Chapter 116: Kindred Spirits
In the deep mountains beneath the snowy night, Gu An crouched down, plucking the last Ephemeral Blossom from the snow and placing it into his storage pouch.
Once again, he only harvested a single year of lifespan, but he wasn't displeased. Over the past month, he had collected nearly 500,000 years of lifespan, pushing his total well beyond a million years.
This was exhilarating!
After tonight, there would be no more Ephemeral Blossoms left in the Tai Cang Dynasty.
In just one month, he had plucked over a million Ephemeral Blossoms, with half of them offering less than a year of lifespan each, having only recently bloomed.
Gu An had to harvest them quickly—otherwise, the cultivators of the Tai Cang Dynasty would have done the job. He couldn't just let them go unpicked. He didn't want to be selfish by letting others clear the flowers, and he was also wary of the Ephemeral Blossom Sect.
Lifespan could be accumulated slowly, but if the Ephemeral Blossom Sect succeeded in their plans and he lacked the strength to resist, it would all be for nothing!
Stretching in the dim forest, Gu An headed toward a nearby city.
It was nearing dawn, and he planned to wander around the city a bit.
Staying cooped up in the Third Medicine Valley all the time wasn't a good thing. Occasionally venturing out to enjoy the scenery and experience the world would help him gain new insights.
Since encountering Wu Jue's moment of enlightenment, Gu An had been contemplating the idea of enlightenment.
He felt that achieving enlightenment wasn't just about luck; it was also linked to life experiences.
As the sun began to rise, the city a hundred miles away stirred with the sounds of activity, signaling the start of a new day.
By midday, Gu An was sitting in a tavern on the second floor, drinking wine by the window. From his vantage point, he could observe the street below, where martial artists were showing off their skills.
Wherever there are people, there is a martial world. Even though everyone in the Tai Cang Dynasty was aware of the existence of cultivators, ninety percent of the population could not pursue the path of immortality. This gave rise to a separate martial world, independent of the cultivation world, with its own complexities and conflicts.
In the entire city, Gu An could sense only three other cultivators, all of whom, like him, were disguised as ordinary people.
The cultivation world was currently facing the looming threat of the Ephemeral Blossom Sect, with countless demons and fiends watching from beyond the borders of the Nine Dynasties. Meanwhile, ordinary mortals were unaffected.
Their lives were short, spanning only a few decades, and by the time they passed on, the demonic catastrophe might not have even arrived.
This was the divide between immortals and mortals.
Cultivators and ordinary people lived under entirely different timeframes.
As Gu An pondered the differences between immortals and mortals, many reflections stirred in his heart.
He wanted to see if this line of thinking could help him enter a state of enlightenment.
However, after sitting there for an entire day, he failed to enter such a state. Nevertheless, he didn't feel that his time had been wasted.
Sometimes, just sitting quietly, observing the bustling world of mortals, could be its own form of enjoyment.
As dusk fell once more, the snow that had paused throughout the day began to fall again.
Gu An stood, left some silver coins on the table, and departed.
Instead of leaving the city right away, he strolled through the streets, blending into the crowd, letting the snowflakes fall onto his shoulders. Immersing himself in the hustle and bustle of mortal life.
It wasn't until the following morning that Gu An finally returned to the Third Medicine Valley.
Upon arriving, he saw the disciples gathered in a lively group.
From a distance, he could hear them discussing the Supreme Elder.
A Supreme Elder had returned!
This news shook the entire Tai Xuan Sect, and the elder's identity was soon made public. The Supreme Elder, having lived for fifteen hundred years, possessed a cultivation that reached the heavens.
At a time when the Tai Xuan Sect was under threat from the Ephemeral Blossom Sect, the return of the Supreme Elder greatly boosted the sect's morale.
Once again, the righteous sect regained its dominance over the world!
This Supreme Elder was known by his Daoist title, Xuanquan, and was called Xuanquan Ancestor.
Gu An speculated that his return was due to the Tai Xuan Sect informing him that Xuantian Ancestor had been killed by the Ephemeral Blossom Sect.
After listening to the conversation for a while, Gu An continued gathering herbs.
As he harvested the herbs, he reflected on his recent experiences.
Although he hadn't entered a state of enlightenment, his Profound Heart had gained another rune.
The Profound Heart could condense divine abilities, and although Gu An had reached the ninth level of the Mahayana Realm, this divine ability was still being refined. Condensing a divine ability required more than just cultivation; it required deep insight.
He had already developed a concept. Over time, as he continued to refine it, the divine ability would naturally manifest.
Three days later.
Gu An arrived at the Outer Gate Library Pavilion, where Liu Chang, the elder, personally welcomed him as always.
After months of not seeing him, Gu An noticed that Liu Chang had aged significantly, his complexion visibly deteriorating.
[Liu Chang (Foundation Establishment Stage, Ninth Layer): 258/270/340]
Looking at Liu Chang's lifespan, Gu An sighed inwardly.
Liu Chang's cultivation had clearly been advanced through the use of medicinal pills, resulting in a shorter lifespan than others at his level.
Having known each other for so many years, they had become close friends despite the age difference. Gu An couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow at the thought of his friend's impending end.
However, he had long prepared himself for this.
Eventually, he would say farewell to everyone around him. The path of immortality was destined to be lonely.
Even if he found a way to extend one's maximum lifespan, it would only delay the inevitable. Achieving true immortality was nearly impossible, and Gu An couldn't transfer his own lifespan to others.
This inevitable loneliness didn't sadden him, though—it only made his resolve stronger.
The more it was like this, the more determined he was to live on!
He wanted to be the one to witness the world ten thousand years from now, to experience the marvels of a million years in the future, to see the changes over a span of countless eons.
"Elder Liu, this is the final volume of The Immortal Lord of Tai Xuan." Gu An handed over a book with a smile.
Liu Chang accepted the book and curiously asked, "I thought you were going to wait a few more years. Why so soon?"
"The story needed an ending. And the final chapter has the protagonist joining forces with the world to slay demons and restore peace—doesn't that align perfectly with the current state of the world?" Gu An smiled and added, "Although my talent is average and I don't have the power to change the world, if I can inspire people to fight, it's at least a small contribution."
Liu Chang didn't open the book but praised him instead. "Your works have already influenced so many. Before you, cultivators rarely read anything outside of their cultivation studies. The name Pan An already carries the aura of a sage."
"You flatter me, Elder Liu. It's not that significant."
"Haha, so what's your next book going to be about?"
"I haven't thought about it yet. I'll decide later."
"Indeed, masterpieces come naturally—they can't be rushed."
As they chatted casually, Liu Chang began reminiscing about the day they first met. Gu An listened intently and responded earnestly.
After talking for a couple of hours, Liu Chang suddenly said, "Once the final volume of The Immortal Lord of Tai Xuan is released, I plan to step down from my position as elder and return to my hometown."
"After two hundred and forty years in the sect, I wonder how much my hometown has changed."
He already knew his end was near.
Most people, when facing death, wished to return to their roots.
Gu An couldn't help but think of Cheng Xuandan, who had also left alone when his time was near.
"Well, then I wish Elder Liu a safe journey," Gu An said softly, as if unaware of Liu Chang's impending death.
After bidding farewell to Liu Chang, Gu An made his way to the Pill Hall.
He didn't enter but stood on the street, gazing at the hall's plaque.
Liu Chang's situation made him think of Zhu Qinglu, the elder in charge of the Pill Hall and the one who regularly communicated with Gu An. He too didn't have much time left.
This marked the beginning of an era in which Gu An would continually bid farewell to old friends.
Lost in thought, Gu An entered a trance-like state.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Suddenly, he was jolted back to awareness, finding Wu Jue standing in front of him.
"Brother, are you alright?" Wu Jue asked cautiously.
As he passed by, he had been drawn in by Gu An's state, wondering if Gu An had entered the same enlightenment state he had experienced. Upon approaching, he realized that Gu An was the same disciple he had encountered the day his own enlightenment had ended.
Fate was indeed strange.
On that day, Gu An had witnessed Wu Jue's enlightenment, and today, Wu Jue witnessed Gu An's.
Wu Jue now felt a kinship with Gu An and had been guarding the area to prevent anyone from disturbing him. When Gu An suddenly opened his eyes, Wu Jue feared that he had disrupted him and grew anxious.
Gu An had indeed entered an enlightenment state just now, and another rune had appeared on his Profound Heart. He looked at Wu Jue and smiled, "I'm fine. Haven't we met before?"
Wu Jue grinned and replied, "Yes, I was under the tree, and you asked if I was alright, just like I'm asking you now."
Gu An sent out a Lifespan Investigation.
[Wu Jue (Foundation Establishment Stage, Second Layer): 63/280/1040]
His lifespan had increased by another five hundred years?
Did this guy experience another moment of enlightenment recently?
Who exactly was this person?
This was getting ridiculous!
Han Ming had only experienced one enlightenment in his lifetime, yet Wu Jue had experienced two in just two months?
"You just entered an enlightenment state. How about we find a place to talk?" Wu Jue suggested.
Gu An didn't refuse—it was precisely what he wanted.
They went to Wu Jue's private courtyard, where they closed the door and sat down to chat.
Wu Jue, now feeling a strong connection, eagerly shared his story.
He was an orphan, brought to the Tai Xuan Sect by his master, who had found him abandoned in a tree while on a mission. His parents had abandoned him but, afraid that he might be eaten by wild beasts, had hung him on the tree.
In the Tai Xuan Sect, Wu Jue's spiritual roots were average, but under his master's protection, he had lived a good life. That was until his master was killed by Ephemeral Blossom Sect cultivators during a mission. Wu Jue had learned this from his master's friend, and the news had devastated him.
Coincidentally, the very next day, the Ephemeral Blossom Sect attacked. Watching the bloody battle unfold, Wu Jue became deeply confused, unable to understand why the world had to fight to the death. In his confusion, he entered an enlightenment state.
After telling his story, Wu Jue asked Gu An, "Gu An, what led you to enlightenment?"
Gu An replied, "My enlightenment also relates to life and death. A dear friend I've known for decades is approaching the end of his life."
He spoke calmly, but Wu Jue sensed sadness in his words. The shared reason for their enlightenment brought the two even closer.
"Brother Gu, you must never tell anyone about your enlightenment," Wu Jue warned solemnly. "After my first enlightenment, I noticed my energy absorption became faster, and my comprehension improved. My master always told me never to show off, to always keep a few cards hidden."
Gu An nodded, smiling inwardly.
It seemed that Wu Jue's master was a kindred spirit as well.
But Gu An suspected that Wu Jue's enlightenment wasn't purely due to a profound understanding of life and death. Two enlightenments because of his master's death? It didn't seem logical!