Chapter 209: Meng Lang, Loose Immortal Sixth Layer

Before arriving, Gu An had already used his divine sense to survey the island. The strongest cultivator here was marginally more powerful than Shenhun True Lord but still not beyond his capabilities. If there were Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realms present, Gu An wouldn't have dared to set foot here.

He reasoned that if the strongest known figure on the island was only a Wandering Immortal, it was unlikely there would be a more terrifying presence hidden in the shadows. Even if there were, as long as he didn't stir up trouble, he would remain safe.

Gu An made his way to the Sea Protectorate, where he intended to conduct his transactions. To do so, he needed to register for an identity token, which would grant him access to various buildings. This process was something he had gleaned from his earlier reconnaissance with his divine sense.

The Sea Protectorate was vast, spanning over a hundred square miles. Cultivators bustled in and out in great numbers. As soon as Gu An stepped inside, a young attendant quickly approached him.

"Esteemed Senior, how may I assist you today?" the attendant asked respectfully.

"I'm here to obtain an identity token," Gu An replied calmly.

"Understood. Please follow me," the attendant said with enthusiasm, guiding him further into the facility.

The attendant's demeanor was both polite and earnest. His attire, though simple, was neat and professional. Gu An noted that many attendants like him were moving about the Sea Protectorate. Their clothing varied slightly in color, signifying their respective ranks within the organization. The young man leading Gu An wore the most common uniform, marking him as an entry-level attendant.

As they walked, the attendant began introducing the Sea Protectorate and the island itself. He explained that the island was called Xunxian Island, a renowned neutral hub in the ocean. Here, transactions could be conducted with peace of mind, as the island's owner would personally ensure justice in case of disputes. Moreover, the island had connections to major factions like the Star Sea Sect, the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, and the Deep Sea Spirit Palace.

The attendant spoke with humility, never once coming across as boastful, and Gu An found no fault in his demeanor. Gu An casually inquired about his name, which startled the young man. Clearly flattered, the attendant quickly introduced himself.

[Hu Xiaojian (Nascent Soul Second Layer): 480/860/2200]

This lifespan would make him a prodigy in the Tai Xuan Sect, but on Xunxian Island, he was merely a servant.

Gu An silently lamented the disparity.

"Senior, by any chance, have you reached the Immortal Dao Realm? If so, I can assist you in applying for a high-grade identity token, which comes with additional privileges," Hu Xiaojian asked cautiously.

Judging by Gu An's aura, which was refined yet unassuming, Hu Xiaojian instinctively felt that this senior was a seasoned cultivator who had mastered the art of concealing his strength.

Gu An gave a simple affirmative response, and Hu Xiaojian's excitement visibly grew.

Half an incense stick later, Hu Xiaojian led Gu An into a grand hall where nearly all the cultivators were at the Mahayana Realm or the Nirvana Realm.

The Nirvana Realm cultivators appeared to be visitors like Gu An, while the Mahayana Realm cultivators were staff members of the Sea Protectorate. Loose Immortals were a rare sight here.

Hu Xiaojian approached an elderly man and explained Gu An's request. The old man immediately rose from his seat and led them to a side chamber.

[Chu Feng (Nirvana Realm Fifth Layer): 3860/15000/17000]

Gu An silently noted the information before following Chu Feng.

Chu Feng retrieved a white jade token from a redwood cabinet. The token was unmarked, its surface pristine. He handed it to Gu An and said, "Please inject your spiritual power into the token while silently reciting your name. This will bind the token to your identity."

Gu An took the token, adjusted his cultivation aura to avoid drawing too much attention, and infused it with his spiritual energy.

A few breaths later, the token registered his identity. Gu An held it up for Chu Feng to inspect.

"Meng Lang, Loose Immortal Sixth Layer," Chu Feng read aloud before immediately bowing deeply. "Greetings, Senior."

Hu Xiaojian, standing nearby, was visibly ecstatic and also performed a respectful bow.

Gu An pocketed the token and casually inquired, "I heard that high-grade identity tokens offer various benefits. Can you elaborate?"

Chu Feng nodded, respectfully listing the privileges: discounted transaction fees, permanent access to private caves, and the ability to assign up to five attendants.

Satisfied, Gu An appointed Hu Xiaojian as his guide, much to the young man's delight. Chu Feng, smiling warmly, offered words of encouragement to Hu Xiaojian.

Thus began Gu An's purchasing spree on Xunxian Island.

The first step was exchanging for spirit stones. Notably, the island's base currency was high-grade spirit stones; lower-grade spirit stones were not accepted here.

This exclusivity was a testament to the island's elitism. Low-level cultivators weren't even permitted entry, a harsh reality that highlighted the island's status.

Then again, Gu An reasoned, how many cultivators below the Nascent Soul Realm could traverse the vast oceans to reach Xunxian Island?

The island was surrounded by millions of miles of open sea, with no other landmasses nearby. As for the mainland, it was even farther away.

To someone like Hu Xiaojian, factions like the Seven Stars Spirit Realm seemed distant and mythical. He was far more familiar with the Star Sea Sect, the dominant force in the ocean.

By evening, Gu An returned to Xuan Valley.

Acquiring rare herbs was a time-consuming endeavor, far from a one-time transaction. However, Xunxian Island's abundance of high-grade herbs, including some reaching the ninth tier, was more than enough to satisfy his needs.

Rumor had it that every few decades, the island would even auction off Immortal Dao Trees.

After greeting the disciples in the valley, Gu An ascended to his room, preparing for the next phase of his cultivation plans.

After completing his procurement, Gu An thought it was time to release Journey to the West.

His trip to Xunxian Island had left him in high spirits. Using the alias Meng Lang was a way to commemorate an old friend. He wasn't worried about being recognized.

After all, most of the people who knew him would never reach Xunxian Island in their lifetimes. Even prodigies like Xuan Tianyi or An Hao would struggle to make it there without reaching the Immortal Dao Realm.

If Xuan Tianyi happened to have ties with the Star Sea Sect, it might be possible for him to visit Xunxian Island someday. But Xuan Tianyi hadn't even heard the name "Meng Lang."

Still, Gu An couldn't help but imagine the scene years down the road when he and Xuan Tianyi would meet overseas. The look on Xuan Tianyi's face would be priceless.

Speaking of Xuan Tianyi, that rascal was still recuperating at Tai Xuan Sect. Who knew when he'd recover fully?

Shaking off these idle thoughts, Gu An turned his attention back to writing.

A month later.

Having just celebrated his ninety-eighth birthday, Gu An arrived at Nian Chu Cave to meet Tian Yao'er. He brought her into his personal cave abode and produced an enormous collection of rare herb seeds, entrusting her to plant them.

Looking at the massive pile of seeds, Tian Yao'er's eyes widened, and her breathing quickened. "How long is it going to take to plant all these?"

Gu An, who had just emptied his entire fortune on this batch, casually took out only a quarter of the seeds and chuckled. "The lowest grade among these is Seventh-Tier. You'd better be careful. If even one goes to waste, I'll hold you accountable."

"Seventh... Seventh-Tier?"

Tian Yao'er was momentarily stunned but soon became ecstatic. With so many high-grade herbs, the spiritual energy in the area would surely become abundant.

Without hesitation, she got to work.

Meanwhile, Gu An poured his spiritual power into the ground, converting it into Five Elements Spirit Energy.

Relying solely on the natural absorption of earthly energy by his cave abode was far too slow.

Fortunately, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi Technique contained methods for converting spiritual power into spirit energy.

This was going to be a busy endeavor!

Time passed, and peace returned to the cultivation world. In the blink of an eye, two years had gone by.

Gu An's total lifespan had reached six million, seven hundred thousand years. He had successfully planted all the high-tier herb seeds he'd purchased, though the maturation time for Seventh-Tier herbs was exceedingly long. He'd need patience.

The wait might be long, but the eventual harvest would yield an enormous lifespan!

Moreover, Seventh-Tier herbs were incredibly resilient, requiring minimal maintenance.

That year, the Tai Xuan Sect grew significantly stronger. Meanwhile, the Tai Cang Dynasty and the Tian Wei Dynasty went to war, while the Great Jiang Dynasty remained neutral and uninvolved.

Though imperial conflicts were brutal, they were far from the scale of a calamity. The cultivation world remained largely unaffected.

Gu An decided it was time to advance to Core Formation Realm.

It was time to give his external cultivation level a boost!

At noon one day, Xuan Tianyi visited Gu An.

The two entered the house to converse. Before speaking, Xuan Tianyi set up numerous restrictions, which struck Gu An as excessive. Xuan Tianyi was now the strongest cultivator openly recognized within Tai Xuan Sect, yet he still went to such lengths. Clearly, he was aware of the many powerful cultivators who had infiltrated the sect.

"Did you witness the celestial phenomenon during that battle?" Xuan Tianyi turned to Gu An, his tone heavy.

Gu An nodded and gestured for him to sit.

Bang!

Xuan Tianyi slammed the table in anger. "The Seven Stars Spirit Realm set me up! Those bastards! This isn't over!"

Gu An's eyelid twitched. Why are you telling me this?

He suddenly suspected that the reason Shenhun True Lord had developed hostility toward him months ago might have been due to an investigation into Xuan Tianyi's connections.

"Seven Stars Spirit Realm? You mean the Sacred land?" Gu An asked cautiously.

Xuan Tianyi sat down, took a deep breath, and replied, "Exactly. I was thrown into the sealed domain of the Fierce Demon by cultivators from the Seven Stars Spirit Realm. If it weren't for Sword Master of Dao, they would've succeeded in killing me. That Shenhun True Lord... he's a dead man walking!"

Gu An feigned concern. "The Sacred land is immensely powerful. You mustn't act recklessly. Not even the entire Tai Xuan Sect could contend with them."

Xuan Tianyi glanced at him and snorted. "I'm well aware of that. But I'm not just a Tai Xuan Sect disciple. I'm also a disciple of the Star Sea Sect. My fellow sect members have already infiltrated Tai Xuan Sect. I'm heading south soon to report this matter to my master. Both the Star Sea Sect and the Seven Stars Spirit Realm are supposed to be righteous Sacred lands upholding the will of heaven. I won't let them get away with this!"

So bold!

You had this background all along, and you didn't mention it earlier? You forced me to take risks for you?!

Gu An silently cursed in his heart, feeling both frustrated and resigned.

Xuan Tianyi seemed to read his thoughts and sighed. "The Seven Stars Spirit Realm is still a Sacred land. Without a legitimate reason, the Star Sea Sect wouldn't act against them. I don't have that kind of clout yet. But if I gather evidence, that might change. One way or another, the Seven Stars Spirit Realm won't have an easy time ahead."

Gu An nodded, pretending to be thoughtful. "I don't know how powerful the Star Sea Sect is, but you must be cautious. The journey south is long, and along the way..."

He trailed off, leaving the implication hanging.

"Don't worry. I'll be traveling with other disciples from the Star Sea Sect, and there will be senior Immortal Dao cultivators watching over us. The Seven Stars Spirit Realm wouldn't dare act recklessly," Xuan Tianyi reassured him.

Gu An finally relaxed.

Xuan Tianyi added, "You should focus on cultivating. One day, I'll bring you into the Star Sea Sect. Who knows? You might even gain immortal opportunities."

Gu An shook his head. "I'd rather not. The ocean is a place for high-ranking cultivators. Someone like me would only drag you down. I'll stay in Tai Xuan Sect where I belong."

Xuan Tianyi tried to persuade him further, but Gu An deftly changed the subject, asking when he planned to return.

Xuan Tianyi explained that it would depend on the situation. He might be gone for a few years or even decades. Regardless, he promised to return and aimed to help the Tai Xuan Sect thrive.

Though angry at the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, he also saw this as an opportunity. If the Star Sea Sect pressured the Seven Stars Spirit Realm, the Tai Xuan Sect could seize the chance to grow.

While he now belonged to the Star Sea Sect, Xuan Tianyi still wanted to support the Tai Xuan Sect.

After all, in his eyes, no matter how much the Tai Xuan Sect developed, it would never rival the Star Sea Sect.