples surrounding Long Qing. They passed him back and forth like a treasure, their laughter filling the air as the boy giggled uncontrollably, brightening the atmosphere.
When the disciples noticed the Blood Prison Saint approaching, they exchanged a few words before scattering, leaving Long Qing in the arms of a flustered female disciple, who quickly carried him over to An Xin.
"Gu An, come play a round with me!" Nine-Finger Divine Lord's voice suddenly rang out. Gu An heard it and gestured for the Blood Prison Saint to head over.
Moments later, Gu An sat down at the chess table. Nine-Finger Divine Lord grinned and asked, "Gu An, what's the story with that little one, Long Qing?"
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord had already tried divining Long Qing's origins but found no clues. With Yang Jian's precedent, he couldn't shake the feeling that Long Qing had an extraordinary background.
Gu An picked up a chess piece, smiling. "How should I know? He's genuinely a child I found in the mountains. If you like him, why not take him as a disciple?"
Nine-Finger Divine Lord laughed. "Forget it. I've already poached one disciple from you; I can't take another."
Seeing that the Nine-Finger Divine Lord hadn't made a move, Gu An placed his own piece on the board, prompting a twitch at the corner of the other's mouth. Quickly, he picked up a white piece and muttered, "Here, black goes first. Don't you know the rules?"
With that, he finally made his move.
Gu An chuckled and followed up with another move, shifting the conversation to Chu Jingfeng's situation.
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord explained that he had settled Chu Jingfeng overseas while staying at Tai Xuan Sect himself, leaving Gu An unsure how to respond.
After half an hour, Gu An rose from the table and left. The Nine-Finger Divine Lord stared at the chessboard, frowning deeply.
"What's the problem?" the Nine-Finger Divine Lord muttered to himself. No one provided an answer. Losing was no surprise to anyone present, but if he had won, it would've been a marvel.
Gu An, however, was in a good mood. Tomorrow, he planned to head to the Hidden Paradise Cave Heaven to harvest high-level spiritual herbs. This haul could extend his lifespan by tens of millions of years!
He resolved not to activate the cycle of reincarnation again until his next breakthrough.
Better yet, he decided to avoid using it until his lifespan reached ten billion years. He didn't want another descendant appearing before him, only for him to feel unable to ignore them.
As the sun set and the moon rose, Gu An entrusted Long Qing to You Yingying the following morning and left the valley alone.
For reasons she couldn't explain, You Yingying adored Long Qing, even though she used to dislike children.
By the time Gu An returned in the evening, he was humming a tune, his spirits high.
He had managed to harvest over 65 million years of lifespan in one go—it was exhilarating! The Hidden Paradise Cave Heaven was his primary investment, and he regularly supplied it with high-grade spiritual herbs to ensure continuous gains.
Along the way, Gu An greeted every disciple he encountered, leaving them both flattered and surprised.
When he arrived at You Yingying's courtyard, he retrieved Long Qing.
"Hey, I need to ask you something," You Yingying said, blocking Gu An's path.
Gu An rolled his eyes. "Don't call me 'hey.'"
She glared at him but continued, "I've been feeling restless lately, as if trouble is coming to the Medicine Valley. Should I leave?"
Gu An looked at her, taken aback. "If you want to go, go. Why are you asking me?"
You Yingying was furious and tried to pinch him, but he dodged nimbly.
"Fine, I'll leave tomorrow!" she declared, storming off to her room.
Gu An called after her, "If you're so worried about causing trouble, why stress? Don't forget who's watching over Tai Xuan Sect."
You Yingying paused, her anger subsiding as she turned back to him. "But isn't that unfair?"
Gu An replied without hesitation, "The entire Tai Xuan Sect enjoys the protection of the Sword Master of the Dao. What's unfair about that? If you feel bad, just take care of Long Qing in the future. He seems to like you."
Caught in indecision, You Yingying said nothing further, and Gu An left without pushing her.
With Long Qing still small, Gu An planned to hold him as much as possible. After all, children weren't as endearing once they grew up.
As for You Yingying's concerns, he didn't dwell on them. The world was full of Heavenly Demons, and he would deal with the Dark War Emperor when the time came.
For now, the aura of the Dark War Emperor suggested he was far from reaching the Divine Thought True Immortal realm. At his current pace, it would take thousands of years to get there.