A Free Immortal over six million years old!
A lifespan of fifty million years!
An ultimate lifespan of one hundred million years!
As the ruler of the Immortal Dynasty, the Sun Immortal Emperor's power was truly unmatched.
Gu An looked at the Sun Immortal Emperor, feeling a sense of admiration. The numbers alone reflected his immense strength.
Meanwhile, Wu Jue was still boasting about being the Sun Immortal Emperor, entirely oblivious to the fact that the real Sun Immortal Emperor was approaching.
The Sun Immortal Emperor, clad in a purple robe, had a handsome and dignified appearance. Even without the golden imperial robes or crown of an Immortal Emperor, his aura was extraordinary. His sharp gaze exuded brilliance, and his brows carried an uncontainable arrogance—a pride cultivated over millions of years as a peerless genius.
He did not glance around the second floor but focused directly on Gu An.
Walking straight to Gu An, he stopped beside Wu Jue. Hearing Wu Jue mention the title "Sun Immortal Emperor," he paid no mind. Instead, he looked at Gu An, raised his hand in greeting, and asked, "Daoist friend, may I sit and have a chat with you?"
Gu An cast him a sidelong glance and gave a faint nod. The Sun Immortal Emperor took the seat without hesitation.
Wu Jue scrutinized the man, sensing an air of grandeur about him.
"Do you two know each other?" Wu Jue asked curiously. He was well aware of Gu An's extensive network of friends across the Tai Xuan Sect and beyond, which he admired greatly.
Before displaying his own talent, Wu Jue had never had a single friend.
Gu An replied with a calm smile, "No, but isn't every meeting a fated encounter?"
The Sun Immortal Emperor smiled in agreement, nodding slightly.
Gu An flicked his right hand, and a jar of wine appeared, landing lightly before the Sun Immortal Emperor.
"Drink this wine. Then decide if you'd like to become friends with us," Gu An said nonchalantly.
The matter with Qiu Xi Immortal Lord causing trouble for him might not have been directly orchestrated by the Sun Immortal Emperor, but as the ruler of the Immortal Dynasty, he couldn't escape the karmic ties to the incident.
Hearing this, the Sun Immortal Emperor narrowed his eyes.
He had no intention of drinking, but Gu An's challenge was clear.
Facing Gu An, he could only sense a Nascent Soul Realm cultivation level, with no visible flaws.
If Gu An truly was the Sword Master of the Dao, the gap in their cultivation would be immeasurable.
After a moment of hesitation, the Sun Immortal Emperor untied the seal on the wine jar, lifted it, and drank deeply.
Wu Jue watched the exchange, puzzled. It was his first time seeing Gu An deliberately put someone in a difficult position.
Who was this person?
Could he be some spoiled scion who had offended Gu An in the past?
The Sun Immortal Emperor drank quickly. Once he set the jar down, Gu An picked up a fresh jar for himself and began drinking alone.
Seeing this, the faint irritation in the Sun Immortal Emperor's heart dissipated, and a smile appeared on his face.
It was better to resolve enmities than create new ones.
He had no direct grudge against the Sword Master of the Dao. While the Qiu Xi Immortal Lord had acted independently, the resulting humiliation had cost him face. Yet the Sword Master's overwhelming power was enough for him to concede some pride.
Despite his arrogance and belief in his unmatched talent, he was only a few million years old. Figures like the Sword Master of the Dao must have lived tens of millions, even hundreds of millions, of years. Giving a senior some respect wasn't unreasonable.
After finishing his drink, Gu An set down the jar and began chatting with the Sun Immortal Emperor. Both men tactfully avoided revealing their true identities, as though they had simply hit it off by chance and wanted to learn more about each other.
Wu Jue joined the conversation as well, and under Gu An's deliberate guidance, the topic turned back to the Sun Immortal Emperor.
Wu Jue expressed deep admiration for the Sun Immortal Emperor. He spoke of how the emperor had faced interference from the Sacred Court during his tribulation but didn't back down. Instead, he used the incident as a pretext to declare war. While some saw this as calculated, Wu Jue admired the openness of his bold actions.
For some reason, Gu An felt like he was being indirectly insulted.
Who are you calling sneaky, you brat?
The Sun Immortal Emperor, however, was all smiles, finding Wu Jue increasingly agreeable.
As their cups clinked and conversation flowed, the three grew more familiar.
Gu An sighed and remarked, "I feel like we were born in the wrong era. Doesn't it seem like our generation is riddled with endless calamities?"
Wu Jue nodded, echoing the sentiment.
The Sun Immortal Emperor, however, replied, "Every generation feels this way. We only remember the hardships, but that's life—an unending series of trials."
He thought the Sword Master was hinting at him and felt compelled to explain.
"The conflict between the Immortal Dynasty and the Sacred Court has thrown the world into chaos. It seems like a catastrophe, but in truth, even before this, there were constant skirmishes between the two factions. To the great sects, the previous era might have seemed peaceful. But for the common people, every century was filled with struggles. As they say, 'When gods fight, mortals suffer.' The battles of immortal cultivators also bring disaster to the mortal world. Isn't the purpose of cultivating immortality to withstand the trials to come?"
The Sun Immortal Emperor spoke earnestly, making his point clear. The struggle between the Immortal Dynasty and the Sacred Court disrupted the balance of the world, but to the common people, the perpetrators behind their suffering hardly mattered.
Life was bitter—this was the eternal truth.
Wu Jue nodded in agreement, sighing, "I wonder how many years this calamity will last. It feels like it won't end within a hundred or even a thousand years."
"That's certain," the Sun Immortal Emperor replied. "This world is far more vast than you can imagine. Back when the Primordial Immortal King united the world, it took a million years. When the Sacred Court rose and swept across the land, defeating the Immortal Dynasty, it took three million years. Wars on such a scale are beyond mortal comprehension."
This statement made Wu Jue cast a surprised glance at the speaker.
The man seemed to understand the situation deeply—just who was he?
Gu An suddenly posed a question: "Do you think the Immortal Dynasty and the Sacred Court's conflict could end in mutual destruction, paving the way for a new ruling power to emerge in the heavens and earth?"
The Sun Immortal Emperor's expression immediately turned unnatural, and his gaze toward Gu An grew complex.
Wu Jue frowned and said, "That's impossible, right? Is there any sect in this world that can compare to them?"
"Not right now, but what about ten thousand years, one hundred thousand years, or even a million years from now?" Gu An shook his head before continuing, "Moreover, I've heard of powerful beings from beyond the heavens descending here. There are even rumors of reincarnated heavenly demons walking among us. Could they be preparing their own factions?"
Wu Jue frowned deeply. He couldn't deny that Gu An's words made sense.
The Sun Immortal Emperor's expression returned to normal. He finally understood that the Sword Master of the Dao was warning him about external threats, and he silently breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, he had worried that the Sword Master intended to support Tai Xuan Sect as a rival power.
In truth, the Sun Immortal Emperor had long harbored such concerns himself. The Primordial Immortal King was the perfect example. Although he was a remnant soul of the Immortal Dynasty, the Sun Immortal Emperor had no prior knowledge of his existence.
Sometimes, he felt as though unknown forces were at work within the Immortal Dynasty, pulling the strings behind the scenes.
He couldn't help but think back to the immortals who had urged him to declare war on the Sacred Court. Each one of them now seemed suspicious.
The storyteller's voice continued to echo throughout the inn, blending seamlessly into the noise of chatter. Their conversation failed to draw much attention, as the establishment was filled with people boasting and exaggerating tales.
After about half an hour of drinking, new patrons arrived. Recognizing Gu An, they eagerly struck up a conversation with him.
Since the battle with the Primordial Immortal King, Gu An's name had become widely known. Most now associated him closely with the Sword Master of the Dao.
The Sun Immortal Emperor observed Gu An as he conversed warmly with common cultivators and mortals. A realization suddenly struck him:
This man was terrifyingly powerful, yet he could lower himself to interact with mortals without showing the slightest trace of condescension. His Dao Heart was unfathomable.
Still, the Sun Immortal Emperor didn't find such behavior particularly admirable. He firmly believed in the principle of survival of the fittest—those who lacked strength were destined to become mere stepping stones for the strong.
An hour later, the trio left the inn. Gu An extended an invitation to the Sun Immortal Emperor, asking him to join the Lunar New Year celebrations at the Third Medicine Valley. The Sun Immortal Emperor did not refuse, as he still had matters he wished to discuss further with Gu An.
Together, they traveled to the Third Medicine Valley.
Upon their arrival, the Sun Immortal Emperor's gaze grew subtle.
Divine Thought True Immortals!
The aura of Samsara Tribulation!
And mortals with overwhelmingly strong vitality but no spiritual energy!
He even spotted two reincarnated heavenly demons!
Something was undoubtedly unusual about this valley.
The Third Medicine Valley was lively, adorned with lanterns and festive decorations. Even Ji Xiaoyu and the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor, who typically immersed themselves in cultivation, were playing chess with disciples across the valley.
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor turned to glance at Gu An. When his eyes fell on the Sun Immortal Emperor, his pupils contracted sharply.
Instinctively, he wanted to flee, but the thought of Gu An's immense strength reassured him.
If Gu An could tolerate his presence, then there was no reason to fear.
After all, would the Sun Immortal Emperor dare to challenge the Sword Master of the Dao?
The terrifying aura of the Primordial Immortal King during that battle had been utterly erased by the Sword Master. From that day on, Gu An became, in the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor's eyes, the strongest existence in the entire Heavenly Spirit World.
He even suspected that Gu An might actually be the legendary Divine Sovereign!
Who else, other than the Divine Sovereign, could wield such overwhelming power?
The Sun and Moon Nether Emperor averted his gaze and resumed his chess match with the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, whose face was visibly tense as he hesitated over his next move.
Gu An strolled through the valley with the Sun Immortal Emperor, casually introducing the Third Medicine Valley.
The Sun Immortal Emperor's interest was piqued, and he attentively listened. Soon after, Gu An called Long Qing over to host the Sun Immortal Emperor. Gu An himself needed to return to his quarters to meet Shen Zhen.
Once again, Shen Zhen was rummaging through his bookshelf!
Long Qing, ever eager to impress since learning of Gu An's strength, took his hosting duties very seriously. He warmly welcomed the Sun Immortal Emperor, who, in turn, found Long Qing oddly familiar.
It felt as though they had crossed paths in a previous life.
Still, this was the Sword Master of the Dao's domain. Since Long Qing referred to Gu An as his master, the Sun Immortal Emperor refrained from acting rashly.
By evening, the disciples gathered in the pavilion area. Some sat drinking, others chatted with arms draped over each other's shoulders, and a few sparred in friendly duels to enliven the atmosphere. The excitement remained high.
The Sun Immortal Emperor's gaze lingered on Gu An. Surrounded by Shen Zhen, Zhen Qin, Ye Lan, Ji Xiaoyu, and An Xin, Gu An seemed completely at ease. Shen Zhen and Zhen Qin flanked him, engaging in a heated argument, with Zhen Qin nearly putting her foot on the table in defiance.
This deepened the Sun Immortal Emperor's impression of the Sword Master of the Dao as a truly hidden figure.
This man is a true recluse, living beyond the ordinary conventions of power and prestige.
Ye Lan watched Zhen Qin bicker with Shen Zhen on her behalf, smiling softly. She didn't necessarily agree with Zhen Qin's antics but found the atmosphere refreshing. It reminded her of her time in Xuangu Valley seven hundred years ago, when things were simpler, and she wasn't burdened by reverence and status.
The passing years had been long and arduous, but finding people who could evoke her old memories felt like a rare blessing.
Ji Xiaoyu's gaze remained fixed on Gu An, her displeasure clear in her eyes.
Gu An understood her irritation but felt helpless.
What could he do? Everyone insisted on coming to the Third Medicine Valley to celebrate the festival with him. How was he supposed to stop them?
At least Jiang Qiong had the decency to wait in the Eight Views Heavenly Cave. Spending time with her in private was much simpler.
Too many people always leads to complications.