When Gu An was immersed in the memories of reincarnation, the spiritual energy within the Wushi Dao Field surged toward him, alarming the disciples inside the field.

Shen Zhen was the first to be awakened. She turned her head and looked at Gu An, who was seated in meditation, curiosity filling her gaze.

An Xin arrived first, followed by Lu Xian, Chen Chuan, and Tian Yao'er. One after another, the others rushed over. Within five breaths, everyone had gathered in the courtyard.

When they realized the strange phenomena in the Dao Field originated from Gu An, they all sighed in relief.

“What is Master doing?”

“It looks like he’s comprehending the Dao.”

“Master's cultivation is so high, yet he can still achieve enlightenment. Perhaps his talent is even greater than we imagined.”

“That’s obvious. Master must be a supreme genius. Otherwise, how could he reach his current realm?”

“Stop guessing and sit down. Feel the Dao that Master is emanating.”

The group conversed in hushed voices, afraid to disturb Gu An.

After being reminded by the Blood Prison Saint, everyone sat down and carefully immersed themselves in the enlightenment.

The Wushi Dao Field fell into silence. The surrounding mountains were picturesque, the sunlight warm and peaceful. Everything felt perfect.

An hour later.

Gu An opened his eyes and saw that everyone was seated in meditation within the courtyard. His expression remained unchanged. Instead, his gaze fell upon Shen Zhen.

Such a heavy obsession…

Gu An sighed inwardly. He had already understood the connection between Shen Zhen and Yao Xuan Fairy.

In reality, there was no direct connection between them. Instead, Yongsheng had transferred Yao Xuan Fairy’s karmic ties onto Shen Zhen, hoping that his true self—Gu An—could use Shen Zhen to find Yao Xuan Fairy and rescue her.

Yao Xuan Fairy was a Dao Emperor with unparalleled talent. Even a fraction of her karmic ties could alter Shen Zhen’s fate.

Shen Zhen had not been chosen by Yongsheng from the start. It was only after she met Gu An that Yongsheng bestowed her with karma.

This was something Yongsheng had done after merging with the Great Monument of Karma . Unable to deduce his true self’s whereabouts, he could only rely on the power of the Great Monument of Karma .

He had chosen to self-destruct in order to better utilize the Great Monument of Karma 's power. In the final moments before his will dissipated, he locked onto the future Heavenly Spirit World. He chose Shen Zhen because, among all the people Gu An cared about, only Shen Zhen’s heart held Gu An alone.

Yongsheng believed that only such a connection could motivate Gu An to rescue Yao Xuan Fairy.

Not only that, but Yongsheng had also left behind a mark within the Great Monument of Karma , repaying his true self in advance.

After realizing this, Gu An suddenly became aware that Shen Zhen’s feelings for him were indeed unique. She had never said anything outright, but she had abandoned everything just to follow him.

When Shen Zhen chose him, she had not known his true cultivation. It was simply because they shared the same ideals.

Gu An looked at Shen Zhen and felt relieved.

She was not anyone’s substitute. She was still herself, and that was a good thing.

As for Yongsheng’s karma, Gu An would bear it. After all, he was Yongsheng. In essence, they were the same person. One day, he would help Yongsheng find Yao Xuan Fairy.

With a thought, Gu An’s pupils transformed into a deep purple-gold hue, faint flames surging within them.

Immortal Emperor Eyes!

After inheriting Yongsheng’s memories, Gu An immediately gained mastery over the Immortal Emperor Eyes.

It was worth mentioning that his Immortal Emperor Eyes had no connection to the Dao Thief Emperor—this was another method Yongsheng had devised.

Yongsheng had erased the Dao Thief Emperor’s Immortal Emperor Eyes within the Great Monument of Karma . The reason Gu An was able to condense them was that the Immortal Emperor Eyes were a cultivated ability, akin to a variation of divine abilities, though they influenced both bloodline and soul.

Yongsheng had wielded the Immortal Emperor Eyes for over a hundred million years and had long since comprehended their true nature. This allowed Gu An to master them instantly. These were entirely new Immortal Emperor Eyes, devoid of any prior karma.

The Immortal Emperor Eyes were a creation of the Grand Dao, extremely difficult to cultivate. Different individuals who practiced them would develop unique mysteries within them.

At this moment, Gu An’s mana was surging toward his Immortal Emperor Eyes, nurturing a divine ability that would belong solely to him.

Gu An expanded his Dao intent, allowing everyone to immerse themselves in enlightenment, preventing them from witnessing the change in his Immortal Emperor Eyes.

…

The night sky was vast, the stars sparse. The Third Medicine Valley was still brightly lit.

In the loft that once belonged to Gu An, Long Qing and Ye Cang sat facing each other. They had been talking for days—mostly Ye Cang speaking, and Long Qing listening.

After recounting his entire nine-thousand-year experience, Ye Cang took a deep breath and said, “Master, I truly understand my mistakes now. I am willing to accept my punishment. Please judge me according to the sect rules.”

He had already slain Cui Xianlin and avenged his sister. The hatred was settled, and now he had to take responsibility for his mistakes.

When he stormed into the Tai Xuan Sect, although he had not killed anyone, many were injured, and the sect suffered immense losses.

Long Qing looked at Ye Cang and said, “If I ask you to bear the responsibilities of the Tai Xuan Sect, would you be willing?”

“What responsibility?” Ye Cang asked, puzzled.

Long Qing answered, “The responsibility of being the Sect Master.”

At these words, Ye Cang sprang up in shock, exclaiming, “How could I be the Sect Master? Isn’t Senior Brother Long Teng the best choice?”

As he spoke, Gu An's figure appeared in Ye Cang’s mind once more. He wasn’t sure why, but he found this entire situation absurd.

Long Qing’s gaze remained calm as he said, “You’ve finished telling your past. Now, it’s time for me to share mine.”

Ye Cang frowned deeply but held back his questions and sat down.

Long Qing began recounting the history of the Long Clan, as well as their entanglements with the War Court.

The moment Ye Cang heard that his master came from beyond this world, he was stunned. However, he didn’t interrupt, choosing instead to listen carefully.

As time passed, Ye Cang’s expression kept changing. By the time Long Qing finished, his mood had become heavy.

He had never imagined that his master had endured so much. Compared to his master, his own suffering was insignificant.

Ancestor Qingtian also emerged from Ye Cang’s body, looking at Long Qing with a complex expression.

Seeing Ancestor Qingtian appear, Long Qing paid no attention to him and continued speaking about the karma he bore.

A long silence followed.

After finishing his story, Long Qing looked at Ye Cang and said, “I am destined to die, but I don’t want my descendants to walk the same path. I hope they will stay away from the Tai Xuan Sect and from the Long Clan’s karma. My views differ from those of the Grand Elder, which is why I want to support you as the next Sect Master.”

“Your talent is great enough to become the strongest in Tai Xuan Sect’s future.”

“But, Cang’er, your temperament still needs to be refined. It’s fine to be sharp, but always leave room to maneuver. Don’t push things to the extreme.”

His tone remained calm, devoid of any emotion.

Ye Cang couldn’t help but ask, “Master, why must you bear such immense karma? Hasn’t the War Court still not arrived? Maybe they’ve already been wiped out, or perhaps they can’t even find the Heavenly Spirit World.”

“That’s impossible. The War Court’s power is beyond your imagination. I have heard of the Long Clan’s past before, but I never expected some of their bloodline to have survived. The War Court will never let them go,” Ancestor Qingtian spoke, his tone carrying a hint of unease.

Ye Cang turned to him and frowned. “Is the War Court truly unbeatable?”

Ancestor Qingtian sighed. “Indeed, they are invincible.”

Ye Cang refused to accept this. “What if my Grandmaster takes action? Can the War Court withstand him?”

Ancestor Qingtian hesitated. The mere thought of Gu An sent chills down his spine. However, he still said, “That is the Long Clan’s karma. Your Grandmaster has no reason to get involved. Besides, the War Court’s power is immense. You have never been beyond this world, so you have no idea how terrifying they are.”

Long Qing interjected, “That’s right. My karma will not entangle my master. The fact that he took me in was already a great kindness. Back then, he didn’t want me to carry this burden, but I insisted on it.”

He looked at Ye Cang. “Cang’er, when I was young, I was just as reckless as you. I’m telling you all this not because I want you to do anything for me, but because you need to understand—each person has their own fate, and the only thing one can truly control is themselves.”

Ye Cang fell silent.

Ancestor Qingtian looked at the two of them, master and disciple, and felt the weight in his heart.

He knew better than Long Qing just how powerful the War Court was.

“With your current cultivation, even if you sacrificed yourself, you wouldn’t be able to stand against the War Court. If you die, they will still hunt down your descendants. I don’t know what your plan is, but I don’t believe you can sever the Long Clan’s karma completely,” Ancestor Qingtian said, looking at Long Qing.

After a brief pause, he added, “Moreover, I can sense a powerful force approaching the Heavenly Spirit World. I was puzzled before, but now I realize—it must be the War Court.”

Long Qing smiled. “I have my own methods. I, too, have sensed it. That is why I chose to speak about this now, and why I don’t mind your presence.”

Ancestor Qingtian fixed his gaze on Long Qing and said solemnly, “If the War Court comes to slaughter the Heavenly Spirit World, I will take Ye Cang away. No matter how deep your master-disciple bond is, I care about him.”

Long Qing gave no response. He merely picked up the teacup on the table, which had long since gone cold.

Ye Cang took a deep breath and slowly stood up. His gaze had become resolute. He looked at Long Qing and said, “Master, I will remember the truths you have spoken, but your karma—I will help you bear it. It’s just the War Court, isn’t it? I refuse to believe they are truly invincible!”

Ancestor Qingtian glared at him. “You brat! Where do you get the nerve to say such things? Without my power, you are no different from an ant!”

Ye Cang turned to him and said, “If I cannot defeat them, then I will protect the Long Clan. Master, don’t worry—I will not throw my life away. I remember what I promised you. Once I fulfill that promise, I might just have the power to stand against the War Court.”

Ancestor Qingtian opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He wanted to say that even if Ye Cang fulfilled his promise, it would still be far from enough to shake the War Court.