Before the Heavenly Dao Golden Core.
An Hao stood still, his expression blank, his mind replaying the overwhelming presence of the Heavenly Spirit God.
Only now did he truly grasp the terrifying existence that lay behind this Grand Tribulation of Heaven and Earth. Only now did he understand why the Heavenly Dao Golden Core had urged him to flee.
Faced with such an incomprehensibly powerful being, just how many years of cultivation would it take for him to even come close to standing against it?
He had spent thousands of years alongside Sun Immortal Emperor, engaging in deep discussions on the Heavenly Dao, exploring its mysteries together. Yet now, witnessing Sun Immortal Emperor's demise, he found himself profoundly shaken, despite having already experienced the Samsara of the Heavenly Dao.
In the grand scheme of things, who truly controlled everything?
At the same time.
Elsewhere, others felt just as conflicted as An Hao.
Xunxian Daoist and Zhu Xi stood atop a cliff, gazing up at the heavens.
Zhu Xi had regained the memories of her past life. Though her cultivation had yet to return to its peak, her divine sense was already strong enough to peer beyond the world.
"It's him…" she murmured softly.
Once upon a time, she had roamed the universe, driving the Heavenly Demon Clan beyond the realms of existence. It was then that she had glimpsed the Heavenly Spirit God—a fleeting presence, but one that had left an indelible mark upon her soul.
Back then, she had considered herself invincible, yet that single sighting had shaken her deeply.
That was why she had chosen to hide within the Cycle of Reincarnation, striving to comprehend the Grand Dao.
To be the strongest within a single realm was meaningless if there existed greater beings in the universe. She knew well that such a position would only lead to an inevitable downfall.
Xunxian Daoist sighed. "He has grown even stronger than before."
Zhu Xi turned to him. "You know him?"
Xunxian Daoist nodded. "We share… a history."
A flicker of doubt crossed Zhu Xi's mind. She could sense that Xunxian Daoist was keeping things from her. Obtaining the Dao Fruit of Heaven and Earth might be far more troublesome than she had anticipated.
Perhaps, she might even have to face that supreme being from earlier.
For the first time, she felt hesitation creeping in. Was it worth it to pursue the Dao Fruit of Heaven and Earth, or should she abandon Xunxian Daoist and walk away?
The news of Sun Immortal Emperor's death spread like wildfire across Heavenly Spirit World. Even more shocking was the revelation that an entire other Heaven and Earth had merged with their world.
The mortal realm was on the cusp of an unprecedented upheaval.
Yet, for Gu An, none of this had any effect on his life. He continued to gather spiritual herbs, steadily accumulating his lifespan.
With the two Worlds and Earths fusing, cultivators flocked to the newly merged territories, seeking adventure and fortune. This shift also subtly reduced the ongoing struggles within Heavenly Spirit World.
Compared to Heavenly Spirit World, the newly merged realm was weaker, its inhabitants far fewer in number. When the various great sects of Heavenly Spirit World descended upon it, the locals had no choice but to submit.
Under such circumstances, six hundred years passed in the blink of an eye.
On this particular noon.
In the Northern Sea Mountain Range, within the Mountain God Temple, Gu An was carefully picking spiritual herbs. He still maintained his Mountain God appearance, his face concealed by a theatrical mask.
Then, his movements suddenly froze.
[Your lifespan has exceeded one hundred billion years for the first time. The "Lifespan Breakthrough" function has been unlocked.]
[Lifespan Breakthrough: You can now consume lifespan to obtain access to breakthrough locations suitable for your current realm and free of external threats. Teleportation to and from these locations also requires lifespan consumption.]
"Hmm?"
This function…
Gu An pondered for a moment, realizing just how useful this feature could be.
As his cultivation progressed, each breakthrough would create larger disturbances. At this stage, attempting a breakthrough within Heavenly Spirit World could easily attract unwanted attention.
He had no intention of letting anyone—not even those closest to him—know of his cultivation realm. His breakthroughs had to remain completely hidden.
But still…
This system was too demanding!
From now on, choosing a breakthrough location required lifespan. Activating lifespan barriers required lifespan. Even advancing his Dao Techniques drained lifespan…
Gu An sighed, but deep down, he was quite pleased.
Though the ways to consume lifespan kept increasing, so too did his safety.
After all, lifespan could always be replenished with spiritual herbs.
While he could search for breakthrough locations on his own, there would always be unexpected dangers along the way.
Now, he could look forward to his next breakthrough without worry.
But he didn't intend to use it right away.
First, he would finish gathering the spiritual herbs at the Mountain God Temple.
Once today's tasks were done, he could begin his breakthrough!
His mood brightened at the thought, and his hands moved faster.
A while later.
From the mountain path, Xuanmiao Zhenren walked down toward him, holding a teapot in his hand.
In front of Gu An's Mountain God form, he looked like a small porcelain figurine.
"Mountain God, the world has grown vaster. Now, everyone is praising Sun Immortal Emperor's great deed. What do you think?" Xuanmiao Zhenren asked softly.
Although Sun Immortal Emperor had been dead for hundreds of years, he had spent most of his time living in the deep mountains, so news reached him slowly.
Only recently had he learned the true reason for Sun Immortal Emperor's death.
The emperor had sought to merge the various great heavens and earths to help all living beings survive the calamity, only to be struck down by heaven's punishment.
Such selflessness was admirable.
Though Xuanmiao Zhenren didn't fully understand how worlds could be merged, in an era where power struggles and greed dictated everything, it was rare for a sovereign ruler to dedicate himself to the common people.
Deep down, he respected that.
After all, he too dreamed of being a hero, someone who would die for the people.
The thought alone stirred his blood with excitement.
Gu An simply responded, "He did indeed achieve a great deed. His death was unfortunate."
Sun Immortal Emperor had spent many years in the Third Medicine Valley, leaving a good impression on Gu An.
But not enough for Gu An to risk everything and stand against the Heavenly Spirit God to protect him.
Not everyone could be a savior. But before the birth of a savior, there were always those who sacrificed themselves, awakening the will of all living beings.
The death of Sun Immortal Emperor had ignited a fire in the hearts of people.
Of course, many great sects were fueling this resentment, but the way the Heavenly Spirit God had intervened had left many of the ruling sects in despair.
They were starting to question the true nature of their world.
What kind of power lurked behind Heavenly Spirit World?
More and more people felt as though they were trapped in a cage, unable to escape.
The so-called Heavenly Tribulation—was it truly a natural calamity? Or was it a greater force pushing them toward endless slaughter, making their struggles meaningless?
If death was inescapable, then what was the point of cultivation?
By now, Xuanmiao Zhenren had reached the Nirvana Realm, stepping into the path of immortality.
Yet the further he progressed, the more doubts he had.
He had come to understand that even the Immortal Dao was far from omnipotence.
His gaze fell upon Gu An, and an unspoken question lingered on his lips.
"You have saved countless people, yet you refuse to reveal yourself. Is it because… you know the truth behind the world?"
But in the end, he held his tongue.
He feared that speaking carelessly might bring disaster upon himself.
Gu An continued walking forward and said, "Nothing in this world is eternal—not even power that seems invincible today."
Hearing these words, Xuanmiao Zhenren's expression changed.
There was another meaning hidden in those words.
Even the Mountain God was dissatisfied with the forces behind the world.
Could it be… he sought to overthrow them?
An unquenchable fire burned in Xuanmiao Zhenren's heart.
He swore to himself—he would cultivate even harder.
One day, he would stand side by side with the Mountain God in battle!
Gu An, of course, heard his inner thoughts.
He couldn't help but find it both amusing and frustrating.
"I was just comforting you!"
Half an hour later.
Gu An left the Mountain God Temple.
But instead of returning directly to Northern Sea Mountain Range, he stepped forward and arrived in the forests of another continent.
Standing beneath the shade of a great tree, he activated his Lifespan Breakthrough function.
[You have activated the Lifespan Breakthrough function. Based on your current cultivation, the following breakthrough locations have been selected:]
1. War Spirit Sacred Palace
2. Netherworld Deep Sea
3. Nine Heavens Extreme Sky
4. Path of the Grand Dao
5. Dao Source Ancestral Tree
…
Gu An had expected only three choices—after all, the Lifespan Reincarnation only had three options.
But to his surprise, Lifespan Breakthrough offered nine choices.
Even just reading the names, he could tell that each place was extraordinary.
If not for the system's guarantee that these places posed no immediate danger, he would never dare set foot in them.
Of course, that only applied before the breakthrough.
The moment he actually began his breakthrough, things could change.
This meant that he would have no choice but to activate his Lifespan Barrier.