Chapter 638: Battle of the Heavenly Army

In the vast and boundless world, endless legions of silver-armored Heavenly Soldiers were besieging a terrifying figure larger than any mountain in existence.

This colossal entity resembled a turtle, its entire form wrapped in horrifying demonic energy. More than a dozen flood dragons rampaged within this aura.

Upon closer inspection, one would realize that these flood dragons were not separate beings—they were merely the tails of this mysterious demonic turtle.

The sheer enormity of this demonic turtle was unfathomable.

The silver-armored figures surrounding it were as insignificant as specks of dust.

With just a single movement, it could trigger earth-shaking catastrophes.

In the distance.

Zhang Buku stood side by side with Xu You, both clad in silver armor.

However, unlike Zhang Buku, who wore his armor with pride and authority, Xu You looked uncomfortable, as though the armor did not belong on him.

Zhang Buku gazed at the battle ahead, his eyes filled with fear and disbelief.

The Heavenly Soldiers in front of them were all stronger than him, their numbers exceeding ten million, hailing from countless Great Worlds.

Yet even with such an overwhelming force, they could not shake the demonic turtle.

"This is a Chaotic Fiend," Xu You murmured, his tone heavy with emotion.

"This one isn’t even among the strongest. It’s said that in the vast chaos, there are countless more like it. If we can subdue it, then our Heavenly Army may have a chance to truly establish itself."

Zhang Buku turned his head toward him, surprised. "With so many Heavenly Soldier candidates, do you really think we can become Heavenly Gods?"

Xu You rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Do you think becoming a Heavenly God is that easy? We can only hope to survive and secure our footing first."

"If we’re lucky enough to follow a peerless genius, we might ride their coattails to greater heights. That’s a much better gamble than facing the trials of Heaven alone."

Hearing this, Zhang Buku shifted his gaze back to the Chaotic Fiend in the distance.

He took a deep breath—

And leaped into battle.

Xu You did not hesitate and followed immediately.

All around them, countless figures charged toward the Chaotic Fiend, while others fell in an instant, their blood and remains scattering across the battlefield.

Every warrior present was a top-tier genius or a peerless powerhouse from various realms.

Yet before the Chaotic Fiend, they were as insignificant as insects.

Even their most powerful divine arts and techniques failed to dispel the demonic aura that surrounded it.

At the same time.

Above the layers of thick, rolling clouds, a towering figure stood overlooking the battlefield.

He was also clad in silver armor, but his armor exuded an overwhelming sense of dominance.

Behind him, two robed Immortal Gods stood silently, watching the carnage below without emotion.

As Immortal Gods, they had witnessed countless battles like this.

They held no sympathy for the fallen, for every warrior who set foot here had already accepted their fate—to fight without regret, even unto death.

Heavenly General Tian Zhen finally spoke, his voice deep and unshaken.

"This batch of Heavenly Soldiers holds little promise. Even if they survive this trial, few among them will become true talents."

The two Immortal Gods behind him nodded silently.

Each of them held a jade tablet, inscribing records of the battle with swift, fluid movements.

Meanwhile, far away from the battlefield—

The news that Tai Yi Immortal Lord had been subdued by Gu An did not spread.

At least, within the Heavenly Spirit Great World, only Gu An and An Xin knew that Tai Yi Immortal Lord had even set foot there.

And after Tai Yi Immortal Lord’s soul was cast into reincarnation, the Heavenly Spirit Great World remained unchanged, without any great disturbances.

It wasn’t until Heavenly Spirit God stepped through the Realm Gate that things took a turn.

Standing before the gate, he suddenly sensed something.

He turned his gaze toward the Heavenly Spirit Great World, his expression shifting to one of shock.

He could feel a lingering trace—Tai Yi Immortal Lord had been here.

Yet the Heavenly Spirit Great World remained unharmed.

What did this mean?

His respect for Gu An deepened further.

He had always believed that Gu An possessed the strength to challenge Tai Yi Immortal Lord, but he had never imagined that the battle would end so silently.

What did this mean?

It meant that there was likely a massive gap in power between Gu An and Tai Yi Immortal Lord!

Heavenly Spirit God took a deep breath, a smile forming on his lips.

Everything seemed to be heading in a good direction.

Without further hesitation, he returned to his meditation spot and resumed his cultivation.

As Gu An stood atop the mountain, his robe fluttered in the wind. He had just activated Lifespan Projection, seeking to enhance his Dao of Strength.

For someone of his current cultivation, consuming 100 billion years of lifespan was no longer a significant loss. Even after the expenditure, he still had over 1.4 trillion years remaining.

As the projection concluded, a notification appeared before his eyes. He closed them, beginning to comprehend the insights of the Dao of Strength.

The spiritual energy of the world abruptly froze in place, and the Grand Dao's rules trembled. Every living being in the area felt an oppressive force descending upon them.

Unlike before, Gu An had chosen not to conduct his Dao comprehension within his Dao Field.

Instead, he deliberately selected a continent with little cultivation influence to spread his insights.

As his comprehension deepened, the power of the Grand Dao surged across the land. Countless cultivators, initially uneasy due to the sudden fluctuation of spiritual energy, soon experienced an inexplicable feeling—one that urged them to reflect on their own cultivation techniques.

Before long, the entire continent fell into silence, as if immersed in the wave of enlightenment.

Gu An's influence continued to expand, stretching toward the oceans and beyond, reaching distant continents.

After a long while.

Gu An's comprehension session ended. He opened his eyes and vanished from sight.

Moments after his departure, streaks of light flashed across the sky—figures descended, their presences ethereal and imposing.

These cultivators, radiating the aura of Daoist masters, observed the mountains and valleys as if searching for something.

Meanwhile, Gu An had stepped into a mortal city.

Unlike major cultivation hubs, this city was inhabited mainly by ordinary people, with only a handful of hidden cultivators whose cultivation levels were completely concealed.

He entered a small bookstore, casually flipping through its collection.

Yet, even as he browsed, his thoughts drifted to Zhang Buku in Tai Ze Grand World.

Zhang Buku had mysteriously disappeared for several millennia.

Even Gu An, despite his power, could not trace the cause of his absence—which suggested that it was related to the Heavenly Court.

Fortunately, Zhang Buku eventually returned unharmed, so Gu An had not pursued the matter further.

However, every time Zhang Buku and Xu You spoke about the Heavenly Court, Gu An found himself unable to hear their words or deduce anything from them.

Perhaps this was why the Heavenly Court remained so enigmatic.

Even someone at the Grand Luo Dao Fruit Realm could not peer into its karmic secrets.

Although Zhang Buku had returned, his spirit seemed noticeably diminished.

Gu An hesitated, contemplating whether he should offer him guidance.

He could make an educated guess—Zhang Buku had likely suffered a setback in the Heavenly Court.

There was a high probability that he had competed for an immortal position but either failed or lost hope after witnessing the vast disparity in power among contenders.

On the other hand, Xu You seemed entirely unaffected.

Upon returning to Tai Ze Grand World, Xu You had abandoned cultivation altogether, choosing instead to indulge in worldly pleasures.

Lost in thought, Gu An soon became absorbed in the book in his hands.

When it came to literature, he found that mortal-written books held more charm.

In contrast, books written by cultivators were overly utilitarian, lacking the depth of human emotions and relationships.

"You seem to enjoy that book, dear customer," the bookstore owner approached him with enthusiasm.

"If you like this one, why not buy it? In fact, if you purchase the entire collection, I'll even include a set of illustrations drawn by the original author himself!"

Gu An closed the book, placing it back on the shelf. Without a word, he turned and walked away.

The bookstore owner frowned, clearly displeased.

"What kind of person just browses without buying? Looks respectable enough, yet refuses to spend a single coin!"

Just as the owner was about to grumble further, a calm voice drifted through the air.

"Bring out all the illustrations. I'll take them."

Hearing this, the bookstore owner's face immediately brightened, his irritation vanishing like smoke in the wind.

"Ah, of course! Please wait just a moment, esteemed customer!"