Gu An did not leave immediately after completing his breakthrough. Instead, he stood within the Lifespan Barrier, observing the Abyssal Dao Sea.
Now that he had attained the Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal Realm, the Abyssal Dao Sea became even clearer in his perception.
The sheer number of worlds and living beings within the Abyssal Dao Sea far exceeded those in the universe where the Heavenly Spirit Great World resided—by more than tenfold.
More powerful Great Dao Laws, more profound fortuitous encounters—this environment naturally bred terrifyingly powerful entities.
Even just among the Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortals, Gu An had already detected three—one within the Abyssal Imperial City, while the other two remained concealed in the shadows.
Where there was independent will, conflict was inevitable. These three Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortals clearly did not share the same goals. Their Qi Luck clashed and counterbalanced each other, dividing the core region of the Abyssal Dao Sea into three factions.
Aside from analyzing the power struggles within the Abyssal Dao Sea, Gu An was also fascinated by its creatures.
Some races were so unique that they could not be perceived with the naked eye, existing solely within the Great Dao itself. Others were colossal beings formed by countless fallen stars, their forms constantly shifting.
The variety was endless—bizarre and magnificent. Strange and wondrous phenomena continuously bombarded Gu An's spiritual vision.
Witnessing new things enhanced his comprehension of the Great Dao.
The power of a Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal was fundamentally distinct from that of a Golden Immortal—the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.
Though the Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal Realm brought additional mysteries and enlightenment, the most profound feeling Gu An experienced was pure, unadulterated strength.
Absolute strength!
His physique, soul, perception, and magical power had no weaknesses—every aspect had undergone a fundamental transformation.
A Supreme Purity Golden Immortal could never hope to kill a Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal!
That's right—it was utterly impossible.
This was an insurmountable difference in the essence of existence itself.
With this breakthrough complete, Gu An felt that he could take a short break—to truly enjoy the power of the Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal Realm.
Of course, his definition of "relaxation" was ensuring his herb-gathering operations were progressing smoothly.
Even as a Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal, Gu An had no intention of slowing his cultivation.
This realm still wasn't enough!
After watching the Abyssal Dao Sea for a long time, Gu An finally decided to teleport away.
Above, powerful figures continued to streak across the sky. None of them noticed his departure.
Upon returning to Wushi Dao Field, dawn had yet to break. Gu An strolled through the forest, using his Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal senses to perceive all things in the world.
Following his breakthrough, only twenty billion years of lifespan remained. For a mortal, such a span would be akin to immortality, but for Gu An, it was dangerously low.
At the very least, he would need to accumulate two trillion years before he dared to attempt another breakthrough to a higher realm.
In fact, he suspected two trillion years might not even be enough!
As long as the Abyssal Dao Sea and the Heavenly Court did not intervene, Gu An had plenty of time to bide his time. He hoped that for the next million—no, ten million years, he wouldn't have to lift a finger.
When the sun finally rose, Gu An inspected his various herb gardens.
Each disciple who encountered him felt a change in his presence, though none of them could pinpoint exactly what had changed.
Ultimately, they concluded that after severing the karmic fate of his descendants, Gu An had unburdened himself, thus appearing different.
It wasn't until midday that Gu An left Wushi Dao Field.
With a single step, he appeared before Jiang Qiong, startling her.
After playfully scolding him, Jiang Qiong happily welcomed Gu An. She eagerly led him into her herb garden, where spirit trees resembling peach blossoms were in full bloom, filling the air with a sea of soft pink petals.
As they sat down, Jiang Qiong poured Gu An a drink and asked, "That figure in the sky earlier—was that you? The clothes were different, but I recognized you at a glance."
Gu An chuckled. "It was me, and it wasn't me. That was merely my past life. My descendants from my previous incarnation used their bloodline to summon my former self."
Over the endless years, although Jiang Qiong had never cultivated within Wushi Dao Field, she had always received Gu An's guidance.
At times, she would suddenly comprehend profound Dao insights without reason. She wasn't foolish—she knew it wasn't because of her own exceptional talent.
She was certain that Gu An was secretly looking after her.
Gu An never admitted it, and she never asked.
To her, cultivation breakthroughs were insignificant—what truly mattered was that Gu An still remembered her.
"Your past life?" Jiang Qiong's curiosity was piqued. "Your cultivation is already this high—just how far back does your past life go?"
Gu An gave an ambiguous answer, offering her as much information as possible without giving everything away.
Looking at Jiang Qiong, dressed in pure white robes, ethereal like a celestial goddess, Gu An couldn't help but recall their first meeting over twenty thousand years ago.
Back then, Jiang Qiong was nothing like she was now—she had been ragged, pale, and lifeless, more like a corpse than a person.
Yet after so many years, her elegance had only grown stronger.
But there was one flaw she had never corrected.
She still refused to wear shoes, always walking around barefoot.
Gu An's gaze lingered on Jiang Qiong's bare feet. Noticing his attention, Jiang Qiong didn't blush. Instead, she snorted, "I only do this in my own Dao Field. Outside, I am the founding ancestor of Gathering Flower Sect, and I must maintain my dignity."
Gu An chuckled and asked, "How has Gathering Flower Sect been developing lately?"
Even though he already knew, he still asked Jiang Qiong.
Compared to her, Gu An was practically omniscient. However, when people interacted, they needed to chat.
Jiang Qiong also cherished these rare moments with Gu An, so she earnestly recounted the sect's situation.
As Tai Xuan Sect grew stronger, sects across the continent had two choices—submit or relocate. Gathering Flower Sect chose the latter. Fortunately, Tai Xuan Sect did not make things difficult for them and even provided some resources as a parting gift.
Currently, Gathering Flower Sect resided on a group of islands, where they had constructed trade islands similar to Xunxian Island. There were no powerful sects nearby, but the real danger came from sea monsters that occasionally attacked, causing some losses to the sect.
Jiang Qiong had essentially become a hands-off leader, spending most of her time in seclusion, with very few matters requiring her attention.
"The sect is stable… but too stable, which makes it feel stagnant," Jiang Qiong sighed.
She remained with Gathering Flower Sect because she had built it from scratch. Over the years, she had formed deep ties within the sect, making it difficult to leave behind.
Gu An smiled. "Don't worry. Soon, the world will undergo great changes, bringing countless opportunities. Gathering Flower Sect will have its share. You just need to seize them."
The opportunities he spoke of referred to the legacy of the War Court. Gu An had released half of it, scattering it across the mortal realm, buried deep within the land and seabed.
Even though it was only half, it was enough to reshape the entire Heavenly Spirit Great World, pushing it to unprecedented heights.
Near Gathering Flower Sect's current location, several treasures from the War Court were hidden—magical artifacts, cultivation techniques, and rare spiritual materials. These were all Gu An's intentional favors. If Gathering Flower Sect capitalized on them, it could rise to become one of the world's top sects.
"Really?" Jiang Qiong's eyes lit up with excitement.
Gu An chuckled. "Would I lie to you? A few thousand years from now, I'll gift you a supreme treasure, ensuring you have the power to protect your sect."
As Gu An advanced through the realms, his mindset grew more carefree. He no longer dwelled on potential consequences. He did whatever he wished, especially when it came to taking care of those around him.
Jiang Qiong was overjoyed. She stood up, moved closer to Gu An, and reached out to touch his chest. With a playful smile, she teased, "What's the occasion today? Why are you being so good to me? Or… have you finally fallen into mortal desire and started missing me?"
Gu An pushed her away and snorted, "Nonsense. I am a scholar of the Spring and Autumn Annals."
Jiang Qiong tilted her head. "Spring and Autumn Annals? Is it like Tai Xuan Secret Chronicles, one of those vulgar books?"
Hearing her mention Tai Xuan Secret Chronicles, Gu An's expression stiffened slightly.
"What Tai Xuan Secret Chronicles? I don't know what you're talking about."
Jiang Qiong smirked. "Oh? But I heard the author, Shen Zhen, is very close to you. When the two of you were alone, what exactly were you discussing? Mind sharing with me?"
She narrowed her eyes mischievously, clearly enjoying teasing him.
She wasn't angry about Gu An's little indulgences. Instead, she found it amusing—it made him feel more real.
The Sword Master of the Dao was too powerful, his level far too high, making it hard for her to truly comprehend his existence.
Between the current, unfathomably strong Gu An, and the calculating, cautious Gu An from the past, she actually preferred the latter.
They bickered endlessly, with Gu An constantly dodging and deflecting, which only made Jiang Qiong even more amused.
As night fell, Gu An chose to stay at Jiang Qiong's Dao Field to teach her about the Dao.
Deep in the cosmic void, the stars shone brilliantly, and rivers of celestial light surged, painting a magnificent scene.
Countless floating palaces hovered above a massive spiral of divine clouds, forming a grand, heavenly ladder. These clouds stretched endlessly, covered in countless structures, making even the colossal palaces seem like grains of sand.
At the edge of a cliff, a woman dressed in white robes layered with a black outer cloak sat in meditation.
Her silver phoenix crown, embedded with precious gems, shimmered faintly under the starry sky. A red Dao Mark adorned her forehead, giving her an aura of mystical divinity.
She was Ji Xiaoyu.
Suddenly, a figure materialized behind her—it was the Sun and Moon Nether Emperor.
With a deep bow, he respectfully reported, his voice tinged with excitement, "Your Majesty Dust Emperor, it has been foretold—the Heavenly Spirit Great World is about to experience an unprecedented transformation. The other two Emperors have already agreed to relocate Yin-Yang Immortal Domain into the Heavenly Spirit Great World. Your Majesty… it is time to return!"
Hearing this, Ji Xiaoyu slowly opened her eyes.
A sharp, divine light flickered within her gaze.
The moment she focused her vision, the Great Dao Qi and celestial clouds in front of her froze—as if time itself had come to a standstill.
In the depths of her pupils, a reflection of the Heavenly Spirit Great World appeared, vast and majestic.
A profound, unreadable expression surfaced in her gaze.