As autumn gave way to winter, the snow gradually blanketed the vast Taicang Continent.
Gu An, wearing a mask, sat on the eaves, gazing up at the sky while Sage Xuan Miao, in the courtyard below, engaged in alchemy and curiously watched Gu An.
The Mountain God seemed engrossed in something, having been watching for quite some time.
Sage Xuan Miao silently thought, yearning for the perspective of the Mountain God. The scenery before the Mountain God’s eyes surely transcended imagination.
Could something be happening beyond the heavens?
Sage Xuan Miao guessed right; indeed, something was happening outside the heaven, and it was an event of great importance to the world.
Gu An saw a host of Immortal Spirits arranging a grand formation in the cosmos. The scale was so immense that even the silhouettes of two Divine Thought True Immortals could be discerned, sitting cross-legged above the formation, their auras completely unhidden.
Someone was about to breakthrough!
With such an array, it seemed likely that a Divine Thought True Immortal was attempting to advance to a Free Immortal!
Gu An could not calculate precisely who it was. The Immortal Dynasty was protected by Qi Fortune that obscured cause and effect, of course, given time he could figure it out, yet to know or not held little significance because Divine Thought True Immortals were scarce, and as for Free Immortals, currently, there was only one in each domain.
There were only two acknowledged Free Immortals in the entire visible Great Heavenly Spirit Land.
Gu An stood up, looking down at Sage Xuan Miao, and said, “Great changes are coming to the world. Cultivate diligently and do not be lazy.”
Having said that, he vanished into thin air from the eaves.
The world is about to change?
Sage Xuan Miao frowned. What kind of calamity would it take for the Mountain God to speak of a great change?
Elsewhere.
In one step, Gu An arrived inside the Hidden Spirit Palace, his gaze directed outside the barrier, where the Deep Sea Dragon Carp lingered nearby.
After previously bumping into the barrier and confirming the location of the Hidden Spirit Palace, it did not seem in a hurry. Instead, it idly circled the barrier’s vicinity, making not a single sound.
Gu An stepped onto the open space in front of the Hidden Spirit Palace gate, raising his right foot, and immediately after, the Deep Sea Dragon Carp appeared right under his foot.
The Deep Sea Dragon Carp was stunned, its fish-eyed gaze widening. This time, it did not struggle but instead watched Gu An calmly and steadily.
“Do you have a death wish? Speak, steamed or grilled?” Gu An asked expressionlessly, looking down at it.
The fish eyes of the Deep Sea Dragon Carp turned teary once again. None of the hardships and dangers it had encountered on its journey had humiliated it as much as being before Gu An, where it had cried twice.
Gu An’s heart remained unsoftened. After a moment’s thought, the Primordial Divine Eye appeared on his forehead, shooting out a beam of golden light into the body of the Deep Sea Dragon Carp.
The Deep Sea Dragon Carp shivered as its body stiffened.
After a few breaths, as if sensing something, it cautiously asked, “Are you… an Immortal?”
It spoke with a human voice, sounding like a young boy, full of childishness.
Gu An did not move his foot, asking, “Whether I am or not, what does it have to do with you?”
“Immortal… will you take me in? I will submit to you as my master, just teach me Divine Skills, and I will obey you forever…” the Deep Sea Dragon Carp pleaded with tears, its tone brimming with misery that would tug at one’s heartstrings.
“Why should I take you in?”
“I… please, I beg you…”
“How did you hear of Immortals’ legends at the bottom of the sea?”
“Since I was little, I’ve had many memories that are not my own, likely passed down by my ancestors. I have seen the descent of Immortals, and they look just like you…”
“I am human, and the Human Race exists in this world.”
“No, you are different from the Human Race. You give me the same feeling as those Immortals…”
Hearing this, Gu An narrowed his eyes, directly employing the Great Imprison Soul Immortal Technique to search through its memories.
The eyes of the Deep Sea Dragon Carp lost their luster, appearing as if dead, and it even began to blow bubbles from its mouth.
After a long while.
Gu An withdrew his Divine Thought, his expression peculiar.
There actually were Immortals! In the memories of the Deep Sea Dragon Carp, that was a very ancient time, and Gu An could not determine how long ago it was through its memories because its bloodline memories were intermittent.
The Immortals in its memory were undoubtedly beings beyond the Nine Heavens of Immortal Path. There were five in total, descending from the heavens, casting mysterious Crystal Stones into the Canghai.
That was the only fragment, yet the vision was clear. It demonstrated that the ancestor of the Deep Sea Dragon Carp cherished this memory deep in their bones, unwilling to forget.
Gu An recalculated, verifying that the Deep Sea Dragon Carp indeed had no other significant karma, before he felt at ease.
He gently kicked the Deep Sea Dragon Carp, jolting it awake.
Without Gu An’s suppression, the Deep Sea Dragon Carp suddenly soared upward, floating midair.
The Deep Sea Dragon Carp looked at Gu An timidly, very nervous.
“I can take you in, but are you sure you are willing to give up your freedom for eternity?” Gu An asked.
The Deep Sea Dragon Carp, overwhelmed with joy, eagerly nodded and said, “I am willing! As long as I can cultivate with you, as long as I can become an Immortal, I am willing!”
“Become an Immortal? You’ll have to prove your worth first!”
Gu An cast a disparaging glance at the Deep Sea Dragon Carp, then began to introduce it to the situation at Hidden Spirit Palace.
The Deep Sea Dragon Carp listened intently, fearful of disappointing Gu An.
After finishing his instructions, Gu An told it to stay put for the time being and that he would teach it Cultivation Technique later, then he went back to the Supreme Sect.
The Deep Sea Dragon Carp turned its head to look at Hidden Spirit Palace, its fish eyes shining brightly, filled with exuberant excitement.
After decades of hardship, the sweet payoff had finally arrived.
…
Thirteen years later.
In the dead of night,
Gu An stood atop a peak at the edge of Mystic Valley, toying with the Fate Determining Pen in his hand while gazing at the night sky.
The lord of the Immortal Dynasty, Yang Xian Emperor, was about to undergo tribulation!
The cosmos had gathered tens of thousands of mighty Immortal Spirits; even the weakest among them was of the Wandering Immortal realm, and that was not the entirety of the Immortal Dynasty’s power. Merely witnessing it was enough to make anyone marvel at the dynasty’s strength.
Above the outer layers of light, cultivators of the Great Heavenly Spirit Land from various Great Sects stood, discussing the unparalleled might of the Immortal Dynasty.
They knew the Immortal Dynasty was formidable, but only today did they truly understand the extent of its strength!
Most pivotal was that the Holy Court showed no reaction, as if indifferent to the tribulation of the Immortal Dynasty lord.
“What kind of terrifying Heavenly Tribulation is this?”
“Such a dreadful aura, the number of Heaven and Earth Flying Immortals of the Immortal Dynasty seems to surpass the combined forces here.”
“What do you think allows the Immortal Dynasty to stand against the Holy Court?”
“The Immortal Dynasty is quite ambitious. Why does it seem like the Holy Court is wary of them?”
The disciples from the various sects, including those from Mortal World Peak, discussed such matters, and Gu An listened in.
The Holy Court was not wary of the Immortal Dynasty; they were clearly waiting for the right moment.
Gu An could sense that within one of the Holy Court cities, a vast number of Divine Immortals of Wondrous Dharma and Carefree Primordial Immortals were gathering, evidently preparing for something.
He had predicted a great battle where some of the cultivators from the layers above would fail to escape in time and be obliterated on the spot.
This calamity would also impact the Great Heavenly Spirit Land, causing earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and other disasters across various domains. For many years to come, Taicang Continent would suffer its influence, and countless living beings would face challenging times.
Gu An had no intention of intervening; such tribulation would not affect his Medicine Valley. As for the common folk, they would attribute these hard times to natural disasters, unaware of the high-level conflict. Continue your journey with empire
While the Immortal Cultivation World could understand what was happening, they too would be swept up in the turmoil of conflict.
If the Holy Court’s control was shaken, the world order would encounter an upheaval not seen in a million years.
“Yang Xian Emperor… interesting indeed, quite a remarkable figure.”
Gu An mused to himself, envisioning Yang Xian Emperor’s imposing dominance in the years to come, casting a shadow of dark times over the Holy Court until the emergence of Shengtian.
However, he could not predict where Shengtian would be.
There were many like Ji Xiaoyu in this world, burdened with the karma of reincarnation, making it difficult to deduce past lives through such karma, thus challenging to discern which one might be the Saint Heaven Reincarnation.
Perhaps Shengtian wasn’t even in the Great Heavenly Spirit Land.
Just as Gu An was contemplating the future, a set of footsteps approached from behind.
The newcomer was Jiang Shi.
He cautiously approached Gu An, and seeing that his master’s eyes were not closed, he mustered the courage to ask, “Master, you’ve been here for such a long time, is there anything you need? Let me prepare it for you.”
Gu An, without looking at him, answered softly, “Then prepare some wine and dishes.”
Jiang Shi, elated upon hearing this, quickly bowed and turned to make the arrangements.
Gu An wasn’t too repelled by Jiang Shi’s eagerness; after all, the boy had performed well over the years, truly focusing on his practice.
The lad had already reached the Core Formation Realm, only one realm below him, the Valley Master. With his talent, becoming the disciple of a Great Cultivator in the Unification Realm would not be difficult.
Before long, Jiang Shi returned with wine and dishes, along with a small table.
Gu An accepted the wine Jiang Shi poured and, in a seemingly indifferent tone, asked, “Jiang Shi, do you know what my cultivation level is?”
Jiang Shi paused for a moment, deliberating, then answered, “The senior brothers mentioned that you had reached the Nascent Soul Realm many years ago.”
“Actually, I am a Loose Immortal.”
Gu An suddenly declared, leaving Jiang Shi with widened eyes filled with disbelief.
Under Jiang Shi’s stunned gaze, Gu An raised his hand and the clouds above swiftly churned, forming a majestic dragon coiling through the sky.
After a few breaths, Gu An withdrew his hand, and the spectacle in the night sky vanished, returning to its original state.
Jiang Shi was dumbfounded, doubting what he had just seen.
When Gu An lifted his hand again, Jiang Shi felt the world spin. Upon opening his eyes once more, he trembled with fright; Gu An had become gigantic like a mountain, and he realized he was standing in the palm of Gu An’s hand.
At that moment, Jiang Shi suddenly understood how Sun Wukong felt in the palm of The Buddha.
Gu An looked down at him expressionlessly and asked, “Do you now regret staying in Mystic Valley? No one knows of my cultivation level; those who did are no longer alive.”
Jiang Shi immediately knelt down, head bowed, not daring to look directly at Gu An. Clenching his teeth, he declared, “No regrets. To be your disciple is the fortune of three lifetimes!”
His mind was in turmoil, and he had never anticipated Gu An to be so formidable. All he could do was to desperately try to please Gu An.
And he was extremely fearful.
After all, Gu An had previously taken a dislike to him; would he simply kill him now?
He suddenly regretted coming up to the mountain to ingratiate himself with his master.
But wait!
If his master wanted to kill him, why go through such an elaborate display?
As Jiang Shi pondered this, his uneasy heart slowly calmed down.
An approving glint passed through the eyes of Gu An observing him.
Even though the lad had made mistakes, he was not unforgivable. Lu Jiujia’s time was drawing near, and it might well be time to cultivate him.
The reason for Gu An’s change of heart toward Jiang Shi was the latter’s unwavering dedication over decades to stay in Mystic Valley. He knew what Jiang Shi feared, but that was not important. What mattered was Jiang Shi’s ability to remain seated in meditation, unlike Yang Jian, who sought to venture out upon gaining strength.
