Chapter 137: Are There Immortals in This World?

Chapter 137: Are There Immortals in This World?

In the Third Medicine Valley, the autumn wind swayed gently.

Gu An stepped out of the teleportation array and headed toward a distant garden.

Though he had just made a breakthrough, he hadn't forgotten the ripening schedules of the various herbs.

Before he had walked far, Lu Lingjun quickly approached him and said, “Valley Master, let me accompany you for the harvest.”

Gu An nodded, having no objections.

After traveling several miles, Gu An bent down to pick herbs while Lu Lingjun took out a bamboo basket, ready to collect them.

“Master, the world is in chaos now. With my cultivation, shouldn't I go out and make some contributions?” Lu Lingjun suddenly asked.

So that’s what this is about—no wonder she was acting so attentive!

Gu An casually replied, “Then go ask the Sect Master and see how he plans to deploy you.”

“If he intended to summon me, he would have sent word already.”

“In that case, just stay in Medicine Valley. Who knows, maybe one of those demonic cultivators from the White Nightshade Sect will sneak in. The valley might need you for protection.”

“But…”

“Lingjun, for someone of your level, your heart sure wavers easily. Devotion is devotion—guarding the herbs, isn’t that also a merit? Is it any less valuable than slaying enemies?”

Gu An spoke sternly, but his hands never stopped moving.

Having just expended over four hundred thousand years of lifespan, he needed to replenish it.

Lu Lingjun sighed. She had wanted to go out and exterminate demons for the grand plans of the Sect Master.

But she couldn’t tell Gu An that she aimed to become the Sect Master herself—after all, Gu An was closer to Lü Baitian.

Seeing that her plan had failed, Lu Lingjun changed the subject and asked, “Master, do you think immortals exist in this world? The heavens are vast, yet if immortals exist, why can’t mortals ever see them?”

“Of course they exist. Otherwise, why would we cultivators pursue the path of immortality? We’re just still chasing after it.”

Of course, they exist!

I am one!

I just can’t tell you!

Gu An felt secretly pleased, but then a thought struck him.

Could it be that immortals are already hidden in the mortal world, and his previous divine sense simply couldn’t detect them?

Or perhaps they resided beyond the ocean, separated from the mortal realm, and even after becoming an immortal, one would still have to compete for even higher realms.

Nirvana was merely the first step on the immortal path—one still had to endure eight great tribulations before reaching the pinnacle of immortality.

And beyond the immortal path… what lay ahead?

For a moment, Gu An was lost in thought. Though his mind wandered, his hands never stopped plucking herbs.

“In the land where I was born, there were no immortals. Cultivators who reached the peak could only seek to shatter the void. We believed immortals were hidden in realms beyond mortal reach…” Lu Lingjun continued, a hint of sorrow on her face.

After ascending, she felt no real difference from before—she still had to struggle in the mortal world, only now, the world was even vaster, and the immortal path remained just as distant.

Gu An listened, occasionally responding with a nod.

Half an hour later, the two returned to the pavilion area and went their separate ways.

Gu An walked toward the Sevenfold Purity Tree.

From a distance, he saw Xiao Chuan crouching near the tree, observing a White Spirit Mouse sleeping beneath it.

Although Xiao Chuan kept many demonic beasts, his favorite was still the White Spirit Mouse. Unfortunately, the mouse didn’t seem to care much for him.

Gu An suddenly noticed that Xiao Chuan’s figure seemed older.

Xiao Chuan was only three cycles younger than him, yet now, at seventy cycles of age, he still hadn't even reached the Foundation Establishment stage. It was no surprise that time had begun to leave its mark on him.

Gu An had given Xiao Chuan a Youth Retention Pill before, but that only preserved his youthful appearance—his demeanor and mindset had already begun to age.

This realization left Gu An feeling a bit dazed.

In a hundred years, Xiao Chuan would leave him.

Xiao Chuan never enjoyed cultivating, and Gu An couldn’t force him. Still, even without progress in cultivation, Xiao Chuan lived a happy life. This lifetime, because of Gu An, he had no regrets.

Gu An walked up behind him and asked with a smile, “Xiao Chuan, what are you looking at? If you want to hold it, just pick it up.”

Xiao Chuan looked up and sighed, “It’s got a bad temper. I tried holding it before, and it scratched me.”

“Oh? And you didn’t tell me? That little bastard!”

Gu An immediately walked over, grabbed the White Spirit Mouse by its tail, and lifted it up.

The startled mouse woke up, but upon seeing Gu An, it stopped struggling.

Gu An placed it into Xiao Chuan’s arms, giving it a warning glance. The mouse could only curl up pitifully.

Finally able to hold the White Spirit Mouse, Xiao Chuan’s face lit up with joy as he gently stroked its back.

Just then, Gu An sensed the aura of battle in the distance—

A battle between Profound Mind Realm cultivators!

One of the combatants was none other than Ancestor Xuan Quan!

Gu An merely glanced in that direction without any intention of interfering.

Unless the Grand Ascension cultivators of the Nightshade Sect stepped in, he had no interest in getting involved. This was the Nine Dynasties’ calamity, not his alone. Besides, he couldn’t allow the Taixuan Sect to become dependent on the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path.

After chatting with Xiao Chuan for another half-hour, Gu An finally left.

Xiao Chuan let go of the White Spirit Mouse, which quickly darted back under the Sevenfold Purity Tree to resume its nap.

Watching Gu An’s departing figure, Xiao Chuan suddenly felt that the distance between them was growing.

Even though they had always been together and Gu An had no plans of leaving the Taixuan Sect, there was an inexplicable sense of loss.

Fortunately, the feeling came and went quickly.

“Xiao Yang, come with me to check on the spirit chickens. They should be laying eggs today.”

Xiao Chuan called out to a nearby errand disciple, his face lighting up at the thought of fresh spirit chicken eggs.

Phoenix Mountain – Underground Chamber

Gu An sat on the ground, staring at a stone tablet in front of him, rubbing his chin in thought.

Nearby, Tian Yao’er squatted curiously, watching him. She held back for a long time before finally asking, “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking of a name for this cave.”

Suddenly, an idea struck him. He opened his eyes and looked at Tian Yao’er. “If you could name it, what would you call it?”

Tian Yao’er tilted her head, pondered for a moment, then said, “How about

Tian Yao’s Cozy Nest

?”

Gu An immediately shut his eyes, unwilling to engage.

Tian Yao’er pouted, raised her hands like claws, and playfully swiped at him, sticking out her tongue like she wanted to scratch him.

An incense stick’s time later, Gu An stood up.

Startled, Tian Yao’er followed suit, her wide eyes watching him.

Gu An raised his right hand, extending two fingers, and traced the air above the tablet.

Tian Yao’er looked down and saw a faint energy engraving four words onto the stone:

Nianchu Cave Dwelling

Nianchu

—to never forget one’s original intentions.

His conversation with Xiao Chuan had stirred many emotions in him, and

Nianchu

was a reminder to cherish the first people he had met on his path to immortality.

After finishing the engraving, Gu An lifted the stone tablet and walked forward.

Tian Yao’er trailed behind him, never more than seven steps away since his return.

Once he planted the tablet in place, Gu An began casting spells, then crouched down to slap the ground.

In truth, he didn’t need to go through this trouble—he just wanted to put on a show for Tian Yao’er.

As his mana seeped into the soil, grass began to sprout across the barren land. Within mere seconds, lush greenery covered all of Nianchu Cave Dwelling.

Tian Yao’er stared, dumbfounded.