Dark clouds churned, the sky dim and murky, and the earth was spread with rivers of magma. From above, it seemed as if the surface was cracked, and a scorching heat permeated the air, mixed with demon fog studded with sparks that surged around.
Volcanoes stretched endlessly, some still erupting, with countless demons circling among the mountains, and even fish leaping out from the magma, causing bones to sink and float.
Atop a majestic volcano, there stood an altar where a black-robed man was seated in meditation. His robe was wide, and his hair even longer, giving the impression that the robe occupied a third of the altar’s surface. He had a snake tail covered in black scales that extended from beneath his robe and draped over the edge of the altar.
In front of the black-robed man, a giant skeleton held a bronze mirror. Demon energy was swirling within, as if thousands of evil ghosts were struggling to break free.
A Great Demon with a tiger’s head and a human body flew in on a cloud of demon mist and landed beside the altar.
“Demon Master, the Demon Emperor plans to visit the ancient tomb of the Demon Ancestor and wants to know if you will accompany him,”
the tiger-headed Great Demon inquired respectfully with clasped fists.
The black-robed man on the altar was the Demon Master, a being whose power was second only to the Demon Emperor in the land of demons.
The Demon Master replied with indifference, “Tell His Majesty, my divination is at a critical juncture, and I cannot accompany him.”
The tiger-headed Great Demon then asked, “His Majesty asked, what should he do if the Demon Ancestor regains consciousness ahead of schedule?”
“Tell His Majesty not to worry. The soul of the Demon Ancestor is merely a shell, its spirit worn away by heaven and earth. Without a suitable soul, resurrection is impossible.”
“But… His Majesty requires an answer.”
The tiger-headed Great Demon hesitated. Hearing this, the Demon Master fell silent, his tail no longer swaying, which only added to the Great Demon’s anxiety.
After a while,
the Demon Master said deeply, “If he truly regains his wit, then tell His Majesty to eradicate him.”
“As you command!”
With a relieved bow, the tiger-headed Great Demon promptly departed.
Once he disappeared into the horizon, the Demon Master slowly lifted his head, revealing a face so ghastly and terrifying that most of it was bare bone, with eyeballs that seemed as if they might fall out at any moment and two fangs sharp as daggers.
His pupils were blood-red, staring at the bronze mirror before him. He murmured to himself, “Why has fate altered…”
…
Late autumn at the Inner Sect’s Book Collection Hall.
Gu An came to the third floor to find Elder Xu Lu and inquired, “Recently, another group of disciples from overseas have returned, along with Supreme Elders. Is there a map of the ocean?”
Xu Lu looked up at him and chuckled, “You’ve asked three times now, and indeed you have waited long enough.”
He opened a drawer, took out a jade slip, and said, “The map is in here, to be read with Divine Sense, but I cannot let you take it with you. You can look at it right here in the hall.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
Gu An quickly expressed his gratitude, then took the jade slip and headed towards a chair not far away.
He wasn’t worried about being suspected. If someone did investigate, he could only reveal his identity as Pan An.
Gathering materials as Pan An was perfectly reasonable!
Gu An’s lifespan had already reached nine hundred and ninety-five million years, merely fifty thousand years shy of the ten-million-year milestone.
Fifty thousand years was, for him now, no issue at all; he could wait another month at a slow pace or quickly go to the Star-Master Cave and gather rare and precious materials if he was in a hurry.
After sitting, Gu An sent his Divine Sense into the jade slip.
Instantly, he saw a vast ocean. From above, one could see the boundaries of the Taicang Dynasty, and below was the ocean, with margins wreathed in fog, representing the unknown.
At a glance, there seemed to be no landmass larger than this continent atop the ocean, only islands of varying sizes, some as large as the Taicang Dynasty itself.
When his Divine Sense focused on a particular spot, the view zoomed in, and he could even see the exact scene of that part of the ocean, magnificent waves, with even the figures of demon beasts within.
The Cultivator who created this jade slip must have been very powerful, possibly the work of a Supreme Elder?
An ancient hour passed.
Gu An finally withdrew his Divine Sense and stood up to return the jade slip to Xu Lu, remarking, “The ocean is truly vast.”
Xu Lu placed the jade slip back in the drawer and asked with a half-smile, “Are you studying the ocean map to plan an escape?”
At this, Gu An replied emphatically, “How could that be? I believe the Supreme Sect will overcome the great calamity of demons. Why would I need to flee? I’m just curious about this world.”
“Is that so? Many, just like you, have come to me for ocean maps recently, including True Disciples. I thought for a moment the Supreme Sect was dissolving,” Xu Lu laughed.
Gu An asked, “What about you, Elder? If the Supreme Sect needed all its disciples to fight with their backs to the wall, what would you choose?”
Xu Lu replied with a laugh, “This old bones of mine have long been ready to be buried within the Supreme Sect; I’ve even prepared my tombstone in advance.”
Hearing this, Gu An couldn’t help but show an expression of admiration.
After chatting for a while, Gu An bid farewell with a bow.
Once Gu An was downstairs, a figure descended from the stairway leading to the upper floors – a masked woman in a plain Taoist robe with her hair coiled up and secured with a wooden hairpin. She approached Xu Lu.
Xu Lu raised his hand in greeting and asked with a smile, “Elder, what do you require?”
The masked woman took out several jade slips from her sleeve and said, “If that disciple comes looking for a map again, you can give these to him.”
Xu Lu took the jade slips, unable to hold back his curiosity, “Do you know him?”
“Let’s say I’m aware of him. Someone wishes to take him as a disciple, and he also has another layer of identity worthy of cultivation,” the masked woman left these words and vanished on the spot.
Xu Lu, looking down at the jade slips on the table, muttered to himself, “Another layer of identity? He’s just a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, spending his days reading idly, what kind of identity could he have? Could he be Pan An?”
“Impossible, how could Pan An love reading Daoist Xunchun’s work? Perhaps he’s the author of the Supreme Secret Records, writing under his real name?”
…
As winter approached, this year’s snowfall was late.
After dusk, Gu An first went to Mystic Heaven Cave Mansion to harvest a batch of medicinal herbs, and then replanted them anew.
Leaving Mystic Heaven Cave Mansion behind, after a dozen steps, he arrived at the Nianchu Cave on Heavenly Phoenix Mountain.
Tian Yao’er was practicing Limitless Freedom Step, her figure constantly shifting. Despite the short distance, the mystery of her Divine Skills was already apparent.
This demoness indeed had a high comprehension, yet to reach a hundred or a thousand miles with a single step, she would need many, many years of hard work. As for achieving Gu An’s level of proficiency, he momentarily saw no hope for her.
Gu An merely glanced at her before turning to gather herbs.
Seeing him, Tian Yao’er immediately showed a delighted smile and rushed towards him.
A gust of fragrant wind assailed Gu An, and Tian Yao’er hugged him tightly, rubbing her face against his chest, much to his helplessness.
How had this girl become so clingy?
“Why do you suddenly smell so sweet?” Gu An raised an eyebrow and asked. He gently patted Tian Yao’er’s thigh, but she became even more mischievous.
To hug was one thing, but to rub against him with her leg!
That was going too far!
Tian Yao’er looked up, giggling, “I don’t know either, perhaps it’s my natural scent. Master, do you like it?”
Gu An pressed against her forehead, pushing her away.
“It’s alright. I need to gather herbs now, you keep practicing.”
Gu An honestly meant what he said. Although Tian Yao’er smelled lovely, he wasn’t harboring any inappropriate thoughts.
Tonight, he would reach a lifespan of ten million years!
Tian Yao’er didn’t obey, instead following him around and trying to find out his preferences while he was gathering herbs.
Gu An responded offhandedly, his thoughts already drifting overseas.
He had begun to envision even higher realms!
After a while, Gu An suddenly sensed something, pausing in his actions before continuing to gather herbs.
His Divine Sense reached out from Nianchu Cave, looking into the distance where demon fog churned in the night sky, with an enormous entity stirring behind the mountains.
Upon closer inspection, he saw a group of cultivators attacking an Ancient Species that stood a thousand feet tall, shaking the ground and mountains.
The Ancient Species resembled a turtle, with a mountain on its shell – a volcano, in fact – with three serpent-like heads constantly spouting demon flames.
Among those attacking it was a familiar face.
Ji Xiaoyu!
Why was she near Heavenly Phoenix Mountain?
Ji Xiaoyu had reached the seventh layer of the Nascent Soul Realm, and the cultivators accompanying her were all at least at the Divinity Transformation Realm, numbering twenty-seven in total, with a Mystic Heart Realm cultivator watching from a distance.
Gu An could feel a surge of demon energy approaching from afar, with a cultivation level at the fifth layer of the Mystic Heart Realm.
Could these cultivators be from the Seven Stars Spirit Realm?
Gu An mused to himself, but his hands didn’t slow down.
It wasn’t long before the Mystic Heart Realm Great Demon attacked, forcing the Mystic Heart Realm cultivator to act. A major battle at the Mystic Heart Realm erupted, and Ji Xiaoyu and the others promptly withdrew, distancing themselves from the battlefield.
Seeing that the battle of the Mystic Heart Realm was evenly matched, Gu An withdrew his Divine Sense and focused on gathering herbs.
After some time,
Gu An suddenly stopped as two notices appeared before his eyes:
[Your lifespan has broken through ten million years for the first time, unlocking the Life Fusion feature.]
[Life Fusion: Sacrifice lifespan to break Heaven and Earth Rules and the laws of heaven, combining different Divine Skills, spells, and strengths. The amount of lifespan consumed will be determined by the objects fused.]
Fusion?
Gu An first thought of his Five Elements Treasure Body, finally able to fuse the Cultivation Techniques into the Five Elements Skill.
A look of anticipation shone in his eyes.
“Master, why have you stopped?” Tian Yao’er asked from beside him.
Gu An replied, “I’m checking if the number of herbs has decreased, worried that you might have snuck a few.”
With that, he resumed gathering herbs.
However, Tian Yao’er grew anxious and began to swear endlessly that she had not sneaked any.
After teasing her for a while, Gu An finally said he was joking.
Tian Yao’er was clearly dissatisfied, glaring at him with big eyes as if she wanted to devour him.
This was the first time Gu An saw her angry.
After finishing the herb gathering, Gu An put an arm around her shoulder, comforting her, “Don’t be mad, I’ll teach you a powerful spell later.”
Tian Yao’er pouted, “Just the Primordial Earth Immortal Skill and Limitless Freedom Step are enough for me to practice. I don’t want any spells.”
“What do you want, then?”
“Let me think… How about you stay with me for the night?”
“To practice with you?”
“No, no, no, to read books. We can lie down and read.”
Upon hearing this, Gu An immediately felt that something was amiss.
This girl was getting bolder!