An Hao had a dream—a dream so vivid it felt as if he were living within it. He saw himself seated upon an incomparably magnificent throne, with a qilin prostrating at his feet and true dragons coiling by his sides. Beneath him stretched a brilliant starry sky, where figures radiating immense power floated in midair, forming a staircase leading up to him.
The sensation was intoxicating, a feeling of absolute control over all things. It was as if the universe itself bowed to his will. Amid this overwhelming sense of dominance, an inexplicable loneliness crept into his heart.
Lost in the dream's allure, An Hao forgot the passage of time.
He had no idea how long had passed when, from the depths of the cosmos below, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted and surged toward him. The powerful figures in its path were reduced to ash, one after another.
The golden light illuminated An Hao's face, searing and almost unbearable. It burned so fiercely that he could feel its heat.
Abruptly, An Hao's eyes flew open. He gasped for breath, sweat pouring from his brow, his pupils trembling with lingering fear.
Above him stretched a twilight sky. Instinctively, his gaze flickered to the side, landing on the silhouette of the Annihilation God Emperor.
The figure stood a short distance away, staring up at the heavens, his thoughts unfathomable.
An Hao sat up and tried to rise, but before he could, the Annihilation God Emperor's finger pressed against his forehead, rendering him immobile.
In that moment, An Hao felt as though his mana and blood essence had been completely frozen, leaving him profoundly uncomfortable.
Since reaching the Nirvana Realm, he had always felt a deep confidence in his strength, believing he could handle anything. But now, it was as though he had returned to the mortal realm, once again confronted by the vastness of his insignificance.
He looked up at the Annihilation God Emperor, the initial shock in his eyes rapidly transforming into defiance.
"Your gaze is similar to his," the Annihilation God Emperor said softly, his tone tinged with a distant melancholy. "You both share the same fate, but you are still far from his level."
An Hao clenched his teeth and asked, "Who is he?"
The Annihilation God Emperor's voice grew colder. "His name cannot be spoken. This great world cannot bear the weight of his karma. If his name were uttered, this entire realm would be obliterated in an instant."
These words widened An Hao's eyes in astonishment.
This was the first time he had ever heard of such an existence. Not even the Sun Immortal Emperor or Divine Sovereign could compare to such a figure.
The Annihilation God Emperor continued, "I have traversed countless great worlds, and it is rare to encounter a fate as extraordinary as yours. I will grant you a divine ability—let us see how high you can climb in the future."
As he spoke, his fingertip released a surge of dark energy that drilled into An Hao's forehead.
An Hao was unable to move, his heart pounding with tension. However, as the energy entered his body, he felt no discomfort. Instead, the lack of pain only heightened his unease.
The Annihilation God Emperor withdrew his hand and said, "What you just experienced was a memory of that being. Remember that feeling—it is the power you must pursue at all costs."
With those parting words, the Annihilation God Emperor vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
An Hao, now free from his restraints, quickly stood up, only to find that he could no longer sense the Annihilation God Emperor's presence. It was as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a hallucination.
"Who is he really..." An Hao muttered, his brow furrowing deeply. His hand instinctively touched his forehead, a sense of unease settling over him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had just been burdened with a monumental responsibility.
At the same time, far away in the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An withdrew his gaze. From the moment the Annihilation God Emperor approached An Hao, Gu An had been watching.
Though the Annihilation God Emperor's cultivation was merely at the Free Immortal Realm, if he had shown any intention of harming An Hao, Gu An could have annihilated him in an instant. Yet, Gu An had sensed no malice. Instead, it seemed the Annihilation God Emperor intended to bestow an opportunity upon An Hao.
The corners of Gu An's lips curled upward slightly, his expression thoughtful. An opportunity granted by the Annihilation God Emperor... How intriguing.
After the Annihilation God Emperor departed, Gu An once again observed An Hao's fate, realizing that it had undergone a significant transformation.
Previously, An Hao had already been walking the path of a prodigious talent. Now, with the inheritance from the Annihilation God Emperor, his potential grew even more formidable. To Gu An, An Hao now bore a resemblance to figures like Long Zhan and Lu Han—exceptionally talented individuals whom even he could only suppress with difficulty.
But who exactly was the Annihilation God Emperor?
And what was this "higher heaven" he spoke of?
Gu An tilted his head back, his gaze penetrating the cosmos. Beyond the heavens lay the universe, shrouded in the domain of annihilation. The universe seemed boundless, with no end in sight no matter which direction he looked.
His eyes fell upon the boundary gate guarded by the Heavenly Spirit God.
To traverse beyond the universe, one would likely have to pass through that gate.
However, approaching the boundary gate meant certain death at the hands of the Heavenly Spirit God, a being capable of effortlessly eradicating even a Dao Repository Free Immortal.
Gu An's thoughts turned to the immortal gods he had previously encountered. Clearly, there were even more terrifying and profound existences beyond the realm of immortality.
"Master, the sect leader has come to see you," a disciple softly informed Gu An, who was leaning on a wooden railing.
Gu An withdrew his gaze, nodding at the disciple before heading toward his own pavilion.
Upon entering his quarters, Gu An was greeted by Lü Baitian. As soon as Lü Baitian saw him, he rose to his feet respectfully.
"How many times must I tell you not to be so formal? It's unnecessary and makes things awkward," Gu An chided.
Lü Baitian watched Gu An's approach and, after he sat down, spoke solemnly. "In the past, I didn't understand. But now that I know your true identity, I must observe the proper courtesies."
Gu An's expression remained impassive, though inwardly, he was quite pleased. Lü Baitian still understands the rules and knows how to win favor.
He gestured for Lü Baitian to sit and asked him the purpose of his visit.
"Your disciple, Xu Jie, had a conflict with a prominent family. It was a misunderstanding, and I've already mediated, persuading the family to release him and attempting to ease the tension. However, Xu Jie remains dissatisfied," Lü Baitian explained, his face showing a trace of helplessness as he spoke.
Due to the previous martial incident, Lü Baitian no longer dared to take such matters lightly.
Xu Jie's exceptional talent made it highly likely that he had received guidance from Gu An, prompting Lü Baitian to tread carefully.
Hearing this, Gu An casually remarked, "If he's dissatisfied, so be it. Tai Xuan Sect cannot afford to spoil him."
Lü Baitian carefully weighed Gu An's words and replied, "He's still young, after all. Besides, his talent is indeed rare. He reminds me of An Hao in his youth."
At the mention of An Hao, Lü Baitian's expression grew peculiar as thoughts of An Xin surfaced.
Connecting the dots, he couldn't help but find the situation absurd.
At the same time, he wondered—what would An Hao feel if he learned the truth of everything?
An Hao still had no idea who his master truly was, only that he had assumed the identity of the Sword Master of the Dao.
"In this world, are talents really that rare? Just treat him normally; don't factor me into the equation. He's merely a passerby in the Third Medicine Valley, not truly my disciple," Gu An said nonchalantly.
Lü Baitian, however, grew even more intrigued by Xu Jie.
For Xu Jie to exhibit such remarkable talent without direct guidance from the Sword Master of the Dao, he must be someone extraordinary—a prodigy worth cultivating.
More importantly, he needed to be drawn into Lü Baitian's fold and made part of his strength!
Seeing that Gu An had no interest in Xu Jie, Lü Baitian shifted the conversation to other matters, seeking Gu An's advice on Tai Xuan Sect's future development.
It wasn't until an entire hour had passed that Lü Baitian finally took his leave.
Gu An personally escorted him downstairs, and before parting, the two exchanged numerous bows, drawing the attention of nearby disciples, who began whispering amongst themselves.
As Gu An watched Lü Baitian's departing figure, he noticed a subtle change in his karma.
A calamity.
Gu An immediately calculated Lü Baitian's fate, his expression turning strange.
Because of their conversation today, Lü Baitian would soon encounter a deadly tribulation.
Lü Baitian's death would ultimately stem from Xu Jie.