The Nine-Finger Divine Lord had no idea what Gu An was thinking, but noticing the subtle change in his expression, he quickly added, "I was joking! Think about your cultivation level—if that were truly an immortal treasure, you'd have been reduced to ashes the moment you touched it."
Hearing this, Gu An secretly sighed in relief. On the surface, however, he maintained a troubled expression, as if unable to accept the harsh truth.
Looking down, he noticed that Shen Xin Zi was trapped in a losing position on the chessboard, still struggling to make a comeback.
"Let me take over." Gu An patted Shen Xin Zi on the shoulder as he spoke.
Shen Xin Zi took a deep breath and stepped aside, allowing Gu An to take his place.
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord began collecting the black pieces he had already placed on the board. Smirking at Gu An, he said, "My chess skills have improved significantly. You'd better be careful this time."
Gu An sat down, spinning the Pen of Destiny between his fingers, and replied confidently, "When it comes to chess, I won't lose."
Standing nearby, You Yingying had a peculiar expression. For some reason, Gu An exuded an overwhelming presence when he said that, as if his words carried undeniable weight.
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord made the first move, and the game commenced.
The onlookers were captivated, their eyes glued to the board. Even Shen Xin Zi observed intently, eager to learn from Gu An's playstyle.
Brimming with confidence, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord made his moves swiftly, abandoning his usual strategy of dragging out the game to frustrate his opponents.
Half an hour later, Gu An stood up, his victory sealed. Under the reverent gazes of the crowd, he left the scene with You Yingying hastily following behind.
Shen Xin Zi studied the chessboard with admiration, while the Nine-Finger Divine Lord glowered at it, his expression dark and brooding.
For some inexplicable reason, he felt as though the gap between him and Gu An was widening, a realization that left him deeply unsettled.
Gu An planned to visit Long Qing but found himself being shadowed by You Yingying the entire time.
He could sense that You Yingying had noticed changes in him, but he wasn't worried. Within the Heavenly Spirit World, no one could discern his true cultivation level.
Even with noticeable shifts in his demeanor, others only saw him as a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. The Nine-Finger Divine Lord and Shen Xin Zi hadn't given his changes much thought.
As they walked, the two casually chatted. Gu An brought up the Star Sea Sect. Xuan Tianyi had already returned to the Tai Xuan Sect, and both An Hao and Li Ya had left the Star Sea Sect. While the Tai Xuan Sect still maintained cooperative ties with the Star Sea Sect, the latter was rarely mentioned within Tai Xuan.
You Yingying, who hailed from the Star Sea Sect, had never returned since joining Tai Xuan.
Previously, Gu An had worried that her Heavenly Demon lineage might bring trouble, but now, such concerns seemed trivial.
The Desolation Domain was teeming with Heavenly Demons, and compared to Long Qing's karmic ties, You Yingying's were insignificant.
"Do you want to cultivate?" Gu An suddenly asked.
You Yingying's inability to break through stemmed from the karmic restraints tied to her Heavenly Demon lineage. Her previous incarnation, likely out of fear of exposure, had deliberately ensured that her reincarnation would be unable to advance to higher realms.
With Gu An's current capabilities, he could erase these karmic restraints from her body.
You Yingying glanced at him and replied, "Of course, I do. But my identity is unique; I can't cultivate."
"What if I can help you?"
Her gaze grew contemplative at his words. Shaking her head, she said, "There's no need. I'd rather live a simple, uneventful life and move on to the next reincarnation early. I don't want to become a disaster."
Hearing this, Gu An fell silent, choosing not to press the matter further.
"Why aren't you asking me why I think I'd become a disaster?" You Yingying complained.
This guy seemed to have a knack for making conversation with everyone else—so why did he always fall short when talking to her?
Turning to scrutinize her, Gu An replied, "Do I really need to ask?"
His rhetorical question infuriated You Yingying, who lunged at him playfully, her hands clawing at the air in mock aggression.
Their playful banter continued as they eventually arrived at a snow-covered grove. On a field blanketed in snow, Long Qing was practicing martial arts.
At eighty-two years old, Long Qing appeared youthful and vigorous. Each punch he threw radiated power, his movements full of force and momentum.
Noticing Gu An and You Yingying's arrival, Long Qing greeted them with a bright smile.
From birth until the age of four, he had been raised by Gu An. Afterward, You Yingying had taken over. In his eyes, You Yingying was like a mother figure, someone he deeply respected. Gu An even suspected that in Long Qing's heart, You Yingying held the highest regard.
"Master, Mother, how does my form look?" Long Qing called out as he demonstrated his punches.
Standing side by side, Gu An and You Yingying watched his performance. The punches sent waves of force rippling through the air, the sound of his robes whipping through the wind echoing through the grove.
Pride filled You Yingying's face as she watched Long Qing's movements.
To her, Long Qing was no less than her own child. His presence had given her life new meaning, filling her days with purpose. She eagerly anticipated the day he would rise to fame.
Meanwhile, Gu An compared Long Qing to Yang Jian, who was of the same age. In terms of physical strength, Long Qing had a clear edge. However, his reaction speed lagged behind, likely due to his lack of cultivation.
For someone without spiritual power, Long Qing's strength was already astonishing.
When Long Qing finished his routine, he approached the two, raising his fists with excitement.
"I think I'm ready to spar with a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator! Master, shall we have a bout?"
Seeing his enthusiasm, Gu An couldn't help but chuckle.
You Yingying shot Long Qing a glare. "Show some respect! How dare you challenge your master? Have you forgotten the lessons I taught you because I haven't disciplined you in a while?"
Panicking, Long Qing quickly explained, "I was just suggesting a sparring match for practice! I'd stop short of causing harm. Besides, there aren't many Nascent Soul Realm cultivators in the Medicine Valley, and I don't want to cause trouble in the inner sect…"
"It's fine. Let's do it," Gu An said, stepping forward.
Gu An laughed, causing Long Qing's face to light up with joy as he hastily expressed his gratitude.
You Yingying looked at Gu An nervously and said, "That kid doesn't know how to hold back. Be careful."
Gu An shrugged nonchalantly. "Come on, I used to be a Golden Ranking genius."
The Golden Ranking and Heavenly Ranking, established by the Tai Xuan Sect, were still considered prestigious. Every generation of Golden Ranking geniuses would attract talents from across the continent to compete. However, Gu An had long since stopped participating.
Hearing this, You Yingying stepped aside, crossing her arms to watch.
Long Qing stood ten paces away, warming up with a series of fluid stretches. Excitement radiated from his face—he had long been itching to test Gu An's abilities.
In the Third Medicine Valley, there was a prevailing legend: Gu An is formidable.
Although he couldn't be compared to great immortal cultivators like the Nine-Finger Divine Lord or Shen Xin Zi, Gu An was undoubtedly a powerhouse within the same cultivation level.
Gu An held the Pen of Destiny in his hand and gestured for Long Qing to come forward.
Long Qing immediately lunged, his stride swift as an arrow, closing the distance between them in an instant.
So fast!
You Yingying's eyes couldn't keep up with his speed, her pupils dilating as she struggled to follow his movements.
Long Qing's punch tore through the air like a dragon leaping from the abyss, accompanied by a deafening sonic boom. Gu An raised his hand, the Pen of Destiny intercepting Long Qing's fist and stopping it inches from his chest.
Long Qing's expression shifted dramatically as he realized his arm was immobilized, unable to push forward even an inch. At that moment, he truly understood the sheer might of Gu An, who stood as immovable as a mountain.
Long Qing's greatest strength was his raw physical power. But when even that failed against his opponent, unease crept into his heart.
Gu An's lips curled into a smile. With a swift upward motion of the Pen of Destiny, he effortlessly lifted Long Qing off the ground. A split second later, Gu An's leg shot forward like lightning, delivering a powerful kick to Long Qing's chest.
Bang!
The impact sent Long Qing hurtling backward. His eyes bulged as the force rendered him momentarily unconscious.
The exchange was over in a flash, so swift that You Yingying couldn't even see how Gu An had moved. All she saw was Long Qing charging at Gu An, only to be sent flying moments later.
When she snapped out of her daze, Long Qing had already collided with a large tree. The trunk shuddered under the force, dislodging a thick blanket of snow that nearly buried him.
"You hit him too hard!" You Yingying glared at Gu An before rushing over to check on Long Qing.
Gu An sighed internally. Aren't you the one who was worried I'd get hurt? Why do you get to play the hero now?
With You Yingying's support, Long Qing sat up, blinking dazedly. As his eyes settled on Gu An, a newfound respect and awe filled his gaze. In that moment, Gu An's figure seemed invincible, etched into his mind as an insurmountable force.
Not even Shen Xin Zi, his second master, had ever left him feeling so utterly defeated.
"You've got more training to do, Qing'er. I'll be waiting for your next challenge," Gu An said with a light chuckle, his words jolting Long Qing out of his reverie.
Long Qing took a deep breath and nodded firmly, his earlier arrogance completely extinguished.
The snow continued to fall.
While Long Qing grappled with his defeat, a wave of unease spread among the great cultivators beyond the heavens.
With the disturbances in the Desolation Domain finally subsiding, the Heavenly Demons began to stir, moving closer to the Heavenly Spirit World.
They suspected that the source of the Desolation Domain's upheaval lay within the Heavenly Spirit World, while the inhabitants of the Heavenly Spirit World, in turn, suspected the Heavenly Demons of plotting something insidious.
In the days that followed, more and more Heavenly Demons emerged from the Desolation Domain, encroaching on the cosmic regions near the Heavenly Spirit World. The tension escalated as they faced off against the powerful cultivators stationed in the outer light layers of the heavens, forming a clear and hostile divide.
Time flew by, and the year drew to a close.
On this particular day, Gu An was sparring within the secluded Hidden Paradise Cave Heaven alongside Tian Yao'er, Tian Qing, and Tian Bai.
The three demons attacked him in unison. Though they couldn't gain the upper hand, their movements were swift and precise, their spells bursting with power and flair.
Gu An wielded the Pen of Destiny, effortlessly deflecting and dodging their attacks. He couldn't help but feel satisfied. Despite spending most of their time within the Nian Chu Cave Mansion and Hidden Paradise, the trio had made steady progress in their cultivation.
Any one of them could easily defeat Long Qing in a duel. Together, they could even hold their ground against a Body Fusion Realm cultivator.
The strongest among them, Tian Yao'er, had reached the seventh level of the Void Crossing Realm. Her rapid advancement was not only due to her natural talent but also Gu An's consistent support with high-quality pills.
"Let's call it a day," Tian Yao'er finally said, stepping back.
Tian Qing and Tian Bai followed suit, panting heavily. Sweat clung to their foreheads and dampened the strands of hair framing their faces.
Their eyes sparkled with admiration as they gazed at Gu An, and without hesitation, they rushed forward to cling to him, each wrapping themselves around one of his arms while showering him with praise.
Gu An had long grown accustomed to their antics. They're my demons, after all. What choice do I have but to indulge them?
Tian Yao'er approached, her expression more serious than usual. "Master, I've been feeling unsettled lately. Can you take a look for me?"
Gu An raised an eyebrow. "How should I look?"
Tian Yao'er raised her hands to the front of her robe as if preparing to disrobe.
"Stop! No jokes. Tell me what's been bothering you," Gu An interjected hastily, wary of their mischievous tendencies.
Tian Yao'er pouted but complied, describing her recent experiences. She had struggled with erratic qi and blood during cultivation, leaving her unable to focus. Worse yet, she often felt a mysterious force calling out to her, an unsettling sensation that filled her with unease.
As Gu An listened, his gaze drifted upward, his pupils reflecting a brilliant sun. Within that sun lay a phoenix, slumbering but radiating an otherworldly presence.
With the Heavenly Demons drawing closer, the seven suns beyond the heavens had also begun to stir. The enigmatic beings residing within those celestial bodies were awakening, their gazes fixed on the approaching Heavenly Demons, ready for battle.