Chapter 817: The Future
Chapter 817: The Future
"No."
Gu An placed a chess piece as he replied.
Celestial Emperor Ji Yan's current cultivation was not yet significant enough to attract his attention. If he were to regain his original power, a meeting might be worth considering.
This was not because Gu An used cultivation as a criterion for meeting; rather, after Celestial Emperor Ji Yan's reincarnation, his memories had not fully returned. Only when his cultivation was fully restored would he truly be himself.
Meeting the genuine Celestial Emperor Ji Yan would not be a bad idea, as it might provide a way to uncover more about the Heavenly Emperor's karma.
However, in Gu An's eyes, the current Celestial Emperor Ji Yan held no value.
An Zizai, hearing this, did not press further. Since Gu An refused to meet, he would devise his own strategy.
Then, he brought up Zhuang Xian. Zhuang Xian had become a prominent figure in Nothingness, traveling the land to alleviate suffering and hardship, without seeking any reward. His reputation for righteousness and chivalry was widespread. Of course, the reason he could stand alongside Celestial Emperor Ji Yan and Su Ling was due to his Tong Sheng.
The Primal Dao Grand Array, directly passed down from the Primordial Ancestor, had made a name for itself under the heavens, sweeping through the same realm.
This prompted many Wushi disciples to inquire about this Tong Sheng within Nothingness, hoping to cultivate it. Unfortunately, few in Nothingness knew this Tong Sheng, and to cultivate it, one needed the Ancestor's verbal approval.
As they conversed, An Zizai found it increasingly difficult to continue, feeling the pressure of the chess game.
Though he knew he could not outplay the Great Master, he always harbored hope, wanting to surprise the Great Master.
Thus, the Mountain-Watching Pavilion fell into silence.
After a while, An Zizai left, disheartened.
Gu An stood up, turning to look at the massive waterfall beside him. In his eyes, a figure was reflected.
It was a young boy.
Su Han, reincarnated, was only ten years old, the grandson of Su Ling.
Gu An had initially intended for Su Han to become Su Ling's son, but Su Ling had not married before he became powerful and, after his marriage, had to travel the land. He did not want Su Han to grow up without a father, so he waited.
Now that Su Ling had become the leader of the Tian Ling Dao Alliance and the Su family had established roots there, Su Han could grow up in a stable environment.
Years ago, Su Han had used a Fate-defying Divine Technique to transfer his cultivation to Zhen Qin. Gu An had preserved his body, and with his powerful cultivation, finding Su Han's soul was not difficult, even if it had been scattered. The only way to erase all of Su Han's karma would be to attain the Dalu Dao Fruit.
Gu An watched as this incarnation of Su Han practiced swordsmanship, reminiscent of the Hate Celestial Deity Sword he had cultivated under his father's guidance in his past life.
He quietly guided karma, leading Zhen Qin, who was wandering within the Tian Ling Dao Alliance, to the Su residence, creating an opportunity for them to meet.
In this life, Zhen Qin would become Su Han's guide on his path to cultivation. She would find Su Han similar to her senior brother and, through teaching him, gradually overcome her obsessions.
Gu An did not reveal the truth to her directly, as he foresaw that if he did, Zhen Qin would dote on and cultivate Su Han excessively, leading him down the wrong path again.
What Zhen Qin truly needed was to let go of her past and find peace.
Su Han needed to start a new life, and while they could interact, their paths should not overlap.
Only when Zhen Qin truly let go would Gu An reveal Su Han's true identity or allow Su Han to regain his past memories. Everything would unfold naturally, and this would be the best outcome for both of them.
Gu An looked to the distant future, far into the future.
As more and more Wushi disciples grew in number and strength, it would be increasingly difficult to maintain their current low profile.
Whether they chose to do good or evil, they could no longer remain hidden.
He even foresaw many calamities for Nothingness, including internal strife and external threats.
Not every Wushi disciple would be good; some would inevitably turn to evil, and internal unity could not be maintained forever.
Prosperity inevitably leads to decline, an eternal truth, just like the heavens and earth. When things become too prosperous, a great calamity would ensue.
One day, the Wushi disciples would go out on their own, and Gu An would retain only a few to accompany him.
This was a distant future, and even though Gu An could see it, he would not be saddened or enraged. He remained calm, for he could see the fate of all things.
He pondered how, despite the myriad changes in the world, there were underlying commonalities and patterns.
To attain sainthood, did one need to transcend these patterns?
No, it was more than just transcending.
One needed to define the patterns and create the rules!
Gu An gained some insight, but this level was far from achieving sainthood.
He suddenly thought of the Life Span legacy feature he had activated, allowing him to visit the training grounds of enlightened cultivators who had long since vanished to impart teachings.
Throughout history, many immortal cultivators had pursued the realm of sainthood, or else there would be no legends of sainthood.
However, visiting such training grounds was difficult, and he could not control the outcome. He could only decide how much Life Span to invest.
Once he had more Life Span, he could try investing a trillion years to test the waters.
Gu An withdrew his gaze and walked out of the pavilion.
...
Above the vast cloud sea, two figures flew over, their feet treading on golden light. They were Zhang Buku and Xu You.
Zhang Buku looked around curiously and asked, "Is this the legendary Nine Heavens of the Celestial Apex? The spiritual energy is indeed abundant, but why does it seem so lifeless?"
Xu You, flying alongside him, laughed and said, "Beneath the cloud sea, there are many divine beasts. If they were to emerge, they would certainly startle you."
Zhang Buku turned to him and asked, "You seem very familiar with the Nine Heavens of the Celestial Apex. What is your connection to this place?"
"My master cultivates here."
Xu You answered, his eyes showing a hint of change.
Zhang Buku fell silent. When the Xuan Yuan Human Sovereign was about to fall, Xu You had taken him away from the Heavenly Guardian's Heavenly Army. They visited a Xian Lord, which allowed them to escape the karma of the Emperor's Contention, leaving him deeply impressed.
Although the Xuan Yuan Human Sovereign ultimately turned the tide, Xu You's encounter with the Xian Lord had opened up a more promising path to immortality for him.
After cultivating for a long time in the Xian Lord's Celestial Palace, Xu You brought Zhang Buku to the Nine Heavens of the Celestial Apex.
"You've always been curious about my origins. Now, I can tell you."
Xu You looked ahead and said calmly, his words catching Zhang Buku's attention.
"In fact, I was once a Celestial Emperor. However, through reincarnation, I shed my Celestial Emperor identity and became a mortal soul."
Xu You's words shocked Zhang Buku, but he quickly understood.
Xu You's extensive knowledge of the Heavenly Court and his status higher than a Celestial Deity made sense if he had been a Celestial Emperor.
"Unlike Grand Immortal Tai Xian and the Xuan Yuan Human Sovereign, I never received my father's favor. Perhaps he didn't even remember me. Even when I violated Heavenly Law, he never personally interrogated me. I appeared to leave the Heavenly Court and gain freedom, but in reality, the Heavenly Court simply didn't care about me."
Xu You spoke with a self-deprecating tone, his eyes filled with melancholy.
Zhang Buku remained silent, unable to relate to the feeling. His father had doted on him, though he had left early, and in his heart, paternal love was the greatest.
(End of Chapter)
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