Two hundred years had passed since Buddha Immortal began instructing Zhang Buku in cultivation.
The new year had just passed, and the Nine Spirits Continent was bathed in warm sunlight. The mountains and rivers stretched endlessly, teeming with life. Birds took flight in neat rows, soaring from the dense forests.
Atop a massive tree, Gu An leaned against the trunk, gazing lazily at the sky. With a flick of his thoughts, he summoned his status panel.
[Name: Gu An]
[Lifespan: 9,045/77,189,605,409]
[Physique: Hunyuan Boundless Physique]
[Cultivation: Measuring the Heavens Golden Immortal Realm – Perfection]
…
Without realizing it, I've already lived nine thousand years.
Gu An sighed inwardly. In ancient Huaxia, the second-most powerful man in the empire often referred to himself as "Nine Thousand Years Old." For ordinary mortals, living nine thousand years was no different from achieving eternal life.
Yet now that he had actually reached nine thousand, he still felt young. Compared to those ancient monsters who had lived for countless epochs, he was still just a junior.
Hmm, being young is great.
Shifting his gaze downward, Gu An saw a small stream flowing through the forest. On the other side of the stream, An Xin was instructing three young disciples from the Qiankun Sect—two boys and a girl. They all looked around seventeen or eighteen years old. The trio stood before An Xin with deep reverence, afraid to miss a single word she said.
Gu An could even hear the thoughts of one of the boys. That young man was secretly marveling at An Xin's beauty, his cheeks flushing slightly with admiration.
Gu An couldn't help but find it amusing.
An Xin was indeed exceptionally beautiful, and with her cultivation at the Loose Immortal Realm, her ethereal aura made her seem like an immortal descended from the heavens. How could these inexperienced young disciples possibly resist her charm?
Of course, rules and status differences meant that admiration was all they could do.
After some time, An Xin finally rose to her feet and said, "Alright, you may go now."
The three Qiankun Sect disciples quickly stood up and bowed respectfully.
The young man, who had been secretly infatuated, hesitated before asking, "Immortal Master, when will we see you again?"
The other two disciples also looked at An Xin expectantly.
An Xin chuckled softly and replied, "If fate allows, we will meet again. I guide Qiankun Sect disciples only once—this is to ensure fairness for all others."
Upon hearing this, the three immediately felt disappointed, but they dared not plead further. Before they had arrived, their master and the elders of their sect had repeatedly warned them never to offend the Immortal Master.
With a casual wave of her sleeve, An Xin sent them a hundred miles away, unwilling to waste any more words.
She turned her head, glancing around as if searching for something. The moment Gu An appeared, sitting on a branch, a gentle smile formed on her lips.
Had those three disciples witnessed this smile, they would have been utterly stunned.
Throughout their entire lesson, An Xin had never once smiled, making them believe she was an emotionless figure.
"Master," An Xin said, her voice carrying a hint of doubt, "Yi Qingshan claimed those three were exceptionally talented, but to me, they seemed quite mediocre."
Gu An replied, "Perhaps you simply haven't noticed what makes them special. Everyone has their own unique strengths."
Hearing this, An Xin couldn't help but reflect on herself. She realized that her master's words made sense. In the end, it wasn't that those disciples were ordinary—it was that her own cultivation wasn't profound enough. If she were as powerful as Gu An, even an ordinary White Spirit Mouse could be trained into a Demon King.
With that thought in mind, she felt a renewed sense of conviction.
Gu An leaped down from the tree and, together with An Xin, began walking toward the Dao Field.
As Gu An and An Xin chatted about recent events within the Qiankun Sect, far away in Tai Xuan Sect, Long Qing was dealing with internal matters that had been troubling him.
Long Qing was now a sect master candidate, temporarily managing the sect's affairs. Lü Baitian, having long retreated into seclusion, was now solely focused on his pursuit of the Dao.
Inside the Elder Hall, Long Qing sat at the chief seat, while Long Jun and Zhu Xing stood at his sides. Before them, dozens of elders were engaged in a heated debate.
"For years, the Tai Cang Dynasty has obeyed the Tai Xuan Sect, yet now Li Xuandao allows his generals to fight against our sect's core disciples over treasures? He is clearly testing our bottom line!"
"That's right! Li Xuandao has grown more arrogant over the years!"
"A single person should never hold absolute power. I suspect Li Xuandao seeks to become a ruler of an Immortal Dynasty like those before him! Let's not forget that an Immortal Dynasty once dared to wage war against the Sacred Court!"
"The most concerning part is that he has the Sacred King's support. That alone makes him bold enough to act recklessly."
"The key issue is that the Sacred King is Sword Master of the Dao's disciple! If Sect Master Long Qing can persuade Yang Jian, would Li Xuandao still dare to act so arrogantly?"
The elders argued back and forth, their voices filled with frustration and concern. Ji Hantian, one of the highest-ranking elders, looked toward Long Qing and asked solemnly, "Long Qing, do you have a way to contact your master?"
At his words, the entire hall fell silent.
The reason Long Qing was troubled was precisely because this matter involved Yang Jian, a disciple most favored by his master, Sword Master of the Dao.
He shook his head and answered, "I cannot, but with my master's abilities, he is surely observing every move within Tai Xuan Sect."
Ji Hantian fell into silence, while the other elders exchanged uncertain glances.
Many of the elders had never personally met Sword Master of the Dao, but they had all heard countless legends about him. Especially after becoming elders, they had come to understand just how highly revered he was within Tai Xuan Sect.
As long as the Sword Intent atop the Heaven Mending Platform remained, Sword Master of the Dao's influence within the sect would never fade. No one dared to challenge his authority.
At this moment, Gu Zong, an elder known for his wisdom, spoke up. "The Tai Cang Dynasty has already established dominion over numerous sea regions. Meanwhile, although Tai Xuan Sect has been growing stronger, our expansion pales in comparison. Instead of trying to suppress them, why not focus on strengthening ourselves? Once our sect becomes strong enough, the Tai Cang Dynasty will naturally seek to align with us again."
Hearing this, a female elder retorted, "Strengthen ourselves? How exactly? We are a cultivation sect, not a military empire. Our disciples focus on cultivation, not territorial expansion. Furthermore, we uphold righteousness, and plundering for resources is beneath us."
Many others nodded in agreement.
At that moment, Zhu Xing suddenly chuckled and said, "If you're looking for an opportunity for development, it has arrived."
Everyone turned toward him, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Zhu Xing was a highly respected Dao cultivator, and his words carried immense weight. Furthermore, he had accompanied Long Qing for thousands of years, providing invaluable assistance to Tai Xuan Sect. It was largely due to his support that Long Qing had managed to consolidate power so quickly.