Chapter 222: The Celestial Spirit’s Recognition!
Facing the enraged Nine-Finger Divine Lord, Gu An remained calm, holding the phoenix in his hand. He spoke with a composed voice, "If you carefully examine the karmic threads surrounding it, you'll understand that this fate is not something you can claim."
Hearing this, the Nine-Finger Divine Lord instinctively spread his divine sense outward, his initial aggression momentarily halted.
Within seconds, his expression changed drastically, a mixture of dread and disbelief flashing in his eyes.
The ghostly spirits continued to pour out from the shattered earth, their ferocious roars reverberating through the heavens. They hurled themselves recklessly toward Gu An and the Nine-Finger Divine Lord.
Suddenly, Gu An crushed the phoenix in his hand. The ghostly spirits dissipated one after another, their forms vanishing like ash in the wind. The chaotic noise instantly fell into silence, leaving the area eerily still.
Standing on his gourd, Chu Jingfeng turned his head to look at Gu An in the distance. His face paled as he took in the scene.
A dark purple shadow emerged, surrounded by an oppressive demonic aura.
"Fu…" he whispered, barely forming the word before an overwhelming divine sense locked onto him, freezing him in place. Terrified, he dared not utter another sound.
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord, now composed, turned to Gu An and asked cautiously, "What do you plan to do?"
Even from his position, he could sense an even more terrifying energy stirring beneath the surface of the land—a force so vast it rendered him powerless.
Gu An didn't respond. Instead, he extended his palm and pressed downward.
Boom!
The ground cracked and crumbled, debris flying upward. The sheer force of Gu An's aura left the Nine-Finger Divine Lord trembling. It felt as if the entire world was on the brink of collapse.
"How high is his cultivation?" the Nine-Finger Divine Lord thought, his heart filled with a rare sense of relief. If he had acted impulsively earlier or if Gu An had attacked him outright, his fate would likely have been sealed.
Chu Jingfeng, tense and vigilant, watched the ground below. Rocks floated up around him, rising into the sky. Looking to the horizon, he saw the ground breaking apart, the destruction stretching endlessly. The sheer magnitude of the sight left him breathless.
Suddenly, something caught his eye, and his body froze in fear. Trembling, he whispered, "What… what is that?"
From the cracks below, an enormous black mass began to emerge, endless and overwhelming. Under the bright daylight, the sight of this pitch-black entity was both surreal and horrifying.
From above, the black mass writhed, its sheer size making it impossible to discern its shape or nature.
Gu An's gaze sharpened as he observed it closely.
[Celestial Spirit of The Mysterious Divine City (Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm, Third Stage): 0/0/0]
There was no lifespan indicated, only a cultivation realm.
Gu An's suspended right hand abruptly clenched into a fist. The colossal Celestial Spirit below began to shrink at a visible pace.
This was a divine ability: The Universe in the Palm.
Earlier, Gu An had used this very ability to shrink the massive phoenix into the palm of his hand. Now, he was attempting to subdue an entity of the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm with the same method.
The Celestial Spirit struggled violently, its colossal body writhing against the pressure. But wrapped in Gu An's overwhelming power, it had no chance of escape. Under the astonished gaze of both the Nine-Finger Divine Lord and Chu Jingfeng, the black mass that was the Celestial Spirit rapidly shrank.
Eventually, the Celestial Spirit was reduced to a small black sphere, constantly shifting and churning like a living entity, and it rested within Gu An's hand.
With that, Gu An vanished from sight, leaving the Nine-Finger Divine Lord and Chu Jingfeng frozen in place, their minds struggling to comprehend what had just occurred.
After a long silence, Chu Jingfeng flew to the Nine-Finger Divine Lord's side, his voice trembling as he asked, "Master, what do we do now?"
He knew the figure from earlier was none other than the legendary Sword Master of the Dao, Gu An. Yet, he decided to keep this revelation to himself.
The Sword Master of the Dao was the most revered figure among the disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect. Time and again, he had saved the sect and the people of the Three Dynasties from disaster. Chu Jingfeng felt indebted to him, choosing to protect his identity even now.
Revealing that the Sword Master of the Dao had subdued the Celestial Spirit would only invite more danger to his master. Based on what he had just witnessed, it was evident that the Nine-Finger Divine Lord was no match for the Sword Master.
Reflecting on these events, Chu Jingfeng couldn't help but feel conflicted.
During his time with the Nine-Finger Divine Lord, he had believed his master was superior to the Sword Master of the Dao—a stroke of unparalleled fortune. But now…
He wondered just how strong the Sword Master truly was.
It seemed more likely than ever that the Sword Master of the Dao was not originally from the Tai Xuan Sect. Instead, he was probably an outsider who had chosen to settle there, offering the sect his protection.
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord exhaled deeply, his voice steady but subdued. "We're leaving."
Though furious about losing the Celestial Spirit, the divine ability Gu An had displayed—The Universe in the Palm—had extinguished any thoughts of contention.
The Celestial Spirit's aura had been a clear warning. Without Gu An's intervention, attempting to subdue the entity might have resulted in his own death, consumed and transformed into one of The Mysterious Divine City's countless ghostly spirits.
Hearing his master's words, Chu Jingfeng sighed in relief. He had feared his master's stubbornness might lead to disaster.
Having spent so much time in The Mysterious Divine City, Chu Jingfeng had already gained significant rewards and was eager to return to the Tai Xuan Sect to consolidate his gains in seclusion.
Meanwhile…
Gu An arrived in a secluded micro-world. The skies were dim, and the land was desolate, dotted with grotesque trees that resembled twisted, evil spirits.
Gu An stared at the Celestial Spirit in his hand. The once-defiant entity no longer struggled; instead, it trembled uncontrollably.
As Gu An hesitated over what to do with it, the Celestial Spirit suddenly burst apart, its form dissolving into countless fragments before diving into the center of his palm.
The process happened so quickly that Gu An barely had time to react. He instinctively attempted to stop it but was interrupted by a strange sensation. For the first time, he could feel the emotions of the Celestial Spirit.
It was pleading.
Gu An fell silent.
Moments later, he felt his own spiritual power beginning to flow into the Celestial Spirit. This was a form of recognition, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. It was a process that went beyond mere ownership—it was a binding of will.
He was not only gaining control over the Celestial Spirit but also assuming command of The Mysterious Divine City itself.
After the span of a single incense stick's time, the Celestial Spirit reformed in Gu An's palm, its shape once again distinct.
From this moment forward, Gu An was no longer just its master. He was now the true ruler of The Mysterious Divine City.
This realization left him with mixed feelings.
If he had forced the issue earlier, the Celestial Spirit would have disintegrated, leaving nothing behind. Thus, he had no choice but to accept this bond.
Of course, Gu An now had the ability to crush the Celestial Spirit with ease, erasing its existence entirely. However, doing so would not remove the connection he now shared with The Mysterious Divine City.
Through this new bond, Gu An gained deeper insights into The Mysterious Divine City's workings. He understood that even if the Celestial Spirit were destroyed, as long as the city itself endured, a new Celestial Spirit would eventually emerge. Whether it would retain its current form, though, was uncertain—especially since it resisted the concept of its own destruction so fiercely.
"Master," the voice of the Celestial Spirit echoed in Gu An's mind. It was childlike and innocent, resembling that of a young boy.
Gu An glanced at it and asked, "Is it possible for you to share your power with others, to conceal my role as your true master while letting someone else appear to be your owner?"
The Celestial Spirit squirmed in his palm before transforming into a small humanoid figure. Its entire body was pitch black, with no hair or facial features, resembling a five- or six-year-old child no more than ten centimeters tall.
Tilting its head, the Celestial Spirit pondered the question. "It's possible, but wouldn't that make you unhappy?" it finally asked.
Gu An replied calmly, "No. I need you to protect someone—one of my descendants. But you must keep my existence a secret. Pretend that this person is your true master."
The Celestial Spirit nodded obediently, signaling its agreement with a childlike curiosity.
With a faint smile, Gu An vanished from his current location alongside the Celestial Spirit.
Gu An reappeared in a secluded mountain forest, where dense vegetation stretched as far as the eye could see. Two figures, Li Ya and Zhang Buku, sat cross-legged under a tree, immersed in their cultivation.
"Go to him," Gu An instructed the Celestial Spirit telepathically.
The Celestial Spirit leapt from his hand, bouncing through the underbrush in search of Li Ya. Its movements were silent, and its aura was so well-concealed that neither Li Ya nor Zhang Buku sensed its approach as they remained focused on their training.
Finally, the Celestial Spirit landed on Li Ya's shoulder, startling him into opening his eyes.
"Chirp, chirp!" the Celestial Spirit called out, then dove directly into Li Ya's face, causing him to leap to his feet in alarm.
"What the—what just happened?!" Li Ya exclaimed, frantically patting his face as if trying to remove an invisible intruder.
Zhang Buku, equally startled, rushed over to his side. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently.
"I think something just went inside me!" Li Ya shouted, his expression frantic.
Both of them activated their divine senses, scanning Li Ya's body for any abnormalities. However, despite their efforts, they found no trace of the mysterious entity.
After a tense moment, Li Ya abruptly stopped, his expression turning strange.
"Li Ya, are you okay?" Zhang Buku asked nervously.
Taking a deep breath, Li Ya replied, "Brother, I… I think I've just been chosen by the Celestial Spirit."
"What?!"
Zhang Buku's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"I'm not joking…" Li Ya said, his tone a mix of shock and excitement.
"Why would it pick you?" Zhang Buku blurted out, his disbelief spilling over.
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying I don't deserve it?" Li Ya snapped back.
"Exactly! You don't deserve it!" Zhang Buku retorted.
"Watch your mouth! I can now control the ghostly spirits of The Mysterious Divine City. If you want to leave here alive, you'd better show me some respect!" Li Ya shot back smugly.
"Li Ya, we're supposed to be brothers, facing life and death together!" Zhang Buku protested.
"And you're the one doubting me now, you dog!" Li Ya fired back.
From a distance, Gu An listened to their bickering with an amused smile. He turned away and disappeared once more.
As the true ruler of The Mysterious Divine City, Gu An's awareness encompassed all the sub-realms within its boundaries. He could even see the ghostly spirits lurking beneath the surface of these miniature worlds.
The number of spirits was staggering, and The Mysterious Divine City itself was still in a state of recovery. As time passed, its power would only grow stronger, until it returned to its former glory as a supreme treasure of the Immortal Dao.
Immortal Dao treasures were eternal. Even if heavily damaged, they would eventually restore themselves, a quality that earned Gu An's respect for their craftsmanship.
Gu An decided it was time to gather the natural resources scattered throughout The Mysterious Divine City.
After all, everything within its borders now belonged to him. He wouldn't allow others to reap the benefits.
Beneath a sky heavy with thunderclouds, Jiang Qiong sat cross-legged at the edge of a cliff. Below her, a vast river of magma churned, sending waves of blistering heat against the cliffside with each eruption.
Her eyes opened, revealing a furrowed brow.
"Why isn't she back yet?" Jiang Qiong muttered under her breath.
She had entered The Mysterious Divine City alongside the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother. Two days ago, they had arrived at this sub-realm, where the Ghost Mother had left to scout the area while Jiang Qiong tended to her injuries. Yet, despite the time that had passed, the Ghost Mother had not returned.
A faint sense of unease crept into Jiang Qiong's heart.
Although she had never fully trusted the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother, their long association had proven the Ghost Mother's reliability. Whatever had delayed her now must be extraordinary.
Could she have encountered something dangerous?
Jiang Qiong's thoughts grew darker. The Ghost Mother was known for her caution. What sort of creature—or person—could have detained her?
If the Ghost Mother truly had met her end, Jiang Qiong feared that she, alone, would be unable to claim the Celestial Spirit. Escaping The Mysterious Divine City alive would be difficult enough.