Chapter 148: Exploding Lifespan

In the span of nearly a month, thanks to the Ephemeral Blossoms, Gu An managed to harvest an additional 1.07 million years of lifespan. Most of this was collected during the first half of the month, while the later half became increasingly difficult to obtain more lifespan. The more Ephemeral Blossoms he harvested, the quicker they wilted, leaving him puzzled.

It was as if some unseen force had drained the vitality from the remaining blossoms ahead of time.

Though unsure of the exact cause, Gu An was more than satisfied.

Thanks to the Ephemeral Blossom Sect, he had saved himself twenty years of effort, bringing his total lifespan to 4.39 million years.

After the Ephemeral Blossom Sect's destruction, the Nine Dynasties were filled with celebration, and countless stories spread among the common folk. The Ephemeral Blossom Sect became known as the most terrifying sect in existence, while the Mountain God became a symbol of faith among the people.

One day.

In a forest within the Northern Sea Mountains.

Xuanmiao Zhenren knelt with a look of deep reverence.

He suddenly heard a voice, and a smile of joy appeared on his face before he stood and walked in a specific direction.

After two hours, Xuanmiao Zhenren stopped at the top of a hill, where he had a clear view of the shimmering sea.

"Build a Daoist temple here for me, and also prepare a field for medicinal herbs," Gu An's voice sounded in Xuanmiao's ear.

Xuanmiao Zhenren agreed immediately, looking forward to his new life serving the Mountain God.

And so, a day and a night passed.

At dawn.

Gu An, in the form of the little white-clothed figure, appeared on Xuanmiao Zhenren's shoulder.

Xuanmiao Zhenren was sitting cross-legged on the steps in front of the temple, his eyes closed as he practiced his cultivation.

Gu An looked around at the temple Xuanmiao Zhenren had built. Though it wasn't grand, it wasn't small either.

The walls were made of stone, and the temple structure was similarly built from rock, while the beams and columns were made from redwood. The roof was covered with red tiles. Nestled in the mountainside, half-hidden by the trees, with the scent of burning incense rising from a large cauldron, the place exuded a serene, otherworldly atmosphere.

Overall, Xuanmiao Zhenren had put considerable effort into pleasing him, and it had worked.

Gu An spoke, "The name on that plaque is no good. 'Mountain God Temple' is too generic. There may be more than just one Mountain God in the world."

Xuanmiao Zhenren's eyes snapped open, and he instinctively turned his head. When he saw the Mountain God standing on his shoulder, his body froze in place, afraid to move.

Carefully, he asked, "May I ask, what is your divine name?"

"Haven't decided yet."

Gu An leaped off Xuanmiao Zhenren's shoulder and entered the courtyard.

Xuanmiao Zhenren quickly followed, asking with curiosity, "What do you mean by that? Does that mean there is no divine hierarchy like the one in the Investiture of the Gods?"

"The Investiture of the Gods? What's that?"

Xuanmiao Zhenren then briefly explained the book, his tone full of admiration.

After listening, Gu An sneered, "Mortals dare to speculate about the gods? I don't know if there's a Heavenly Court, but I've never met any other gods."

"So, then, how—"

"You want to ask why I call myself a Mountain God?"

"I wouldn't dare—"

"Being a god isn't just about status. It's also about achieving a certain realm. Keep cultivating. Perhaps one day you'll reach it too."

Gu An's words set Xuanmiao Zhenren's heart ablaze with desire.

He, too, wanted to become as powerful as the Mountain God!

Seeing that Gu An was in a good mood, Xuanmiao Zhenren started asking about the herb field.

"Plant whatever you like. I'll collect them when the time comes and help those flowers and herbs pass into the afterlife," Gu An replied casually, making Xuanmiao Zhenren bow his head in awe.

He had never heard of flowers needing to enter the afterlife.

The Mountain God's wisdom was truly beyond his comprehension.

After giving Xuanmiao some instructions, Gu An vanished into thin air, telling him he was going to sleep in the ground and shouldn't be disturbed.

Sleep in the ground?

Xuanmiao Zhenren once again gained a new understanding of the Mountain God.

…

Two months had passed since the Ephemeral Blossom Sect's downfall, and the great cultivators of Tai Xuan Sect began returning with their disciples. They brought back many insider stories, further fueling the legend of the Mountain God within the sect.

Lu Lingjun had also returned.

She had been promoted to the rank of Elder by Lu Baitian and her status skyrocketed. Lu Baitian initially wanted to remove her from the Third Medicine Valley, but surprisingly, this time she refused.

"From now on, I'll stay in the Third Medicine Valley to cultivate and continue protecting you. But don't expect to boss me around. If you offer up some herbs now and then, I might help you with a few things," Lu Lingjun said leisurely, sitting across from Gu An.

Her attitude...

She was really putting on airs!

Gu An smiled. "It's not a problem to give you herbs. In fact, you could buy some seeds, and I'll help you plant them. You'll get all the harvest, and with you in the valley, I can rest easy."

Lu Lingjun thought for a moment and found it reasonable. "That makes sense. In a few days, I'll go to the main city to get some seeds. The ones there are of higher quality."

Then, she began recounting the battle at Wanji Forest from her perspective, detailing how fierce and devastating it was.

She was full of respect for the Mountain God. As someone who had ascended, gods and immortals held an even greater significance to her.

As she spoke of her reverence for the Mountain God, Gu An quietly enjoyed the praise.

Feigning excitement, he occasionally joined her in expressing admiration.

Once she finished, Gu An sighed, "The Mountain God's realm is truly unfathomable. I wonder if a mere mortal could ever reach such a height."

Lu Lingjun seriously replied, "It may be difficult, but once we embark on the path of cultivation, we must strive for that goal. Even in death, we should have no regrets."

Gu An noticed that her lifespan had already reached its limit—3,700 years. She had about 1,700 years left. Whether she could defy the heavens and ascend to the Nirvana Realm in that time remained to be seen.

For now, he had no intention of teaching her the Innate Reincarnation Technique. Their relationship wasn't close enough for that.

He'd watch her behavior in the coming days.

If she pleased him, he might give her a hand.

If she became difficult, she shouldn't even dream of it.

After half an hour, Lu Lingjun left. Before leaving, she reminded him, "Don't spend all your time reading those old books. Write another Investiture of the Gods. I'd like to see what happens after those gods are enshrined."

"Old books?"

You don't get it at all!

Gu An shot a glare at her back. After she shut the door behind her, he pulled out the final volume of Tai Xuan Secrets.

Once he finished this volume, he planned to burn it.

He opened to the first page and began reading.

Hmm?

Shen Zhen's writing style had changed. The last volume had taken on a melancholic tone, different from the boldness of the previous volumes.

Not bad—I like it.

As a man prone to melancholy himself, Gu An decided not to burn Tai Xuan Secrets.

Watching the male protagonist and his beloved finally part ways, their years of unresolved feelings finally burst forth in a heart-wrenching moment.

Next up was the illustration—usually Gu An's least favorite part.

But this time, he decided to take a closer look and see if Shen Zhen's drawing skills had any flaws.

…

A new year arrived, and after celebrating the Spring Festival in the Third Medicine Valley and Xuan Valley, Gu An headed to Nian Chu Cave Residence on Tianhuang Mountain during the later hours of the night.

He brought fine wine and delicacies for Tian Yao'er, intending to celebrate the festival with her.

Tian Yao'er, besides tending to the herbs, spent all her time cultivating. Her life was rather dull, so every time Gu An visited, he would bring her various foods.

This was her first time drinking wine.

Holding the wine jar, she took one sip and immediately choked.

This was spiritual wine, potent enough to make even Core Formation cultivators drunk.

Though the wine was strong, it was also a powerful aid to cultivation, practically a miracle drug.

Tian Yao'er's delicate face turned visibly red, and Gu An reminded her, "Don't rush it if you can't handle it. Save it for later and drink slowly. You'll get used to it."

A demon getting drunk and turning red?

This was something Gu An hadn't expected.

Tian Yao'er shook her head stubbornly. "I can drink it. Why wouldn't I be able to?"

Seeing Gu An down a bowl of the wine, she refused to admit defeat.

Besides, the warmth spreading through her from the wine felt comforting. The more she drank, the more she wanted to keep drinking.

Just as Gu An was about to say something, he suddenly sensed something. He stood up and said, "Eat some meat first, I need to step out for a moment."

With those words, he disappeared without a trace.

Tian Yao'er, still holding the wine jar, licked her lips and took another sip. This time, she forced herself to drink despite the strong flavor that stung her throat.

...

Under the night sky, a vast chain of mountains stretched far and wide. A distant ridge seemed to move up and down, but upon closer inspection, it was not a mountain at all, but a massive serpent, its body covered in blood.

It was none other than the same Chen Serpent that had appeared during the battle at Wanji Forest.

The snake was severely injured, breathing heavily as dark mist swirled around it. Phantom-like figures crept closer, drawn by the scent of blood.

The Chen Serpent's once lively eyes now looked tired, as if they were about to close for good.

"What tremendous blood energy—an ancient beast," a cold voice echoed through the mist, causing the Chen Serpent to open its eyes in alarm. A figure in black robes appeared above the mist, an old woman with two horns on her head and wings sprouting from her back. Her face was covered in fine black fur, making her appear all the more sinister.

The Tianhuang Demon Mother looked down at the Chen Serpent with greedy eyes.

The snake tried to move, but its body was too weak to lift.

As the Tianhuang Demon Mother approached, the dark mist around her coiled like black dragons, encircling the Chen Serpent's enormous body.

"If you don't want to die, you'd best turn around and leave."

A voice came from the direction of the Chen Serpent. The Tianhuang Demon Mother stopped and squinted, noticing a tiny figure standing on the snake's forehead—a white-clothed figure wearing a mask.

The Tianhuang Demon Mother sneered, "Oh? And who might you be? Do you know who I am?"

Gu An was about to answer, but then he reconsidered. Answering would just be a waste of time.

With a casual wave of his sleeve, an overwhelming force shot out towards the Tianhuang Demon Mother, instantly obliterating her into dust.

[You have successfully absorbed 203 years of lifespan from Tianhuang Demon Mother (Body Fusion Realm, Stage 9)]

The fearsome demon that had terrorized Tian Yao'er for so long was thus effortlessly killed by Gu An without any resistance.

The Chen Serpent struggled to open its eyes. With a voice that was neither male nor female, it spoke, "You… are you the Mountain God…?"

Its voice was weak, barely able to muster the strength to speak.

That day at Wanji Forest, the Chen Serpent had witnessed the small wooden figure on the battlefield.

The wooden figure resembled the one standing before it now.

Gu An responded, "For your act of saving lives, I'll spare you."

He pulled out several bottles of elixirs he had prepared beforehand and poured them into the mouth of the snake.

The Chen Serpent had been gravely injured in the battle and had also been poisoned by the toxins of the Ephemeral Blossom Mother Tree. The only cure for this poison was a remedy made from the blossoms themselves.

"Mountain God… someone… has inherited the power of the Ephemeral Blossom Sect…" the Chen Serpent struggled to say. Its eyes glimmered with light, revealing a figure in its vision.

Gu An squinted at the image, his gaze turning strange.

It was him?