Chapter 136: The First Step to Immortality

Gu An lifted his gaze toward the red-clothed woman, sensing a strong demonic aura emanating from her.

Normally, any demon capable of fully transforming into human form would be considered a Great Demon.

Yet, this woman’s aura was only at the Ninth Level of the Foundation Establishment Stage—a strange contradiction.

Without hesitation, he activated the Lifespan Probe.

【Tian Yao’er (Foundation Establishment, Ninth Level): 17/999/18000】

Hmm?

Her lifespan limit was even higher than the Huangquan Demon Emperor’s, breaking Gu An’s previous record for demonic beings.

Among all creatures he had encountered, aside from spirit trees, the highest recorded lifespan limit belonged to the Nightshade Ghost Mother, which reached 5400 years.

But the Ghost Mother was a spirit, not a demon, so it wasn’t a fair comparison.

Gu An couldn’t help but sigh.

Humans really had it rough—their natural lifespan was barely ten thousand years.

Of course, humans had superior comprehension abilities, surpassing both demons and ghosts.

At least, Gu An had yet to see a demon or ghost with a cultivation speed faster than Li Xuandao’s.

As he contemplated, Gu An patiently waited for his breakthrough to conclude.

Now that his spiritual energy had transformed into true mana, its power had undergone a fundamental change.

Gu An could effortlessly crush his pre-breakthrough self—the difference was overwhelming.

Perhaps this was the true path of the Immortal Dao!

The Nine Tribulations of the Immortal Dao—he had finally stepped past the first tribulation.

He was no longer an ordinary cultivator.

Unfortunately, unlike other cultivators, breaking through did not increase his lifespan.

Perhaps it was because he had “cheated,” bypassing the natural Heavenly Tribulation, so his lifespan could only be increased through stealing it from others.

But that didn’t matter—his ability to seize lifespan was already absurdly fast.

Once his Lifespan Barrier stopped absorbing the mountain’s spiritual energy, Phoenix Mountain fell into an eerie silence.

The majority of the demonic creatures began fleeing, as they instinctively sensed that such a phenomenon heralded disaster.

Time flew by.

When Gu An finally reached Nirvana Stage, Ninth Level, he remained in a profound state of comprehension.

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

Checking his Lifespan Barrier’s energy consumption, he realized that this breakthrough had consumed close to 540,000 years of lifespan.

In total, he had expended 454,000 years to reach Nirvana Stage, Ninth Level!

Now, he had 1.92 million years remaining.

Not bad!

Gu An stood up, retrieved a black robe, and began dressing.

As he did, his gaze shifted toward Tian Yao’er.

Now, he could see things that ordinary beings could not.

On Tian Yao’er’s body, he saw strands of gray mist.

When his divine sense entered the gray mist, it revealed fragments of her past.

Could this be the legendary power of karma?

Intrigued, Gu An continued peering into her past, deciding not to dispel the Lifespan Barrier just yet.

Since the energy consumption had drastically slowed after his breakthrough, keeping it active a little longer wouldn’t hurt.

After finishing dressing, he finally deactivated the barrier and walked toward Tian Yao’er.

His ability to perceive karma wasn’t particularly strong, but he could at least see the past ten years of her life.

That was already impressive!

In just a few breaths, Tian Yao’er’s past decade unfolded before his eyes.

He stepped forward, bent down, and lifted her unconscious body into his arms.

Under the moonlight, their elongated shadows stretched across the ground.

Tian Yao’er dreamt of a nightmare.

In her dream, she was surrounded by demons and devils, their claws tearing at her flesh.

They wanted to cook her into a broth, offering her to their Demon Mother.

With a frightened gasp, she awoke abruptly, sitting up in a panic.

Her breathing was heavy, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

She instinctively scanned her surroundings, realizing that she was inside a cave.

Her eyes were drawn to the firelight, where a black-robed figure sat meditating.

Terrified, she shrunk back against the cave wall.

“Y-You…” Tian Yao’er stammered, her voice trembling.

She took a closer look—

The figure was dressed in black, wearing a mask, exuding an aura of mystery and power.

It was Gu An!

At that moment, Gu An was fully immersed in the power of the Nirvana Stage.

His divine sense stretched across vast lands, allowing him to see the entire Nine Dynasties from Phoenix Mountain.

The experience fascinated him.

“So this… is the realm of the Immortal Dao?”

A sense of limitless power surged within him.

For the first time, Gu An felt like a True Immortal standing above the mortal realm.

Tian Yao’er’s gaze drifted toward a small bottle of pills on the ground.

After hesitating for a moment, she cautiously stepped forward, picked it up, and uncorked it.

A fragrant medicinal aroma filled her senses, making her eyes light up.

Without hesitation, she poured the pills into her mouth.

The moment they entered her stomach, a surge of vitality coursed through her body.

A refreshing sensation spread through her limbs.

She noticed that her wounds had already scabbed over.

Subconsciously, she curled up again, pulling the hem of her robe over her dirt-covered feet.

Now that her mind was clear, she understood that this mysterious black-robed man had saved her.

Curious, she observed Gu An, finding his presence unfamiliar.

Since her birth, she had never encountered a human cultivator before.

She had been raised by the Demon Mother, and her red robe was a gift from her.

After a while, Gu An withdrew his divine sense and slowly opened his eyes.

Turning his head, his masked gaze met Tian Yao’er’s wide eyes.

For a moment, she froze, before suddenly snapping back to reality.

“T-Thank you, senior… for saving me.”

Her voice was soft and timid, like a frightened kitten.

Gu An asked, “What do you plan to do next?”

Based on his previous karmic visions, he knew that Tian Yao’er had been raised in captivity by an Integration Stage Demon King.

That demon’s lair housed several other young demons, all of whom had remarkable talent and potential.

During a migration, many demons believed a calamity was approaching, and an internal battle erupted.

Tian Yao’er used the chaos to escape—eventually stumbling into Gu An’s territory.

Because of their shared orphaned past, Gu An felt a hint of sympathy for her.

That was why he hadn’t left immediately.

Tian Yao’er hesitated, uncertain of her future.

Gu An made her an offer.

“You have two choices.”

“First, I can take you far away from Phoenix Mountain, where you can survive on your own.”

“Second, you can swear loyalty to me and work under me. In return, I will protect you.”

Tian Yao’er’s eyes filled with conflict.

Finally, she gritted her teeth.

“If you can avenge my parents… I will follow you forever.”

Gu An’s answer was simple.

“The Phoenix Demon Mother is too powerful—I am not her match.”

“But I can teach you how to cultivate, so that one day, you can take revenge yourself.”

After a long pause, Tian Yao’er whispered,

“If I follow you… will I truly have a chance?”

Gu An smirked.

“At the very least, it gives you hope, doesn’t it?”

Tian Yao’er took a deep breath.

“Then… I will follow you!”

With a flick of his sleeve, the ground behind Gu An suddenly collapsed.

A moment later, water gushed forth, swiftly forming a small pool.

“Go wash up.”

Gu An said casually, then rose to his feet and walked toward the cave entrance.

Tian Yao’er quickly stood up, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness.

“Where are you going?”

“Just stepping outside. I’ll come back once you’re done.”

Gu An didn’t stop, simply waving a hand as he left.

Tian Yao’er hesitated as she watched his departing figure, feeling a strange warmth in her heart.

For some reason, this gesture made her like him even more.

Maybe… following him wouldn’t be so bad.

She turned back toward the pool, gazing at the clear water as her thoughts drifted.

“He’s so powerful… Is he really not strong enough to defeat the Demon Mother?”

Outside the cave, sunlight bathed Gu An’s body, its warmth contrasting against the crisp mountain air.

Standing midway up the mountain, he surveyed his surroundings.

Though flowers and trees grew nearby, they did not obstruct his view.

From his vantage point, rolling mountains stretched into the distance, shrouded in mist.

The scene resembled an immortal’s paradise, making it hard to believe this was a land ruled by demons and devils.

Gu An extended his divine sense, scanning for a suitable location to establish a proper cave dwelling.

For now, he would construct an underground refuge, ensuring Tian Yao’er was settled before he left.

Fortunately, he had already prepared an array of formation materials.

At the very least, he could set up a well-hidden cave for now and gradually enhance it later.

Soon, he located a spiritual vein, deciding to build his cave dwelling beside it.

Leaving behind a Yin-Yang clone, his real body vanished on the spot.

An hour later—

Tian Yao’er sat by the campfire, hugging her knees.

The firelight flickered across her delicate features, her eyes dull and unfocused as she stared into the flames.

She seemed lost in thought, absentmindedly absorbing the warmth.

Only when she heard footsteps from the cave entrance did she snap out of her daze.

Startled, she quickly stood up.

Moments later, Gu An reentered the cave, his gaze landing on her now-clean figure.

A look of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

Not bad.

If she was going to manage his cave dwelling, at least she would be pleasing to the eye.

With another flick of his sleeve, a soft breeze swept through the cave, lifting Tian Yao’er’s long hair and causing her clothes to flutter.

A momentary glimpse of the scene beneath her robe made Gu An avert his gaze instantly.

Tian Yao’er, on the other hand, felt a sudden lightness in her hair and clothes.

Her previously damp and uncomfortable garments were now completely dry.

Before she could react, Gu An raised his hand, pulling her toward him through the air.

He firmly grasped her shoulders, and in the next instant—

Both of them vanished from the cave.

Tian Yao’er felt her world spin, an intense dizziness overtaking her.

Her eyes squeezed shut, and her divine sense failed to extend, leaving her completely disoriented.

Instinctively, she clung to Gu An’s waist belt.

Before long, her feet touched solid ground.

The discomfort faded, and as she opened her eyes, she gasped in awe.

Her wide, beautiful eyes sparkled in the dim light.

They stood inside a vast underground chamber, nearly as spacious as Xuantian Cave Dwelling.

The walls were adorned with embedded spirit stones, glowing faintly and illuminating the area with a soft radiance.

The air was dense with spiritual energy, filling Tian Yao’er’s lungs with refreshing vitality.

This cave…

Gu An had carved it out himself.

At first glance, it looked as if nature had sculpted it over millennia, its design breathtakingly intricate.

A masterpiece of precision and power.

“From now on, this is your home.”

Gu An’s voice echoed through the chamber.

“Rest and recover first. Don’t wander outside—this is still Phoenix Mountain.”

“If you get bored, you can read.”

With a casual motion, he retrieved several books from his sleeve, placing them on the ground.

Titles included “Romance of the Gods”, “The Secrets of Taixuan Immortal Venerable”, and others.

Without waiting for a response—

He disappeared into thin air.

Tian Yao’er crouched down, picking up a copy of “Romance of the Gods.”

Curious, she flipped it open…

Her expression quickly turned to confusion.

…

She couldn’t read.

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