Chapter 238: Seven Suns Beyond the Heavens, The Vast Expanse of the World

After passing on the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi Technique to An Hao, Gu An did not linger long and quickly left the island.

While flying high in the sky, he noticed the ocean far away roaring with monstrous waves, originating from the location where he had just broken through. The immense spiritual energy consumed during his advancement had caused the heavens and earth to destabilize, sinking the spiritual energy and stirring the oceans.

Fortunately, that part of the sea had no human settlements, and the creatures living there were all high-level demon beasts. Even if islands were submerged, it would not result in their deaths. The waves swept across violently but did not cause the ocean to rise significantly.

Gu An only glanced at it before quickly looking away. He didn't want to burden himself with unnecessary guilt.

His heart carried good intentions, and he tried not to harm innocent lives. However, if his cultivation inadvertently caused collateral damage, he would not halt his progress.

Upon returning to Tai Xuan Sect, Gu An wandered around Xuan Valley first. Lu Jiujia and the other miscellaneous disciples had long gotten used to his absence. Though Gu An would occasionally return to Xuan Valley, everyone knew his focus was on the Third Medicine Valley. They understood this well. Without Gu An's presence, they even felt less pressure.

After about an incense stick's time, Gu An finally arrived at the Third Medicine Valley.

Compared to Xuan Valley, the Third Medicine Valley was much livelier.

Stepping off the Transmission Array Platform, Gu An swept his gaze across the valley. Every past moment of the disciples here unfolded before his eyes.

For mortal beings, a hundred years of life was but a fleeting moment in his perception.

Gu An's gaze fell on An Xin, and he peered into her past. As expected, he saw glimpses of himself.

He realized that he could see the past of mortals, and other Unrestrained Primordial Immortals could likely do the same. This made him all the more cautious of his actions. Thankfully, he had always chosen to remain in Tai Xuan Sect. If he had roamed the world carelessly, leaving trails of cause and effect everywhere, it might have drawn the attention of hidden Unrestrained Primordial Immortals. If such beings felt his growth was abnormal, it would bring trouble.

Standing at the wooden fence of a garden, Gu An looked far into the distance. His sight had far surpassed his previous limits, and the vastness of Heavenly Spirit World unfolded before him.

The name "Grand Celestial Heaven" was indeed well-deserved.

This continent alone was far larger than his previous world, yet within the scope of the Grand Celestial Heaven, it was as insignificant as dust. As his vision expanded, he began to perceive more Heaven and Earth Flying Immortals moving through the skies.

He even caught glimpses of scenes beyond the heavens—an endless sea of stars sparkling brightly, wondrous and infinite. Star rivers flowed like celestial torrents, surging with countless stars, reminiscent of great waves sifting through golden sand. Massive star clouds loomed, resembling divine world trees at the heart of the universe, pointing the way for all creation.

Gu An's gaze was drawn to the suns that illuminated the world. Outside Heavenly Spirit World, there were not just one but seven colossal suns, their immense bodies circling the Grand Celestial Heaven in an intricate and mysterious trajectory. This allowed the entire Grand Celestial Heaven to maintain the rhythm of four seasons and the alternation of day and night.

With his enhanced vision, Gu An observed that within each of the seven suns resided a mysterious being. They were unimaginably large, taking various forms—some were colossal birds, others fierce beasts, and some even took human-like forms, radiating an aura of overwhelming power that inspired awe and reverence.

The surface of the suns was surrounded by an unknown force that blocked his view, preventing him from clearly seeing these entities' true forms. This barrier also stopped him from using Lifespan Investigation.

Gu An quickly withdrew his gaze, refraining from disturbing the entities residing within the suns.

As an Unrestrained Primordial Immortal, he could traverse the heavens and venture into the cosmic void. However, he had no desire to leave yet. He had no pressing enemies or urgent matters requiring him to explore dangerous places. Staying in Tai Xuan Sect suited him just fine.

With the mystique of his current realm, he could now travel anywhere unseen. If he wished, no being below the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Realm would be able to see or touch him.

Shifting his focus, Gu An looked toward the distant horizon. His vision instantly extended billions of miles, scanning the endless lands.

He saw vast and boundless oceans, prosperous continents teeming with life, and countless scenes of struggle—wars between nations, Great Immortal Dao cultivators clashing, and divine beasts soaring across the skies as mortals knelt in worship.

There were also areas his sight could not penetrate, indicating the possible presence of other Unrestrained Primordial Immortals. Such places were either hidden away from the world or located in the most populated regions of humans or demon clans.

Gu An even glimpsed a continent where Immortal Dao beings lived—where the lowest cultivation level was Nirvana Realm. The sight left him incredulous.

Thankfully, this continent was unimaginably far away. Even Nirvana Realm cultivators would struggle to traverse the distance, for the path was filled with peril. Earlier, he had seen a Loose Immortal swallowed whole by a mysterious sea giant. The entire event occurred in an instant—the Loose Immortal had merely been passing by, moving at a speed too fast for mortal eyes to follow, yet still fell prey to the creature.

This new perspective felt like an adventure. The world seemed to finally reveal its true face to Gu An, leaving him unable to look away.

He had no idea how much time had passed.

Suddenly, You Yingying approached him and asked, "What are you thinking about? You've been dazed for so long."

Gu An withdrew his gaze and looked at her with a faint smile. "I was wondering how vast the Star Sea Sect is and how boundless the world outside really is."

You Yingying laughed softly. "If you want to explore the seas, I can make the arrangements. As for the Star Sea Sect, even I don't know its full size. The territories controlled by the Star Sea Sect are unimaginably vast, easily tens of thousands of times larger than this continent. That's just my estimation."

Gu An nodded slightly. The Star Sea Sect's territories might indeed surpass the continent by tens of thousands of times, but to him, it still didn't seem large. His sight had already taken him to much farther and broader places.

He wondered, could there be Unrestrained Primordial Immortals within the Star Sea Sect?

Gu An speculated that if they did exist, they were unlikely to remain in the mortal world.

Even with his vision extending across the world, he had yet to detect the presence of another Unrestrained Primordial Immortal. It was proof of how elusive and rare they were. Perhaps beings of his level could not perceive each other.

This was the true meaning of "Unrestrained."

"Speaking of which, the internal assessment of the Star Sea Sect is about to begin. I wonder if Xuan Tianyi will make a name for himself this time," You Yingying remarked with a look of nostalgia.

Hearing this, Gu An asked curiously, "Are there any requirements for participating in this internal assessment?"

Li Ya, Zhang Buku, and An Hao had all joined Star Sea Sect, and Gu An looked forward to seeing what they could achieve there. Each of the three had received his teachings. If they could make a name for themselves within the Star Sea Sect, it would bring him great satisfaction.

"There are no requirements for the assessment. Anyone under a thousand years of age can participate. Oh, right—Li Ya from Tai Xuan Sect is likely to join. That Divine City they fought for is practically a pseudo-immortal treasure, so many geniuses are eager to compete against him."

You Yingying smiled slyly, her expression carrying a trace of mischief, as if looking forward to someone's misfortune.

The two continued chatting, their conversation revolving around the Star Sea Sect. Although You Yingying had no desire to return, her pride in the Star Sea Sect was clear in her tone. At the same time, she showed faint disdain for Tai Xuan Sect.

This made Gu An more eager to see Tai Xuan Sect's future growth.

The future was long, and everything had its time.

Who could say whether it would be Tai Xuan Sect or Star Sea Sect that shone brighter ten thousand years from now?

Even though Gu An had reached Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Ninth Layer, he was still only 128 years old. Not to mention the far future—even tomorrow was something he eagerly anticipated.

After chatting with You Yingying for a while, Gu An left and continued to observe Heavenly Spirit World.

To the far west, he saw a vast desert surrounding a majestic mountain. Towering winds of sand obscured its base, but at its peak stood a resplendent golden palace. A constant stream of monks flew in and out of its gates.

The palace itself was another place that his vision could not penetrate, which meant it likely housed an Unrestrained Primordial Immortal.

The world was vast indeed, and the mortal realm held far more hidden powers than one might imagine. Not all Heaven and Earth Flying Immortals or higher beings chose to leave the mortal realm.

In the days that followed, Gu An spent much of his time observing the world.

Of all he saw, the north troubled him most. In the north lay a massive continent, the largest he had seen. He could only make out its edges, for his gaze was blocked by a mysterious force when he tried to look deeper.

That force was subtle yet ever-present, intertwined with all things in existence.

"It must be fortune energy," Gu An thought.

Tai Xuan Sect, too, gathered a similar kind of fortune, but compared to that vast continent, it was like a speck of dust before the radiant sun.

Gu An speculated that the northern continent was the most powerful region in Heavenly Spirit World. Yet even with his Unrestrained Primordial Immortal perception, he could not discern its secrets.

That land lay impossibly far beyond the Three Dynasties' Territories, separated by countless mountains and seas. To traverse such a distance would be far more difficult than Journeying to the West to obtain scriptures.

…

The first spring of his Unrestrained Primordial Immortal realm passed peacefully. Despite stepping into a new and unparalleled level of cultivation, Gu An's life remained as it had been before. He spent time between the various Medicine Valleys, occasionally visiting Outer Sect City to read, drink wine, and chat with friends. Life was tranquil and Unrestrained.

…

In the forest.

Wearing a blue robe, Yang Jian launched a flurry of attacks at Gu An. His movements were swift and fierce, with each punch and kick brimming with power. Yet Gu An stood in place, calmly deflecting every move. The faster Yang Jian struck, the more deliberate and unhurried Gu An appeared.

Finally, Yang Jian was sent flying with a single kick. He crashed into a tree, shaking loose a shower of leaves.

This time, Yang Jian didn't have the strength to get up. He was completely exhausted. But rather than feeling defeated, he looked at his master with eager anticipation.

He knew he couldn't match his master's strength, but he wanted to hear Gu An's evaluation.

"The path of body cultivation is not as narrow as you think. Your fists and feet aren't the only weapons you possess—your entire body can become a weapon," Gu An said with satisfaction, watching his disciple.

This boy's growth had been astonishing. Compared to An Hao back in the day, Yang Jian was even more impressive. Perhaps the medicinal power of that pill he gave Yang Jian had yet to fade. Either way, Gu An was deeply impressed.

He silently set a goal:

Reach the Nirvana Realm within 500 years.

Until then, Yang Jian would not be allowed to leave the mountain to train. At most, he could return home to visit his family.

Unaware of the lofty goal his master had set for him, Yang Jian climbed to his feet and asked, "Master, should I focus on practicing the Universal Shape and Form Technique, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi Technique, or the Dao Gang Primordial Qi you taught me? All of them feel incredibly profound and hard to master."

Gu An replied, "Take it slow. You don't need to rush to break through your cultivation. Focus on building a solid foundation first."

Yang Jian nodded thoughtfully. It made sense. Under Gu An's tutelage, he had no need to rush. He had access to pills, resources, and guidance. There was no pressure.

"Master, when will you participate in the Heavenly Rankings Tournament?" Yang Jian suddenly asked, his voice carrying a note of excitement.