Chapter 704: Era of Immortals and Gods

The impact of Yang Jian’s ascension was massive. As time went on, word of it spread wider and further. Several years later, news even reached the Qiankun Sect, stirring widespread discussion.

In the years that followed, seeking immortal traces and pursuing opportunities for ascension became the dominant theme in the mortal cultivation world. Even ordinary mortals began chasing after immortality.

Yang Jian had never stepped beyond the heavens, yet still became an immortal within the mortal realm. This proved that the mortal world contained hidden immortal fate.

With this revelation, former followers of the Heavenly Dao re-emerged like bamboo shoots after the rain. Legends of ascending to immortality flooded the world, and the rumors grew more fantastical by the day.

Time passed swiftly.

Ten thousand years later, the mortal world fully stepped into the Mythical Era. All beings became obsessed with immortal fate. As a result, more and more cultivators began acting like deities and spirits. In this wave, some discovered the power of belief, causing the number of “immortals and gods” in the mortal world to surge.

By the hundred thousandth year after Yang Jian’s ascension, the number of Free Immortals in the mortal world had reached a new height. Meanwhile, factions, races, cities, and minor worlds in the void beyond the heavens also increased in number. The Heavenly Spirit Great World was entering its golden age.

Tai Cang Continent, North Sea Mountain Range, Mountain God Temple.

In the courtyard—

Xuanmiao Zhenren collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, drenched in sweat.

Gu An sat on the stone steps in front of him, watching him with a satisfied expression.

“From now on, if you're going to ascend, don’t call yourself Zhenren anymore. Use your real name. From now on, you're Li Xuanmiao.”

Gu An spoke calmly. Xuanmiao Zhenren had no objections. He had already left Sanqing Mountain—titles like “Zhenren” no longer mattered.

“Senior, do I really have what it takes to pass the Heavenly Dao trial?” Li Xuanmiao looked up at Gu An with hesitation in his voice.

Gu An had already told him how one could ascend—by defeating an immortal or god and earning a place in the celestial ranks. Over the course of tens of thousands of years, Gu An had taught him countless divine abilities. But Li Xuanmiao had never once won.

“Don’t underestimate yourself. In the illusion realm, your opponent was me. In this world, no Free Immortal is your match.”

Gu An chuckled softly. He knew better than anyone how strong Li Xuanmiao was.

Over these years, his effort in nurturing Li Xuanmiao had even surpassed what he gave An Xin. Of course, that was because An Xin was already on the right path.

An Xin would walk the path of the Hunyuan Dao Emperor and wouldn’t have to undergo the Samsara Tribulation.

Li Xuanmiao also didn’t need to experience the Samsara Tribulation. Gu An had been suppressing his cultivation level deliberately. The intensity of the Heavenly Dao’s trial was tied to the trial-taker’s cultivation realm.

Gu An had already used Lifespan Simulation to glimpse the trial's process in advance.

This Heavenly Dao trial was a chance encounter that Lü Xian once stumbled upon—and it had now been passed to Gu An.

The Heavenly Dao Immortal Stone held the opportunity for ascension. Gu An had also learned from the Longevity Daoist that nearly every world held one or several such stones. This was the Heavenly Court’s mercy toward all living beings. If someone had the talent, they could pass the trial within and become immortal. The rank of their celestial status would depend on their strength.

But the Heavenly Dao Immortal Stone couldn’t be tracked through cause and effect. Even the Longevity Daoist couldn’t divine its exact location. Whether one encountered it depended entirely on fate.

Of course, the trial within was incredibly difficult to pass. Lü Xian himself had already failed once.

It was worth noting that if one passed the trial but refused to ascend, it would provoke Heavenly Punishment. No one could reject the Heavenly Court.

“Really?”

Li Xuanmiao asked in delight. He fully trusted Gu An’s judgment—after all, Gu An was the most powerful being in the world.

No!

Perhaps even beyond the heavens, he was the strongest.

“Of course. From now on, you can call me Master.”

Gu An’s words filled Li Xuanmiao with joy. Without hesitation, he knelt and kowtowed, formally acknowledging him as Master.

Gu An then took out a small cauldron and said, “This is the Mountain and River Peerless Cauldron. It’s a Dao Treasure of the Wushi Path. I’ve temporarily sealed its Wushi Fortune, but even so, it’s still an extremely powerful treasure. When your life is in danger, it will protect you. Every Wushi disciple will receive a Dao Treasure.”

Yang Jian didn’t have one yet, but Gu An had already prepared his. He planned to give it to him the next time Yang Jian visited from the Heavenly Court.

Li Xuanmiao received the Mountain and River Peerless Cauldron, examining it with delight. The more he looked, the more he loved it.

After letting him admire it for a while, Gu An began guiding him through refining the Mountain and River Peerless Cauldron.

“It’s time for you to ascend.”

Gu An looked at Li Xuanmiao, thinking silently to himself.

Every divine ability Li Xuanmiao possessed had been personally taught by Gu An. He had no weaknesses. Combined with his Demon God Physique, Gu An was eager to see what kind of power Li Xuanmiao would display after becoming a god.

Meanwhile—

On the Path of the Grand Dao.

The Blood Prison Saint sat cross-legged atop a mountain peak, enveloped in swirling Dao aura. The void around him grew oppressively heavy.

In the distance, across the desolate plains, Fang Xuan stood side-by-side with five other cultivators, all gazing in his direction.

“Do you think Second Brother will succeed?”

“Of course he will. His talent in the Hunyuan Dao Emperor path far surpasses ours.”

“Our second Hunyuan Dao Emperor is about to be born. It’s so exciting.”

“We’ve got to work harder too. Once all seven of us become Hunyuan Dao Emperors, we’ll be able to challenge the Dao Emperor and bring honor to the Hunyuan Dao.”

“Haha, we may not even need to act. With Xuanji Emperor’s talent, he’ll surely become a Hunyuan Dao Emperor and prove its worth on his own.”

Fang Xuan didn’t join in the chatter. His eyes remained fixed on the Blood Prison Saint, expression calm. He believed the Blood Prison Saint would succeed.

Having already attained the Hunyuan Dao Emperor realm himself, he knew just how powerful it was. Once one truly achieved it, even challenging the Dao Emperor felt beneath him.

In his eyes, no Dao fortune could compare to the Hunyuan Dao Emperor path.

Dao Emperors gained power through slaughter and seizure. The Heavenly Dao’s fortune came from faith. But the Hunyuan Dao Emperor? It came purely through comprehension of the Dao.

There were three thousand Grand Daos, and none had ever been known to devour another. That’s why he believed the Hunyuan Dao Emperor path was the truly correct one.

Still, he had no reason to dampen his sworn brothers’ enthusiasm.

What worried him more than whether the Blood Prison Saint would succeed was whether he’d leave afterward.

Ever since the War Court was annihilated, he’d been drifting without purpose. The Blood Prison Saint was the only one he could trust, someone he could truly rely on. Deep down, he didn’t want the Blood Prison Saint to leave. But if he did choose to go, Fang Xuan wouldn’t stop him.

Just then, an immense and terrifying pressure descended from above, causing all six of them to whip their heads toward the sky.

From the depths of the void emerged a massive black hole, surging toward them like it would consume everything from the edge of the earth.

Within that black hole rose countless terrifying auras. It was clear—a powerful force was arriving.

“Get ready. There will always be those who want to take shortcuts.”

Fang Xuan spoke coldly, expressionless. He was already a Vast Heaven Free Immortal. With the power of a Hunyuan Dao Emperor as well, unless his opponent was a Golden Immortal, he had nothing to fear.

Upon hearing this, the other five each took out their respective treasures. They weren’t surprised by the coming enemy.

This group had been hounding them for tens of thousands of years, all because Fang Xuan had become a Hunyuan Dao Emperor. They wanted to seize his body to unravel the secrets of the Hunyuan path.

Fang Xuan was the first to soar into the air. A terrifying aura erupted from his body. Alone, his momentum already rivaled the combined might of the mysterious force hidden within the black hole.