Chapter 368: My Path to Immortality, My Creation of the Heavenly Palace
Chapter 368: My Path to Immortality, My Creation of the Heavenly Palace
Celestial Phoenix Mountain has always been steeped in the legend of the phoenix, and Sky Fiend Child's original body is a special bird with mysterious flames within, leading Gu An to suspect a connection between her and the legendary phoenix.
"Master, what are you looking at?" Sky Fiend Child asked anxiously.
Sky Qing and Sky Bai looked up at the sky but saw nothing, which made them nervous.
Could there be something invisible infiltrating the Beyond World Cavern? Gu An turned his gaze towards Sky Fiend Child, and in her, he saw a faint but definite causal link to the phoenix, proving that she was a descendant of the mythical bird.
He wasn't afraid of the phoenix finding her, as this causal link was too weak for him to perceive even when he was in the Divine Mind True Immortal Realm. This indicated that Sky Fiend Child's bloodline was separated from the phoenix by a vast span of time.
The phoenix was merely a Freedom Primordial Immortal's cultivation.
Gu An spoke, "Don't worry. I was just looking at your ancestors. The reason you're feeling restless is that your ancestors are uneasy, and it's affecting you through your bloodline."
Ancestors?
Sky Fiend Child, having lost both parents, had long considered Gu An her sole reliance. Now, upon learning of the existence of her ancestors, how could she remain unmoved?
She opened her mouth but eventually fell silent.
Sky Qing curiously asked, "Master, who are her ancestors? What cultivation do they have?"
Sky Bai also looked at Gu An, her large eyes filled with anticipation.
Gu An countered, "Do you remember the legend of Celestial Phoenix Mountain?"
Upon hearing this, Sky Fiend Child's expression changed, revealing a mix of emotions—expectation, tension, and discontent—in her eyes. At this moment, she seemed less like the carefree romantic she usually was.
"Could Miss be a descendant of the phoenix?" Sky Bai exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Gu An smiled and nodded, "But the bloodline is separated by countless generations, and the number of descendants of the phoenix is immeasurable."
He wasn't joking. Following the causal links of the phoenix, he saw countless connections throughout the world related to it. There were countless descendants like Sky Fiend Child, and even their original forms varied, with some living in the sea.
After hearing these words, Sky Fiend Child seemed to have shed her burdens, visibly relaxing, and a smile appeared on her face.
Gu An looked at her and asked with a smile, "Were you scared just now?"
Sky Fiend Child nodded, "I don't want any ancestors. I just want to follow you. When I was imprisoned by the Celestial Phoenix Demoness Mother and when I was being chased, my ancestors didn't show up."
Upon learning of her ancestors' existence, she felt more worried and scared, fearing that Gu An would send her to her ancestors.
Gu An stepped forward, ruffled her hair, and smiled, "What are you thinking? How could I possibly abandon you? Even if the phoenix wanted to take you from me, I wouldn't agree. After raising you for so many years, how could I let it go to waste?"
Hearing these words, Sky Fiend Child's smile became even brighter.
In truth, if she wanted to leave, Gu An wouldn't stop her, as he was already powerful enough not to fear exposure of the Beyond World Cavern.
However, he was afraid that if he said he was willing to let Sky Fiend Child go, it would only make her more anxious.
Sky Qing and Sky Bai didn't think much of it; they were more curious about how powerful the phoenix was.
"Don't ask anymore. The phoenix is definitely powerful. Be careful; if you inquire too much, it might enter your dreams and devour you."
Gu An hummed, scaring the two demons into silence.
It wasn't until noon that Gu An finally left.
He arrived at the Northern Sea Mountain Ridge and, in the form of the Mountain God, met with Profound Marvel.
Profound Marvel had grown accustomed to this secluded life away from the secular world. He spent his days planting flowers and tending to plants, content with his simple life, occasionally discussing the Dao with passing cultivators.
When Gu An, in the form of the Mountain God, appeared before him, Profound Marvel wasn't as restrained as he had been centuries ago.
He stood up and bowed.
Gu An sat on the roof and asked, "Have you encountered any difficulties in your recent cultivation?"
Although the Mountain God Temple didn't provide much in terms of lifespan income, Profound Marvel's sincerity moved Gu An, so he was willing to guide him in his cultivation.
Profound Marvel shook his head and smiled, "Not at the moment."
He looked up at the Mountain God on the roof, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "In your opinion, are the Immortal Dynasty and the Holy Court considered immortals?"
This question had been on his mind for a long time, but he was afraid of offending anyone.
T
In his view, even the Mountain God couldn't achieve such a feat.
Now, hearing that the Immortal Dynasty and the Holy Court were about to go to war, he felt even more troubled.
How could immortal deities fight over power and profit like ordinary mortals? If the Immortal Dynasty and the Holy Court weren't true immortals but merely powerful humans, how could humans surpass immortal deities?
These doubts took root and grew in Profound Marvel's heart, making him even more eager for answers.
Gu An crossed his legs, looking down at Profound Marvel, his eyes deep beneath the mask. He asked, "What do you think an immortal should be like?"
"Like you, protecting all living beings without being influenced by worldly interests."
"Then why ask a question when you already have the answer?"
"I just..."
Profound Marvel frowned, unsure how to respond.
Gu An asked, "Do you think they're stronger than me, making it hard for you to distinguish who the true immortal is?"
Profound Marvel nodded, looking at Gu An with tension, afraid of angering the Mountain God.
"Have you ever thought about the significance of cultivating here with me? You're so obsessed with immortality, yet you don't strive to become an immortal yourself?"
Upon hearing the mountain god's question, Profound Marvel widened his eyes in surprise and asked, "How can I possibly become an immortal?"
"Your confusion is shared by the entire world. What you see isn't necessarily the truth. The world is waiting for the arrival of a true immortal. Why can't you become that true immortal?" Gu An spoke with a profound tone.
In truth, he was just making things up, trying to divert Profound Marvel's attention to cultivation.
Over the years, whenever someone passed by this place, Profound Marvel would enthusiastically proclaim the mountain god's power and compassion. As a result, more and more people would call upon the mountain god in their hearts when facing difficulties.
Although Gu An didn't pay much attention to them, the expectations of these people had formed a force akin to fortune, which he called 'willpower'.
Perhaps true immortal gods must follow the path of willpower to truly understand the suffering of all living beings.
However, Gu An's pursuit was not immortality; he sought eternal life.
Since Profound Marvel was so eager for immortality, Gu An didn't mind nurturing him to become a true immortal.
To become an immortal, the most crucial factor was the ability to save the world; mere good intentions were not enough.
After hearing Gu An's words, Profound Marvel fell into silence, his heart racing.
Gu An leaped off the roof and walked out of the courtyard to gather medicinal herbs, with Profound Marvel quickly following behind.
"I... Can someone like me really become an immortal?" Profound Marvel asked cautiously.
Without turning back, Gu An replied, "Immortality is not about height; it's about the heart."
Profound Marvel's face changed, deeply moved by these words.
After a long while, the two returned to the courtyard.
Gu An gave a few instructions and was about to leave when Profound Marvel suddenly looked up at Gu An on the roof and said, "Mountain God, I've made up my mind. I want to become an immortal, and I want to establish the Heavenly Palace!"
Gu An stopped in his tracks and turned to look at him in surprise. "The Heavenly Palace?"
"That's the immortal sect in Journey to the West. In the book, the immortals slay demons and protect the world, summoning wind and rain at will. They exist to safeguard all living beings. Although the Heavenly Palace in the book has its flaws, at least they are willing to take action."
Profound Marvel spoke earnestly, his face growing determined, and his eyes shining with conviction.
Gu An smiled but didn't say more, disappearing from the roof.
Profound Marvel, filled with ambition, sat down cross-legged, determined to cultivate diligently in the future and not let the mountain god's nurturing go to waste!
...
The new year arrived, and this year's spring festival was livelier than ever, as the Taixuan Sect had invited numerous sects to participate in the celebration.
The Third Medicine Valley was brightly lit and bustling, with smiles on the faces of all the disciples.
As night fell, the disciples took turns performing on a temporary stage, keeping the festive atmosphere lively and cheerful.
Gu An swayed his wine bowl, his gaze naturally drawn to the night sky.
The stars were scattered across the heavens, sparkling and beautiful, as if even the heavens were celebrating the festival.
However, beyond the world, the confrontation between the various sects of the Heavenly Spirit Great World and the Heaven Demon was becoming increasingly tense.
Gu An scanned the area, and the number of Heaven Demons had already surpassed a million, with the weakest being in the Loose Essence Realm. Among them were two Divine Mind True Immortals, which was why the Heavenly Spirit Great World dared not act rashly.
He saw Holy Court cultivators negotiating with Heaven Demons in the Divine Mind True Immortal Realm, and currently, the Heaven Demons seemed to hold the upper hand.
The current Holy Court was not as powerful as the legends claimed.
The Heaven Demons were also testing the attitude of the Holy Heaven, while the Holy Court side avoided the topic, clearly hiding something.
According to Gu An's judgment, a major war between the two sides was imminent.
Gu An had no intention of intervening, as the Immortal Dynasty and the Holy Court were already involved.
Having just broken through, he wasn't in a hurry to collect lifespans and wanted to lay low for a while.
Lo Qing came over, clamoring to drink with his master. Gu An couldn't let him have his way, so he joined him.
The wine in the Medicine Valley was spiritual wine, and even cultivators could get drunk if they drank too much.
It wasn't until the latter half of the night that the Third Medicine Valley finally fell silent.
The next morning, Gu An left the Third Medicine Valley and headed to Mystery Valley, chatting with his disciples for an incense stick's worth of time before entering the Eight Scenic Immortal World.
From a distance, he saw a massive creature lying under the Cavern Vine Tree.
It was a black dragon!
[Azure Dragon (Transcend Void Realm, Layer 5): 387/8000/18000]
Gu An looked at Azure Dragon's maximum lifespan and felt slightly disappointed.
It seemed that Azure Dragon hadn't encountered any significant opportunities in recent years.
The dragon lying under the tree sensed something and opened its eyes. Upon seeing Gu An, it suddenly raised its head.
"Master!"
Azure Dragon called out excitedly and charged towards Gu An, stirring up a gust of wind that shook the surrounding flowers and plants.
Its body quickly shrank, becoming only two meters long, as it tried to jump into Gu An's embrace. However, Gu An used the Destiny Pen to press down on the dragon's head, preventing it from getting close.
"How did you get here?" Gu An asked.
Azure Dragon chuckled, "The Ancient Hao Sect came to participate in the Taixuan Sect's Spring Festival celebration, and I secretly followed them to come back and see you."
Gu An sighed, "You're the Ancient Hao Sect's sacred beast; do you think you can follow them unnoticed?"
He had already sensed someone approaching the Eight Scenic Immortal World! He wasn't angry; instead, he felt a bit excited.
(End of Chapter)
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