When I Achieved Sainthood, the Immortal Official Actually Called Me to Raise Horses!-Chapter 259: Reincarnation

Chapter 259 Reincarnation

Gu An’s experiences on Seeker’s Island were merely a microcosm of the larger power shifts across the sea. Although the Abyssal Sea Rift had unleashed fearsome demons, the hidden opportunities within it had drawn countless cultivators and demons alike in pursuit.

But as long as it didn’t affect him, Gu An couldn’t be bothered to care.

Even if people he knew were venturing into the rift, he wouldn’t stop them—everyone had their own path to follow. During the calamity that swept across the mainland, many acquaintances of his had been drawn into it as well.

Opportunities were something to be fought for and seized.

While the seas churned with conflict, Gu An, now 155 years old, was still living a peaceful farming life.

Occasionally, he would use his divine sense to glance at the Abyssal Sea Rift and then at the heavens beyond.

The influence of the rift was immense. He had noticed more and more cultivators returning from the heavens—Celestial Ascendants descending back to the mortal realm.

The battles on the ocean had also intensified. Whenever someone retrieved a treasure from the rift, it inevitably led to bloodshed.

There was also a peculiar situation unfolding—one that added more unpredictability to this catastrophe and made Gu An even more wary of the Abyssal Sea Rift.

As autumn drew to an end, Gu An was chatting with Ye Lan. The two stood by a wooden railing, watching disciples sweep away fallen leaves.

"Unifying the world is a good thing. As for whether you should head north with the empire—that's up to you," Gu An said.

The Taicang Empire was on the verge of unifying the Three Dynasties. Li Xuandao had invited the Taixuan Sect to accompany them north for talks with the Great Jiang Empire—partly as a show of support and partly to establish a foothold in the former demon-occupied lands.

Before the Heavenly Rankings Tournament, Taixuan Sect’s plans to expand northward had been repeatedly delayed, sabotaged in secret by unknown forces. Some disciples had even been sacrificed in the process. But now, no one dared to oppose Taixuan Sect anymore, and preparations were well underway to establish a branch sect in the north.

That was precisely what Ye Lan was considering. If she went, her status and influence would rise significantly—a very tempting prospect.

If she chose to stay, with her current cultivation, the best she could hope for was to become an inner sect elder, but with far less authority.

Ye Lan hesitated. "I do want to go… but I’m afraid we won’t see each other as much."

Gu An chuckled. "That’s only in the beginning. Once the teleportation arrays are set up, you can visit whenever you want."

Ye Lan had feelings for him, but her life didn’t revolve solely around Gu An. He also hoped she would carve out a more fulfilling life for herself.

Romance was just one part of life. Especially in cultivation, love played an even smaller role.

After all, love itself was born from desire. Cultivators tempered their hearts and mastered their physical desires, but their spiritual cravings only grew stronger.

In her early years at the Outer Sect Affairs Hall, Ye Lan had thrived, driven by ambition. While her yearning for power had been overshadowed by her feelings for Gu An, it still lingered—making her hesitant.

Hearing Gu An’s words, Ye Lan found his reasoning sound and nodded. With a playful smirk, she teased, "So if I leave, will you feel even more at ease?"

Gu An rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about? Whether you’re here or not, I feel at ease either way."

Ye Lan laughed and playfully punched his arm.

Gu An reminded her not to slack off in cultivation once she joined the branch sect.

As they continued talking, they reminisced about the past.

By dusk, Ye Lan departed.

Gu An had just sat down at his desk, reaching for a book, when he suddenly sensed something unusual. His divine sense swept toward the Great Jiang Empire.

The dormant Innate Dao Sigil was finally making its move!

It had fused into the abdomen of a woman from a branch family of the Ji Clan—something that greatly intrigued Gu An.

Was this… a form of reincarnation?

Having reached the Free Soaring Immortal Stage, Gu An had already glimpsed the yin-yang rules governing the world. However, he still couldn’t see where the cycle of reincarnation truly lay.

Souls, within seven days of death, would ascend into the sky, vanishing at a certain height. Those that failed to ascend in time would become vengeful spirits, repelled by the world's natural laws. To prolong their existence, they would prey upon the living, absorbing their life essence to strengthen their ghostly energy.

Yet Ji Xuanyu’s soul had remained hidden within the Innate Dao Sigil after death, rather than attacking the living like other ghosts.

Under Gu An’s watchful gaze, the sigil fully merged with the woman’s aura, disappearing as though it had never existed.

Would the new Ji Xuanyu retain memories of her past life?

Gu An recalled that even as a child, Ji Xuanyu had seemed unnaturally mature—perhaps she had always retained her past life’s memories but simply hid them well.

After observing for a while, Gu An withdrew his gaze.

The moonlight was cool. A night breeze drifted in through the window, tousling Gu An’s hair.

And just like that, another ten years passed.

A Decade Later

The world had changed drastically. The Three Dynasties were unified, leaving only the Taicang Empire to rule over the land. For the common people, this was finally a time of true peace.

With stability secured, the empire focused on expansion—sailing across the seas to explore the world, heading north to mine resources. As materials became more abundant, various industries flourished, leading to prosperity across the empire.

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The cultivation world thrived as well, with new sects emerging. Among them, Gathering Flower Sect had risen at an astonishing pace and was now one of Taicang’s Nine Great Sects, second only to Taixuan Sect and Cang Heaven Sect.

Taixuan Sect’s northern branch had been established, and news of its expansion spread rapidly, filling its disciples with excitement.

Disciples of Medicine Valley also saw improved treatment. The time required for errand disciples to reach Foundation Establishment shortened, reflecting the sect’s growing investment in resources.

A New Trend in Taixuan Sect

One day, after returning from Xuan Valley to the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An noticed a massive crowd gathered in front of a pavilion, all engrossed in a game of Go.

Somewhere along the way, Go had become incredibly popular in Taixuan Sect—largely thanks to Nine-Fingered Divine Lord, the game’s most enthusiastic advocate. Given that his apparent cultivation had reached Grand Ascension Stage, even the Elder Hall had to humor him.

Just last month, Lü Baitian had asked Gu An whether they should host a Go tournament, but he refused.

It was too early.

Besides, Nine-Fingered Divine Lord wanted the tournament to be held in Third Medicine Valley—absolutely not! That would interfere with Gu An’s herb farming.

After watching for a moment, Gu An turned to leave.

These days, Nine-Fingered Divine Lord no longer pestered him for matches—probably deep in self-reflection on his Go skills.

At the board, an Integration Stage elder played against him, further proving that aging cultivators, once stuck at bottlenecks, became easily addicted to such distractions.

Just then, Gu An sensed something and suddenly grew interested.

He called for Blood Prison Great Saint, mounted him, and soared toward the Outer Sect City.

"Master, why the sudden trip?" Blood Prison Great Saint asked curiously.

"Lu Lingjun is back. She’s heading to the Heavenly Mending Platform—probably to test the Heaven-Splitting Axe." Gu An replied casually.

Blood Prison Great Saint’s interest piqued.

He knew that Lu Lingjun had founded Ascension Sect, and the people she brought were likely Ascended Ones.

Curious about his peers, he sped toward the Heavenly Mending Platform.

The Heavenly Mending Platform

Blood Prison Great Saint’s speed was astonishing. In no time, they arrived at the Heavenly Mending Platform.

Compared to ten years ago, the platform was even more bustling. Cultivators of all levels gathered there—from Qi Refining Stage to Scattered Immortal Stage.

Yes, there were Scattered Immortals. And not just one.

These were overseas cultivators. After paying their respects to Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, they ascended the platform to comprehend the remnants of his sword intent.

Years ago, Gu An had secretly strengthened the Righteous Path inscription on the platform, increasing the power contained within it.

After dismounting, Gu An stepped onto the platform. Ox Demon King remained behind, as mounts and demonic beasts were forbidden from setting foot on the platform to avoid disrespecting the Sword Sovereign.

More and more cultivators gathered around the Heaven-Splitting Axe, eager to see what was about to unfold. Word had already spread—an overseas Scattered Immortal had come to challenge the legendary axe.

By now, Scattered Immortals were no longer a mystery in Taixuan Sect. Many understood that this realm signified true immortality, the highest level of cultivation known so far.

"So far" being the key phrase.

With the rapid advancement of the cultivation world, who knew if an even greater realm would emerge in another ten years?

For now, however, Grand Ascension Stage cultivators still commanded deep reverence.

Standing near the Heaven-Splitting Axe, Zuo Yijian held a copy of Romance of the Gods in his hands. Though his eyes skimmed the pages, it was clear that his mind was elsewhere.

The overseas Scattered Immortal was the very person Lu Lingjun had brought—her master from across the seas.

Gu An squeezed into the crowd and casually activated his Lifespan Insight ability.

【Western Spirit Mother (Scattered Immortal Stage, Eighth Layer): 18,907/24,000/150,000】

A lifespan limit of 150,000 years!

This meant she had the potential to reach the Free Soaring Immortal Stage!

Even in the Seeker’s Island region, Free Soaring Immortals were extremely rare and revered.

Western Spirit Mother wore a purple robe, her long white hair tied into an elaborate bun beneath a gold-and-jade-embellished crown. A blue silk scarf draped over her arm.

Just standing there, she radiated an overwhelming presence that sent chills down people's spines.

Despite her white hair, her face remained youthful and stunning. But her sheer aura of authority made it difficult to focus on her beauty.

She stepped forward, stopping before the Heaven-Splitting Axe, her gaze scanning it carefully.

It was no secret that her journey to this land was to seek out the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path.

That was also why she had taken Lu Lingjun as her disciple.

Overseas grandmasters were far more informed about the fall of the Seven Star Spirit Realm than local cultivators. To Western Spirit Mother, the Sword Sovereign was the greatest cultivator she had ever heard of. How could she not be intrigued?

Yet as she hesitated, Zuo Yijian grew impatient.

"Hurry up. Others are waiting. Once time is up, even the master of a Holy Land won't get a turn."

He didn’t care whether the challenger was a Scattered Immortal or something even greater. In Taixuan Sect, everyone followed the rules!

Western Spirit Mother didn’t take offense. Instead, she extended her snow-white hand, grasping the Heaven-Splitting Axe.

The moment her fingers touched the handle, she felt the immense weight—but not from the axe itself.

The true burden lay within—the boundless law power contained within the axe.

After attempting to lift it twice, she released her grip and turned away.

Disappointment rippled through the crowd.

They hadn’t expected her to succeed, of course. They just wanted to see an immortal figure struggle in vain—perhaps even show a bit of frustration.

But Western Spirit Mother remained unfazed.

Lu Lingjun spoke with her briefly, then turned to leave—only to catch sight of Gu An.

"Gu An! What are you doing here?" she called out, transmitting her voice directly to him while waving in greeting.