[Zhou Tongyou (Body Fusion Realm, First Layer): 534/3000/3100]
He had already reached the Body Fusion Realm? It seemed that he had encountered significant opportunities over the years!
However, his maximum lifespan hadn't increased.
Looking at Zhou Tongyou's lifespan, Gu An silently mused.
Although Zhou Tongyou's maximum lifespan hadn't grown, if he could break through to the Nirvana Realm before reaching 3,100 years old, he could achieve rebirth and extend his life.
Gu An walked straight to Zhou Tongyou, raising his hand to pat him on the shoulder. Unexpectedly, Zhou Tongyou intercepted it with his right hand.
Zhou Tongyou turned to look at Gu An, and his cold, stern face broke into an expression of surprise and delight.
He turned fully, releasing Gu An's hand, and carefully sized him up.
Gu An thought, 'I let you catch my hand this time—consider it a small compensation for your regrets. After all, there aren't many who can interrupt the Sword Master of the Dao mid-action.'
"Gu An, it's been so long! Your presence now far surpasses what it was back then!" Zhou Tongyou exclaimed cheerfully.
Gu An nodded with a smile. "Indeed, it's been a while. Care for a drink?"
"Of course!"
Hearing Zhou Tongyou's agreement, Gu An gestured for him to walk toward another direction.
An Xin, who had seen Zhou Tongyou before and knew he had lost to Yang Jian, could feel the strength in his aura.
If she wanted to surpass Yang Jian, she'd have to defeat Zhou Tongyou first.
Unaware of An Xin's thoughts, Zhou Tongyou had come seeking Gu An for a reason unrelated to sparring.
At over five hundred years old, he was no longer the petty, stubborn man he once was. His vision had broadened, and his pursuits had shifted toward far loftier goals.
The group arrived at a courtyard and sat down while An Xin arranged for wine and dishes.
Gu An and Zhou Tongyou exchanged pleasantries, briefly recounting their experiences over the years.
After chatting for a while, they raised their cups for a toast. Zhou Tongyou asked with a smile, "What about Yang Jian? I haven't seen him. I heard he's been gone for quite some time?"
Gu An replied, "Children grow up eventually and must spread their wings. This little medicine valley of mine couldn't hold him back."
Since Yang Jian's departure, several disciples with lifespans exceeding four thousand years had emerged in the Third Medicine Valley, but Gu An had chosen not to take any of them as formal disciples. Instead, he allowed those with hidden potential to develop naturally within the valley.
In the Third Medicine Valley, as long as one performed well, they would inevitably achieve Foundation Establishment. Those whose talents remained hidden were often the ones who benefited the most.
Gu An didn't want to take in another reincarnated mighty figure or a person of great destiny—it was too troublesome. Thus, he focused solely on nurturing An Xin.
"Understandable. A genius like him needs a broader world to conquer. What about Ye Yan? Has he ever returned?" Zhou Tongyou nodded in agreement.
Zhou Tongyou had befriended Gu An in the past largely due to Ye Yan's spear training, which had left a deep impression on him.
Gu An fell silent for a moment before saying, "He has already passed away from old age."
Zhou Tongyou paused, stunned, but he didn't try to console Gu An. Instead, he poured another drink for both of them. They clinked cups and downed their drinks in one go.
"In the blink of an eye, we're both over five hundred years old. Looking back, so many of our old acquaintances have already departed. Who knows how much farther we can go on this path of cultivation?" Zhou Tongyou sighed sincerely. Over the years, he had experienced much. The reason he sought Gu An was that he had few friends left.
Gu An chuckled. "With your talent and ability, Brother Zhou, you'll undoubtedly reach the Immortal Dao Realm. Your future is boundless—why the melancholy?"
Zhou Tongyou shook his head with a wry smile at the response.
The two continued to drink and reminisce.
An Xin, seeing that she was no longer needed, wisely excused herself.
By the time Zhou Tongyou finally took his leave, night had fallen.
Watching his departing figure, Gu An felt a slight sense of regret.
Why didn't he ask for a sparring match?
Gu An had hoped for An Xin to defeat Zhou Tongyou—it would have been quite entertaining.
However, he foresaw that Zhou Tongyou's next target would be Wu Jue, and it would likely draw much attention. Gu An decided he might watch the excitement when the time came.
Meanwhile, in the Immortal Dynasty, within a grand, radiant hall surrounded by swirling clouds…
The Ancient Immortal Emperor sat on his imperial throne, surveying the figures assembled below. Among them was An Hao.
For the first time, An Hao was seeing the ruler of the Immortal Dynasty. Just looking at the emperor's bearing left him in awe.
What was this person's level of cultivation?
An Hao felt as if just one glance from the emperor was insurmountable.
It was no exaggeration to say this was the most overwhelming presence he had ever encountered—not even his master could compare.
No wonder this person stood at the pinnacle of the Heavenly Spirit Great World!
The others in the hall gazed at the Ancient Immortal Emperor with fervent reverence, many nearly kneeling in worship.
The Ancient Immortal Emperor finally spoke, his voice calm yet resonant. "I have summoned you here today for a matter you should already understand. Due to the chaos caused by the Heavenly Demons, the Immortal Dynasty and the Sacred Court have agreed that no matter the conflicts, we cannot weaken the overall strength of the Heavenly Spirit Great World. Therefore, a grand assembly will be held, where cultivators of all realms will compete. Your victories or defeats will determine the future development of the Immortal Dynasty."
The breathing of everyone present quickened. They had been informed of this beforehand, and this assembly was not only crucial for the Immortal Dynasty's prosperity but also an unparalleled opportunity for themselves.
An Hao's gaze burned with determination, and he clenched his fists. When it came to contests within the same realm, he was absolutely confident he wouldn't lose!
The Ancient Immortal Emperor was very satisfied with the expressions of everyone in the hall. He could see the confidence in their eyes.
"Each realm's top three participants will have the chance to enter the Sacred Court for cultivation in the Dao Realm. As for the first place, they will receive an Immortal Dao treasure free from the bindings of destiny..."
The Ancient Immortal Emperor began explaining the rewards of the upcoming grand assembly. His words ignited excitement among the crowd. Any lingering doubts in their hearts vanished with this announcement.
Now, their sole focus was to give it their all.
However, while the rewards were impressive, what An Hao looked forward to the most was facing strong opponents.
An Hao didn't care for treasures. He firmly believed that when his cultivation reached a high enough level, his bare hands would be sufficient to conquer the world.
The stronger the opponents, the better.
What he sought was fame!
He wanted to become a name known across the world. He wanted everyone in the Tai Xuan Sect to be proud of him.
To have reached this point, he felt he could already represent Tai Xuan Sect, and even Tai Cang Continent itself!
He wanted those who had lost to him in the past to be proud of that defeat!
"The Sacred Court, which claims to control the heavens... I hope you don't disappoint me."
An Hao silently mused to himself, already ignoring the rest of the Ancient Immortal Emperor's speech.
After some time, the crowd began to disperse, and An Hao left the hall with the others.
Outside the hall, the scenery was breathtaking, with a sea of clouds stretching endlessly. Just as An Hao was about to take off, a voice stopped him.
"An Hao, the geniuses of the Sacred Court are strong. I've heard there's an unprecedented prodigy in the Profound Heart Realm among them, said to surpass the talent of the Sacred God. Since there's still some time, why don't you train with me?"
An Hao turned to see the speaker. It was a woman in a white dress, beautiful as an immortal, with an elegant posture. Her gaze, like flowing autumn water, was enchanting.
An Hao frowned. "Thank you for the offer, but there's no need."
With that, he turned and left.
The woman in the white dress stood frozen in place, surprised by the decisiveness of his refusal.
Around them, the celestial spirits whispered amongst themselves, curious about who An Hao was to dare reject the invitation of a fairy.
In the Immortal Dynasty, being addressed as a fairy required not just strong connections but also extraordinary cultivation.
An Hao, who hadn't even reached the Nirvana Realm, was technically weaker than the court's lowest members.
"What arrogance! A couple of centuries ago, someone with his cultivation wouldn't even qualify to step into the Immortal Dynasty," someone muttered, gaining nods of agreement from those nearby.
The woman in the white dress didn't respond. She turned and left alone, completely ignoring the judgmental stares.
Gu An rode the Blood Prison Saint back to the Third Medicine Valley, with An Xin following excitedly at his side. She animatedly recounted the earlier battle between Zhou Tongyou and Wu Jue.
"That Zhou Tongyou is incredible! His Golden Body of Evil Suppression could withstand Wu Jue's punches. I thought he didn't stand a chance!"
"Master, is the Golden Body of Evil Suppression considered an ancient treasure body?"
"And how could Yang Jian defeat Zhou Tongyou in the same realm? Were you lying to me before?"
Listening to An Xin's words, Gu An also had many thoughts running through his mind.
Zhou Tongyou had won and done so decisively, redeeming himself from his defeat by Wu Jue years ago. Now it was Wu Jue's turn to experience the fall from glory.
Gu An hadn't gone to console Wu Jue, as he had already been taken by the sect elders for healing. After observing the battle, Gu An had simply returned to the Third Medicine Valley.
"A single victory or defeat doesn't mean much. If you don't work hard, you'll eventually be surpassed by those you've defeated before. Right now, you have an advantage others don't know about: no one is aware of your true cultivation level, but you can discern theirs," Gu An said, taking the opportunity to educate An Xin.
An Xin nodded seriously. "Don't worry, Master. I won't get cocky."
"In fact, the Golden Body of Evil Suppression has its flaws. Its weakness lies at the back of the neck. A heavy strike there would dissipate all its gathered energy," Gu An explained, sharing insights from the earlier battle.
An Xin listened intently, knowing that knowledge like this could prove invaluable. If she ever encountered an enemy with the Golden Body of Evil Suppression, she'd know how to exploit its vulnerability.
The Blood Prison Saint also listened carefully. Unlike An Xin's enthusiasm, his feelings leaned more toward unease.
These individuals were progressing at an alarming pace. Whether it was Zhou Tongyou or Wu Jue, their demonstrated strength was startling.
Truly the prodigies of the Heavenly Spirit Great World!
The Blood Prison Saint grew even more eager for the thousand-year mark, when Gu An had promised to personally guide his cultivation.
For now, his priority was diligently practicing the Innate Reincarnation Technique, accumulating his strength to make a breakthrough.
Despite being a mount, Gu An treated him generously. The pills he consumed weren't much less than what An Xin received.
Upon returning to the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An headed upstairs alone.
Someone was already waiting inside.
It was Shen Zhen!
Seeing Shen Zhen sitting in his chair, Gu An closed the door behind him and asked, "What do you have to show me this time?"
He could sense a subtle change in the atmosphere downstairs, almost imperceptible, but his keen senses caught it.
Shen Zhen put down the copy of Tai Xuan Secrets in her hand and said, "I've comprehended a new secret technique that enhances aptitude. Interested in learning it?"
Gu An approached the table, snatched back his Tai Xuan Secrets, and asked, "What technique? Is it really that amazing?"
Shen Zhen grinned mysteriously. "It's incredible. I've already started practicing it, and the results are noticeable. It makes cultivation twice as effective with half the effort."
Gu An immediately used his Lifespan Investigation on her.
[Shen Zhen (Void Crossing Realm, First Layer): 543/2200/7200]
Unbelievable! Her maximum lifespan has reached 7,200 years!
Gu An was genuinely astonished. This woman truly had a knack for gaining enlightenment from music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Not only that, but her cultivation speed was nothing to scoff at either!