https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-148-The-Legend-of-the-Mountain-God-A-Spectacle-for-the-World/12575505/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-150-Uniting-the-World-to-Fight-Against-Demons-/12575507/
Chapter 149: Surging Lifespan
Chapter 149: Surging Lifespan
Over the past month, with the help of the Ephemeral Flowers, Gu An had reaped a total of 1,017,000 years of lifespan, mostly acquired during the first half of the month. As time went on, it became increasingly difficult to take lifespans, and more of the flowers he picked would wither away, which intrigued him.
It was as if, in the unseen forces of the world, some power was drawing away the vitality of these flowers prematurely.
Although he didn't know the reason, Gu An was satisfied.
He was grateful to the Ephemeral Flower Sect, as they had saved him twenty years' worth of effort, bringing his lifespan up to 4,390,000 years.
After the destruction of the Ephemeral Flower Sect, the lands of Jiuchao rejoiced and celebrated. Various versions of the story spread among the common folk, portraying the Ephemeral Flower Sect as the most fearsome cult, while the Mountain God became a revered figure in their hearts.
One day, in the forests of the Northern Sea Mountains...
Xuan Miao Zhenren knelt on the ground, his expression devout.
He suddenly heard a voice and, overjoyed, he changed directions and walked toward it.
Two hours later, Xuan Miao Zhenren stopped and stood on a slope. Looking up, he could see the Northern Sea, its waters shimmering in the light.
"Build a temple for me here, and also clear a field for growing medicinal herbs for me," Gu An's voice echoed in Xuan Miao Zhenren's ear.
Xuan Miao Zhenren immediately agreed, eager for the upcoming life of devoted service.
And so, a day and a night passed.
At dawn, Gu An appeared as a white-robed little man on Xuan Miao Zhenren's shoulder.
Xuan Miao Zhenren was meditating on the steps in front of the temple, his eyes closed in concentration.
Gu An inspected the temple that had been constructed. It was quite impressive, not overwhelmingly grand, but certainly not lacking in scale.
The walls and the temple itself were made of rocks, with redwood beams and pillars, and the eaves were tiled with red bricks. Nestled in the forest on the mountainside, it seemed to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, and the large cauldron in the courtyard burned incense, its smoke curling upwards, creating an ethereal atmosphere befitting the abode of an immortal.
Overall, Xuan Miao Zhenren had put a lot of thought into its construction, successfully pleasing Gu An.
"The name on this plaque isn't suitable," Gu An commented. "Mountain God Temple is too general. There may be more than one mountain god in this world."
Xuan Miao Zhenren's eyes snapped open, and he instinctively turned his head to see the Mountain God standing on his shoulder. His body stiffened, and he dared not move.
He asked cautiously, "May I inquire as to your divine name...?"
"I haven't thought of one yet."
Gu An jumped down from Xuan Miao Zhenren's shoulder and walked into the temple.
Xuan Miao Zhenren quickly got up and followed, his curiosity getting the better of him. "What do you mean you haven't thought of one? Don't you have a group of divine beings backing you, like the Heavenly Court in the Investiture of the Gods?"
"Investiture of the Gods? What's that?"
Xuan Miao Zhenren gave a brief overview of the Investiture of the Gods, his tone filled with respect as he spoke of the book.
After listening, Gu An scoffed, "How dare mortals speculate about the divine? I don't know if there is a Heavenly Court in this world, but I've never seen any other divine beings since my birth."
"Then how did you become..."
"You want to ask how I dare to call myself a mountain god?"
"I-I didn't mean it like that..."
"Being a divine being is not just about status, it's also a state of being. If you cultivate diligently, perhaps one day you too can attain that state."
Xuan Miao Zhenren's heart burned with ambition at Gu An's words.
He wanted to be as powerful as the Mountain God! Seeing that the Mountain God was in a good mood, he took the opportunity to ask about the herb field.
"Plant whatever you like. When the time comes, I'll come and harvest them, sending these flowers and grasses to their afterlife," Gu An replied casually, causing Xuan Miao Zhenren to regard him with reverence.
He had never heard that flowers and grasses needed an afterlife.
The Mountain God's magnanimity was indeed beyond his imagination.
After giving Xuan Miao Zhenren some instructions, Gu An vanished into thin air, saying that he was going to sleep underground and didn't want to be disturbed.
Sleep underground?
Xuan Miao Zhenren's understanding of the Mountain God grew once more.
...
Two months after the destruction of the Ephemeral Flower Sect, the great cultivators of Tai Xuan Gate returned with their disciples. Their return also brought back many inside stories, further spreading the legend of the Mountain God within the sect.
Lu Lingjun had also come back.
She was inducted into the Elder Hall by Lu Baitian, her status skyrocketing. Lu Baitian had wanted to transfer her out of the Third Pill Valley, but this time, it was Lu Lingjun who refused.
"From now on, I'll cultivate in the Third Pill Valley and continue to protect you. But don't think you can order me around. If you offer me some medicinal herbs from time to time, I might be willing to do some things for you." Lu Lingjun sat across from Gu An in the pavilion, her tone casual.
What an attitude!
Gu An laughed and said, "It's not that I won't give you medicinal herbs, but you can actually buy the seeds, and I'll help you plant them. The yield will be all yours. Since you're overseeing the Third Pill Valley, I can rest easy."
Lu Lingjun thought it made sense. "Alright, I'll go to the main city of the sect in a couple of days. The seeds there are of higher quality."
Then, she began to recount the previous battle in Wanji Forest, her firsthand account making the battle sound even more intense and harrowing.
She held the Mountain God in high esteem, and as an ascender, the concept of divine beings held even more significance for her.
As he listened to her speak of her reverence for the Mountain God, Gu An felt a secret thrill.
Gu An was careful not to reveal anything, occasionally interjecting with exclamations of surprise.
When she finished, Gu An sighed, "The realm of the Mountain God is truly unimaginable. I wonder if a mortal could ever attain such a state in their lifetime."
Lu Lingjun said seriously, "It may be difficult, but since we've embarked on the path of cultivation, we should strive for that goal, even if it means dying without regrets."
Gu An noticed that her lifespan had reached the limit of 3,700 years. She still had nearly 1,700 years left, and he wondered if she could reverse her fate and attain the state of Nirvana within the remaining years of her life.
Gu An had no intention of teaching her the Innate Reincarnation Art just yet. Their relationship hadn't progressed to that level of intimacy.
He would first observe her future actions.
If she could make him happy, he might consider helping her.
But if she continued to be rude, then forget it.
Half an hour later, Lu Lingjun got up to leave. Before she departed, she reminded him, "Don't waste your time on those worthless books. If you have free time, write another Investiture of the Gods. I want to see what happens to those characters after they ascend to godhood."
Worthless books?
You don't understand at all! Gu An glared at Lu Lingjun's departing back. After she closed the door, he took out the final volume of the Tai Xuan Secret Manual.
This was the last of the manual, and he planned to burn it after reading.
He flipped to the first page and began to peruse it.
Hmm? Shen Zhen's writing style had changed. The final volume took on a melancholy tone, a stark contrast to the previous volumes' heroic spirit.
Interesting, I like it.
As a melancholy person himself, Gu An decided against burning the Tai Xuan Secret Manual.
He watched as the male protagonist and his confidant, a beautiful woman, bid each other farewell, their emotions erupting as they confessed their long-suppressed feelings for each other, finally releasing the tension that had built up over the years.
Next was Gu An's least favorite part—the illustrations.
He had to scrutinize them carefully to see if Shen Zhen's artistic skills had any flaws.
...
The new year arrived, and Gu An celebrated the Spring Festival in the Third Pill Valley and Xuan Valley consecutively. Late one night, he made his way to Nian Chu's cave abode on Tianhuang Mountain.
He brought with him fine wine and delicacies to celebrate the festival with Tianyao'er.
Aside from tending to her medicinal herbs, Tianyao'er spent most of her time cultivating, leading a rather monotonous life. Thus, Gu An always brought her various tasty treats during his visits.
This was Tianyao'er's first time drinking alcohol.
She held the wine jar to her lips, only to be immediately choked by the strong liquor.
This was spiritual wine, and even a Golden Core cultivator could get drunk from drinking too much.
Drunk or not, this wine could enhance one's cultivation, making it a valuable cultivation aid.
Tianyao'er's delicate face turned red at a visible rate, and Gu An cautioned her, "If you can't handle it, don't force yourself. Save it for later and drink slowly. You'll get used to it."
A drinking monster? This was beyond Gu An's expectations.
Tianyao'er shook her head. "I can drink. Why wouldn't I be able to?"
Seeing Gu An finish a bowl of the spiritual wine, she was determined not to lose face.
Moreover, although the wine made her entire body feel warm, she felt rather comfortable, and she even craved more.
Gu An was about to speak when he suddenly sensed something. He stood up and said, "Eat some meat first. I'll be right back."
With that, he disappeared into thin air.
Tianyao'er picked up the wine jar again, licked her lips, and took another sip. This time, she forcibly endured the choking sensation and continued drinking.
...
Under the cover of night, the mountains stretched endlessly. A mountain ridge undulated, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a giant snake with two legs and a human face—none other than Chen She, who had appeared in Wanji Forest before.
Chen She was covered in blood, his aura weak, and his labored breathing sounded like rolling thunder. The surrounding demon mist churned as countless ghostly shadows drew near.
Chen She's lively eyes were filled with exhaustion, as if they could close at any moment.
"What a powerful blood essence, a relic of ancient times."
A cold laugh echoed, startling Chen She's eyes open. In the distance, a figure appeared above the demon mist—a black-robed old woman with two horns on her head, a pair of feathered wings on her back, and black fine hairs on her cheeks, giving her a terrifying appearance.
The Tianhuang Demon Mother looked down at Chen She, her eyes gleaming with greed.
Chen She twitched slightly but lacked the strength to get up.
The Tianhuang Demon Mother began to approach Chen She, her body emitting rolling waves of demon energy, like two black dragons encircling Chen She's massive body.
"If you don't want to die, turn around and leave now."
A voice rang out from Chen She's direction, causing the Tianhuang Demon Mother to pause. She narrowed her eyes and saw a white-robed, masked little man standing on Chen She's forehead.
The Tianhuang Demon Mother sneered, "And who might you be, daring to interfere in my affairs? Do you not know who I am?"
Gu An was about to answer when he felt it was too much trouble.
He waved his sleeve, and a terrifying force rushed toward the Tianhuang Demon Mother, instantly reducing her to ashes.
[You have successfully taken 203 years of lifespan from the Tianhuang Demon Mother (Integration Realm, Layer Nine).]
The most feared Demon King in Tianyao'er's eyes had perished at Gu An's hands without the slightest resistance.
Chen She struggled to open his eyes, and in a voice that was neither male nor female, he asked, "You...are you the Mountain God...?"
His voice was weak and breathless.
During the battle at the Danhua Sect, he had been injured and fallen to the ground, where he had witnessed the wooden man.
The wooden man's appearance resembled Gu An's current form.
Gu An spoke up, "In light of your efforts to save the innocent, I shall save your life."
He took out a bottle of pills that he had refined long ago and poured them into Chen She's mouth.
After sustaining serious injuries and being poisoned by the Danhua Mother Tree's Danhua poison, Chen She could only be cured by the Danhua Pills refined from the Danhua flowers.
"Mountain God... someone... has inherited the power of the Danhua Sect..." Chen She spoke with difficulty, his serpentine eyes emitting a strange light as a figure appeared in their depths.
Gu An fixed his gaze on the figure, and his eyes behind the mask turned strange.
How is it him?
This book isn't about ascending to another realm. The protagonist's world is vast, and ascension is about ascending from the lower realm to this realm~~
(End of Chapter)
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