A terrifying Nascent Soul aura surged from Lü Dongshan at this moment.

A Nascent Soul must not be insulted! To insult one is to invite death!

Lü Dongshan had already reached the Nascent Soul realm five hundred years ago. Although he had yet to break through further, he had long since reached the peak of the realm!

Moreover, he too had once been a prodigy! Ordinary Nascent Soul experts were like weeds in his eyes. Now, this terrifying momentum rose as if it could move mountains and part rivers, solidifying everything around him.

Yet… this aura came quickly and dissipated just as fast.

Moments later, all traces of the aura vanished completely, and Lü Dongshan’s entire figure suddenly seemed somewhat desolate. The sharp fighting spirit in his eyes ultimately transformed into frustration and regret.

He gave a bitter smile. “I… really… am too pathetic…”

Five hundred years ago, Gu Xiu, with his heaven-defying talent, was hailed as a peerless exiled immortal. He paved his path with the bones of prodigies, step by step, ascending to the heavens!

Along that journey, some were slain by his sword, some retreated after defeat, and others… trembled with fear before even making a move, unable to face him, ultimately lacking even the courage to strike.

Lü Dongshan was among the latter.

Over five hundred years ago, he had once faced Gu Xiu in battle. But in that fight, seeing Gu Xiu’s blue robe stained with blood, his eyes gleaming with intensity, and gazing upon the fallen bodies of prodigies at his feet… Lü Dongshan retreated.

He thought it was self-preservation, a step back for broader horizons, a temporary tactical withdrawal. But he forgot: in the struggle for the Great Dao, retreating even a single step means losing the qualification to advance further.

His invincible Dao Heart shattered.

For five hundred years, Lü Dongshan made no progress. He had tried countless times to change this situation and had repeatedly regretted his initial retreat.

After all these years, he thought he had reclaimed his Dao Heart, especially after hearing that Gu Xiu had entered that perilous land and never returned; he felt he had finally escaped that dreadful state of mind.

Yet… now, seeing Gu Xiu again, he was once more dominated by that old fear.

Even though the Gu Xiu before him had changed greatly—the once dazzling figure like the blazing sun now seemed weathered by time, no longer overbearing or difficult to look upon directly—he seemed to have become even more composed.

Though the fluctuations of his aura indicated only the seventh layer of Qi Refining, he gave Lü Dongshan an intensely dangerous feeling.

Vaguely, Lü Dongshan sensed that making even the slightest reckless move would invite unimaginable calamity! Perhaps even… immediate annihilation of body and soul!

“I dare not strike against you,” Lü Dongshan sighed, his eyes filled with desolation. “Can you tell me what your cultivation level is now? Great Ascension? Or… perhaps the legendary… Immortal?”

“Neither,” Gu Xiu shook his head.

“Then what is it?”

“Qi Refining seventh layer.”

“Huh?” Lü Dongshan was stunned. “Truly?”

“Truly,” Gu Xiu replied calmly as ever.

But Lü Dongshan could not remain calm; his face was full of shock. “How is that possible?”

Gu Xiu shook his head without answering.

How is it possible? Indeed, five hundred years ago, even he would never have imagined such a possibility.

“You answer so truthfully… aren’t you afraid…” Lü Dongshan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “…afraid I might kill you while you’re weakened and fallen?”

“Will you?” Gu Xiu asked.

“I…” Lü Dongshan was speechless. The sharpness in his eyes finally vanished completely. He gave another self-mocking smile. “Do you think I’m laughable?”

“Pitiable,” Gu Xiu answered.

“Pitiable?” Lü Dongshan murmured, then said with a bitter laugh, “Actually pathetic. Truly pathetic. A mighty Nascent Soul expert who doesn’t even have the courage to draw his sword.”

“Even knowing full well that my greatest enemy of this lifetime has met with misfortune and his realm has fallen…”

“I still dare not draw my sword.”

“Hahaha! Hahahaha!”

Lü Dongshan laughed wildly, but as he laughed, tears streamed from the corners of his eyes.

He was furious. He was resentful. But he… was also pitiful…

Shaking his head, Lü Dongshan turned to leave. At this moment, his back appeared even more desolate.

Whether it was the enemy he had hated for five hundred years standing before him—the demon in his heart for five centuries—or the plans he had been scheming all along… he abandoned them all.

In an instant, he seemed to change. Without desires, without ambitions, without schemes.

Watching his retreating figure, Gu Xiu—who had remained silent all along—suddenly spoke. “Wait for me to fight you.”

“Huh?” Lü Dongshan froze momentarily before turning back in surprise. “You… what did you say?”

“When I feel my strength is sufficient, I will challenge you. At that time, I want you to fight me.” Gu Xiu’s tone was calm; not a ripple of emotion showed on his face.

Yet these words left Lü Dongshan dumbfounded on the spot. Staring at Gu Xiu, his face filled with disbelief.

He… told me to wait for him.

He… he would also make me wait for him!

But before he could fully process it, Gu Xiu had already turned away, leaving only his back and these parting words.

“The Great Dao has countless paths.”

“If one path is blocked, why not just take another?”

Take another?

Lü Dongshan stood rigidly in place.

Boom!

It was as if a thousand-pound hammer smashed heavily onto a chain long covered in rust!

Instantly, the chain shattered into pieces!!!

And within those encircling chains lay a withered seedling, long devoid of life, completely shrouded in dust. But as the chains shattered, beside that lifeless seedling, a fresh new sprout emerged.

And in an instant!

It soared toward the heavens!

Thunderclouds roiled in the sky above, yet strangely, none of the countless birds and beasts fled; instead, they all poked out their heads to gaze toward this place.

And within Lü Dongshan’s body, that peak Nascent Soul spontaneously rose up and moved toward his Divine Consciousness Platform, merging into one!

Divinity Transformation!

This was truly stepping into the Divinity Transformation realm!!!

The realm that had trapped Lü Dongshan for a full five hundred years began to loosen after Gu Xiu’s words. It began to advance!

Even more so, the roiling thunderclouds above clearly indicated heavenly tribulation lightning was about to descend, proving that Lü Dongshan’s breakthrough was extraordinary and immensely powerful!

But while the heavenly tribulation lightning was still gathering, Lü Dongshan did not busy himself preparing for it.

Instead, he bowed deeply toward Gu Xiu and shouted, “Gu Xiu!”

“The grace of your awakening words—I will never forget it!”

Gu Xiu’s single sentence was like an immortal’s touch upon his head, enlightening him and making everything suddenly clear.

He understood perfectly well: Gu Xiu actually didn’t need to say those words. They were enemies from five hundred years ago. If Gu Xiu hadn’t spoken, he would have turned to dust, dying eventually in some forgotten corner. Until death, he would have remained a laughable fool!

“So-called grace…”

“It is but fleeting smoke, scattered by the wind.”

Gu Xiu did not turn back. He merely waved a hand and left these words behind before completely disappearing from Lü Dongshan’s sight.

But Lü Dongshan still gazed in the direction where Gu Xiu vanished, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. He didn’t understand what had happened to Gu Xiu. But he could guess: Gu Xiu must have encountered unimaginably great changes.

“No matter what you think…”

“For me, grace is grace. For all eternity, I shall not forget it!”

Lü Dongshan bowed once more. Then he suddenly gave a bitter laugh.

“This guy… even after five hundred years, with his realm fallen all the way down to little Qi Refining… how is his state of mind still stronger than mine?”

“A person like this…”

“How could I ever compare? Not a damn chance!”

Right at that moment, a bolt of heavenly tribulation struck down.

But Lü Dongshan seemed utterly unconcerned. With a casual point of his finger, the first heavenly lightning dissipated instantly!

Then came the second bolt, the third…

When the thunderclouds finally dispersed and his Divinity Transformation cultivation was fully consolidated, Lü Dongshan was only slightly drained; there wasn’t a single wound on his body.

He too… had once been a prodigy!

He too… had once nearly been qualified… to block Gu Xiu’s path!!!

But just as Lü Dongshan completed his tribulation and fully consolidated his cultivation… a figure brimming with hot tears finally arrived belatedly…