In the woods, Yi Qingshan, Lin Chuan, Cheng Meng, Gu Changsheng, and Gu Chengdao moved forward while chatting, looking at the forest which felt both familiar and strange to them.
They talked about the past millennium with deep emotion.
Suddenly, Cheng Meng said, “Do you think it’s possible that Master is still alive?”
At these words, the other four fell silent.
Of course, they wished Gu An were alive, but when they had left, the Master was still a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Realm. Judging by the cultivation speed he described, it seemed highly unlikely he could survive a thousand years.
Unless, of course, the Master had deceived them; after all, they had never truly understood his cultivation level.
“Isn’t finding him one of the reasons for our return?” Gu Chengdao, the youngest yet most composed of the five, spoke up. He always felt that their Master was not like ordinary people.
After roaming the Great Heaven and Earth for a thousand years and witnessing countless exceptional individuals, he still felt his Master was in no way inferior to any of them.
Yi Qingshan spoke, “Now that we’re back, establishing a Sect can wait. Let’s first look for our Master.”
His words met with the agreement of the others. Even if their Master were no longer of this world, spending several years in search for him was worthwhile.
Gradually, their conversation turned to their sworn enemies.
Mentioning their enemies made their teeth itch. Their disciples and friends had been slaughtered by these foes, and they themselves had narrowly escaped death.
Even with all the hatred, they had no means of revenge, as their enemies were Cultivators of the Immortal Dao Realm, backed by a Major Sect.
As they talked, they came to a small stream and were struck dumb.
Lin Chuan couldn’t help but ask, “Could this be the same stream from a thousand years ago? How is it still here?”
Yi Qingshan was somewhat bewildered, responding, “A millennium isn’t enough for the Great Heaven and Earth to undergo massive change, especially since there hasn’t been Sect conflict or demon mischief around here. Naturally, there wouldn’t be much alteration.”
They looked around, recalling the past intricacies of their lives.
After a while, the sound of footsteps came from deep within the woods across the stream, drawing the attention of Yi Qingshan and the others.
They hadn’t sensed the presence of humans or demons, so the sound of footsteps was certainly startling.
Looking intently, they saw a young woman in green clothes, carrying a bamboo basket, walking out from the depths of the forest. Her beautiful face and pure aura were like that of a Celestial Maiden descending to the Human World, leaving Yi Qingshan and the others stunned.
The newcomer was An Xin.
A thousand years had passed, and An Xin had entered the Nirvana Realm, her aura transcending the ordinary, while Yi Qingshan and the others were still stuck at the Mahayana Realm, unable to find the opportunity for Nirvana.
An Xin stood before the stream, smiling at them, awakening them from their reverie as they hurriedly bowed and made a fist-in-palm salute.
“Senior, I am Yi Qingshan. A thousand years ago, I cultivated here for several years. We have now returned in hopes of finding our Master. Have we perhaps offended you in any way?” Yi Qingshan spoke first.
After all, if someone had claimed this area over the past millennium, they would have no choice but to leave.
He couldn’t fathom An Xin’s cultivation level; thus, he was sure she was an entity of the Immortal Dao Realm. Even just being a Great Cultivator at the lowest Nirvana Realm would be far beyond their ability to provoke.
An Xin laughed, “I have been cultivating here for a thousand years. Could your Master’s surname be Gu and his given name An?”
At her words, the five displayed great surprise and answered affirmatively, eagerly inquiring about Gu An’s relationship with her.
An Xin answered, “I have indeed met him. He is currently in closed-door cultivation. I have established a dojo in this area. I share a deep connection with him, so if you need assistance in the future, feel free to reach out to me.”
Hearing that their Master was in closed-door cultivation, the five were overjoyed, thanking An Xin for her kindness.
Yi Qingshan wanted to ask more about Gu An’s situation, but An Xin shook her head, saying no more, and he could only let the matter rest.
“Senior, we wish to establish a Sect nearby to aid mortals in their Immortal Cultivation. Will we be disturbing you?” Cheng Meng asked cautiously.
An Xin lifted her hand, pointing to the stream before them, “As long as your Sect does not cross this stream, you won’t be causing a disturbance.”
Gu An had informed her that Yi Qingshan was the reincarnation of Lu Jiujia, so she also anticipated what kind of Sect Yi Qingshan would establish.
Upon hearing An Xin’s response, all five felt completely relieved.
An Xin turned and walked back the way she had come, leaving them with parting words, “The Great Dao is long; do not become blinded by hatred. Your own cultivation is what matters most.”
These words startled the five, and they remained shocked until An Xin vanished from their sight. Only then did they come back to their senses.
Gu Changsheng asked carefully, “Did she overhear our conversation, or did she divine it?”
It is said that a Great Power of the Immortal Dao can look at a person and know their past and future.
Yi Qingshan took a deep breath and said, “She must have deduced it, perhaps our master came here originally in search of her.”
The other four also felt this made sense and held An Xin in even greater awe.
They didn’t linger any longer and turned to leave.
Now that they were certain their master was still alive, they could begin their own plans.
On the other side.
An Xin walked deeper into the woods, and when she saw Gu An’s figure, a smile appeared on her face; she quickened her pace, abandoning the demeanor of a Celestial Maiden and adopted the lively, joyful posture of a young girl.
“Master, how did I do?” An Xin asked proudly as she arrived in front of Gu An.
Gu An stood in front of the bushes, a butterfly perching on his right hand. He stared at the butterfly and said softly, “Not bad, you have a third of my charm.”
An Xin became even more proud and curiously asked, “Master, aren’t you afraid they might establish another Supreme Sect?”
Gu An replied, “As long as we remain in the Celestial Spirit Great World and continue to interact with others, such things are inevitable. Let them be. At least for the Sects they create, we have no responsibility to protect them. The prosperity they create can also serve as entertainment for you when you are bored, and experiencing fate and encounters among the mortal realm is also a form of cultivation.”
He lifted his right hand, and the butterfly flew away.
Then, he and An Xin headed toward the Daoist Field of the Beginningless.
“That makes sense, being in seclusion for too long can indeed become dull. However, I’ve agreed to spar with Celestial Demon Child in a hundred years; I certainly don’t want to lose to her again,” said An Xin as she followed beside Gu An.
She got along very well with Celestial Demon Child; their rivalry was healthy, spurring each other on. No matter who won or lost, neither would take it lightly.
“She told me the same thing,” Gu An said with a smile.
There weren’t many people in the Daoist Field of the Beginningless, but none of them were the quiet type; he thoroughly enjoyed the lifestyle there.
When bored, he could visit Immortal Seeking Island or Human World Peak, or venture elsewhere—there was always a destination. Leaving the Supreme Sect didn’t mean he was cut off from the world.
The master and disciple chatted casually as they walked back to the dojo.
On the other side.
Deep in the cosmos.
A majestic World Gate stood in the void, as if at the center of the universe, radiating an endless ancient aura.
A fluctuation emerged from within the gate, and a figure stepped out.
This was a man in black, enveloped in a crimson aura, his head adorned with a crown resembling a mystical beast, and a belt embedded with dragon scales. He radiated a powerful presence.
After stepping through the World Gate, his gaze fell upon a figure beside it. He turned and saluted, “Senior, it has been many years. Are you well?”
The figure he addressed was none other than the Celestial Spirit God.
The Celestial Spirit God shone with intense brightness, its shape visible but its visage unseen. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire
“It seems the Battle Court is determined to continue this conflict,” the Celestial Spirit God said, its tone indifferent.
The man in black cracked a smile and said, “There’s no choice. The karma between us and the Long Clan is too deep, irreconcilable.”
The Celestial Spirit God did not respond, and silence fell over the void.
After a moment’s hesitation, the man in black asked, “Senior, if the Celestial Court were to reappear in the Human World, would You consider returning?”
As soon as he finished speaking, his expression changed drastically, and he trembled all over.
The Celestial Spirit God did not stand, but a terrifying intent to kill locked onto the man in black, leaving him quaking with fear.
“Do not attempt to test the will of a God, or else even the Battle Court cannot keep you safe.”
The voice of the Celestial Spirit God rang out, and the man in black felt the world spin, his body as if plunging into an unfathomable abyss, his sight blurring, and his Divine Soul overturning.
After a while.
The man in black opened his eyes to find himself upon a Meteor. He stood up, peered into the distance, and could not see the World Gate. He was silently alarmed.
“Such a terrifying power of the Heavenly Dao… Is this the force that suppresses a Great Thousand World?”