Longevity: Starting as a Sect Servant

The matter of the mysterious secret realm is already known throughout the sect.

Nearly all the genius disciples are preparing for it.

This is a major endeavor by the Dao Sect, directly transforming a corner of the Southern Sea into a secret realm for the disciples to train in.

"Confronting the mysterious phenomena has become the primary theme of the Dao Sect."

Gu Canye spoke, "According to the predictions of the Dao Sect’s upper echelons, this upheaval is currently just an overture. The true catastrophe is still yet to come. It’s expected that in a few decades, a terrifying storm might directly sweep over the New Continent, reaching the original lands of the Spirit Realm. No major power in the world can avoid being involved."

Li An nodded, which matched his own assessment.

The first upheaval hasn’t truly begun yet. So far, it’s been minor skirmishes, only affecting a few realms of the New Continent.

He also wondered, since the mysterious secret realm has been forged, is the corpse of the exotic spirit still inside?

Has the Dao Sect discovered it?

These are all questions.

No way, I must go into this secret realm for a look.

After all, the so-called anomalous qi is very important to him and might be the key to eventually conceal himself within the mysterious.

"True Disciples Yun Qian, Su Yebai, and Helian Tuxian have already proven themselves to be at the Great Power level... Their speed is fast, especially Yun Qian, who soared high into the sky."

They talked about the situation within the sect.

Dao Level geniuses receive a lot of resources, combined with outstanding natural talent, allowing them to progress much faster than the true disciples.

Incomparable.

Someone like Li An, who enjoys the treatment of a Dao Level disciple, is still at the Refining Void stage...

In some sense within the Dao Sect, he could be considered a loser.

Additionally, true disciples such as Tan Qingxue, Li Yunxiao, Lei Tianlan, and Fen Sihai, like Gu Canye and Xiang Yuntian, are at Refining Void Perfection, just waiting for the mysterious secret realm to open.

"The mysterious qi within the secret realm contains sufficient immortal energy, absorbing it to break through to the Great Power level will increase the probability of becoming an immortal in the future."

They drank wine and chatted about the heavens and the earth. Xiang Yuntian said, "Old turtle, did you get the Immortal Elixir yet? Use it quickly... Next time, I’ll find one for you to ensure you catch up!"

Li An merely smiled and said, "Very well."

This time, he did not refuse.

...

After the gathering with Xiang Yuntian and the others, Li An delved into the various Library Pavilions of the Dao Sect.

The Daoist Canon of the Dao Sect is vast and contains everything, from cultivation techniques, historical records, to evil demon cults. He primarily sought information about the mysterious.

The books about these topics have become very popular lately, so Li An paid special attention, and nobody considered it strange.

He searched repeatedly and finally found some brief records in a few yellowed, tattered books.

"...In the depths of the Southern Sea, north of Divine Island, there is a ghost. Its body is ash-gray, no matter how many pieces it is sliced into, it reassembles in moments, as if it had never been harmed, called a ghost of anomaly..."

A gray body, slain in countless pieces and regrouping in moments... This record very much resembles Qin Long, whom Li An had slain. Could it be a true mysterious creature?

This record is very ancient, which is enough to indicate that long before the three major upheavals, such things as the mysterious existed. Mysterious creatures were not new phenomena.

They had appeared at least once on the Southern Sea.

"...South of Divine Island, there is Fusang Island, a day when the sky fell, contaminated water drained from a mysterious pool into the sea. All the islanders were contaminated, becoming ghosts of anomaly. Within the polluted water, there were streaks resembling starlight, called Deceit Root..."

This record caught Li An’s attention even more.

A small island upon the Southern Sea had once been entirely turned into these ghosts of anomaly, and the root cause was a kind of "starlight streak"... Could this be the anomalous qi mark?

By obtaining the anomalous qi mark, can one become a true "ghost of anomaly"—a mysterious creature?

Li An was puzzled.

The records are too scant. Besides these two notes, nothing else could be found.

Li An could only give up.

"Oh, such a diligent student, aren’t you?"

While reading, a clear voice rang out. Li An looked up to see Shangguan Xiaoxiao, who had arrived at some point. She stood with her hands behind her back, smiling gently, her beautiful eyes exceptionally bright, and said, "My good disciple, what are you reading? Is there anything you don’t understand? I can teach you."

Li An stood up, glanced at Shangguan Xiaoxiao, feeling complex emotions, and casually placed the book aside, saying, "You have become a Great Power. Congratulations."

Shangguan Xiaoxiao... is truly formidable.

No worse than the sect’s Dao geniuses, and what reassured Li An was... she doesn’t exhibit any immortal dao aura.

She managed to cultivate to the Great Power level solely relying on Demon Skill!

"Great Power is nothing worth congratulating... But my good disciple, your progress is really a bit slow."

Li An said, "What are you here to find?"

"To find you."

Li An was puzzled, "To find me?"

Shangguan Xiaoxiao nodded and said, "My good disciple, after so many years, my De Fu Pill is already consumed. Shouldn’t you quickly pay me some respect with more?"

Li An couldn’t help but laugh, taking out a storage pouch and handing it to Shangguan Xiaoxiao. However, she glanced at it and said, "The grade is too low. Make it again. Let’s go. I’ll take you to a place that is excellent for alchemy."

She dragged Li An out of the Library Pavilion and went directly to the Dao Sect’s Pill Hall. The Pill Hall elder greeted them respectfully and led them into the core grand hall of the Pill Hall, where there was an Eight Trigrams Furnace!

"Connecting to the Earth Fire, the creation is boundless. Here, you might finally manage to concoct a Great Power level pill."

Li An was surprised; he had already reached the Great Power level in knowledge of Talisman and Array, only his cultivation had yet to follow, but he hadn’t had time to properly study alchemy.

"This takes time..."

"Hmm, the opening of the mysterious secret realm is still ten years away. I’ll train you diligently for ten years. That should be enough, right?"