【Name: Gu An】

【Lifespan: 195/12,708,862】

【Physique: Primal Causal Body】

【Cultivation: Ninth Level of Mystic Celestial Arts Realm】

……

Beneath the tree, Gu An lay on his back, resting. He summoned his attribute panel and checked his stats. Seeing his lifespan, the corners of his mouth lifted in satisfaction.

It had been twenty-one years since his last breakthrough, and he had already accumulated over twelve million years of lifespan. This proved he hadn’t slacked off.

As long as he maintained this pace, a hundred million years of lifespan wouldn’t be too far off.

After closing his panel, he extended his divine sense toward the Severed Sea Rift.

Not long ago, Zhang Bukui had taken the Divine Anomaly Realm Lord as his master. Gu An could sense the goodwill released by the Realm Lord. And it wasn’t just talk—the Realm Lord had genuinely started instructing Zhang Bukui and had yet to leave the cave where Zhang was cultivating.

From this, it was clear that the Realm Lord felt a sense of urgency. It seemed the calamity Qie Wuxing had mentioned was drawing closer.

Gu An, however, was in no rush. The Realm Lord must have other means of power; otherwise, how could he dare create such a massive rift in the ocean?

Let them fight for now. If things eventually involved Zhang Bukui, then he would consider stepping in.

Gu An had no intention of throwing himself into the conflict unless he was certain he could eliminate the root of the problem.

Zhang Bukui seemed to be in a good situation, which put Gu An at ease.

“Everyone’s doing well… and staying busy. Being busy is good,” he murmured to himself.

Sweeping his divine sense across his acquaintances, he saw that they were all safe, which brought a smile to his face.

He sat up, stretched lazily, then stood and left the area.

Along the way, disciples greeted him with respect. He responded with warm smiles and nods, carrying himself with a natural ease that was devoid of arrogance.

Eventually, he arrived at a pavilion and spotted Yang Jian conversing with the Blood Prison Great Saint. Their discussion revolved around body cultivation, which made sense—after all, the Great Saint was also a body cultivator and had even obtained Divine Beast True Blood.

Upon seeing Gu An approach, Yang Jian immediately stood up and saluted.

Gu An thought for a moment before saying, “Rest well. In a while, I’ll take you to spar with someone and test your true strength.”

Yang Jian’s eyes immediately lit up. Normally, his only sparring partner was Li Lingtian, which had long since become dull. The thought of a real battle thrilled him.

Before Yang Jian could respond, Gu An had already stepped inside the pavilion.

From a distance…

Qie Wuxing, engrossed in a game of Go, cast a thoughtful glance at Yang Jian.

He could tell that Yang Jian possessed a rare Ancient Treasure Body, which only deepened his curiosity about Gu An.

No wonder this man had such a close relationship with the reincarnation of the Dao Emperor of Samsara—his background was undoubtedly extraordinary.

However, Qie Wuxing had no intention of investigating Gu An. Instead, he decided to establish goodwill with Yang Jian.

After all, if Yang Jian lived for ten thousand years, he would undoubtedly become a legendary figure. Forming ties with such an individual was always a wise move.

Qie Wuxing began contemplating which techniques or divine abilities he could impart to Yang Jian.

Gu An didn’t mind him training other disciples, so he certainly wouldn’t object to him teaching Yang Jian.

That evening, Qie Wuxing sought out Yang Jian.

“Young man, I’ve been observing you for some time now. Your talent and comprehension are exceptional. I have a palm technique—would you be interested in learning it?” he asked with a smile.

Yang Jian knew Qie Wuxing was a grand cultivator. After all, the man had beaten the Nine-Fingered Divine Lord in Go.

“Thank you for your generosity, Senior, but I must decline,” Yang Jian responded politely, clasping his hands in a salute.

Qie Wuxing was briefly stunned. “Do you doubt my skill?”

Yang Jian shook his head. “To be honest, I have no interest in palm techniques. No martial technique or divine ability can compare to enhancing the raw strength of my physical body.”

Qie Wuxing’s curiosity was piqued. “Then what do you wish to learn?”

Seeing how persistent Qie Wuxing was, Yang Jian asked, “Senior, have you ever read Romance of the Gods or Journey to the West?”

Qie Wuxing nodded. “Of course. You call yourself Yang Jian—are you trying to become like the one from those stories? But those are just fictional books. The techniques and divine abilities in them don’t actually exist.”

Yang Jian simply shook his head and walked away.

“Wait! How about I teach you a spear technique? It’s the most powerful polearm art I’ve mastered. If you perfect it, you can dominate an era, facing few worthy opponents. It’s an excellent match for your physique.”

Yang Jian paused, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

Qie Wuxing smirked. “This spear technique is called Thirty-Six Strikes to Annihilate Heaven and Banish Dao. It’s extremely difficult to cultivate. To this day, no one has successfully inherited it.”

Yang Jian’s gaze sharpened. “Is that so? Then I must try. Thank you in advance, Senior.”

“Find a secluded place to train.”

“Understood!”

The two of them headed deep into Medicine Valley, with the Blood Prison Great Saint following behind, intrigued.

Qie Wuxing didn’t mind the additional observer—he was convinced that the Great Saint wouldn’t be able to master the technique.

After all, Yang Jian possessed an Ancient Treasure Body, a physique so rare that even in ancient times, it was considered supreme.

Inside the pavilion, Gu An had also taken notice of the situation.

He didn’t intervene—Qie Wuxing wouldn’t dare pull any tricks. And truth be told, he was quite interested in the Thirty-Six Strikes to Annihilate Heaven and Banish Dao himself.

Was it truly as formidable as claimed?

The next morning…

At dawn, the disciples gathered for their morning drills.

Gu An watched as Yang Jian strode over, followed closely by Qie Wuxing.

However, Qie Wuxing no longer had his usual composed demeanor—he looked as if he had seen a ghost.

Gu An chuckled. He already knew why.

Qie Wuxing had been utterly shocked by Yang Jian’s comprehension and physique.

In just one night, Yang Jian had grasped the basics of the Thirty-Six Strikes to Annihilate Heaven and Banish Dao!

Although he hadn’t fully unleashed the technique’s true power, his progress was enough to leave Qie Wuxing dumbfounded.

It made Qie Wuxing suspect that even among Ancient Treasure Bodies, Yang Jian’s physique was one of the absolute best.

If only Tian Wuchang were still around—he would have known for sure. That guy had been the most knowledgeable about Ancient Treasure Bodies.

Later…

Li Lingtian approached Yang Jian, frowning. “Where were you last night?”

Yang Jian’s aura was unsettled—clearly, he hadn’t rested.

Yang Jian waved a hand dismissively. “Just training. Don’t ask too many questions.”

Li Lingtian’s gaze flickered toward Qie Wuxing in the distance. He immediately understood.

After morning drills, he found Qie Wuxing and asked if he could learn a technique as well.

Qie Wuxing studied him briefly before shaking his head. “Your talent is decent, but not enough to impress me. Improve your cultivation first. If one day you catch my eye, I’ll consider it.”

Li Lingtian was speechless.

For the first time in his life, he had been rejected.

Even in the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An had never turned him down!

Grinding his teeth, he stormed away.

Qie Wuxing simply smirked. He wasn’t worried—Li Lingtian’s background wasn’t a threat to him.

If anything, he almost wished Li Lingtian’s faction would come after him. A bit of trouble might actually make life more interesting.

Just as Qie Wuxing was about to sit down for a game of Go, Shen Xinzi intercepted him.

“Amitabha. Benefactor, shall we have a chat?” Shen Xinzi asked with a solemn expression.

Qie Wuxing grinned and nodded before the two of them left Third Medicine Valley together.

As autumn arrived, Third Medicine Valley took on a golden hue. Fallen leaves were scattered everywhere, and disciples could be seen diligently sweeping them away.

Inside the pavilion, Shen Zhen was passionately recounting her latest literary work to Gu An, her excitement evident.

Gu An, however, wasn’t particularly interested in her Journey to the South. Instead, his divine sense was focused on the Severed Sea Rift.

Above the rift, an earth-shattering battle was unfolding—one cultivator was fighting against three Divine Anomaly Wraith Kings, and remarkably, that lone figure was holding the upper hand!

Celestial Ascension!

The Divine Anomaly Wraith Kings had each reached the ninth level of the Celestial Ascension Stage, yet there was still another cultivator who could suppress all three of them single-handedly.

How could Gu An not be intrigued?

“Are you even listening?” Shen Zhen asked, frowning in dissatisfaction.

Gu An chuckled. “Of course I am. But more than your book, I’m curious about your cultivation.”

【Shen Zhen (Nascent Soul Stage, Seventh Level): 231/880/4400】

Her maximum lifespan had increased!

Gu An was quite surprised—her previous limit had only been around 2,500 years.

His junior brother and junior sister had been painstakingly training in search of a breakthrough, yet Shen Zhen had been doing nothing but writing, painting, and playing music in her secluded cave residence… and her lifespan had still increased.

Where was the logic in that?

Could writing and painting be a path to cultivation as well?

Shen Zhen cleared her throat, her expression slightly uneasy. “Not bad. I’ve been working hard.”

Gu An held back a laugh. He had checked on her often over the years, and each time, she had been either reading, writing, painting, or playing the zither—and always alone.

She never seemed to tire of it.

And now, it was clear that her efforts had not been in vain.

Judging from her expression, she herself had no idea that her talent and comprehension were increasing.

Gu An decided not to tell her. There was no rush—she was still young. If he pointed it out, she might lose the natural state that had allowed her to grow.

“You, on the other hand… why doesn’t it seem like you’ve made any progress?” Shen Zhen arched an eyebrow at him.

Gu An sighed dramatically, his expression darkening.

Shen Zhen frowned. “What’s wrong? Are you in trouble?”

“Nothing… It’s just that I can feel the weight of fate pressing down on me,” Gu An lamented. “Even with all the herbs and pills I’ve gathered, I find it increasingly difficult to break through. You wouldn’t understand this feeling… I can’t see a future for my cultivation. Perhaps… this is my fate.”

Shen Zhen opened her mouth to offer words of comfort but found herself at a loss.

Talent was a cruel reality.

His friend, Wu Jue, had soared to new heights. Li Ya had become the face of Taixuan Sect.

And now, Gu An—who had always been ahead—was feeling lost.

For the first time, Shen Zhen felt… speechless.

Gu An forced a smile. “Miss Shen, my life may be short, but you—”

Before he could continue his act, a boundless, overwhelming pressure descended from the heavens, silencing him instantly.

A voice, brimming with dominance and unmatched arrogance, echoed across the land:

“I am the Lifeseizing Immortal of the Great Cold Demon Sect!

Today, I establish my tower upon the Severed Sea Rift.

Within a hundred years, if none can defeat me,

I shall eradicate all who have heard my words,

to quell the wrath of the ocean!”

—The Great Cold Demon Sect?!

Gu An had heard of them before.

They were a demonic sect on par with the Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect.

According to Bai Ziyao, the Great Cold Demon Sect was one of the few demonic sects recognized by the Holy Court.

Though they belonged to the demonic path, the regions they chose to slaughter were always places abandoned by the Holy Court.

Did that mean their continent and the surrounding seas had already been forsaken by the Holy Court?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep