Yang An's words received unanimous agreement from the others in the hall. They all spoke up, continuing to persuade Li Lingtian, hoping he would abandon his sentimental hesitation and act decisively. If he hesitated now, it would only lead to disaster.
The more they agreed with Yang An, the more irritated Li Lingtian became.
A group of people with the surname Yang pressuring him, a member of the Li family, to kill his own kin?
He wanted to curse them outright, but he was no longer the reckless youth he once was. He had to maintain relations with the Yang family. After all, they had provided him with countless cultivation resources, and he couldn't simply sever ties with them.
The reason he desired the throne was that he couldn't freely use the Tai Cang Dynasty's resources for himself.
No matter how talented one was, cultivation required heavenly treasures and fortuitous encounters to advance faster.
The world was filled with geniuses as numerous as the stars in the sky. He was not the brightest among them.
Li Lingtian's expression grew increasingly dark. Yang An made no attempt to stop the others from persuading him. Instead, he watched Li Lingtian with great interest.
His purpose in coming here was not merely to support Li Lingtian.
From the Yang family's perspective, claiming the throne was already a certainty. Their true goal was to suppress Li Lingtian and make the royal authority a mere puppet in their hands.
Just as Li Lingtian was about to speak, a deep and resonant voice rang out across the sky, reaching everyone's ears inside the hall.
"When did the Yang family gain the right to rule the Tai Cang Dynasty? I, a mere Yang, was not informed of this."
Before anyone could react, a brilliant silver light flashed, and a figure suddenly appeared beside Yang An.
Yang An turned his head slightly, and his pupils instantly contracted. A blade was already pressing against his throat, sending an icy chill through his entire body. It was as if he had been plunged into an endless abyss of frost.
The man standing beside Yang An was clad in silver armor, his left hand gripping a three-pointed, double-edged blade. The weapon's edge was pressed lightly against Yang An's throat. His posture was so casual that it carried an overwhelming, indescribable sense of authority.
The entire hall was shaken.
Li Lingtian stared at the newcomer, his eyes widening in shock, his mouth slightly agape.
"It's you..."
Li Lingtian would never forget Yang Jian. The two had spent years together, often sparring, but he had never once defeated him.
How many years had it been?
He had imagined countless times how their next meeting would unfold, but he had never expected it to be under these circumstances.
After a brief silence, a female cultivator from the Yang family couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"
The others quickly drew their magic artifacts. Although they were intimidated by Yang Jian's overwhelming presence, they had no intention of fleeing. This was the Yang family's territory, and outside this hall, their descendants and disciples were waiting. They couldn't just abandon everything and run.
Yang An stared at Yang Jian, his body drenched in cold sweat. Yang Jian's killing intent locked onto him, freezing his spiritual energy in place. He couldn't even circulate his cultivation.
He couldn't even gauge Yang Jian's true cultivation level.
But one thing was certain—he was no match for this man.
Yang Jian glanced at Yang An and said flatly, "Considering the Yang family's connection to Li Lingtian, I advise you all to put an end to your delusions."
His gaze then shifted to Li Lingtian, his expression indifferent. "Kid, no one can touch your father's throne, not even you. Have you forgotten what you once told me about your ambition? How did you fall to such a petty state?"
Li Lingtian's face flushed red, but he didn't refute him.
Because he had once told Yang Jian that his goal was to become the strongest cultivator in the world, to pursue immortality, not to waste his life as some prince or emperor.
However, as he advanced further on the cultivation path, he encountered increasingly greater obstacles. He was forced to consider external resources.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with! The man you are threatening belongs to Mortal Peak! You'd better think twice before acting!" a middle-aged cultivator growled through gritted teeth.
Yang Jian glanced at the middle-aged cultivator, his gaze as cold as ice, sending a chill down the man's spine. His body trembled involuntarily, and he instinctively took a step back.
"Mortal Peak is indeed formidable. Their Peak Lord, Yongnian Dao Lord, is a supreme powerhouse. I have debated Dao with him before," Yang Jian said indifferently. Then, his voice suddenly grew heavier. "Oh, right. I am Yang Jian, the Saint King of the Sacred Court. Have you ever heard of me?"
His words sent shockwaves through the room.
Saint King of the Sacred Court!
The Yang family cultivators immediately turned pale, their arrogance completely crushed. Trembling, they fell to their knees, pressing their foreheads against the floor, begging for Yang Jian's mercy.
Li Lingtian sat frozen in his chair, his mind blank. He didn't understand how Yang Jian had become a Saint King, but one thing was clear: compared to the Sacred Court, Mortal Peak was nothing.
Yang Jian's gaze shifted toward Yang An, causing his very soul to tremble.
"You are unworthy of the name 'An.' From today onward, change your name," Yang Jian commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Yang An's throat tightened. His lips quivered, and after a long pause, he finally forced out a single word: "Understood…"
Seeing Yang Jian effortlessly suppress the Yang family, Li Lingtian opened his mouth but couldn't find the words to speak. A deep sense of powerlessness surged within him.
The gap between him and Yang Jian was growing wider and wider.
The cycle of seasons continued, and autumn arrived once more.
In the dense forest outside Wushi Dao Field, Gu An reclined on a sturdy tree branch, dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves onto his face. He lazily examined his attribute panel.
[Name: Gu An]
[Lifespan: 4,458/50,802,675,392]
[Physique: Hunyuan Boundless Physique]
[Cultivation: Golden Immortal Dao Fruit Realm, Perfection]
Fifty billion years of lifespan!
He had already reached half of the one hundred billion-year mark!
And this was accumulated without resorting to mass slaughter. His lifespan had been increasing rapidly without causing any upheaval in the world.
With such an overwhelming advantage, there was no need for him to roam the mortal world recklessly, seeking danger for the sake of cultivation.
It was precisely because of this that he had to remain ever cautious—he could never afford to be arrogant.
Beneath the tree, Tianqing and Tianbai were diligently practicing their sword techniques. Gu An had personally created a dual sword technique for them, and they were engrossed in their training. As for Tian Yao'er, she was still in seclusion.
"It's been a while since I activated the Lifespan Reincarnation Cycle. Shall I give it another go?"
A sudden whim struck Gu An. Recently, he had felt his comprehension of the Dao slowing down. He needed fresh stimulation.
Lifespan Reincarnation was the perfect method.
Even if there were risks, they wouldn't affect his current reality immediately.
It was time.
It had been far too long.
He should do it.
With a single thought, Gu An activated Lifespan Reincarnation.
[You have consumed 10 million years of lifespan to initiate a reincarnation cycle.]
[Connecting to Dao Rules…]
[Searching for Reincarnation Worlds…]
[You may choose from the following worlds:]
[1. Heavenly Spirit Grand World]
[2. Heavenscript Grand World]
[3. Dark Grand World]
A Grand World?
Heavenscript?
Gu An's attention was drawn to the second option. But why did it sound as if this world existed inside a book? If that were the case, then it might house terrifying beings like Heavenly Spirit Gods.
Forget it. He wouldn't touch a Grand World just yet. Ten million years of lifespan wasn't a trivial cost—he had to work for half a year to earn that much.
His gaze settled on the Dark Grand World.
Ever since Yang Xian had defeated the Black Xuan Emperor, Gu An no longer felt as apprehensive about him. Perhaps this time, he could face him head-on and personally eliminate him!
Gu An made his choice.
Immediately, a stream of notifications appeared before his eyes:
[You have chosen to reincarnate into the Dark Grand World.]
[Due to your overwhelming talent, the Dao Rules of this world cannot fully suppress you. You will retain your ability to absorb lifespan but cannot activate staged functions.]
[Reincarnation Cycle Initiated.]
[Year One: You are born in a small town in the Western Extreme Region. Shortly after your birth, the town is attacked by demonic beasts. Your parents perish, and you are snatched by one of the beasts. Fortunately, a passing cultivator rescues you and grants you the name—Hei Xuan.]