War Court, as a supreme power standing above the Great Thousand Worlds, ruled over countless beings. Many worlds and forces had been forced to serve under its banner.
Gu An even saw various races reduced to slaves, mining cultivation resources for War Court.
He stood within Undying Emperor's grand hall, his fingers gripping the hilt of the Azure Swan Sword at his waist.
Though the Azure Swan Sword was merely an ordinary treasure sword, it was a gift from Ye Lan, making it his most cherished weapon.
He swung his sword forward.
The motion was casual, effortless, almost weightless.
Yet, this single stroke—severed the fate of War Court.
Using the power of karma, Gu An eliminated all beings within War Court who harbored resentment toward the Long Clan.
He simply had to calculate which individuals would continue to target the Long Clan in the future, and erase them preemptively.
Beyond that, those among War Court's ranks who had killed too many—he eliminated them as well.
The number of beings under War Court's rule was vast beyond measure.
If he were to kill them all, it would undoubtedly provoke a massive disaster—perhaps even drawing the attention of Heavenly Court.
That would be problematic.
Though Gu An's cultivation was immensely powerful, he still could not fully deduce the karmic fate of Heavenly Court.
Karmic power.
An invisible force of slaughter.
As War Court's fate unraveled, palaces, cities, and towers that once stood proudly across the starry sky began to collapse.
Many beings attempted to flee—but before they could react, their vision blurred, and their consciousness faded into darkness.
Body and soul, erased.
This calamity descended abruptly, so much so that no one had time to resist.
Those who had just been revived through War Court's fate were still discussing the terrifying might of Long Zhan's Dharma Body—when, one by one, they disappeared into nothingness.
The last survivors, those who witnessed the deaths of others before them, suffered the most.
Despair consumed their souls.
They had no means of resistance.
They could only wait for death.
War Court erupted into deafening chaos, but soon, the uproar faded into silence.
This universe gradually dimmed, as though signaling the death of an enormous existence born from the laws of the Grand Dao.
"Huff—!"
Fang Xuan gasped for air, his eyes snapping open, drenched in sweat. His bloodshot eyes shone with terror.
He sat up, turning his head.
What he saw was an abandoned mountain range, its spiritual energy scarce.
In an instant, he realized—this was a mortal world.
"I… I'm not dead?"
Astonishment filled Fang Xuan's heart.
If he had truly died, he should have revived within War Court.
But this?
This meant that the mysterious entity had spared his life.
Even if he could be revived, he never wanted to die.
Reviving within War Court would have meant losing cultivation and damaging his karmic fate.
He thought about the countless casualties within War Court.
The damage was unimaginable.
War Court had suffered a devastating blow.
Perhaps even their old enemies would seize this chance to attack them.
War Court was no longer safe!
Fang Xuan had a terrifying thought—the unfathomable entity from Heavenly Spirit Great World would likely continue to exact vengeance upon War Court.
He stood up, feeling the sunlight against his skin.
For the first time, he felt as if he had been reborn.
"The high-ranking members of War Court were too arrogant… They actually dared to provoke such an unimaginable being. I need to find a new path for myself."
Muttering under his breath, Fang Xuan recalled the horrifying battle.
Even now, the fear lingered within him.
He did not dare to become an enemy of that terrifying existence.
All he wanted was to stay as far away as possible.
With a leap, his figure shot through the sky, vanishing into the distant horizon.
Wushi Dao Field.
Inside the courtyard, Gu An stood before a refining cauldron, observing the treasures forming within it.
Beside him, Tian Yao'er watched curiously.
It had been half a month since the destruction of War Court.
To the masses, it felt as if they had all experienced a dream.
In the aftermath of this catastrophe, the major sects of Heavenly Spirit Great World felt an overwhelming pressure.
The once-relaxed atmosphere was gone.
A new era of reclusion had begun.
Countless cultivators had entered seclusion, striving to increase their strength.
"Master, is War Court really gone?" Tian Yao'er couldn't help but ask.
Gu An replied casually, "Whether it's gone or not—what does it have to do with you? Just focus on cultivating. Right now, the cultivators outside are working harder than ever before."
His true thoughts were focused on something else.
Breaking through.
After this battle, it was finally time to advance!
Gu An summoned his status panel.
[Name: Gu An]
[Lifespan: 22,098/831,008,678,146]
[Physique: Hunyuan Reincarnation Immortal Physique]
[Cultivation: Supreme Purity Golden Immortal, Perfection Stage]
More than 830 billion years of lifespan!
This battle had granted him an increase of 670 billion years, far surpassing what 20,000 years of effort could achieve.
Not only that, but he had also seized countless treasures from War Court. He planned to distribute half of them across Heavenly Spirit Great World, serving as opportunities for those who sought fortune and enlightenment.
To erase the hatred toward the Long Clan, he had slaughtered every being within War Court that posed a threat to them.
The number was immense, causing a stir in his heart.
Though War Court's entire population had not been wiped out, from this moment on—War Court ceased to exist.
Gu An could sense numerous powerful karmic forces approaching Heavenly Spirit Great World, many seeking to investigate.
The destruction of War Court had inevitably drawn attention from powerful factions.
"I will work hard on my cultivation… but I wonder how many years it will take before I reach the Free Immortal Realm… The further I progress, the more I realize how vast the gap is between me and Master… Just how many years have you lived, anyway?"
Tian Yao'er sighed with emotion.
This was something they often speculated about in private.
Everyone assumed that Gu An had possessed his current level of power from the very moment they met him.
Because no one had ever seen him in a desperate state.
Not even once.
Forget desperation—they had never even seen Gu An nervous before.
With such absolute power, it was difficult to imagine anything that could make him uneasy.
Gu An turned his head toward Tian Yao'er and reached out to ruffle her hair.
He didn't say anything.
But in his heart, he answered:
I'm not much older than you.
Tian Yao'er kept chattering away, full of endless curiosity.
As long as the questions weren't related to his cultivation, Gu An would answer them patiently.
But his true focus was already shifting.
Toward his breakthrough.
830 billion years of lifespan—this should be enough to reach a higher realm, right?
For the past few days, he had been hesitating.
Should he wait for the 1-trillion-year feature to unlock?
But thinking about the forces closing in on Heavenly Spirit Great World, he knew he couldn't afford to wait.
If a breakthrough was possible, then he needed to do it immediately!
Gu An's eyes turned sharp.
Tonight, he would break through!
As time passed, disciples from Wushi Dao Field came to visit him one after another, keeping the courtyard lively.
The sun set, the moon rose.
Before leaving, Gu An informed Shen Zhen, who was still standing by the refining cauldron.
The nightscape of Wushi Dao Field was breathtaking.
Countless medicine gardens flourished, and the land was filled with rare and magnificent spiritual trees.
Some emitted gentle, glowing light, while others writhed with living vines, appearing almost sentient.
As Gu An walked through the Dao Field, he was pleased with the work of the Ephemeral Blossom Ghost Mother.
Not only did she increase the production of rare herbs, but she also made the entire Dao Field more vibrant and beautiful.
Having such a pleasant and harmonious environment was always a good thing.
Finally, at the edge of the Dao Field, Gu An stopped by a lake.
Here, he activated the Lifespan Breakthrough feature.
[You have activated the Lifespan Breakthrough function. Based on your current realm, the following breakthrough locations have been selected:]
[1. The Path of the Grand Dao]
[2. Nine Heavens Extreme Sky]
[3. Abyssal Dao Sea]
[4. Ascend to Yellow Heavens]
[5. Spirit Mountain]
[6. Infinite Jade Pool]
[7. Celestial Cave Abode]
[8. Bitter Sea]
[9. Taiwei Grand World]
Seeing Abyssal Dao Sea on the list, Gu An's interest was piqued.
It had only been one month since the battle.
Perhaps Abyssal Dao Sea hadn't yet had time to fully investigate the fall of True Person Nī Hǎi.
If he broke through in Abyssal Dao Sea, causing a massive commotion, then their focus might shift away from investigating.
After all, Lifespan Breakthroughs always transported him to a temporary safe zone.
With the protection of the Lifespan Barrier, there shouldn't be any danger.
According to True Person Nī Hǎi's memories, Abyssal Dao Sea was boundless and vast.
Wherever he arrived, it was unlikely to be near any major faction.
Making up his mind, Gu An selected Abyssal Dao Sea.
[Teleporting to Abyssal Dao Sea requires the consumption of 10,000,000,000 years of lifespan. Continue?]
Continue!
A wave of dizziness struck him.
His vision blurred.
He remained patient, awaiting the shift.
Soon, he would surpass the Supreme Purity Golden Immortal Realm.
He would step into a realm never before reached.
For someone who had lived for over 20,000 years, there were few things left to excite him.
But becoming stronger—that would always make his blood boil.