Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses

Li Xuandao finished speaking, his face filled with a smile as he looked at Gu An, waiting for his decision.

Gu An was dumbfounded.

The Emperor wanted him to become a spy too?

This was forcing him to be a triple agent!

This wasn't what Gu An pursued, but the key issue was that it was difficult for him to refuse; the other party, in terms of both cultivation level and status, was above him.

Not refusing meant endless troubles in the future.

If he refused, there would be trouble now!

However, Gu An thought of the high-rank medical herb he mentioned earlier, and his heart couldn't help but beat faster.

With a hesitant tone, Gu An asked, "Do I... have the option to refuse?"

"You do. If you refuse, I will erase your memory of today, as if we had never met," Li Xuandao said with a light laugh.

Feeling helpless, Gu An asked, "Why choose me? My aptitude is mediocre. With your status, digging up a disciple from the Supreme Sect is as easy as flipping a hand."

Li Xuandao shook his head, "I am not deliberately trying to poach a disciple from the Supreme Sect. It just so happens that you have an excellent relationship with Li Ya. I want to promote you, and because your aptitude is mediocre, I feel more at ease, for I can fulfill your needs."

He paused for a moment and then said in a frivolous tone, "People do not wish for an Emperor to live forever, nor do I wish for the master of Medicine Valley to live forever."

You're quite the humorist!

All Gu An could say was, "If that's the case, then I can only accept."

"Decades from now, when you look back, you will not regret your decision today," Li Xuandao said with a laugh, his tone full of pride.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Gu An asked, "Has Your Majesty been paying attention to Senior Brother Li all this time?"

"Now that our business is concluded, there's no need to address me as Your Majesty. Call me uncle instead, that's more like family," Li Xuandao said sternly.

Seeing that he did not seem to be testing him, Gu An called out "Uncle" once.

Li Xuandao revealed a smile and said, "To tell you the truth, I have quite a few pawns in the Outer Sect of the Supreme Sect. I am well aware of Li Ya's situation."

Previously, Gu An thought that Li Ya had a poor relationship with his father, the Emperor. It seemed that was not the case.

Could there be some misunderstanding here?

He wanted to ask on behalf of Li Ya, but he held back.

The Emperor before him aspired to eternal life, and such an Emperor's attitude towards Princes would certainly be complex. Even if he cherished a Prince, there was probably wariness in his heart.

Which Crown Prince wants to be Crown Prince forever, which Prince doesn't secretly long for the throne?

Gu An felt a wave of emotions. He thought Li Ya and Li Xuanyu already possessed strong talents until he saw Li Xuandao, which explained why those two were so talented.

Bloodline inheritance!

Two hundred and thirty years old, at the eighth layer of the Divinity Transformation Realm...

He couldn't have broken through to the Divinity Transformation Realm in his hundreds, could he?

That's preposterous!

Most importantly, this fellow had cultivated a secret technique to conceal his aura. If it weren't for Gu An's life span detection ability, he would never see through his real cultivation level.

Perhaps both the court and the Immortal Cultivation World couldn't see through his cultivation level, which is why he has been able to cultivate securely until now.

Afterward, Li Xuandao began to ask Gu An about the matters in the valley, curious about the origin of the Spring Festival mentioned by the disciples.

Gu An answered him with the explanations he gave to others.

Li Xuandao took an interest in the Spring Festival and decided to participate that very day. How could Gu An refuse?

An hour later, the two walked down from the attic and joined the other disciples in preparing for the Spring Festival. The disciples were all delighted, with constant laughter and joyful voices, which also influenced Li Xuandao.

As dusk fell, Gu An took out the homemade fireworks, and Mystic Valley began to echo with bursts of explosive sounds, deafening to the ear.

Firelight sparkled on Li Xuandao's face, his expression full of smiles, even toasting drinks with Xiaochuan, making it hard to associate him with the Emperor of Taicang Dynasty.

Tang Yu, Su Han, and other disciples prepared some performances — storytelling, sparring sessions, acrobatics, and so on, making the night lively until the late hours.

The next day at noon, Gu An saw off Li Xuandao.

"Two more years, huh? I'm really looking forward to it."

Gu An thought silently about Li Xuandao saying he would send someone to take him to Medicine Valley in two years.

He planned to aim for a life span of one hundred thousand years within the next two years, and then break through to the Divinity Transformation Realm.

Wrong, he had to surpass the Divinity Transformation Realm. He wouldn't feel at ease unless he was stronger than Li Xuandao, for being close to an Emperor was like accompanying a tiger. What if Li Xuandao one day had a whim to harm him?

Gu An looked in the direction of Li Xuandao's departure, idly curious about why the Emperor had gone to the Outer Sect alone.

Could it be that his real purpose was to visit Li Xuanyu?

Li Ya had said Li Xuandao's favorite child was indeed Li Xuanyu.

Without dwelling further, Gu An turned and walked into the valley, preparing to plant some more medicinal herbs.

...

As spring turned to summer, Gu An reached the age of thirty-four amidst the summer days.

That day, he bid farewell to Du Ye, who came to ask for medicinal herbs.

At the mouth of the valley.

Du Ye turned and said, "These years, you've provided a good number of medicinal herbs. Young Master Ji Lin is quite satisfied with you. In some time, he will send someone with a Foundation Establishment Pill for you, to help you reach the Foundation Establishment Realm as soon as possible.

Once you become a true Outer Disciple, he also plans to find a way for you to continue overseeing this Medicine Valley."

Having said that, he left, stepping on a sword and leaping over the mountains and forests.

Gu An shook his head with a wry smile. When he saw off Li Xuandao at the beginning of the year, Li Xuandao had said something similar.

In the future, he would have to keep a distance from the Ji Family, lest they plan to take action against the Supreme Sect in the future and require his contribution.

Powerful as sects may be, the power of noble families is immeasurable.

On this land, dynasties rise and fall, sects come and go, but some noble families can endure for ages. The Ji Family is one of them.

Alas!

I just want to peacefully pick herbs and flowers, so why are there so many people trying to woo him?

While thinking, Gu An walked into the woods nearby.

In the forest, there was a person practicing swordsmanship, and it was Su Han.

By now, Su Han had reached the seventh layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm, ranking just behind Gu An and Tang Yu within the valley.

Tang Yu practiced leg techniques, while Su Han practiced swordsmanship; however, the swordplay he usually practiced, taught by Li Ya, was far from profound.

Gu An stood at a distance watching his silhouette practicing and hesitated whether to give him any guidance.

Su Han, diligent in his duties and dedicated in cultivation, didn't exhibit any faults that Gu An could pick on.

Huh?

No, the swordplay he's practicing isn't the Ji Family's Seven Swords.

Looking closely, the sword techniques he wielded were unfamiliar to Gu An, something he had never seen before.

Could this young man also have had a fortuitous encounter?

When did this happen?

Gu An grew curious inwardly, then deliberately stepped on dry leaves to make a noise.

Noticing Gu An's arrival, the sword practitioner Su Han immediately stopped and turned to salute Gu An.

"Su Han, in the Outer Sect, status is determined by cultivation level, why do you bother to painstakingly practice swordplay?" Gu An asked with a smile.

Scratching his head with his left hand, Su Han said, "I'm not anxious to join the Outer Sect; I want to master the essence of swordplay first."

"Why do you think that way?"

"Once you enter the Outer Sect, you have to undertake missions. If my strength is inadequate, it could only hinder my future."

Su Han's reply amused Gu An.

Good, this lad is to his liking.

Gu An asked curiously, "Is your sword technique a family heritage?"

Su Han nodded, "It's my father's sword technique, but it's too profound. Only recently have I been able to barely grasp it."

"Your father must have been very capable indeed. I may not be fond of swordplay, but I have seen plenty of exquisite techniques within the Outer Sect, none of which surpass the sword technique you were just employing," Gu An inquired with curiosity.

Su Han shook his head, "My father was a disabled person. Ever since I have memory, he was blind and didn't possess a trace of sorcery. He passed away from illness when I was seven, and later, I found this sword manual in his belongings."

As he spoke, he took out a sword manual from his chest and handed it straight to Gu An.

Gu An took it and slightly raised his eyebrows.

Hateful Heaven Divine Sword!

What an odd name!

At the sight of this name, Gu An immediately felt the impulse to expel Su Han from Mystic Valley.

Clearly, the man carried a burden of grievances!

Gu An casually leafed through it; with his Cultivation Level at the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul Realm, his retention was such that he wouldn't forget what he read. However, mastering it would depend on his innatenatural understanding of the Sword Dao.

He returned the manual to Su Han, pondering, "This sword technique is indeed exquisite, but its mental method seems somewhat malicious. Are you sure you want to practice it?"

This technique required tempering one's internal organs with Sword Qi, subjecting the practitioner to unimaginable torment, and some of its methods were even inscrutable to Gu An.

With his Sword Dao achievement, he could assert without doubt that this technique was oddly sinister!

Stunned, Su Han asked, "Master, do you think I shouldn't practice it?"

Gu An shook his head, "I just feel that this sword technique might bring you suffering. I don't know your background, can't understand your feelings. Whether you practice it or not is up to you. If you don't, you're welcome to stay in Mystic Valley for as long as you like, you'll always be my disciple."

Moved by Gu An's words, Su Han tucked the Hateful Heaven Divine Sword into his chest and nodded vigorously.

Gu An took out a book from his chest; it was the latest volume of Investiture of the Gods, given to him by Du Ye. Du Ye mentioned that Ji Lin was so obsessed with this book, it led their retainers to follow suit.

"The book you wanted." After handing over Investiture of the Gods to Su Han, Gu An turned to leave.

With a smile on his face, Su Han held Investiture of the Gods in his hands.

Returning to Medicine Valley, Gu An started to observe the other Servant Disciples.

First, Li Ya, then Wuxin, and now Su Han, all of them had extraordinary backgrounds—Mystic Valley was proving to be very profound!

Something felt off!

An hour later, Gu An finally headed back to his own loft.

He couldn't see any issue with the rest of the Servant Disciples, which eased his mind a bit.

On second thought, that made sense; of those able to be admitted into the Immortal Cultivation World, who didn't carry an exceptional background or experience? In their eyes, he was the protagonist.

Deep into the night, Gu An quietly went to the Eight Scenic Caves.

After playing with Sky Dragon for half an hour, he took out the Heavenly Residence Sword and began to cultivate the Hateful Heaven Divine Sword.

Having many skills won't weigh one down, better to reach proficiency to add it to the Attribute Panel!

Suddenly, the whooshing of the wind could be heard beneath the Green Vine Tree, the sound of a sword blade slicing through the air, while Sky Dragon curiously watched from several yards away, Gu An's figure reflected in its dragon's eyes while practicing.

...

At the end of summer.

Gu An visited the Outer City. First, he went to the Elixir Hall to deliver a year's harvest of medical herbs, then he went to the Book Collection Hall to submit his manuscripts.

Ever since Investiture of the Gods became popular, Elder Liu Chang held him in special regard, always receiving him personally, fearful of any leaks.

Liu Chang openly worried that Gu An might be abducted by the Demon Path if his fame got out, which would mean a significant loss of Spirit Stones for the Book Collection Hall. This made Gu An even more cautious.

After concluding official business, Gu An went to visit Lu Jiujia. Lu Jiujia was delighted and invited him to meet Ye Lan as she happened to be in the city as well.

Not every Outer Disciple owned a cave abode outside the city; the cost of constructing one was prohibitive, and many chose to reside within the Outer Sect, basking in its Spiritual Energy.

Seated in the courtyard, as Lu Jiujia poured wine for Gu An, he spoke with a hint of conspiracy, "A major incident occurred in Supreme Sect!"