Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses - Chapter 130

Chapter 130: Chapter 130 Breakthrough, Midnight Battle

“Who is it?”

It was not Gu An who asked, but Lv Xian. Yi Liuyun also looked at Li Xuandao with curiosity.

Sword Venerable Fudao’s reputation was too great, and some even considered him the number one cultivator of the Taicang Dynasty!

Li Xuandao’s mouth curved up as he said, “He has a close relationship with Li Ya.”

Upon hearing this, Gu An’s heart trembled.

How did he guess this far?

Lv Xian frowned tightly and asked, “Li Ya? What kind of relationship?”

Li Xuandao shook his head and said, “I cannot divulge the specifics, lest we offend the elder.”

Elder?

Gu An let out a sigh of relief.

Then, Li Xuandao began to discuss other talents who gained fame at the Golden List Grand Assembly. He highly praised the Supreme Sect for hosting the assembly, thinking that Lv Baitian had become enlightened and was no longer as foolish and domineering as before.

They chatted for an ancient hour before Li Xuandao finally released Gu An to work.

This time he had brought high-rank saplings, which greatly interested Gu An.

The grade and rank of the medicinal herbs in Tianya Valley were continuously improving, indirectly proving that Li Xuandao’s power was growing.

Though the herbs in Tianya Valley belonged to Li Xuandao, Gu An could harvest an endless stream of lifespan from them, so he hoped for Li Xuandao’s continual success.

Yes, and also wished Lv Baitian well so everyone could get along harmoniously!

In immortal cultivation, temporary victories and defeats did not matter; the real winner was the one who lived the longest.

…

In late autumn, Gu An narrowly made it into the top five hundred of the Golden List Grand Assembly with the help of the Thousand-Shadow Pearl.

For the upcoming matches, he was prepared to lose.

Although he repeatedly achieved victories, Gu An did not build a reputation due to the difficulty of his wins, the unattractiveness of the battles, and the anonymity of his opponents.

At noon in Mystic Valley.

Gu An was instructing Ye Lan in the Primordial Reincarnation Skill. Ye Lan had already been eliminated but was not disheartened and was instead more determined.

The two of them conversed for several ancient hours, during which Ye Lan’s many questions about the Primordial Reincarnation Skill were resolved.

“Senior Brother, your achievement in this skill is really high. It seems you have been secretly practicing it diligently, no wonder your cultivation level hasn’t increased,” Ye Lan remarked with admiration.

In her heart, she grew even more respectful of Sword Venerable Fudao, who was not only formidable in Sword Dao but also mastered such a miraculous skill.

She now believed for sure that Sword Venerable Fudao was Gu An’s mentor, as Gu An had taken the Qinghong Sword to find Sword Venerable Fudao to save her.

She had once suspected that Gu An himself was Sword Venerable Fudao, but the cultivation realm displayed by Sword Venerable Fudao was too high, and Gu An’s age did not match.

Gu An did not refute, as this explanation was perfect.

He raised his right hand and conjured over a storage bag, handing it to Ye Lan. “Take this back and train well.”

Ye Lan did not check the contents and instead fastened the storage bag to her belt, then stood up. “By the way, Senior Brother, keep your distance from Senior Brother Li Ya for a while. The upper echelon is currently investigating all disciples of the Li Family within the sect, with unclear intentions but undoubtedly no good purpose.”

Gu An looked puzzled but nodded as he rose to see his junior sister off.

The investigation of the Li Family disciples within the Supreme Sect did not concern Gu An much, as this was not the first time such a thing had happened.

Though the Supreme Sect was the leading righteous sect of the Taicang Dynasty, internal strife was never-ending.

As for whether it would harm Li Ya, Gu An had no means to worry over that. He couldn’t possibly keep an eye on Li Ya at all times.

Everyone has their own life, and no matter how good or bad, as long as they get through it, it belongs to their own experiences.

A few days later, Gu An went to participate in the Golden List Grand Assembly. Against his opponent, he directly conceded, stunning his opponent.

A month later, the top one hundred emerged!

Only Wu Jue had the cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment Realm; all other cultivators’ minimum level was the Core Formation Realm. This news quickly spread, making Wu Jue famous.

When Lv Baitian delivered a sixth-rank spirit tree, Gu An mentioned Wu Jue, hoping Lv Baitian could find a good mentor for Wu Jue.

This made Lv Baitian look at Gu An with admiration.

“Such a good prospect found by you in advance, and you still say you are unfit to be the sect leader?” Lv Baitian said with a smile.

Gu An smiled and responded, “Just a stroke of fate. The Supreme Sect has many geniuses; this doesn’t speak to my vision, but to the abundant foundations and great fortune of the Supreme Sect.”

Lv Baitian was very satisfied with Gu An’s rhetoric. Regardless of whether it was genuine, it was very suitable for a sect leader.

“Regarding Wu Jue, I can’t promise anything. He has already become a disciple of Zhou Yu. Understand that taking An Hao as a disciple was already a major move that met with opposition; I cannot take on any more genius disciples. The Supreme Sect is not a place for one person’s dictation,” Lv Baitian explained meaningfully.

Zhou Yu, one of the Supreme Sect’s Venerable Pavilion, had more power than the Hall of Elders.

Becoming his disciple meant Wu Jue had a limitless future.

Gu An then thought of that true inheritor disciple, who was not in a mentor-disciple relationship with Lv Baitian, effectively counterbalancing him.

It seemed that in the Supreme Sect, even accepting disciples involved a consideration of interests.

Of course, the main reason was that Lv Baitian was not strong enough, at least not to the extent where he could suppress the three great families single-handedly.

“I plan to take action against the Li Family, but rest assured, I won’t harm Li Ya,” Lv Baitian continued.

Hearing this, Gu An immediately raised his hand to salute him.

Lv Baitian waved his hand, “After the Golden List Grand Assembly, the Supreme Sect will soar. However, potential crises remain, not to mention the Ephemera Sect Main Lineage on the other end of the Nine Nether Road. There are also those within the nine dynasties looking to scheme against the Supreme Sect. To avoid unnecessary trouble, I will visit your Medicine Valley less often. Do not indulge any further; practice diligently, understand?”

He felt somewhat helpless as he spoke these last words.

He had already passed on the Defying Fate Divine Skill to Gu An but saw no significant results.

Gu An nodded and said, “I will manage Medicine Valley well and not disappoint the Supreme Sect.”

Hearing this, Lv Baitian gave him a final glare before rising to leave.

Gu An hurried to see him off.

Heavy snow had already blanketed the Third Medicine Valley, and the flying snow threatened to engulf everything. Lv Baitian’s figure soon vanished into the vast snow.

Time flew by.

Another Chinese New Year arrived, and the Golden List Grand Assembly concluded the day before Chinese New Year.

In the evening, Gu An went to Mystic Valley to spend the festival with the disciples.

Zhen Qin had just returned from the outer sect and was discussing the Golden List Grand Assembly rankings with the disciples. After the assembly, the Supreme Sect would publish a book recording the life stories of the top one hundred, symbolizing authority in a way.

Winning first place was An Hao, without any suspense.

The second place was not Lv Xian but Sage Xuan Miao from Three Pure Ones Mountain. The duel between Sage Xuan Miao and An Hao had become legendary, and the name of Three Pure Ones Mountain reverberated throughout the Taicang Dynasty.

Lv Xian ranked third and was likely depressed. The rest were mostly aristocratic geniuses, with the Zhou, Gu, and Ji families occupying thirty percent of the top one hundred.

The dominance of the three great families was evident!

Wu Jue, with his Foundation Establishment Realm, made it into the top twenty but was severely defeated by An Hao when they met, although he had proven himself and became a bona fide genius.

Sitting down, Gu An listened to the disciples excitedly discuss the Golden List Grand Assembly, showing an interested look.

The disciples also flattered him, feeling honored that he made it into the top five hundred.

“Master, I have to go out on a mission tomorrow. It might take two or three years before I return…”

Zhen Qin, sitting beside Gu An, spoke while Gu An’s thoughts drifted away.

The high-rank medicinal herbs in the Mystic Heaven Cave Mansion should be ripening!

…

Seven days after the Chinese New Year, Gu An went to the Mystic Heaven Cave Mansion that night. After harvesting the ripened medicinal herbs and gaining nearly twenty thousand years of lifespan, he began sowing seeds again.

After years of management, the Mystic Heaven Cave Mansion was filled with medicinal herbs, all of at least fourth rank. They were now continuously providing him with lifespan.

With the current Medicine Valleys alone, Gu An saw the gate to a lifespan of millions of years approaching.

He had already started pondering about breakthroughs.

Reaching the Mahayana Realm almost drained the spiritual energy of the North Sea Mountain, so the next breakthrough must be in a place with more spiritual energy.

For the next breakthrough, Gu An needed at least five million years’ worth of lifespan. He was eager to see what realm he could reach.

After sowing, Gu An sat at the stone table, poured himself some tea, and enjoyed his leisure time while spreading his divine sense to observe the North Sea Mountain’s activities.

The North Sea Mountain was an excellent training ground for cultivators. With the initiation of the Golden List Grand Assembly, the passage of various sects’ cultivators through the area had intensified the conflicts there.

Hm?

Gu An suddenly noticed a battle, with one participant catching his attention.

Sage Xuan Miao from Three Pure Ones Mountain!

This genius who outperformed Lv Xian left a deep impression on Gu An.

At this moment, several dozen cultivators were besieging Sage Xuan Miao.

Under the night sky, the wind raged, and various spells fell endlessly, ravaging the land and forests.

Sage Xuan Miao held a sword in his right hand and a horsetail whisk in his left. Behind him, a Dharma Aspect with three heads and six arms materialized. Despite being surrounded by several Divinity Transformation Realm cultivators, he remained unfazed.

This three-headed, six-armed Dharma Aspect contained spiritual power far exceeding that of Sage Xuan Miao, and its six arms could cast different spells.

An impressive divine skill!

Gu An sipped his tea while appreciating the battle.

Those dozens of cultivators were no match for Sage Xuan Miao, but a Void Crossing Realm great cultivator was lurking in the shadows, making Sage Xuan Miao’s situation dire.

Gu An had no intention of intervening, as he had no interest in others’ grudges and feuds.

Even if Sage Xuan Miao died there, it would only show that his qi fortune was insufficient.

Gu An saved only those connected to him.

Thirty minutes later, the hidden Void Crossing Realm great cultivator made a move, launching a sneak attack that shattered Sage Xuan Miao’s Dharma Aspect, causing him to vomit blood and be flung into the forest.

Seeing this, the injured Divinity Transformation Realm cultivators heaved sighs of relief and then praised the Void Crossing Realm great cultivator.

Just as Gu An thought Sage Xuan Miao was doomed, he sensed something and raised an eyebrow.

In the forest where Sage Xuan Miao had fallen, a strong wind arose, uprooting trees and sending them into the night sky. Sage Xuan Miao sat in the ruins, surrounded by azure runes. These runes emitted beams of azure light, which gathered above him to form a grand door.

The door slowly opened, releasing a desolate aura that caused the Void Crossing Realm great cultivator’s face to change drastically as he turned to flee.

“Where are you running?”

An ancient voice echoed across the heavens and earth.