Chapter 468 Facing the Heavenly Dao
Gu An finished speaking, and his gaze began to sweep over Yang Jian and Zhang Xianwang, causing the atmosphere in the room to drop to a freezing point.
Just having taken a seat, Zhen Qin was also stunned silent, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Now, she truly believed that her master was Sword Venerable Fudao, this aura was too terrifying!
It was also the first time Yang Jian had felt his master display such an aura, and even though he had regained his memories from his previous life and possessed a wealth of experiences, he still felt a chill in the face of Gu An's aura, feeling as though even the mana in his body had solidified.
The nervousness that Zhang Xianwang had felt earlier surged back, and his entire body stiffened.
Ye Lan, on the other hand, wasn't nervous; she felt in the depths of her heart that Gu An would never hurt her.
"Daoist Friend from before, you speak."
Facing the pressure from Gu An, Zhang Xianwang gritted his teeth and asked.
Gu An replied expressionlessly, "I don't intervene in the conflicts of the Great Heaven and Earth, but do not provoke me, and do not involve the Mortal Spirits. Immortals are different from mortals, not in terms of status, but because the gap in power requires a safe distance to be maintained."
After hearing this, Yang Jian and Zhang Xianwang immediately nodded in agreement.
Gu An then revealed a smile, the terrifying pressure completely disappearing, leaving Yang Jian, Zhang Xianwang, and Zhen Qin somewhat in a daze.
"Alright, I've said what you wanted to ask, now we should talk about something cheerful. How have you all been these years, Jian'er, you go first."
Gu An looked towards Yang Jian with a smile and asked; Yang Jian came back to his senses and immediately began recounting his experiences. Even with Zhang Xianwang beside him, he did not hold back.
Zhang Xianwang was very interested in his experiences.
Ye Lan and Zhen Qin, upon hearing that Yang Jian had entered Reincarnation, became interested.
Unlike the three individuals from Medicine Valley, the two of them were at the Mortal Spirit Realm. Even in their Sub-sect where they held authority, they were still at the bottom of the Immortal Cultivation World and could not touch upon the matters of Reincarnation.
They had been to the Mortal World to deliver Wild Ghosts to salvation, but they could not fathom how Ghosts reincarnated.
Gu An also listened attentively, occasionally asking for details, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.
Meanwhile, the anomalies outside Outer Heaven finally began to slow down, and the creatures of the Silent Destruction Domain remained anxious. There had been pauses before, but soon after, the Tao Spiritual Energy would violently stir once more, so they did not dare to believe this peace would be the last.
Time swiftly passed.
Until dusk, Gu An asked An Xin to settle Zhen Qin, Yang Jian, and Zhang Xianwang, while he spent time alone with Ye Lan.
Gu An looked at Ye Lan and said, "Ask what you want to ask."
He had previously concealed his identity as Sword Venerable Fudao, and he could hear Ye Lan's thoughts, so he encouraged her to speak her mind.
Indeed, Ye Lan had many questions, but seeing that Gu An had kept her alone, willing to explain, her grievances melted away like mist before the sun.
Who Gu An was, did it really matter?
What was important should be that Gu An, no matter his identity, was protecting her.
Furthermore, seeing the commotion outside, Ye Lan understood why the identity of Sword Venerable Fudao had to remain a secret.
Ye Lan smiled brightly and said, "How does it feel to be so admired?"
Gu An heard her question and knew she bore no grudge.
Her junior sister was always so understanding.
Gu An shook his head with a smile and said, "It's all empty fame. In this world, a name might live longer than the person, but it cannot withstand the passage of time."
"But that's for ordinary people. With elder brother's prowess, people will surely talk about you forever." Ye Lan spoke earnestly.
Throughout history, how many had the power to save the world?
As far as she knew, there was no one better, more accomplished than her elder brother.
Gu An smiled helplessly and then picked up the teapot to pour some tea for Ye Lan.
Ye Lan read his expression and thought about Gu An's previous conversation with the Annihilation God Emperor, so she couldn't help asking, "Could a world like ours really be destroyed?"
Gu An nodded and said, "It was destroyed once long ago. The current Great Heaven and Earth is but a fragment of what once was, and there are many Great Heaven and Earths beyond our sky. Perhaps there are even multiple universes out there. There might be many, many universes. Even I feel very small in comparison."
Hearing this, Ye Lan's imagination took flight and she exclaimed earnestly, "There are people beyond our people, and skies beyond our sky. I really want to see what lies beyond Outer Heaven, but alas, I am not qualified."
Gu An looked at her and said, "If you wish to go, I can take you."
Ye Lan was somewhat tempted, but she still shook her head and said, "Let's not, I am afraid that seeing it will only make me more discontent."
She then looked steadily at Gu An and asked, "Elder brother, is there truly a chance in Reincarnation? Will the me in my next life still be me?"
She had become intrigued by Reincarnation after hearing Yang Jian's experiences.
Moreover, the Primordial Reincarnation Skill could accumulate Cultivation Level across Reincarnations. Previously, she did not believe in it, but now she thought that perhaps embarking towards death was the beginning of Innate Reincarnation.
Hearing her thoughts, Gu An answered, "Of course, there is. The path of Immortal Cultivation is to explore the Path of Tao, and Reincarnation is also a form of Tao. If you can recover your memories in your next life, then you are still you. But even if memories are not recovered, you are still you. Your Soul has not changed. Reincarnation might erase memories, but it can't alter your nature, nor can it change the deep-seated desires that burst forth from your heart."
He had always felt that one's nature was determined by the heavens, that it's the experiences of life that suppress nature and shape principles, thereby forming a new person.
Like in his previous life, he understood many truths, but he found it hard to control his own will and desires.
Even now, though he was strong, many thoughts sprouted in his mind, thoughts that sometimes conflicted with his understanding of the path.
Cultivation is about cultivating the heart, for by cultivating the heart, one can control their nature.
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Ye Lan revealed a smile and said, "I also want to reincarnate, and I don't know whether in the next life my senior brother will still find me."
Up to now, she no longer doubted Gu An's abilities, she believed that to Gu An reincarnation was just an ordinary matter.
Gu An raised an eyebrow and said, "Of course I'll find you. I'll tie you to my side, trap you lifetime after lifetime. Are you afraid?"
"That's great, I just fear you wouldn't want me anymore," Ye Lan pretended to be pitiful.
Gu An laughed and said, "I'm just afraid the subconscious you will be rebellious, don't treat me like an enemy then."
Ye Lan looked steadily at Gu An and said, "That's impossible. Whether or not I have memories, as long as I see you, I will trust you completely. Even though I have never been through reincarnation, I firmly believe this."
Gu An and her locked eyes, listening to the voice of her heart, and the room fell quiet alongside them.
"Senior brother, what does it feel like to guard alone, to watch old acquaintances constantly reincarnate?" Ye Lan continued to ask.
She was certain that Gu An had lived for countless years, she couldn't even tell if her past life was closely related to Gu An, which is why he took such good care of her.
Gu An looked out the window and said, "You see the leaves falling from that tree, and new shoots growing, what do you feel?"
Ye Lan followed his gaze and looked outside the window, her thoughts drifting.
Gu An's Daoist intent enveloped her, helping her to comprehend the natural ways of Heaven and Earth.
Both watched out the window, lost in thought.
Before Gu An's eyes, all the past resurfaced. When he had nothing else to do, he would recall the past, including his experiences on Earth from his former life, remembering always where he came from, and for what he pursued immortal cultivation.
As Gu An's thoughts drifted, a breeze rose outside the window, stirring the old tree beside the attic, just as he said, some leaves were blown away.
That leaf seemed unwilling to hit the ground, fluttering and struggling in the wind, rising and falling with it.
It flew across the scarlet sky, entering a blue sky dotted with white clouds, then gently landed in the palm of Gu An's hand.
This landing marked several centuries of time.
Dressed in white, Gu An stood in front of a tombstone, gazing at the leaf in his hand with deep eyes.
Beside him, a hand reached out, trying to grab the leaf in his palm, but passed right through it.
"Is this what it feels like to be dead? It's quite strange."
Ye Lan's Soul stood next to Gu An, excitedly speaking.
Gu An glanced at her, helplessly saying, "You're about to reincarnate, and still you're this happy?"
Ye Lan said proudly, "Naturally I'm happy, I get to start my life over, and I have no regrets from these four hundred years."
Four hundred and twenty years had passed since Gu An broke through to the Luotian Freedom Immortal Realm. Since their talk four hundred years ago, Ye Lan had been eager to reincarnate early, feeling she had no hope for pursuing the Dao in this life.
But Gu An had her wait, and during these four hundred and twenty years, she resigned from her position as an Elder of a sub-sect and stayed in the Third Medicine Valley, receiving Gu An's guidance in cultivation.
In Gu An's words, accumulating an understanding of the Heaven and Earth Rules before reincarnation would make cultivation easier in the next life.
Hearing her words, a smile appeared on Gu An's face. He tossed the leaf from his hand and raised his hand to touch Ye Lan's face.
Ye Lan did not dodge, but when Gu An's hand touched her cheek, she couldn't help but widen her eyes in astonishment, then she understood.
Her senior brother was so powerful, crossing the barrier between Yin and Yang was not difficult.
Gu An touched her face, thinking of the girl that always clung to him in the past.
Unbeknownst to him, she had accompanied him for more than fifteen hundred years.
Gu An said with a smile, "Are you ready?"
Ye Lan nodded and took a deep breath.
Gu An withdrew his hand, then waved his sleeve, and an irresistible force swept up Ye Lan's Soul, sending her flying toward the sky.
Ye Lan watched Gu An on the ground getting further and further away, her excitement fading, replaced by a fear of the unknown.
What if in the next life, senior brother couldn't find her, or forgot about her?
Her heart ached, only then realizing that no matter how open-minded or well-prepared one was, experiencing life and death personally was completely different.
"Don't worry, even if this world perishes, I will still be here. As long as I am, even if the seas dry and stones decay, as long as you are willing to stay by my side, I will come find you."
Gu An's gentle voice entered Ye Lan's ears, immediately settling her heart.
Yes, if senior brother wanted to abandon her, he could have long ago, what point would there be in deceiving her?
She opened her mouth, wanting to talk to Gu An, but found herself unable to make any sound.
Gu An, seeing Ye Lan in the sky, could hear her heart's voice. He didn't continue the conversation. His gaze shifted toward the Outer Heaven.
That layer of light symbolized the Power of Heaven!
He was curious if reincarnation had anything to do with Heavenly Dao.
Who sat high above, decreeing the destinies for all things?
He thought of the group of Immortals he would eventually face, perhaps the power behind Heavenly Dao was such extraordinary Immortals in control of everything.
One day, he would confront these beings, face Heavenly Dao!