Tian Hao had encountered an existence he could not defeat, one that appeared blurred within the Karma Deduction, but Gu An could see it clearly through his Mind's Eye.
The figure's face was different from his own, yet intuition told him—this was his Lifespan Projection Body.
After parting from Tian Hao, the Lifespan Projection Body turned and leaped into the Sea of Reincarnation within the Yin-Yang Immortal Domain, submerging itself into reincarnation and vanishing from sight.
[Beginning to recall the Lifespan Projection Body]
[Beginning to inherit Dao insights]
Two prompts appeared, pulling Gu An out of his thoughts. He vanished into thin air, reappearing at the edge of the Dao Field, where he began to inherit the comprehension of the Dao.
Soon, a disturbance rippled through Wushi Dao Field, startling everyone.
However, since this had happened before, the disciples merely glanced in Gu An's direction before continuing their cultivation. No one dared disturb him.
Beneath the starry sky, Tian Hao, dressed in golden robes, stood at the edge of a vast sea, gazing at the dark waves ahead with a deep frown, lost in thought.
A figure descended from the heavens, landing beside him—it was Sun and Moon Nether Emperor.
The two had crossed paths many times and had developed a decent rapport.
"You're still thinking about that person?" Sun and Moon Nether Emperor asked.
Tian Hao took a deep breath, eyes fixed ahead. "Yes. For the first time, I felt true pressure from someone of the same realm."
Sun and Moon Nether Emperor reassured him, "Even if you are in the same realm, his age must far surpass yours. Besides, he didn't defeat you, so why dwell on it?"
From his perspective, Tian Hao already possessed the strongest talent. He had personally witnessed the battle. The opponent was indeed terrifying, but Tian Hao had not lost—their fight had merely ended in a deadlock.
Watching the two exchange blows made Sun and Moon Nether Emperor question his own existence.
A battle between two cultivators at the Wondrous Mystical Spirit Immortal Realm could make even a Divine Thought True Immortal like him tremble in fear?
Had he, a once-renowned genius of the previous era, already been left behind?
He was certain—Tian Hao would surpass him sooner than expected.
"I'm not frustrated," Tian Hao suddenly said. "I'm excited. I'm recalling his battle style. He didn't rely on divine abilities or spells—just pure force and mystical power, overwhelming all techniques with sheer might."
He spoke with genuine admiration, his heart burning with enthusiasm.
As expected, his Master had been right—one should never underestimate the world. A peerless genius with great fortune could emerge from anywhere.
His talent might truly be unrivaled, but he had lived too short a time. His Dao comprehension still needed refinement.
Sun and Moon Nether Emperor opened his mouth but had no words. He couldn't understand Tian Hao's mindset at all.
"What are your plans next? You've already obtained what you came for," Sun and Moon Nether Emperor asked.
Facing a peerless genius like Tian Hao, he preferred to form good relations. He had a strong premonition—this connection might one day save his life.
Tian Hao withdrew his gaze, looked at Sun and Moon Nether Emperor, and smiled. "I'm returning. If I can't dominate my realm, it means my combat ability is still lacking. I'll go into seclusion for a while before venturing out again. If you ever visit Nine Spirits Continent, look for me. I'll treat you well."
Sun and Moon Nether Emperor smiled. This was exactly what he had hoped for—proof that Tian Hao still valued their friendship.
With that, Tian Hao cupped his fists in farewell, then turned into a streak of radiant light, vanishing into the horizon.
Sun and Moon Nether Emperor watched him leave, his eyes filled with envy.
He had lived for so many years, yet never had the freedom that Tian Hao had.
A true cultivator should roam the heavens and earth, unbound by constraints.
Then, Sun and Moon Nether Emperor let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
The only reason he was tied down in the Yin-Yang Immortal Domain was because his talent wasn't enough. He needed the domain's resources to support his cultivation.
Once, he had thought his speed of cultivation was impressive. Now, he realized—he was slow.
He desperately wanted to reach the Free Immortal Realm.
But a ridiculous thought suddenly crept into his mind—
Perhaps Tian Hao would reach it even faster than him.
After a while, a figure descended beside Sun and Moon Nether Emperor. A mysterious cultivator wreathed in black mist spoke in a deep voice:
"Nether Emperor, Her Majesty has left. She said she's heading beyond the heavens to pursue the Grand Dao. From now on, you will lead the Reincarnation Domain."
The news stunned Sun and Moon Nether Emperor.
Leaving to pursue the Grand Dao beyond the heavens?
Within Wushi Dao Field, Gu An opened his eyes. His gaze was piercing, filled with overwhelming power.
He had just fully inherited the insights from three thousand Lifespan Projection Bodies into the Dao of Strength.
Gu An felt a complete transformation within himself. His strength and mystical power surged rapidly, not through absorbing spiritual energy, but from the invisible yet boundless Dao of Strength, which reinforced him from within.
He sensed that the Lifespan Projection Body that had submerged into reincarnation had now completely vanished, as if it had never existed in the first place.
This realization brought him peace of mind. Though he had many Projection Bodies, none would leave behind any traces.
He began to carefully comprehend the Dao of Strength.
Simply comprehending this Dao caused his power at the Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal Realm to skyrocket, his strength advancing at an alarming rate.
This pure increase in mystical power filled him with immeasurable satisfaction. His choice had been correct.
The sunset and moonrise alternated.
Days flew by.
On the tenth day, Gu An stood up. He first traveled across various locations, gathering mature medicinal herbs before finally returning to Shen Zhen's side.
She had drawn a new painting—one depicting Heavenly Spirit God kneeling before an immortal figure.
The immortal was an old Daoist, exuding an ethereal, divine presence, with radiant light shining behind him. In front of this figure, Heavenly Spirit God, usually unparalleled in majesty, had lost all his overwhelming presence.
Gu An raised an eyebrow.
Shen Zhen was already capable of excavating the karma of Heavenly Spirit God.
"Be careful what you paint. You might provoke an existence even I cannot withstand," Gu An warned.
Shen Zhen snapped back to reality, and as soon as she saw the scene she had drawn, her face paled drastically.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand, igniting the painting in flames, instantly reducing it to ashes.
Only then did she exhale in relief.
She turned to Gu An, looking embarrassed, and said, "I was too immersed in the moment. I didn't mean to."
Even she felt a lingering sense of fear.
Heavenly Spirit God was already so terrifyingly powerful—what kind of being could make him kneel in reverence?
The mere thought of accidentally drawing the attention of such an entity left her feeling uneasy, her gaze filled with guilt.
Gu An had intentionally frightened her. He had complete faith in his Dao Field.
If the Dao Field wasn't strong enough, then Shen Zhen would have already invoked the old immortal's attention. With a cultivation far beyond that of Heavenly Spirit God, the old immortal could have descended upon Heavenly Spirit Great World with just a single thought.
"In the future, maybe you should focus on yourself. Your talent might hold unimaginable karma," Gu An said with a smile.
His comprehension of the Dao of Strength had pushed his power even further. Now, it was time to prepare for his breakthrough.
It was also time to find a way to save Yao Xuan Fairy.
That was Yongsheng's greatest obsession. As the original, Gu An had to help him.
Speaking of the obsessions of his past lives, Lu Han also had one—his son, Lu Qiuxian.
Meanwhile, Hei Xuan Emperor(Black Xuan Emperor)'s obsession was his senior sister, Bai Xian Fairy.
Gu An did not want to get too entangled with these karmic connections. The Long Family was already troublesome enough. However, he could help them in secret.
At the very least, he could repay them for accompanying him through a lifetime.
"My own great karma?" Shen Zhen fell into deep thought.
Seeing her once again lose herself in contemplation, Gu An shook his head and chuckled.
Comprehending the Dao too easily wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Gu An sat down and continued painting. He sensed that Ji Xiaoyu had already left Heavenly Spirit Great World, but that did not make him stop.
He had already foreseen her future.
After enduring countless tribulations, Ji Xiaoyu would descend upon another Grand Thousand World, encountering even greater opportunities. Her choice had been correct—her future path would stretch even further.
But unfortunately, only further—not limitless.
Gu An had already seen the end of her life. She would die in a grand battle.
That did not worry him.
When the time came, he would simply intervene.
Gu An never felt despair over glimpsing fate, because he could not only foresee it—he could change it, even control it.
Lower-realm cultivators would never even perceive his interference, merely sinking deeper into the flow of destiny.
After an incense stick's time, Gu An finished his painting of Ji Xiaoyu.
Shen Zhen was still lost in deep thought, so Gu An turned his gaze to other worlds.
Zhang Buku was currently fine. Over the coming years, his authority would continue to expand, eventually allowing him to become the Demon Emperor of Tai Ze Grand World.
But Gu An was far more interested in someone else—
Zhu Xi.
The former master of the Sacred Court.
The reincarnation of Divine Sovereign.
After being sent away from Heavenly Spirit Great World by Xunxian Daoist, she had ventured into a strange domain, one that did not belong to any Grand Thousand World.
It had its own heavens and earth, yet lacked the rules of a true great world.
Gu An had only recently tracked her down after ten thousand years.
At this moment, she was exploring an ancient secret realm, rumored to be the Dao Field of a former Grand Dao Emperor, filled with countless traps and formations, forming a self-contained world.
This Grand Dao Emperor seemed familiar to Gu An.
Ziwei Emperor.
This was the same emperor Hei Xuan Emperor had encountered in his past life—the most talented genius he had ever seen.
Now, as Gu An recalled everything, he had to admit—
This Ziwei Emperor was anything but simple.