In Gu An's calculations, Lü Baitian would focus on nurturing Xu Jie in the future, preparing him as the next sect master and even arranging a marriage between his daughter and Xu Jie, treating him as his own son.
Xu Jie did not disappoint Lü Baitian. His growth rate was no less impressive than that of An Hao, and he too viewed An Hao as his goal to surpass.
Five hundred years later, when An Hao returned, Xu Jie overestimated himself and challenged An Hao. Despite An Hao suppressing his cultivation level, he defeated Xu Jie effortlessly. This incident profoundly affected Xu Jie, causing a significant change in his temperament. He became obsessive, devoting himself entirely to cultivation, treating it as his ultimate purpose.
Driven by his obsession, Xu Jie even devised a plan to acquire Lü Baitian's Inverse Life Divine Art. Eventually, he successfully persuaded Lü Baitian to pass it on to him.
After transferring the technique, Lü Baitian became a cripple and returned to the Lü family. However, disaster struck when Xu Jie's enemies attacked the Lü family. In the ensuing chaos, Lü Baitian lost his life.
Although Gu An foresaw this outcome, he remained unperturbed. He knew this was a future where he chose not to intervene.
When deducing karmic cause and effect, one must remove themselves from the equation to make accurate predictions. This is why many individuals who could foresee destiny chose not to interfere in worldly matters. They couldn't predict their own decisions, so they avoided altering the natural flow of events.
Gu An bore no grudge against Xu Jie for this. Instead, he felt a profound sense of melancholy regarding their intertwined fates.
Lü Baitian's choice to nurture Xu Jie ultimately brought disaster upon himself. Yet, it wasn't Xu Jie's intention to harm him—it was merely a cruel twist of fate.
"One thought can make one a demon, and one thought can make one a celestial. But who can truly say whether their thoughts are right or wrong?" Gu An muttered to himself, lost in contemplation.
The Blood Prison Saint lying below raised its head, trying to decipher its master's words.
Could it be that Lü Baitian would become a demon? That would be fantastic! The Blood Prison Saint held no fondness for Lü Baitian. Knowing that he might meet a misfortune, the beast felt a sense of schadenfreude and even hoped that Lü Baitian would disappoint Gu An.
Gu An observed the scene for a moment before turning and entering his house.
As night fell, the lights of the Third Medicine Valley lit up one by one, illuminating the tranquil human world.
Twenty years later.
Within the Third Medicine Valley, the sun shone brightly, and birds circled overhead. Disciples could be seen cultivating everywhere, their diligent efforts evident in every corner. In the sky above, Tai Xuan Sect disciples rode demonic beasts, occasionally flying past the valley.
Gu An lay beneath the Mysterious Clear Tree, his hands resting behind his head, casually examining his attribute panel.
[Name: Gu An]
[Lifespan: 899/1,393,608,114]
[Physique: Hunyuan Dao Golden Physique]
[Cultivation: Profound Origin Free Immortal Realm, Peak Stage]
Nearly 1.4 billion years of lifespan and approaching nine hundred years of age.
Looking at his accumulated years, Gu An sighed inwardly. Without realizing it, he had grown so old, yet his mentality remained youthful. He could still converse freely with the sect's younger disciples, connecting with their aspirations and struggles.
A White Spirit Mouse, plump like a water buffalo, waddled over and affectionately rubbed its head against Gu An's waist, trying to curry favor.
Gu An ignored it, his expression indifferent. The mouse moved to his front and whispered in a childlike voice that was difficult to distinguish as male or female, "Master."
Last year, the White Spirit Mouse had gained the ability to speak human language, a development that added liveliness to the Third Medicine Valley. Nearly every disciple who entered the valley had been teased or pranked by it, making its presence impossible to ignore. The disciples both respected and avoided it—after all, it was their master's pet, and retaliating against it wasn't an option.
"If you have something to say, spit it out already," Gu An said impatiently, glaring at the mouse. Just seeing it annoyed him.
This creature had been pestering him to raise a batch of rabbit demons—specifically, female ones. Gu An found the idea utterly disgraceful. As someone of his esteemed bearing, how had he managed to raise such an indecent pet?
The thought made him reflect on his other spiritual beasts: Tian Yao'er, the Deep Sea Dragon Koi, and the other two demonesses. Each had peculiar traits that seemed to deviate from normalcy. In contrast, the Blood Prison Saint was steadfast and dependable.
Hmm, I should prioritize cultivating the Blood Prison Saint in the future!
"Master, I had a dream earlier," the White Spirit Mouse said softly, its mouse eyes brimming with excitement. "In the dream, I was cultivating and even remembered a set of fist techniques. Would you take a look?"
Gu An sat up, intrigued. "Let's see what kind of fist technique you could possibly comprehend."
The White Spirit Mouse had spent years meditating under the Mysterious Clear Tree, consuming top-tier spiritual herbs and heavenly treasures. Its maximum lifespan had steadily increased over time. In a way, this was a talent in itself—merely basking in the tree's aura could extend one's potential lifespan, a feat not everyone could achieve.
The White Spirit Mouse immediately leaped to the side and stood upright, balancing on its chubby hind legs.
Under Gu An's watchful gaze, the mouse began executing punches.
Its movements caused the air to shift, whipping up stray leaves and attracting the attention of nearby disciples. They glanced over, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Gu An's face held a peculiar expression. The mouse's boxing style wasn't particularly skilled and bore evident traces of imitating Long Qing. But seeing this ball of fur earnestly throw punches was undeniably surreal.
It was almost comedic, yet the rhythmic movements lent it an oddly hypnotic quality. Each punch was solid, showing decent effort and form.
When the White Spirit Mouse finished the routine, it turned to Gu An with an expectant look on its face, clearly waiting for praise.
Gu An thought for a moment before saying with a straight face, "Not bad. Maybe you could challenge Qing'er."
Hearing this, the White Spirit Mouse's eyes sparkled with delight. It eagerly bid farewell to Gu An and scampered off, likely in search of Long Qing for its so-called challenge.
With the mouse gone, Gu An stretched out comfortably and reclined against the trunk of the tree. Doing nothing but lying down felt surprisingly pleasant.
But such tranquil moments wouldn't last long.
The Annihilation God Emperor, who had been wandering the mortal realm, was already on his way to Tai Xuan Sect. His steps, though unhurried, would eventually lead him to the Third Medicine Valley.
The Annihilation God Emperor had a peculiar habit. Whenever he ventured into crowded places, he disguised himself as a low-key cultivator, blending seamlessly with the mortals around him. Arriving at Tai Xuan Sect, he maintained this guise, presenting himself as an unremarkable figure whose presence was easy to overlook.
The Annihilation God Emperor strolled on, eventually arriving at the pavilion where Gu An resided. Nearby, the Blood Prison Saint raised its head, its gaze scrutinizing the newcomer with wariness.
"You might as well reveal yourself, Samsara Dao Emperor," the Annihilation God Emperor said, his voice resonating through the area.
From a distance, Shen Xin Zi, who had been secretly observing, could no longer hear the exchange. The cryptic remark made to You Yingying had piqued Shen Xin Zi's curiosity, but the Annihilation God Emperor was deliberately keeping him from listening further.
"Samsara Dao Emperor?" The Blood Prison Saint stood up, its alertness heightened as it stared intently at the Annihilation God Emperor.
The man's gaze shifted to the Blood Prison Saint. "Future Great Saint, sit down. Pretend you neither saw nor heard anything."
"Future Great Saint?" The Blood Prison Saint's heart raced. Has my future been seen through by this man?
A surge of excitement coursed through its mind. This was no ordinary visitor. His insight and demeanor exuded the aura of someone extraordinary.
The Blood Prison Saint began to imagine its future greatness, growing increasingly thrilled. It felt no fear of the Annihilation God Emperor causing trouble, knowing that Gu An was inside the pavilion, likely observing everything unfold.