At noon.
Tianya Valley.
Gu An rode on the Blood Prison Saint as they approached the valley entrance, with An Xin following closely by his side.
This wasn't Gu An's first time bringing An Xin to Tianya Valley, but each visit left her brimming with joy. She especially cherished the friendships she had formed with the three monkey demons residing in the valley, even preparing a variety of pastries to bring along this time.
From afar, Luo Hun caught sight of Gu An. A smile spread across his face as he made his way toward him.
"Gu An, His Majesty brought someone back—a person who came specifically to find you. Can you guess who it might be?" Luo Hun approached the Blood Prison Saint with a grin, his tone full of intrigue.
Gu An had already sensed the individual's presence. However, the person had concealed their aura using a profound technique, making it inappropriate for Gu An to address the matter directly. Feigning confusion, he asked, "Who? Someone I'm familiar with?"
Luo Hun maintained an air of mystery and said, "Since you can't guess, why not come and see for yourself?"
Gu An nodded in agreement.
Under Luo Hun's guidance, they soon arrived at a courtyard.
Before Gu An even entered, the sound of Li Xuandao's laughter rang out.
As the Blood Prison Saint stepped into the courtyard, Gu An's gaze immediately landed on the person standing beside Li Xuandao.
[Wu Xin (Void Crossing Realm, Level 3): 469/1800/4200]
After so many years, Wu Xin had already reached the Void Crossing Realm. Such progress at his age was nothing short of astonishing.
Wu Xin's appearance remained that of a monk, though he no longer wore a monk's robe. Instead, he donned a fitted brocade outfit, exuding the composed and commanding presence of someone accustomed to authority. The timid novice monk from back then was nowhere to be found.
When Wu Xin saw Gu An, his expression turned excited. Rising from his seat, he looked a little flustered.
Gu An dismounted and approached the table, bowing to Li Xuandao. An Xin followed suit, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
"Senior Brother, I…" Wu Xin started, but suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
Gu An scrutinized him closely, his eyes widening in surprise as he exclaimed, "You're Wu Xin?"
Wu Xin quickly nodded, wanting to say more, but Li Xuandao intervened with a smile, "Why don't we sit and chat?"
He gestured for An Xin to sit down as well.
Luo Hun, sensing the need for privacy, led the Blood Prison Saint away, leaving the four of them alone.
"I almost didn't recognize you earlier. You've changed so much! How have you been all these years? I've heard that you've been working under His Majesty, achieving great feats…" Gu An's warm questions broke the initial awkwardness, and soon the two brothers were reminiscing about old times.
Wu Xin had once been an operative planted by the Thousand Autumn Pavilion within the Tai Xuan Sect. It was he who had taught Gu An the Dao Yan Technique, the precursor to the Innate Reincarnation Technique.
Over the centuries, relying on the power of the Dao Yan Technique, Wu Xin's lifespan had extended to an impressive 4,200 years. It seemed that his talent had been exceptional all along, though it hadn't been fully realized due to the limitations of his initial cultivation path.
In the backward Tai Cang Continent of the past, even encountering someone at the Nascent Soul Realm was rare. The fact that young Wu Xin had met a Nirvana Realm cultivator, Xunxian Daoist, was proof of his extraordinary fortune.
An Xin sat quietly, listening intently to her master and Wu Xin talk about the past. Her curiosity about Wu Xin only grew.
Li Xuandao, too, remained silent, watching the conversation with a smile.
Inwardly, Gu An couldn't help but marvel at Li Xuandao's exceptional talent.
Now at the fifth level of the Profound Heart Realm, Li Xuandao had surpassed Lü Baitian. Outwardly, however, he presented himself as still being in the Nascent Soul Realm, similar to Gu An.
After a while, Wu Xin turned to Li Xuandao, who smiled and said, "I'm planning to send him to an immortal sect to cultivate. Gu An, would you like to come along?"
Gu An shook his head, declining with a smile. "I'll pass, but thank you for the kind offer."
The so-called immortal sects were no different from sects like the Star Sea Sect, and Gu An had no interest in them.
Li Xuandao wasn't surprised by the refusal. Over the years, he had presented Gu An with many opportunities, all of which had been turned down. He had long concluded that Gu An lacked any desire to pursue the Immortal Dao.
"Senior Brother, come with me! This is a rare chance. I'm already at the Void Crossing Realm and can definitely protect you," Wu Xin urged.
An Xin almost burst out laughing. Void Crossing Realm? Impressive? She carefully kept her expression neutral, recalling Gu An's repeated warnings to control her reactions.
Gu An chuckled. "I really don't want to go. My life is comfortable as it is. Going to an immortal sect would be stressful and might not even bring significant improvement. You go ahead. When you return, I'll be waiting to hear all about your experiences."
Wu Xin tried persuading him again, but no matter what he said, Gu An wouldn't budge.
"If he doesn't want to go, that's fine. Staying in the Tai Xuan Sect offers plenty of opportunities too," Li Xuandao said, bringing the matter to a close.
Li Xuandao then turned to Gu An and asked, "What do you think of the future development of the Tai Cang Dynasty?"
Caught off guard, Gu An asked, "Isn't everything fine now? Why ask such a question?"
Li Xuandao shook his head. "It's only fine on the surface. The societal classes within the dynasty are becoming increasingly rigid. While living standards have improved, the common people's chances of entering the Immortal Dao haven't increased at all."
Gu An fell silent.
Each year, the number of cultivators in the Immortal Dao increased, but the majority came from noble families. The children of farmers still largely remained farmers.
Wu Xin also grew thoughtful. Serving under Li Xuandao, he had seen even more of these systemic issues.
The current noble families had started forming connections with overseas sects, strengthening their positions through intermarriage, sworn alliances, and the exchange of interests. This rapid accumulation of power had rendered their foundations increasingly unfathomable, making it difficult even for Li Xuandao to suppress them. Who knew what powerful figures stood behind these families?
"I often dream of a celestial dynasty where all the citizens of the Tai Cang Dynasty could ascend to immortality. What a marvelous sight that would be! Though I wonder if I'll live to see such a day," Li Xuandao said with a wry smile.
It was evident he was preparing for the future. For now, his imperial authority remained secure.
Gu An responded, "If that day ever comes, who knows how long it would take?"
His tone carried a trace of melancholy as he spoke.
The group began envisioning the future together. Occasionally, Wu Xin would interject, while An Xin sat quietly, attentively listening to the conversation.
Eventually, the discussion shifted to Li Ya. After chatting about him for a while, Li Xuandao asked, "What about Yang Jian? I haven't seen him in ages. Ling Tian often mentions him to me."
Gu An shook his head. "I don't know where he is, but with his talent, he shouldn't run into trouble."
Curious, Wu Xin asked, "Senior Brother, His Majesty said that Yang Jian's talent rivals that of An Hao. Is that true?"
Gu An smiled. "I wouldn't know about that. They're both leagues above me. If you're curious, you can ask An Xin; she grew up with An Hao."
As he spoke, he gestured toward An Xin, which caused Wu Xin to regard her with newfound respect. He hadn't expected her to have such a connection.
Embarrassed, An Xin quickly said, "I can't really say for sure. But my senior brother did once mention that he looked forward to sparring with Yang Jian."
Wu Xin sighed. "My cultivation speed is fast, but compared to these prodigies, I'm still far behind. I wonder what level those two have reached now."
Li Xuandao glanced at An Xin and then at Gu An, lost in thought.
The four of them chatted for another hour before Gu An rose with An Xin to gather herbs. Once their task was complete, they bid their farewells and departed.
Watching Gu An's retreating figure, Wu Xin's eyes filled with a sense of loss.
"What's wrong? Feeling distanced from him?" Li Xuandao asked with a smile.
Wu Xin replied, "A little, but more than that, I feel regret. With my senior brother's temperament, I fear he may never attain immortality."
Back then, Wu Xin had looked up to Gu An as an exceptional figure. Now, having reached the Void Crossing Realm himself while Gu An remained at the Nascent Soul Realm, Wu Xin couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort.
He had hoped that his senior brother's cultivation would always surpass his own so that they could travel the path of immortality together.
"How many years can a Nascent Soul cultivator even live?"
"Don't underestimate him," Li Xuandao said meaningfully. "He might be hiding something."
Startled, Wu Xin asked, "Hiding? What do you mean?"
Li Xuandao's tone turned contemplative. "The last time I saw An Xin was twenty years ago. In those two decades, her cultivation hasn't progressed much outwardly, but my instincts tell me her true growth has been extraordinary. It's possible they've both been cultivating the Dao Yan Technique you passed on."
"But the Dao Yan Technique can only break through its limitations once in a lifetime. If Senior Brother has reached the Nascent Soul Realm, it means he's already used that opportunity," Wu Xin said, frowning.
Li Xuandao didn't respond further, instead recalling the golden Dao markings on Gu An's forehead.
He had once encountered someone with similar markings—a person whose cultivation was so profound it defied comprehension.
Elsewhere.
Gu An overheard the conversation between Li Xuandao and Wu Xin, but he wasn't bothered. After all, his outward cultivation level remained at the Nascent Soul Realm, so others were free to speculate however they liked.
Time flew by.
Twenty years passed in the blink of an eye.
The Chuan family was observing a mourning period. Gu An stood silently under the eaves of the main house, unseen by anyone.
He watched as Xiao Chuan's soul rose from the mourning hall and drifted toward the sky. Today marked the seventh day since Xiao Chuan's passing.
As Xiao Chuan ascended, he looked down at the Chuan family below. There was no sadness in his expression, only a peaceful smile.
"So this is what it feels like to reincarnate," Xiao Chuan thought to himself. Over the past seven days, his soul had been tethered to his corpse, unable to stray far.
Now, as his connection to his physical form severed, he felt a mysterious force pulling him upward.
There was no fear in his heart, only an eager anticipation for what lay ahead.
Looking around, he couldn't spot Gu An, and a trace of regret flickered in his eyes.
As he rose higher and higher, Xiao Chuan found himself gazing at the entire Tai Cang Continent. All around him, countless other souls were ascending just like him. The sheer number of them was awe-inspiring.
"So the Tai Cang Continent is this small… I wonder where the Tai Xuan Sect is from here," Xiao Chuan murmured.
From his elevated vantage point, the Tai Cang Continent appeared as nothing more than a tiny patch of land amidst an endless ocean.
"What? Do you want to visit the Tai Xuan Sect?" A familiar voice suddenly reached Xiao Chuan's ears.
His eyes widened in shock as he instinctively turned to look.
To his astonishment, Gu An was floating beside him, ascending along with him.
"Senior Brother… you…" Xiao Chuan stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Gu An glanced at him and asked, "Now, do you regret not putting more effort into your cultivation?"
Xiao Chuan calmed himself and broke into a smile. "What's there to regret? If I had seen this sight earlier, I would have only realized how insignificant I truly am."
He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Senior Brother, are you related to the Sword Master of the Dao? Or… could you be the Sword Master of the Dao himself?"
To Xiao Chuan, Gu An's presence at this moment was nothing short of divine. The golden Dao markings on Gu An's forehead shimmered like flames, and the ethereal crown upon his head radiated a unique brilliance, making him look every bit the incarnation of an Immortal King.