Judging by the rapid increase in Shen Zhen's maximum lifespan, was she aiming for the mythical 9,999 years?
Even as a seasoned cultivator like Gu An, his expression turned slightly strange.
He had poured endless effort into teaching Ye Lan, Zhen Qin, An Xin, and others, meticulously explaining the Dao and helping them cultivate. Yet, none of them showed the kind of lifespan growth Shen Zhen had achieved.
This defied all logic.
Could there really be beings in this world favored by the Heavenly Dao?
Wu Jue could be one example, and Shen Zhen was clearly another. Neither needed external assistance, yet their maximum lifespan seemed to increase repeatedly on its own.
Wait a moment!
Gu An suddenly sensed something peculiar. He spoke up, "Is that so? Then share it with me."
Shen Zhen immediately began explaining the secret technique she had comprehended. Gu An listened intently.
A stick of incense later, Shen Zhen finished her explanation and looked at Gu An with a smug expression, waiting for his admiration.
Gu An furrowed his brows. "I don't get it. It sounds so profound. Do you start by cultivating your Qi or focusing on your meridians first?"
Though he feigned confusion, Gu An had already seen through the essence of this secret technique.
It bore some similarities to the Innate Reincarnation Technique.
Both techniques touched upon the path of reincarnation.
However, for beings of lower cultivation realms, the Dao of Reincarnation was profoundly complex and nearly impossible to comprehend.
From Gu An's perspective, even a top-tier genius would struggle to master this technique in a short amount of time.
Through his calculations, he deduced that Shen Zhen began practicing this technique seven years ago.
And in just seven years, she had mastered it?
Something didn't add up unless she already knew it beforehand.
Combining this with the subtle changes in Shen Zhen's aura, Gu An became increasingly certain of his suspicion.
In the past, beings like this were nearly impossible to encounter. Why were they suddenly appearing around him now?
After all, if he were merely a Free Immortal, he wouldn't be able to see through the veil of reincarnation unless the individual, like Ji Xiaoya, carried an innate Dao Rune and continually awakened their past memories, making the aura of reincarnation unmistakable.
For now, Shen Zhen showed no signs of memory awakening, only an extraordinary ability to comprehend cultivation methods.
Looking across the entire world, there were incredibly few who carried the burden of reincarnation. So why were two of them now by his side?
Yang Jian didn't count since his original cultivation was too low. But combined with Zhang Shi, whom he had encountered previously, Gu An couldn't help but feel that an invisible hand was scheming against him in the shadows.
This couldn't just be a coincidence!
"You don't understand? You're so dense!" Shen Zhen glared at him, clearly displeased. This wasn't the reaction she had anticipated.
Gu An feigned indignation. "Who could understand that? Should I ask Ji Xiaoya to come and listen?"
Shen Zhen panicked and quickly refused. "Absolutely not! This technique is for you and you alone. You're not allowed to share it with anyone else!"
"Why?"
"Why? No reason! I'm sharing it with you because we're close. I couldn't care less about the others. Do you understand? If you share it recklessly, I'll make you pay!"
Shen Zhen raised her fist in a mock threat.
Gu An could only agree. He sighed and said, "If this technique is as effective as you claim, then you're truly incredible. Always comprehending such profound truths... Are you sure you're not a reincarnated immortal?"
He intentionally emphasized this point to observe Ji Xiaoya's reaction downstairs.
Shen Zhen grinned triumphantly. "I've always said I must be the protagonist. Reincarnation as an immortal is entirely possible. If you want to ascend to immortality someday, you'd better hold on to my coattails."
Gu An raised an eyebrow and asked, "You really want me to hold it?"
As soon as he asked, he regretted it. The aura from downstairs shifted noticeably.
Shen Zhen lifted her right leg and rested it on the table. Her right hand slid provocatively from the top of her foot to her thigh. Even though she was wearing long pants, the motion was suggestive, and she cast a challenging look at Gu An.
For the first time, Gu An realized just how long Shen Zhen's legs were.
No wonder all the women described in the Tai Xuan Secrets had such perfect, long legs.
"Come on, you've done it before!" Shen Zhen said playfully, her tone dripping with mischief.
Gu An bristled instantly. "Nonsense! When have I ever held your leg?"
"What? Afraid to admit it? Let's see... about 400 years ago. You came to my cave abode, hugged me tight, and whispered all sorts of sweet nonsense. Now that I think about it, it's so embarrassing!"
Shen Zhen's coy tone made Gu An want to smack her.
Four hundred years ago? Was she deliberately mentioning a timeframe that clashed with Ji Xiaoya's age?
He was almost certain Shen Zhen was speaking loud enough for Ji Xiaoya downstairs to hear. After all, that incident never happened.
"Is that so?" Gu An snorted. "Why don't we do it again now?"
He stood up and walked toward Shen Zhen.
Shen Zhen kept her provocative gaze fixed on him, but as soon as he reached out to touch her leg, she pulled it back and said, "Forget it, let's talk about serious matters."
"No way. You've said it, so it has to happen!"
Seeing that Gu An was about to pounce on her, Shen Zhen quickly waved her hands. "Fine, fine! I was joking. You're really something—can't even take a tease. What, are you worried someone will overhear? Wait a second… are you afraid of the person downstairs? Oh, I nearly forgot!" She smirked slyly and added, "Fine, I made it up. You and I were always pure, nothing improper ever happened."
Hearing her sarcastic tone, Gu An reflexively raised a hand to pat her shoulder.
But Shen Zhen continued, "Really! I'm sorry. I was just testing if the person downstairs was eavesdropping. I promise I won't joke like this again."
Seeing her grin, Gu An surmised she had also sensed the change in Ji Xiaoya's aura.
Years ago, Ji Xiaoya had broken through to the Body Fusion Realm at the Tai Xuan Sect's tribulation platform. At that time, Shen Zhen had only been at the first layer of the Void Crossing Realm. How could she possibly detect Ji Xiaoya's presence now?
The more Gu An thought about it, the more suspicious he became of Shen Zhen.
He decided he'd need to be more cautious in the future, refraining from revealing too much in front of her.
"She wouldn't eavesdrop. Besides, there's a restriction on the room," Gu An said as he returned to his seat, shaking his head.
"You trust her that much?"
"Of course. I've watched her grow up. She's destined to become a renowned powerhouse, not a sentimental little girl. You should learn from her instead of reading those unserious books all the time."
"Unserious? I wrote a new volume of Tai Xuan Secrets just for you, and this is how you repay me? You've hurt me. Fine, I'll keep it to myself. Goodbye!"
Shen Zhen stood, flicked her sleeve dramatically, and made to leave.
Gu An quickly stood to block her. "Are you serious?"
Shen Zhen turned her head away, her expression one of mock indignation.
"Alright, alright," Gu An sighed. "I was joking. I apologize."
This woman truly had a knack for turning situations to her advantage. Just as he finished apologizing, she'd maneuvered things back in her favor!
While Gu An could deduce the contents of her new book through his abilities, he still wanted to experience reading the original firsthand.
The tactile joy of flipping through a physical copy was unparalleled.
Shen Zhen smirked triumphantly, pulling a book from her sleeve and tossing it into Gu An's arms before walking out.
The woman didn't even bother to close the door on her way out. No manners at all!
Holding the latest volume of the Tai Xuan Secrets, Gu An grumbled inwardly before flicking his sleeve to close the door himself.
He returned to his seat, placed the book on the table, and adopted a solemn expression.
A Dao Repository Free Immortal reading something like this—if anyone knew his cultivation level, they'd never let him live it down.
Gu An reassured himself internally.
This wasn't vulgar indulgence; it was part of his cultivation!
This was heart refinement!
The more he read such things, the less likely he would be swayed by women and lose focus on his Dao.
After rationalizing it to himself, Gu An began flipping through the book.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Ji Xiaoya's curiosity got the better of her. She used her spiritual sense to peek at what Gu An was reading.
As soon as she caught a glimpse, her cheeks flushed, and her expression turned stormy with anger.
"This guy..."
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"Forget it. I won't let him join my cultivation sessions. Otherwise, he really will become a menace!"
Ji Xiaoya resolved to push the matter aside and refocused on her own cultivation.